Sites like Fiverr have kicked the doors of the gig economy wide open, and it’s now easier for anyone, regardless of their experience, skills, or hiring needs to participate.
Whether you’re an online business looking to solve your recruitment needs or a talented freelancer looking for new ways to ply your trade, freelancing platforms like Fiverr exist to help professionals connect and collaborate on projects, one-off jobs, or even long-term work.
However, different platforms have different strengths and weaknesses for both clients and freelancers. While Fiverr is an excellent service, it might not be the best choice for everyone.
That’s why we created this list of the best sites for small businesses, individual clients, and freelancers to work together on professional projects.
Overview of Fiverr
Before we get into our list of the best Fiverr alternatives, let’s go over the most important aspects of the Fiverr platform.
Introduction to Fiverr
Fiverr made its first appearance in the freelancing scene in 2010 when it was launched by Shai Wininger and Micha Kaufman in Tel Aviv, Israel where it’s still headquartered today.
The name comes from the term “fiver” which is slang for a small job that pays $5. Fiverr started as a platform where freelancers could sell $5 jobs, but now allows jobs of between $5 and $10,000.
Fiverr has now become one of the top freelance platforms in the world, used by over 5 million buyers and 800,000 sellers. It’s a place where freelancers go to sell digital services, either to make a living or some extra income, and where buyers go to hire freelancers for their various projects.
What also makes Fiverr such a convenient platform for finding freelance talent is the wide range of job niches. There are 8 main categories, such as writing & translation, digital marketing, graphic design, programming & tech, etc. with over 500 sub-categories.
You can participate on the Fiverr freelance platform both as a seller and a buyer with the same account. And, Fiverr even provides professional services for those who want to make hiring freelancers online part of their business model.
How Does Fiverr Work?
Fiverr is somewhat unique among freelance platforms because, instead of having buyers post projects that can be applied to by job seekers, sellers create freelance services that they sell in the freelance marketplace. So, instead of “hiring freelancers,” it’s more like buying packaged services from them.
With that in mind, here’s a basic outline of how Fiverr works:
- Sellers sign up to Fiverr by registering a seller account.
- Sellers creates a “Gig” which is a job posting with pricing packages, detailed descriptions of the exact service offered, a deadline, etc.
- Buyers browse the Fiverr freelance marketplace for services that they would like to buy.
- Buyers literally “buy” the service from Fiverr by adding it to their cart for checkout and paying on the spot.
- Sellers can choose to accept the offer in which case the job will be kicked off between the client and seller. The seller has until the due date to deliver the work or request a deadline extension from the buyer. A service can either be divided into project milestones or as a once-off deal.
- At any time, a buyer can submit a request for a refund if they have a good reason. The seller can accept their request or, if the seller refuses, it might be referred to Fiverr’s resolution center.
- Once the seller completes the job and submits their work, the client can review it and mark it as “complete” if they accept the end product.
- Fiverr will then pay out the amount to the seller, minus Fiverr’s commission.
It’s possible through Fiverr for buyers and sellers to continue communication once a project is done. Freelancers can also indicate that they take custom orders which can don’t necessarily have to take the form of a predetermined Gig.
One of the good things about Fiverr is that it makes freelancers take a test before they can sell n gig under a certain category. This helps weed out low or unskilled workers that bring down the rates and quality of the work. However, it does mean that complete beginners may find it difficult to get started using Fiverr.
Fiverr also ranks sellers with different levels so that buyers have an idea what the skill, reputation, and experience is of a particular seller.
Fiverr Pricing and Fees
The good news is that Fiverr is a free platform to use for both buyers and sellers. There are no pricing packages that can give certain users an advantage over others. Everyone competes on equal ground when it comes to how much they earn, pay, and online marketing.
However, the bad news is that Fiverr charges freelancers some heft commissions on their earnings. Fiverr takes a 20% cut of what you earn from any and all freelance jobs on their platform. The fee is deducted from the price of the service before paying out the rest to the freelancer.
This is one of the key issues freelancers have with Fiverr and one of the main reasons some look for other sites like Fiverr but with lower fees.
Fees for buyers are much more manageable. It’s almost similar to typical credit card transaction fees at $2 + 5.5% for orders under $50 and a flat 5.5% fee for orders above. However, keep in mind that you will be charged standard credit card processing fees as well (if they apply and depending on your processor).
Fiverr Pros and Cons
Here are the main pros and cons of using Fiverr either as a freelancer or client:
Pros
- The best freelance platform for creating and selling services
- All the freelancers are divided into “levels” according to experience and reputation
- Professional services for hiring freelancers and administrative support
- Among the easiest to use platforms
- Huge variety of jobs, from search engine optimization to data entry
Cons
- Fiverr freelancers are charged very high fees of 20%
- Clients cannot create job postings or receive job applications
- Basic features to manage projects
- Long wait times for payouts
Why Should You Consider Fiverr Alternatives?
Fiverr is a great platform that does what it’s supposed to really well. However, it’s not suitable for all freelancers or clients.
For example, Fiverr’s fees are very high for freelancers but relatively low for clients. This could seriously impact your potential to earn money, depending on your type of freelance work and typical rate. It could also mean more expensive prices for clients if freelancers mark up their prices by 20% to compensate.
Also, it’s worth noting that the same Fiverr competitor might only be better for either freelancers or clients, not both. Some alternatives to Fiverr might have high fees for clients but low fees for freelancers, for example.
The second reason is due to how the platform works. Clients can not create and list their own job opportunities for freelancers to apply for. This means that you’ll have to hope to find a service that’s close enough to what you need in order to be willing to buy it.
This puts all the impetus on clients to find freelancers that are suitable, instead of the other way around.
Top Fiverr Competitors:
So, without further ado, here’s our list of the best Fiverr alternatives for both clients and freelancers:
Upwork – Best Fiverr Alternative for Web Development and Long-term Jobs
First on our list is Upwork, easily one of the best Fiverr competitors around. Upwork began as Elance in 1999 and has gone through numerous evolutions.
Upwork mainly works by letting clients create job postings that freelancers can browse and apply to. This means that freelancers compete against each other to be hired by a client.
Upwork doesn’t allow freelancers to create services or gigs to sell. However, a relatively new feature is the ability to offer “consultations” for a fixed fee.
In order to apply for a job, a Freelancer needs the digital currency called “Connects.” You get some free Connects when you sign up, complete jobs, etc.
Upwork has a Plus plan that gives paying freelancers an edge as well as a number of business packages. Freelancers all also divided according to rank which depends on their performance and experience.
Because freelancers sell their services in predetermined packages, it’s kinda difficult to provide variable-term services like web development that are accurately and fairly priced. However, because Upwork allows for hourly projects and rewards long-term relationships, it’s much more feasible for these types of commitments.
When a freelancer and client work together for the first time, Upwork takes 20% in commission, the same as Fiverr. However, this goes down to 10%, and then 5%, as the relationship passes the $500 and $10,000 milestones.
Pros
- Commission fees go down to 5% for long-term projects
- The market is fairly balanced between experienced freelancers are new arrivals
- Upwork is usually generous with its Connects and you rarely run out
- Clients are not allowed to ask for free work
- Excellent payment protection with 5-day payouts
Cons
- Commission fees are very high for short-term projects
- Freelancers can only apply to jobs if they have Connects
- Some job categories, like content writing, can be extremely competitive for freelancers
PeoplePerHour.com
PeoplePerHour is a UK-based freelancing platform that has been around since 2015. Until today, PeoplePerHour is mainly aimed at the European market, although it’s actually open to for freelancers from anywhere to find jobs. It claims to have been used by over 1 million businesses worldwide.
Because it’s focused on Europe, the platform does not have as many users as Upwork and Fiverr. While this means there are fewer available jobs (roughly 2,500 active jobs at any time) and freelancers, it does mean that it’s less competitive. PeoplePerHour provides 9 categories for talented remote workers, although there are much fewer sub-categories.
Like Fiverr, freelancers can also create a freelance job for sale similar to a Fiverr Gig, called “hourlies.” So, potential clients can also go in search of freelancers and vice versa. Freelancers are also ranked according to the CERT framework.
Like Upwork, PeoplePerHour bases its fees on the amount a freelancer has earned from a single client:
- 20% up to $250 in earnings
- 7.5% between $700 and $7,000 in earnings
- 3.5% for earnings over $7,000
Pros
- Fees go down to a low 3.5% as you earn money with a single client
- Freelancers can find jobs as well as list their own services
- The platform is completely free with no pricing plans
Cons
- High initial fees freelancers
- Somewhat limited in terms of available jobs
LinkedIn Marketplaces
You probably know LinkedIn as a social media platform for professionals and businesses to connect. However, LinkedIn Marketplaces is a new initiative that connects employers with professional freelance services.
LinkedIn Marketplace is targeted more at teams, such as agencies or that consist of multiple freelancers, that LinkedIn calls “providers.” It’s also slightly more focussed on more professional occupations, like software development and outsourcing services instead of conventional freelancing work, like content writing.
Conveniently, if you already use Microsoft’s digital wallet, you can use it to pay freelancers. Best of all, LinkedIn is completely free to use with no commission and service fees.
The experience is totally different than other sites like Fiverr, so you should use the fact that it’s free to check it out.
Pros
- A very professional freelance online marketplace
- Integrates directly with your LinkedIn profile and Microsoft wallet
- No service or commission fees
Cons
- Limited number of payment options
- Not as suitable for individual freelancers
Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com is probably the one of, if not the, most recognizable freelance sites today. It was founded in 2009 and its community has grown massively to over 57 million active freelancers and millions of clients.
Of course, the huge community means that there are always tonnes of jobs available as well as freelancers that are able and willing to do them. However, this is also Freelancer.com’s biggest disadvantage.
Unfortunately, that sometimes means that cheaper freelancers can dominate the marketplace and make it hard for experienced freelancers to compete. Unlike other freelance platforms, Freelancer.com also doesn’t offer the same level of payment protection. While this means clients need to be careful, freelancers can get their hands on their earnings sooner.
The biggest advantages of Freelancer.com are the huge number of job categories and the fact that there are even competitions to take part in.
Freelancers only get charged 10% or $5 USD (whichever is greatest) on their earnings and clients get charged 3% or $3.00 USD when they award a project. Freelancer.com offers four different pricing plans for freelancers that range from $5.45 to $59.95/month. The number of bids, skills, followings, invoices, and competition entries you get depends on your plan tier.
Pros
- Relatively low commission fees for freelancers
- A huge number of job categories and types
- One of the biggest communities of employers and freelancers
Cons
- Competition among freelancers is very stiff and pay can be low
- Clients also get charged 3% of their project value
- Commission fees never go lower
Guru
What makes Guru somewhat unique is that it’s almost split 50/50 between being a freelance website where freelancers can find jobs and an online marketplace where clients can look for services and packages offered by freelancers. Like Fiverr, Guru provides pretty good tools for freelancers to create in-depth services across a huge range of categories and sub categories.
Because it works equally well both ways, it’s no surprise that Guru is among the most popular freelancing platforms. There are over 800,000 employers and millions of freelancers actively using Guru. They also claim to have paid over $250 million to freelancers across more than 1 million invoices.
Unlike other platforms, Guru’s commission fees are not based on your standing with a client but on your pricing plan. Pricing plans start at $11.95/month. Free Guru freelancers have to pay 9% in commission and only get 10 bids a month while top-tier ($49.95/month) Guru freelancers only pay 5% and get 50 bids. Paying users also get other benefits to help them find freelance jobs and get hired.
Pros
- Superb platform for posting jobs as well as selling services
- Focused on providing a platform for quality freelancers
- In-depth time tracking tools
- Relatively low commission and transaction fees
Cons
- It can be difficult for inexperienced freelancers to get a foothold
- Paying freelancers have a distinct advantage over free users
- Freelancers get a relatively low number of free bids
Toptal
If you only want to work with the most talented freelancers then Toptal, short for “top talent,” might be for you. TopTal strictly vets and qualifies freelancers, claiming that employers can only expect freelancers that fall in the top 3% of the workforce.
For this reason, an online business can use Toptal to outsource services and hire long-term remote workers. Unlike most other sites like Fiverr, it’s more focused on long-term employment than one-off gigs.
Despite being one of the most discerning Fiverr alternatives, Toptal still has a wide talent pool to choose from. You can find anyone from talented designers to SEO clerks, however, you’ll also be able to find project managers, finance experts, and similar positions.
Toptal claims to be able to introduce employers to viable candidates within 24 hours with a 90% success rate. You can also carry out professional invoicing through the platform. However, the bad news is that this might be pricey for employers as Toptal charges roughly double the freelancer’s wage.
Pros
- Employers get access to strictly vetted and proven professionals
- Can be used as a one-stop hiring and invoicing solution
- Freelancers or employees pay no fees
- Fast and personalized hiring recommendations
Cons
- Toptal charges a very high commission to clients
- It’s not suitable for inexperienced freelancers or informal jobs
Thumbtack – The Best Fiverr Alternative for In-person jobs
Unlike the other Fiverr alternatives on this list, Thumbtack exists to help individuals find local freelancers for in-person jobs. For example, instead of focusing on graphic design or data entry, it’s more focused on maintenance, interior decorating, plumbing, DJ-ing, and other hands-on occupations.
The catch is that, for now, Thumbtack is only available in the 50 states of the U.S. It works slightly differently than other platforms, first asking you to provide your address in order to help with finding freelancers for your project.
Freelancers, called Pros, need at least one review from a past client before they can show up in search results. And, Pros can also set their own targeting preferences to help narrow down which clients can find them. New Pros get 120 in credits that can be used to access leads. Thumbtack charges $1.50 for each lead they accept.
Pros
- A very simple and user-friendly platform to work with
- One of the few platforms to hire trusted, local freelancers
- No pricing plans and very low fees for freelancers
Cons
- Not suitable to make money online with remote jobs
- Some concerns regarding safety and how genuine reviews are
Hubstaff Talent – Best No-fee Platform for Freelance Jobs
Want to start making money online without giving up any of your earnings in fees? Hubstaff Talent is one of the best sites that offers a completely free platform for freelancers and clients to connect. Obviously, this makes it a popular choice among freelancers, especially with over 137,000 users.
Despite being a free platform, Hubstaff Talent provides all the typical features you’d expect from one of the best Fiverr alternatives. For example, you can create a detailed freelancer or agency profile, communicate with live messaging, share documents, and post/browse the available jobs.
Like Guru, Hubstaff Talent allows clients to post projects, such as a logo design task, that freelancers can apply to or directly approach freelancers based on their profiles. Generally, Hubstaff talent allows clients and freelancers to set the own terms of their arrangement, allowing for flexible working relationships.
Pros
- No fees or commissions charged to either clients or freelancers
- Employers can find freelancers willing to work for lower rates
- Excellent search tools and job filters
Cons
- It’s harder to get high-paying jobs for experienced freelancers
- The competition among freelancers is high
CloudPeeps
What makes CloudPeeps stand out is its focus on community and networking. Indeed, it not only offers a platform where freelancers can find work as individuals, but also where they can network and create communities that may eventually evolve into online agencies or small businesses offering their services.
As such, CloudPeeps fashions itself as an “all-in-one” freelance business management platform and “member-driven community of trusted freelancers.”
Like Guru, CloudPeeps uses a pricing structure whereby you get more free job proposal credits depending on your monthly subscription. There are three different plans that cost $0/month, $9/month, and $29/month, respectively. You get no free proposals with the Free plan, so essentially, freelancers have to pay to use CloudPeeps. Only client can use CloudPeeps for free to post jobs and hire talent.
CloudPeeps very much serve high-demand freelancing jobs, such as social media management, logo design, web design, etc. However, CloudPeeps is open to freelancers of all skill levels without very strict requirements or qualifications needed.
Unlike most other sites, it’s clients that pay the highest fees (15%) + transaction fees whenever they hire freelancers through CloudPeeps. Freelancers themselves only pay 1% of their earnings.
Pros
- Freelancers can network and connect with each other
- Very low 1% commission fees for freelancers
- Relatively affordable pricing plans
- CloudPeeps verifies freelancer profiles
Cons
- Freelancers effectively need to pay to apply for jobs
- Still a relatively small community compared to other sites
- High commission fees for clients
FlexJobs
FlexJobs is a freelance marketplace with a focus on helping businesses get in touch with vetted remote workers. As such, it’s less focused on the gig economy and more on long-term, stable job opportunities in remote, hybrid, or even office positions. That doesn’t mean it’s any less popular. At any one time, there might be over 30,000 jobs listed from a pool of over 5,000 companies. FlexJobs also caters to over 500 individual job categories.
The biggest downside to FlexJobs is that it’s a premium service with no free plan or features. If you’re a freelancer, you need to subscribe to one of the pricing packages to use their service. The longer you subscribe, the cheaper it is with $9/week, $24.95/month, $39.95/3 months, or $69.95/year.
The good news is that this subscription gives you full access to any job and free skills testing to help market your talents to prospective employers. Also, it means that FlexJobs doesn’t charge any service fees or commissions should you get approached for a job over its platform.
As an employer, you don’t have to pay anything to use the service or post job listings.
Pros
- Find any type of job position (remote, hybrid, office, short-term, long-term, etc.)
- Used by a large number of employers, including Fortune 500 companies
- No service charges or commission fees
- Fine-grained job/candidate search and filtering tools
Cons
- Freelancers/workers have to subscribe to use the service
- Not as suitable for true freelancing work
Truelancer
Last, but not least, we have Truelancer. Generally speaking, Truelancer is exactly what you expect when you use a freelance platform. It’s a place where employers or clients can post jobs hoping to attract freelancers to apply as well as to directly look for freelancers and approach candidates with a suitable profile.
However, its true capabilities go much deeper than that. Like Freelancer.com, you can also create contests for freelancers to submit their work to. Freelancers can also make themselves available by posting their hourly rate and what kind of projects they are willing to work on as well as to create and sell service gigs, similar to Fiverr.
Although it’s not as widely known, Truelancer is a huge platform with over 1 million freelancers, 500,000 jobs, and 25,000 service gigs. Buyers can use the platform to hire freelancers with confidence thanks to Truelancer’s 100% money-back guarantee. Sellers, or freelancers, on the other hand, are charged between 8% and 10% commission.
Pros
- 100% money-back guarantee for buyers/clients
- No fees for clients
- No monthly fees or subscriptions
Cons
- A flat 8 to 10% commission for freelancers
- Freelancer rates are relatively low
Conclusion
So, does any Fiverr alternative stand out for you?
As you can see, the good news is that the gig economy is alive and well with plenty of freelancing platforms for prospective clients and freelancers to choose from. Different sites focus on different ways of working together as well as industries, niches, and hiring experiences.
Whether you want to offer professional graphic design services as an agency or offer your web design talent as a solo act, you can find the ideal platform to propel your career forward.
Similarly, if you’re an employer, there are websites that help you find talent for one-off projects, such as freelance writers, or dedicated remote workers to fill important roles in your company, such as a project manager or expert developer.
