9 BEST Upwork Alternatives (Sites Like Upwork) in 2023
Matthew Martin
Upwork is one of the best freelancing marketplaces. This digital marketplace handles millions of freelancers globally. Having said that, Upwork doesn’t come without its share of glitches.
At some point in time, you may not find the best freelancers for a specific task. Also, searching for a remote job can become difficult. Various factors can contribute to such scenarios, be it specialization or bidding rates.
There are some fine alternatives to Upwork available. Let’s review some of those and see how they meet your needs and requirements.
Top Upwork Alternatives & Competitors (Websites Like Upwork)
| Name | Founded in | Platform Fees | Payment Options | Popular Services | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toptal | 2010 | $500 | Paypal, Cards, Bank wires | Web Development, Design, Finance, Product Managers, and Project Managers | Learn More |
| Fiverr | 2010 | 5.5% | Credit Card, PayPal, Fiverr Credits, and Fiverr Balance | Writing and Translation, Video and Animation, Logo Maker, Music and Audio, Graphics and Design, End-to-End Projects, Programming and Tech | Learn More |
| Flexjobs | 2007 | $399/month | Visa, Mastercard, and other payment options | Telecommuting Jobs, Remote Work, Flexible Jobs, Alternative Schedule-Based Work, Freelance Contracts, and Part-Time Roles | Learn More |
| SolidGigs | 2017 | $35/month | Different Credit Card options and Discount Codes | Freelance jobs, digital marketing services, accounts and finance | Learn More |
| PeoplePerHour | 2007 | 3.5% excl. VAT | Paypal, Payoneer, and Bank Accounts | Technology & Programming, Writing & Translation, Designing, Video, Photo & Image Editing, Business, Music & Audio, Marketing, branding, and sales | Learn More |
1) Toptal
Toptal is one of the better freelancing platforms if you are looking for an alternative to Upwork. As the name suggests, it searches for the top talents from millions of applications they receive daily. This job portal has a very rigorous and strict screening procedure. Only 3-4% of the applicants pass the process and make it to the hiring list.
You can visit Toptal to search for freelancing jobs in different fields. It features a wide range of work opportunities for freelancers or those looking for remote jobs. Some of the leading global brands hire freelancers working with Toptal to be part of their projects.
Features:
- Reliable Approach: With Toptal, you can always expect the highest form of reliability. Additionally, the flexibility allows you to manage your team per your needs. Using this app, you can work on specific projects in your spare time without changing your regular work schedule.
- Talent expertise: If you have a specific requirement for your business or company, say, an expert web developer, Toptal will provide you with the best talents associated with the platform. You can hire the talent that meets your needs accordingly.
- Best Value: Toptal services are cost-effective. There is a simple pricing strategy for Toptal, such as paying hourly, every week, full-time, or some fixed consolidated remuneration. There are also no hidden charges to be worried about.
- Risk-Free Trial: Toptal offers a trial period for every freelancer you hire. If, within that period, you terminate the services of the freelancer, you do not have to pay any charges. You can also keep the work done by the freelancer during that trial period.
- Unmatched Quality: This platform offers highly qualified freelancers with work expertise. Be it ethical values, proficiency in English, or subject specialization, Toptal always screens the best freelancers for you and other clients.
- Support: Toptal provides a customer support service through email, or you can make direct calls to the sales team.
Pros
Cons
Pricing & Fees
- Platform Fees: A $500 upfront fee will be credited when hiring someone. However, the amount will be refunded if you don’t hire and want to terminate the contract with Toptal.
- Recruiting Fees:
| Toptal | Typical Employment | Other Virtual Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $10-$40 | $0 |
- Payment Options: ACH, Credit Cards, PayPal, and Bank Wires.
Why is Toptal a better alternative to Upwork?
If you have the budget, Toptal is a way better Upwork alternative, considering the quality of freelancers you get for the high price being offered.
2) Fiverr
Fiverr, one of the major competitors to Upwork, offers companies and business professionals the ability to search for freelancers to work on their projects. Just any type of service, be it designing a website or creating a cooking video, there are plenty of work opportunities available.
This application opened as a portal offering gigs for $5 only. Apart from searching for the right gigs, you can also post your offers on this platform. Content writers, graphic designers, bloggers, game reviewers, and teachers may find the $5 gig that meets your requirements.
Features:
- Budget-friendly services: Fiverr features a wide range of digital marketing services that meet different client requirements and budget criteria. The pricing is project-based and not hourly.
- Short gigs: This freelancing job platform is ideal for those looking for short and affordable gigs that can be finished within a small timeframe.
- Flexible payment: With Fiverr, you never have to worry about the payment. Payments from your side get released only when you are satisfied with the work of the freelancer.
- Support services: You can submit a request in the available query form for the support team to answer.
Pros
Cons
Pricing and Fees
- Platform Fees: Fiverr charges a 5.5% service fee on the purchase amount if the purchase cost is beyond $75. For anything below, there is a $2.50 additional amount applicable.
- Payment Options: Credit Card, PayPal, Fiverr Credits, and Fiverr Balance
Why is Fiverr a better alternative to Upwork?
Fiverr has a simple interface that makes it easy to use compared to the complex interface of Upwork. Fiverr is always one of the better Upwork competitors due to its simplicity. Also, the affordable rates make Fiverr a popular option among buyers and sellers.
3) FlexJobs
FlexJobs is one of those websites similar to Upwork and is regarded as a very competitive opponent. For nearly one and a half decades, FlexJobs has remained a premium freelancing platform. FlexJobs is a subscription-based job site that specializes in offering remote, flexible, and freelance job opportunities.
It verifies the jobs posted on their portal before publicizing them. This approach makes FlexJobs a highly secure freelancing job search platform, eliminating the risks of spam and bugs.
Features:
- Remote jobs: With FlexJobs, you can work from anywhere. Choose from the widest range of remote jobs available that allow you to work at your conveyance anywhere in the world.
- Deep scrutiny of jobs: This popular Upwork alternative scrutinizes the jobs before posting them on the site. It saves time and energy from your end in identifying the best jobs for your requirements.
- One-on-one session: This is one facility that allows you to brush up on your career skills. You can also allow the experts to manage your resume.
- Deep research on jobs: There are thousands of job offers and employers available through the portal. You can go through the details of the companies you select to learn about the job culture, work responsibilities, and other aspects before applying for the job.
- Customer service: Support is available through a helpline and virtual chat. You can even mail them to their office address.
Pros
Cons
Pricing and Fees
- Platform Fees: There are 3 pricing editions available. Although there is a setup fee at the entry level, the usage fee structure is tabled below:
| 1 month | 3 month | 12 month |
|---|---|---|
| $399 | $859 | $2999 |
- Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, and other payment options.
Why is FlexJobs a better alternative to Upwork?
You will find jobs from over 50 different fields of work. Also, if you are looking for high-quality remote or freelancing jobs, Flexjobs promises better reliability and is certainly one of the best alternatives to sites like Upwork.
4) SolidGigs
While there are many websites similar to Upwork, SolidGigs is not your regular freelance job-searching portal. Rather, it review your requirements and emails you the jobs for a small fee. It is regarded as a very effective lead-generation tool that helps improve your existing freelance work portfolio or business.
SolidGigs searches from over a hundred job portals, gig sites, and freelancing platforms to pick the best opportunities and enlist them on their site. They have always relied heavily on maintaining the quality of gigs posted on the site. It scans deeply from hundreds of gigs researched before finalizing on a mere 1-2% that gets enlisted.
Features:
- Minimal lead generation time: With SolidGigs, you can generate numerous leads within a short succession of time.
- New jobs daily: You will never run out of gigs. New jobs are posted every 24 hours.
- Quality over quantity: SolidGigs focuses on the quality of leads being generated, not on the quantity of leads.
- No commission fee: There is only an upfront fee to join SolidGigs. Once done, you don’t need to pay anything for the work.
- Training options available: Many claim SolidGigs to be the best Upwork alternative. This is because here, you can train your skills and become sharper with your freelancing abilities.
- Skilled technical support: To resolve your queries, there is technical support available. Email them in their contact form or send a direct mail to their physical address.
Pros
Cons
Pricing and Fees
- Platform Fees: There is a flat upfront fee. You can either pay $35/month or subscribe annually for a fee of $21/month. However, SolidGigs never claims any percentage of your earnings that you receive through the jobs provided by them.
- Payment Options: Different Credit Card Options and Discount Codes.
Why is SolidGigs a better alternative to Upwork?
SolidGigs is a more effective option to find the best jobs for designers, developers, marketers, and writers. Unlike Upwork, SolidGigs screens and posts only the best quality gigs for freelancers, which makes it a better alternative.
5) PeoplePerHour
Another fine alternative to Upwork, People Per Hour, creates a link between aspiring/experienced freelancers and businesses to join and deliver the best results without falling prey to the hectic 9-6 job schedule. Work at your will with flexible timing and earn as per your potential—this is what People Per Hour intends to do for promising freelancers.
Here at People Per Hour, freelancers can define their area of expertise and pricing per hour. Popularly known as HOURLIES, this option allows clients to look for the best freelancers as per their budget.
Features:
- High safety: This freelance marketplace offers you the utmost safety through anti-fraud protection.
- Fast job searching: It promises a quick turnover time when you search for specific jobs.
- Top-quality proposal listing: People Per Hour introduces the option of highlighting the top-quality proposals that hit a client’s dashboard. This feature makes it easier for clients to pick the best proposals.
- Customer Support: Freelancers can submit their queries on the support page along with their work email.
Pros
Cons
Pricing and Fees
- Platform Fees: There are no upfront fees to post a job proposal or search for any job offerings. But this platform charges as per the earnings of the freelancer. Have a look:
| Deduction Charges | Billing Amount |
|---|---|
| 3.5% | above £5000 |
| 7.5% | within £250 – £5000 |
| 20% | below £250 |
- Payment Options: Paypal, Payoneer, and Bank Accounts.
Why is People Per Hour a better alternative to Upwork?
PeoplePerHour is a more affordable option compared to Upwork. Additionally, the dashboard is more effective in People Per Hour, which helps users keep track of the project’s progress. There is an HOURLY feature where freelancers can define their work domain, and it offers better rates than Upwork.
Link: https://www.peopleperhour.com/
6) Hubstaff Talent
Hubstaff Talent is one of the best Upwork alternatives for freelancers. This is a free platform for freelancers and clients to find the best jobs and talents available respectively.
Freelancers can upload their resume, area of expertise, skills, language proficiency level, and rates per hour. Clients can go through these details to select the most talented professionals as per their requirements. When creating a profile, a freelancer can also include a brief description of his/her area of expertise, area of interest, and any other detail that may interest clients.
Features:
- Activity Dashboard: The highly effective dashboard displays all the activities, be it job searches or notifications, with a single click.
- Easy job posting: With Hubstaff talent, it is easy to post a job as you get better clarity on job postings. Each job is posted, targeting specific skilled freelancers.
- Resume storage facility: A comprehensive resume database allows employers to go through different resumes to pick the best talents.
- Detailed Reporting: This feature creates detailed statistics for the user’s portfolio and search domain. Be it the employer or the top-tier freelancers, this feature caters to everyone to have a better understanding of their performance or measure their search process.
- Support: Dedicated customer support is available round the clock to help users with their troubleshoots and queries through Live Chat, direct call, or email.
Pros
Cons
Pricing and Fees
- Platform Fees (Free Version): There are no fees for posting any job or applying for a job in Hubstaff Talent. It is free to join.
- Platform Fees (Paid Version): There is a paid option available with different plans. Have a look:
| Starter | Grow | Team | Enterprise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $7 | $9 | $12 | Customized |
| Yearly (billed annually) | $4.99/m | $7.50 /m | $10/m | Customized |
- Payment Options: Hubstaff Pay, PayPal, TransferWise, BitWage, Payoneer, and Gusto.
Why is Hubstaff Talent a better alternative to Upwork?
Although Hubstaff Talent and Upwork are similar in terms of professional services offered, the former comes with a free service. Agencies can simply go through the enlisted profiles to pick the best freelancers for their projects. On the other hand, Freelancers need to simply create their profile and apply to the posted jobs as per their area of expertise and preference.
Link: https://talent.hubstaff.com/
7) Freelancer
Claimed as the largest portal for freelancers and employers, freelancer.com offers services in more than 247 countries. Using the portal, skilled freelancers can search for jobs concerning their areas of expertise. Similarly, employers can search for talents with expertise in data entry, web design and development, software development, legal services, accounts and finance, and lots more.
Features:
- Registered User Account: If you register with freelancer.com, you will have an online account with the portal for fund transfer or payment purposes.
- Customized Project Posts: Once you have posted a project, you can make further changes to the post at a later stage. You can add optional features to the post.
- Contest Entry: Freelancer.com allows users to start a contest. This is a very innovative approach to fine-screening candidates based on your requirements.
- Hire as per your needs: You can hire freelancers based on their location, language, and skill sets.
- Non-Disclosure Agreement: There is an option that allows agencies and companies to make freelancers sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.
- Support: Technical support staff are available to answer your queries via live chat or email.
Pros
Cons
Pricing and Fees
- Platform Fees: There are no fees upfront. However, if you are a client, there is a 3% charge for Freelancer.com.
- Membership Fees: You can go for Monthly or Yearly membership.
| Basic | Plus | Professional | Premier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $4.99 | $8.95 (Free Trial Available) | $49 | $99 |
| Yearly | $4.50 | $8.95 (Free Trial Available 1 Month) | $39.90 | $79.90 |
- Payment Options: Credit Card, Skrill, PayPal, or Bank Deposit.
Why is Freelancer a better alternative to Upwork?
Although there are several similarities between Upwork and Freelancer, what separates them is the type of tools used, the subscription features, and the overall pricing. There is also the option to post a contest for free. Unlike Upwork, Freelancer.com allows the option to include a Project Manager to handle your projects. This feature makes Freelancer one of the better Upwork alternatives available presently.
Link: https://www.freelancer.com/
8) Guru
One of the oldest freelancing platforms available. Not only freelancers but also employers can look for experts to meet their project requirements on this site. Originating much earlier than Upwork, Guru.com provides a smooth platform to collaborate with freelancers and employers.
Flexibility and security are the key pillars of this premier job search portal. The Guru Community keeps expanding and thrives on excellence.
Features:
- Easy search: Customized to meet the requirements of the users, be it a freelancer looking for a job or an agency searching for a suitable candidate.
- Secured fund management: SafePay Payment Protection allows users to enjoy peace of mind regarding fund management. Whether paying for a project or getting paid for a task, this portal offers 100% assurance in terms of fund protection.
- Flexible working environment: Guru.com offers several workrooms for managing several freelancers working on the same project.
- 24/7 Customer support: The customer support professionals can be reached over the phone. You can also send them messages by filling out the form on the Contact Us page.
Pros
Cons
Pricing and Fees
- Platform Fees: There are no upfront fees for employers. However, for every invoice a client pays, Guru.com charges 2.9% of the invoice amount.
- Membership Fees: You can go for Monthly or Yearly membership if you are a freelancer.
| Basic | Basic Plus | Professional | Business | Executive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | Free | $11.95 | $21.95 | $33.95 | $49.95 |
| Yearly | Free | $8.95 | $15.95 | $24.95 | $39.95 |
- Payment Options: Credit Cards, Wire Transfer, Payoneer, eCheck, PayPal.
Why is Guru a better alternative to Upwork?
You can use Guru.com for free to find freelancing jobs. But there is a paid version available that offers extra benefits like direct reduced fees on jobs, the option to contact employers, and also more bidding chances. With the SafetyPay feature, this freelancing job platform assures no issues with payments. There is no limitation on job postings for employers. All these features make Guru a better alternative to Upwork.
Link: https://www.guru.com/
9) Truelancer
Truelancer is a freelancing platform that features a wide range of work opportunities for freelancers or those looking to work from home. This portal also opens doors for employers to search for the best talent to work on their projects remotely. Truelancer services are available globally and are extremely reliable.
Features:
- Free to use: With Truelancer you can post a job or search for a job for free.
- The interface: This platform has a very well-designed interface that looks simple and makes job searching easier.
- Effective chatting tool: The chat option allows a client to communicate with several freelancers before finalizing.
- Create a strong network: This web platform offers you the option to develop a highly effective and strong network.
- Support: The customer support team is available to resolve the queries via email or Skype. You can also visit the office in person or send a mail to the office address.
Pros
Cons
Pricing and Fees
- Platform Fees: There is no fee for posting jobs. So, employers do not have to pay anything at the start for posting them. However, the payment methods they select will have a certain processing fee that they have to bear.
- Membership Fees: You can go for a monthly or Yearly membership if you are a freelancer.
| Free | Basic | Pro | Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $0 | $5 | $10 | $50 |
| Yearly | $0 | $4.17 | $8.33 | $41.67 |
- Payment Options: Local Bank Transfer, Paypal, Payoneer
Why is Truelancer a better alternative to Upwork?
Truelancer is a better alternative to Upwork because it has a portal of vast network and a pool of resources. Also, Job Posting is free, which makes it a popular option among employers. It offers you the chance to grab freelancing projects with reasonable pay.
Link: https://www.truelancer.com/
Conclusion
Whether you are a freelancer or an employer, the requirements vary for each of these professionals, and so do the preferences. We have tried to handpick some of the best freelancing job portals for those who are looking for some suitable Upwork alternatives.
Here are our top 3 recommendations:
- Toptal: Toptal is one of the best alternatives to Upwork when it comes to quality jobs. Toptal focuses on the select few top-skilled applicants they screen and provides the best work opportunities to them.
- Fiverr: This $5 gig freelance marketplace is an ideal platform for freelancers looking for small, easy projects and simple assignments.
- Flexjobs: For those looking for remote work options, Flexjobs is among the best Fiverr alternatives. With more than 50 categories and no unwanted advertisements, freelancers will find it easy to pick the best job according to their skills.
Top Upwork Alternatives & Competitors (Websites Like Upwork)
| Name | Founded in | Platform Fees | Payment Options | Popular Services | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toptal | 2010 | $500 | Paypal, Cards, Bank wires | Web Development, Design, Finance, Product Managers, and Project Managers | Learn More |
| Fiverr | 2010 | 5.5% | Credit Card, PayPal, Fiverr Credits, and Fiverr Balance | Writing and Translation, Video and Animation, Logo Maker, Music and Audio, Graphics and Design, End-to-End Projects, Programming and Tech | Learn More |
| Flexjobs | 2007 | $399/month | Visa, Mastercard, and other payment options | Telecommuting Jobs, Remote Work, Flexible Jobs, Alternative Schedule-Based Work, Freelance Contracts, and Part-Time Roles | Learn More |
| SolidGigs | 2017 | $35/month | Different Credit Card options and Discount Codes | Freelance jobs, digital marketing services, accounts and finance | Learn More |
| PeoplePerHour | 2007 | 3.5% excl. VAT | Paypal, Payoneer, and Bank Accounts | Technology & Programming, Writing & Translation, Designing, Video, Photo & Image Editing, Business, Music & Audio, Marketing, branding, and sales | Learn More |