I’ve been into freelancing for many years, but lately, it’s become more popular for people in all industries. Whether you lost your job or want to make extra money to prepare for emergencies, freelancing can be a great way to achieve your financial goals.
To freelance, though, you’ll need access to the best freelance websites today. Fortunately, there are over a dozen excellent freelance websites to find work.
How freelance websites work
Most freelance websites have one of two models: They are either a marketplace or a job board. You’ll have more freedom with a marketplace, and some of the largest freelance websites operate as one, like Fivver, but job boards have their benefits too.
On marketplace websites, you create a profile and possibly gigs. You tell buyers what you’ll do and for how much. Buyers may message you and several other sellers simultaneously and compare answers, including fees and turnaround time.
On job boards, you apply for the job individually. Rather than marketing yourself to anyone on the website, you’re tailoring your request to the job at hand. You know exactly what the buyer needs and are trying to tell them that you’re best for the job.
In both situations, you are bidding for a spot. Chances are, many others will be too. To land the job, use keywords in your responses or advertisements, and respond to their requests quickly before someone else beats you.
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What to look for in freelance websites
Before you choose the freelance website that’s right for you, know what to look for. Granted, you may have different criteria than me, but here’s what I consider when looking at freelance websites.
Cost
Most freelance websites cost something. Most are free to join but don’t get caught up in that. Just because they look free to start, most take a percentage of your earnings when you land a job.
Read the fine print and know the total cost of the website to compare your options and choose one you can afford.
Target audience
It doesn’t help to list your services on a site that your target audience won’t see. Look at the existing jobs on a freelance site. Do they relate to what you do/offer? Even if there’s a competition offering the same services as you, that’s okay. You’ll find ways to stand out, and in fact, it’s good if there’s competition because that means there’s a market for it.
Website support
Read reviews and test the website out yourself as a buyer to see what it’s like. If you easily get frustrated or you can’t tell what you need to do to sign up, look elsewhere. You want a website that’s user-friendly and offers plenty of support so you can set up a successful gig.
Seller support
Make sure the website supports its sellers. In other words, how do they handle disputes? How do they handle non-payment? Find the answers to these questions before signing up with a service. Don’t work with a service that doesn’t stand behind their sellers or collect payment upfront to ensure you aren’t working for free.
Buyer support
Even though you aren’t the buyer, you want a site that supports its buyers. This brings in a larger audience and ultimately reflects on you too. Even if you provide stellar service, if the website is glitchy or the reps don’t help buyers, you could quickly lose your target audience.
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The best freelance websites
Below I share with you the best freelance websites you can check out!
1. FlexJobs
Flexjobs is a job marketplace that lists remote and freelance opportunities. Every job that’s posted is verified, and any fake information is removed immediately. You’ll find freelance positions in almost any category, including writing, accounting, marketing, data entry, and more.
Want to know one of the top job marketplaces I recommend to my friends?
FlexJobs has some of the best freelance jobs out there, and a huge variety!
CHECK OUT FLEXJOBS
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2. Fiverr
Fiverr is the most well-known freelance website, thanks to its extensive marketing campaigns. Fiverr has over 3 million buyers and has millions of sellers too. They have jobs in hundreds of categories, and sellers are in complete control of their gigs, including the pricing, services they’ll offer, and turnaround time.
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3. Upwork
Upwork is a job board. You create a profile and then apply for jobs on the freelance website. To apply, you need what they call “Connects.” You get 80 free “Connects” when you join. After that, they cost $0.15 per Connect. Each job has a different number of “Connects” to apply.
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4. SimplyHired
Simply Hired is a job board that’s free for sellers to find applicants. They only pay when they’ve found the right person for the job. For you, the applicant, it’s free. You’ll see jobs from companies posting directly on SimplyHired and others aggregated from other websites. The website is user-friendly, and you’ll find jobs in various industries, including marketing, finance, and HR.
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5. Guru
Guru is a freelance website that offers both a free and paid option. The free membership allows you to bid on up to 10 jobs a month. When you land a job and get paid, Guru keeps 9% of the earnings.
The paid option is $11.95 per month, but you pay a smaller service fee (varies on the size of the job). Paid members have a better chance of having their listings near the top too.
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6. Freelancer.com
Freelancer is another large freelance website, hence the name. They have millions of buyers every day looking for freelancers to complete their jobs. They boast 1,800+ categories, and their support staff helps sellers find buyers and buyers find sellers.
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7. TopTotal
If you’re the “best of the best,” get listed on TopTotal. Because of their criteria, it’s tougher to get through their screening process, but if you do, it can be well worth it. The companies they work with are some of the largest in the country, like Airbnb.
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8. PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour is UK-based but is open to freelancers around the world. To join, you must get pre-approved by the moderators, but once approved, you’re on your own to set up your profile, find jobs, and make money.
PeoplePerHour focuses on gigs in technology, writing, design, digital marketing, video, music, marketing, and social media services.
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8. SolidGigs
SolidGigs was created as an alternative to bigger names like Fiverr and Upwork. Created by a freelancer himself, SolidGigs vets freelance opportunities for freelancers saving you time and helping you avoid scams. SolidGigs even sends out a weekly job list to make it easy for you to see all the available gigs in one place.
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10. LinkedIn
You might know LinkedIn as a business social media platform, but it’s also a great way to get freelance work. Your profile is like your resume. Offer as much information as possible and use keywords, so you show up in searches for the freelancing services you offer.
If you’re feeling exceptionally savvy, you can add posts too, just like you would on Instagram or Facebook, but business-related. The more posts you do, the more exposure you’ll get, and you never know when someone may share your post to get you even more exposure.
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11. Behance
Behance is a freelance platform for creative types, such as photography, web design, and illustration. Behance works somewhat like LinkedIn, but for creative freelancers. You create a profile and portfolio and can follow other people on the platform. The more people you follow, the more exposure you’ll get and the higher your chances of finding freelance work become.
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12. Dribbble
Dribbble is another freelance platform for designers. You can create a profile and portfolio, giving you an avenue to show off your work and potentially get hired. You can also find a job by browsing the job board, but if you want a freelance opportunity, your best bet is to upload a portfolio and let businesses see what you can do.
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13. 99Designs
99Designs is a freelance platform for designers. You can earn freelance positions with clients individually or compete in contests with other designers to earn new clients. It puts an interesting twist on getting new clients, and any clients you make on 99Designs, you work with exclusively on the platform.
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14. Contently
Contently works with some of the largest and best companies in the world, so they are picky about the freelancers they choose. To join, you must demonstrate a killer portfolio and be able to pitch ideas to potential clients.
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15. Freelance Writing
If you’re a writer, Freelance Writing is a great site to network on to get new clients. While it’s more of a job board than a freelance platform like Fiverr, there are plenty of great leads for writers, bloggers, and journalists.
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CHECK OUT FLEXJOBS16. DesignCrowd
DesignCrowd is like 99Designs. It’s a marketplace for creative freelancers. Like 99Designs, DesignCrowd offers contests, but they are actually its main focus. They even pay freelancers to compete in them. If you’re a beginning designer just creating your portfolio, it can be a great way to get started.
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17. FreeUp
FreeUp is a freelance platform that brings together clients and sellers. They have 85 categories of jobs you can offer. Still, you must pass their application process to advertise your services on their website. FreeUp focuses on streamlining the process from inquiring about a job to securing it, giving buyers 15 minutes to make their hiring decision, so they don’t waste your time.
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18. Contena
Contena is a great source of jobs for freelance writers. The job board pulls jobs from around the world. You can set up filters and ask for email notifications when new jobs meet your criteria so you can be one of the first to apply. Some of their services cost money, but they come with access to coaching and higher-paying jobs.
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19. Working Nomad
If you’re looking for a freelance job in customer service, technology, sales, or marketing, Working Nomad can be a good option. The platform is much smaller, but it also serves unique niches. You’ll see the jobs that fit your criteria, and you can apply for them right on the platform.
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The bottom line
The best freelance websites will help you land the freelance gigs you want. If you’re tired of the 9-to-5 stress and want to work for yourself, I recommend that you check out these freelance websites. They’ll start your path to reaching your financial and career potential.
About Millennial Money Man
Bobby Hoyt is a former band director who paid off $40,000 of student loan debt in 18 months on his teaching salary and then left his job to run Millennial Money Man full-time. He helps other Millennials earn more through side hustles, save more through budgeting tools and apps, and pay off debt. He is a personal finance expert who has been seen on Forbes, Reuters, MarketWatch, CNBC, International Business Times, Business Insider, US News, Yahoo Finance, and many other personal finance and entrepreneurship media outlets.
