Guru is one of the largest freelance marketplaces online. The platform enables freelancers to market their skills to people worldwide. To offer their services on the platform, freelancers create their profiles and an offer for their services. Companies can then contact them to check their availability before starting to work with them. There are many categories available on the website. Some include programming, writing, translating, design, administrative work, sales and marketing, personal, engineering, business, finance, education, and legal contractors. We created the best alternatives to Guru article to help you find the best alternative.
In terms of pricing, both freelancers and employers pay to use Guru. Employers pay a 2.9% handling fee on each order. Freelancers have to pay a commission based on their membership plans. Under the basic plan, there’s a 9% commission; under the executive plan ($49.95/month), there is a 5% commission. These fees can add up for freelancers. The worst part is that the membership plans are there to give you more bids for jobs. So, freelancers can pay a lot of money to get bids, leading to no work.
We have compiled information on different freelance marketplaces over the years and have decided to write the best alternatives to Guru 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 Guru.
The 9 Best Alternatives to Guru
1. ComeUp
For Freelancers
On ComeUp, freelancers post their services online, and buyers can order them. Freelancers have more control as they can choose their rates and what their service entails. You don’t need to bid for jobs in the hopes that the job poster will prefer your work above someone else’s. In terms of commission, the two companies have very different models. One of ComeUp’s best advantages is its $1-only commission option. With such a low commission, freelancers can maximize their earnings. With ComeUp, freelancers get paid on time for the work they complete, and they can withdraw their earnings whenever they want. Furthermore, the pricing is transparent for both clients and sellers. Everything is upfront because both parties need to understand what they are getting from a transaction and for how much.
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. Guru has yet to be rated or included in the study.
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. 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 will get what they order.
In 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.
Pros
- There are many opportunities for clients and freelancers to leverage the platform.
- Large selection of categories.
- A secure and safe platform for freelancers and clients to make payments and withdraw money.
- A great customer service team is ready to help.
- Some of the best working conditions for platform workers (based on the Fairwork Cloudwork study conducted by the Oxford University Internet Institute in 2023).
Cons
- Subscription-based plans for freelancers. Succeeding on the platform requires investing time and money.
- There are a few transaction fees for buyers.
2. Fiverr
Similar to ComeUp, freelancers can also post their services on Fiverr, which gives them more control. Fiverr is one of the largest freelancing platforms on the market, so many orders take place on the platform. Nonetheless, there’s also a lot of competition.
For Freelancers
One of the major differences with Guru is that the jobs offered on Fiverr are lower-cost and less professional. If you’re a skilled freelancer, you may want to avoid Fiverr for a platform that focuses on quality more than cost.
Their commission is 20% on all jobs, so be prepared to pay a high commission.
For Businesses
Businesses have the luxury of choice on Fiverr. There are countless services and freelancers on the platform. However, this wide range of options can cause businesses to fall on the wrong freelancers. It’s straightforward to create a seller profile on Fiverr. When creating a seller profile, no Identity document is requested. The ID verification takes place later when Fiverr contacts a seller for them to verify their profile. This is one of the many reasons why so many scams are happening on Fiverr. So make sure to choose a seller who has been verified and has delighted past customers.
Fiverr charges 5.5% of the purchase amount as a service fee. This fee is quite high considering the quality of services on Fiverr and the high commission they take from sellers.
Pros
- A modern site that is easy to navigate.
- Many freelancers are ready to help.
- An easy process to complete a project.
Cons
- A lot of transaction fees.
- The commission is very high for freelancers.
- Competition for work creates a race to the bottom and low prices.
- There are scams that happen on the platform because of how easy it is to register.
3. Upwork
Another huge freelancing platform, Upwork, has a different system. 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 platform.
For Businesses
You’ll find professional services on Upwork. But that does come at a cost as Upwork charges a 5% Client Marketplace Fee plus 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 use a platform where you can order services directly.
Pros
- The website is easy to use and has a great design.
- Clients can post a project on the website instead of having to search for services that match their project.
Cons
- There are a lot of fees for buyers.
- Scams happen on the platform.
- Freelancers have to pay a high commission fee.
4. Freelancer
One of the biggest freelancing platforms worldwide, with more than 41 million freelancers worldwide, Freelancer is another possible alternative to Guru. 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.
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 platform using their management tools. On Freelancer, the pricing plan is hugely different as freelancers pay to get the possibility to get more bids they can use to apply for jobs in addition to a 10% commission, which can be lower depending on the plan freelancers subscribe to. This can lead to frustration as you may compete with people with fewer skills who 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 plus the freelancer’s rates. You also have to be careful. If there are any additional tasks that 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 choose 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 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, it may lead to a difficult decision.
Pros
- Freelancer is a huge platform with many freelancers and clients.
- Payment structure flexibility (project-based or hourly)
Cons
- High fees. Especially for freelancers.
- There is a lot of competition on the platform.
- Bid-based, which can hurt customers and freelancers. The best freelancers might not have any bids to allocate to your project.
5. Toptal
Toptal is all about talent. They say that their community has 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. Toptal connects businesses to a small range of talented workers for a high cost. You won’t have to worry about scams or badly completed work. The platform is secure.
For Freelancers
Because they only have a few freelancers, there is no competition for jobs, and freelancers don’t have to lower their 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%, another platform may be better suited for you.
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 talented professionals. But this security and expertise come at a high 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.
Pros
- Companies can hire top-level freelance professionals.
- There are many opportunities for freelancers because they need to be approved by the platform, so there is less competition.
Cons
- The approval process is long and complicated.
- Low chances of being approved.
- They are not transparent about their fees and the way work is allocated.
- The platform offers interesting projects, but they charge the equivalent of a 50% commission because they charge customers double the freelancer’s rates.
6. PeoplePerHour
Based in London, PeoplePerHour was created in 2007 and has over 3 million freelancers on their website. Businesses can hire freelance experts by the hour on the website to complete projects.
For Freelancers
Many freelancers compete on the platform. But the platform has more reasonable commission fees than competitor platforms if you can work with a single client for a long time. It’s based on the lifetime spending of clients. Here’s a breakdown.
– More than £5000-lifetime billing per buyer: 3.5% (excl. VAT) service fee.
– Between £250 and £5000-lifetime per buyer: 7.5% (excl. VAT) service fee.
– Under £250-lifetime billing per buyer: 20% (excl. VAT) service fee.
For Businesses
Companies have a lot of flexibility and advantages in using a platform like PeoplePerHour. There are a lot of talented freelancers with various expertise based on your project to choose from. The fact that they work by the hour allows them to work on more than one task and complete different projects. But, you have to be careful because delays can cause projects to be more expensive than the initially planned budget.
For customers, the fees are 10% + £0.60 of the total amount paid. That’s expensive compared to other sites.
Pros
- One of the biggest databases and platforms for finding freelancers.
- A useful mobile app.
- It’s free to post jobs.
- They have an AI search system to help you find the freelancer you need.
Cons
- There are many fees for everyone.
- Uneven talent.
- Bad customer support team.
7. Truelancer
Truelancer is a freelance marketplace that connects businesses with freelancers who are mainly located in emerging markets like India, Southeast Asia, and Africa. The platform gives access to various job types. From one-time projects to hourly work and full-time remote work. Truelancer wants to make freelancing more accessible and affordable for small businesses and startups while offering freelancers more opportunities in growing digital economies.
For Freelancers
Truelancer offers freelancers jobs mainly in emerging markets, although it accepts freelancers worldwide. They take an 8 to 10% commission on all work. In addition, freelancers need bids they can use to earn a chance at getting a job. Different membership plans give access to a certain number of bids. This bid system can be dangerous as it often leads to a race to the bottom in which freelancers lower their prices for a chance to get work.
For Businesses
Truelancer is cost-effective for startups and small businesses. But the quality of the work can be really hit or miss. Clients can post jobs, choose their budgets for projects, and interview freelancers before hiring them. Unfortunately, the bidding system can work against businesses as they can only interview people who bid for a job. If high-quality freelancers don’t have bids left to apply for a job, the business might only get low-quality applicants.
Pros
- Affordable services for startups.
- A variety of job types (part-time, hourly, full-time).
- Fast-growing in emerging markets.
Cons
- Lower price expectations.
- The user interface is less modern than other platforms.
- Quality varies greatly.
8. SolidGigs
SolidGigs is not a traditional freelancing marketplace like Guru or Fiverr. Instead, it’s a freelance lead-generation service designed to save time for freelancers by selecting and sending them a list of freelance job opportunities. Rather than browsing through hundreds of postings or bidding for jobs, freelancers receive leads directly in their inbox. They can then apply for a chance to work on the project.
For Freelancers
SolidGigs is a good resource to help them find leads and jobs they can apply for. It can be time-saving and lead to interesting opportunities. The platform generates a list of potential opportunities and sends it to users a couple of times per week. They also have freelance business resources available, like templates, courses, and training. It costs $19 per month, and the platform does not take commissions on earnings. Nonetheless, you still need to apply for jobs and pass the interviews to get work opportunities. This makes SolidGigs a good platform to supplement your income and prospect for new clients. But you should use another platform as your main source of revenue.
For Businesses
SolidGigs is not a client-facing marketplace. If you want to reach freelancers with a job post, you first need to create that post on a job board (like Indeed, Craigslist, or more). If you’re lucky, your job post will be picked up and shared with SoliGigs. This process can take a long time, and results vary. If you need to complete a short-term project, freelance marketplaces are a much better alternative. But if you need to recruit a freelancer for a long-term project, this can be a solution.
Pros
- Saves time with handpicked freelance job leads.
- Includes helpful business resources, scripts, and templates.
- Good for experienced freelancers seeking long-term client relationships.
Cons
- $19/month fee, even if you don’t find work.
- No client marketplace. You must pitch directly.
- Not suitable for beginners who rely on platform protections or structured workflows.
9. Workana
Workana is a freelancing website that connects businesses to a wide range of freelance professionals. Launched in 2012, the company is available to people around the world, even though a large portion of the user base is located in Latin America, as the company is based in Argentina. There have been mixed returns about Workana. Businesses can post projects on the website and can invite freelancers to bid on their projects. While Workana offers many benefits, the platform also has some downsides that have impacted its Trustpilot score significantly. It now stands at 3.2 stars out of 5 (as of September 15, 2025).
For Freelancers
With Workana, freelancers can optimize their profile pages and bid on various projects. The platform is best suited for new freelancers who are starting out, as they get access to a large client base located in Latin America and other countries. As freelancers grow their careers and complete more projects, they can collect reviews, which can increase their chances of finding more work. Some freelancers complain that the bidding system brings the prices for projects down.
For Businesses
It’s free for companies to post projects and review bids from freelancers. Workana has a safe and secure escrow payment system that ensures collaborations go well and freelancers only get paid once they complete the project and the work is approved. The affordable prices and wide variety of talent make it a good option for small to medium-sized companies that need freelance support at an affordable price. Nonetheless, some businesses have reported low skills and poor quality work.
Pros
- A wide range of talents.
- It’s free for businesses to post projects.
- Cost-effective services.
Cons
- Many poor-quality freelancers.
- Race to the bottom and cheap prices for freelancers.
Conclusion: Find the best alternatives to Guru that work 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. Try a few different ones until you find the right one for you. These platforms are all the best alternatives to Guru, so you have many options.
If you’re hiring, take the time to browse different platforms to see the talents and services offered on each platform.
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 basic working conditions should be accessible to all workers. 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 they offer.
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.
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