Fiverr is one of the biggest freelancing platforms online. Used both by businesses and freelancers, the platform boasts low costs and a competitive community. But sometimes, bigger doesn’t mean better. That may be even truer when it comes to freelancing websites. There are many alternatives to Fiverr available out there for clients and freelancers alike, so we’ve compiled the best alternatives to Fiverr in this article.
While Fiverr is one of the most successful freelance marketplaces online, there are many reasons why you may want to look for an alternative. For freelancers, working conditions, better pay, on-time payments, and less competition can be some of the reasons why they would want to find an alternative. For businesses, more security, fewer fees, better services, fewer cons, and a more ethical platform are reasons they would want to find an alternative.
Some websites are more secure, have more skilled freelancers, more flexibility, and better working conditions for freelancers. It comes down to which platform fits your needs the most.
We have compiled information on different freelance marketplaces over the years and have decided to write this article to provide helpful information so people can make the most informed decision when choosing a freelance marketplace to buy or sell services on. Below, you will find our recommended platforms if you’re looking for an alternative to Fiverr. We hope you will find the website that works best for you.
The 5 Best Alternatives to Fiverr
1. ComeUp
For freelancers
While both companies have similar models when it comes to the way freelancers offer their services, their pricing models are very different. One of ComeUp’s best advantages is its $1-only commission option. With such a low commission, freelancers can maximize their earnings.
If you’re not ready to go for a paid plan yet, you can still offer your services for free on ComeUp. Start earning money on the website to test it out and switch to a paid plan when you understand all the pros offered by ComeUp Plus plans.
Freelancers can also get paid as soon as an order is validated by the buyer. No more waiting around for 14 days. With ComeUp, freelancers get paid on time for the work they complete, and they can withdraw their earnings whenever they want.
In 2023, ComeUp was voted the freelancing platform with the best working conditions by the Fairwork Cloudwork study conducted by the Oxford University Internet Institute. More information.
ComeUp continues to work on this, as they want to provide the best working conditions for their users. Whether you’re a freelancer or a business, using a platform that provides rights for its users feels better than using a platform that denies those rights. Fiverr is rated as one of the platforms with the worst working conditions in the same study. They were only able to get one point out of ten. That’s why ComeUp is one of the best alternatives to Fiverr.
For Businesses
There are many advantages to using ComeUp. First of all, buyers can contact sellers before placing an order. So if you’re ever in doubt, you can contact sellers and ask them questions. You can also use the reviews left by previous buyers to decide if a service is the right one for you. Another benefit for buyers is that ComeUp is safe to use and has a well-thought-out ordering system designed to protect buyers.
Sellers all have to verify their identity by submitting an identity document before they can sell services. Other platforms are not as rigorous when it comes to verifying the identity of their users, which sometimes leads to cons. As for the ordering system, once the order is delivered by the seller, the buyer has to approve it for the seller to be paid. The risks of being unsatisfied with what the seller delivers are much lower. As long as buyers carefully read what a seller’s services entail, they are sure to get what they order.
In the rare case, there’s a dispute, there’s a litigation process in place to protect both the seller and the buyer. The case is managed by someone from ComeUp’s moderation team who reviews the order and the delivered services before making an impartial decision. All disputes are handled by humans, so both parties have a chance to express themselves to the moderation team.
Want to learn more about ComeUp?
2. Upwork
Another huge freelancing platform, Upwork, has a different bidding system. On Fiverr, freelancers post their services that businesses can buy. They choose the prices and what their service entails. On Upwork, it’s the opposite. Businesses post the services they need while freelancers bid for them. This can lead businesses to find cheaper prices for their projects, but cheaper does not always mean better.
For freelancers
Upwork’s commission system is easy to understand. They charge a 10% commission on all orders a freelancer completes. On Upwork, freelancers get paid as soon as the work is approved by clients. However, the funds earned cannot be withdrawn for the first five days after release.
This commission is much more advantageous than Fiverr and some other platforms. That is why you will find many freelancers competing on Upwork. But, the steady flow of orders ensures that many freelancers find work on the website.
For Businesses
You’ll find professional services on Upwork. But that does come at a cost as Upwork charges a 5% Client Marketplace Fee in addition to a one-time contract initiation fee adding up to an additional $4.95. This means profits from your purchase as well as the freelancer’s earnings.
If you’re posting a job on Upwork, you have to consider that freelancers will bid for a chance to get the opportunity to get the job. In most cases, that won’t be a problem as you’ll get multiple profiles to choose from. But it also means that you’re limiting yourself to a few choices instead of having more choices if you were to use a platform where you can order services directly.
3. Freelancer
One of the biggest freelancing platforms worldwide, with more than 41 million freelancers around the world, Freelancer is another possible alternative to Fiverr. They have a different model than recent freelancing platforms as they try to build a relationship between freelancers and clients instead of having just one job or gig.
The website is famous for its dated design, but every site has pros and cons. And the fact that this website is well established is definitely an advantage. Many clients have been able to complete their projets thanks to the work of freelancer users.
For Freelancers
They have a lot of flexibility regarding payments. Freelancers can be paid hourly or when they reach different objectives. This flexibility comes at a price as you have to carefully monitor your hours on the website using their management tools. On Freelancer, the pricing plan is hugely different as freelancers pay to get the possibility to have more bids they can use to apply for jobs. This can lead to frustration as you may compete with people with fewer skills but are willing to charge much less to do the job.
For Businesses
In terms of pricing, you’ll have to pay 3% of the winning bid to the platform in addition to the freelancer’s rates. You also need to be careful, if there are any additional tasks which require more payments you will also have to pay a 3% fee for those.
One of the big advantages for businesses is that Freelancer is a safe platform known to have fewer scams. Since businesses are the ones deciding who they hire to work with, they can choose after inspecting the freelancer’s profile. It’s a great way to make sure you hire the person you’re the most comfortable working with. The only downside is that you can only hire people bidding on your project so if you don’t like the options presented to you, it may lead to a difficult decision.
4. Toptal
Toptal is all about talent and quality. They say that their community is composed of only the top 3% of freelance talents available. So they offer only high-quality freelance talent. But that comes at a hefty cost.
Toptal is one of the most expensive freelance platforms out there. It connects businesses to a small range of talented workers for a high cost. On the plus side, you won’t have to worry about cons or badly completed work. The platform is really secure.
For Freelancers
Because they only have a few freelancers, there is no competition for jobs, and lower your rates on Toptal. It’s a great place to sell services if you’re a freelancer. But first, you need to get in. The screening process is long and complicated as it involves interviews, personality, and language tests. If you can’t rank amongst the top 3%, you have to look for an alternative to Toptal.
For Businesses
Not only is the platform secure and scam-free but there’s also some top talent on Toptal. If you need someone who is highly skilled, this may be the best platform to find highly skilled professionals. But this security and expertise come at an expensive cost. Services are sold for twice the freelancer’s hourly rate on Toptal. So if you have no budget limitations, this may be the right platform for you, but if you need to consider a budget there may be other platforms with more reasonable prices. If you’re looking for the best alternatives to Fiverr, this may be it in terms of quality. But are you willing to pay that much for it?
5. Guru
This Fiverr alternative is known to be more professional and focus on business services and needs. Although their models are similar, Fiverr is often considered dangerous with many scams and cons happening on the platform. Guru protects buyers and sellers to offer more security for its users.
For freelancers
The most used categories on the platform are related to business, web development, and copywriting. You can offer services in other categories too, but the website is not know for graphic design or virtual assistance services so there are less chances that you will find projects on the site if you offer different services from the most popular ones. The pricing on Guru is based on monthly memberships that allow freelancers to bid on more jobs similarly to Freelancer.
For businesses
You’ll get many freelancers who bid on your job posting so you’re sure to find at least one freelancer who can get the job done. But this system can also be restrictive as you have a limited number of freelancers to choose from.
In terms of pricing, Guru’s 2.9% handling fee per invoice is reasonable and most likely one of the cheapest fees for freelance marketplaces.
Conclusion: Find the best alternatives to Fiverr that works for you
There are many platforms out there, and they’re not one-size-fits-all, so at the end of the day, we’d recommend you consider what you value and what you’re looking for in a freelancing platform. Do some research and browse around. Make an educated decision that puts you in a position to succeed. If you have the chance, try a few different ones until you find the one that’s right for you. Many have a free option to start with so you can try out platforms without investing any money on a website you may not want to use in the end.
If you’re hiring, take the time to browse different platforms to see the different talents and services offered on the platform. Every site has pros and cons so there’s not just one alternative to Fiverr, but multiple alternatives based on what each site offers.
If you’re a freelancer looking for the best alternatives to Fiverr, you can also look at what each website specializes in. Some are better for graphic design experts, while others are better for content writers. Take everything into account. The number of projects available on each platform, if there is a free option, what are the different offers. Find the alternative where you want to propose your offers and complete your work.
Consider working conditions and Cloudwork worker’s rights
Whether you are a freelancer or a business looking to buy services. We can all agree that some working conditions should be accessible to all workers around the world. With the advancement of technology, we’ve seen business models emerge that disregard these rights. The Fairwork Cloudwork study conducted by the Oxford Internet Institute gives scores to companies regarding the fairness in working conditions that are offered by those companies.
Better working conditions for freelancers
At ComeUp, we’re always looking to improve the working conditions for our community’s sellers. That means fair pay, conditions, terms of service, and management.
In 2023, ComeUp was voted the freelancing platform with the best working conditions by the Fairwork Cloudwork study conducted by the Oxford University Internet Institute. More information.
But we don’t want to stop there. We still have work to do to achieve the ideal working conditions for our community, and we’ll continue doing everything we can to ensure the best working conditions possible for ComeUp sellers.
