Working from home has been a blessing for our team. The best freelancing websites allow you to work online from home and not suffer the 8-hour-a-day carnage at a remote workplace. The good news is that there are countless freelance websites.
The bad news? Well, not all freelancing websites are excellent. Some charge enormous fees, some don’t have enough work, and some suffer from lack of job variety. Don’t fret because, on our list of the best freelance sites, you won’t find any of these.
Our team members spent years on these websites, and today, we’ll talk about our experiences with them. That said, all the best freelancing websites in 2024 are TESTED by our team of experts whose task is to provide you with 15 top-notch freelance platforms.
What Is a Freelance Website?
People who are dropping the shackles of full-time jobs aren’t appropriately informed about freelancing. Think of it as a form of self-employment. It’s working for clients on different projects without a full-time commitment.
For example, someone needs you to write a 2,000-word article. You finish the job properly, get paid, and the project is complete. The beauty of this type of job is that you can almost always work on your own accord. If you feel sick, take a day off.
If you want more work, take on as many projects as you can handle. Flexibility is the KEY factor of freelancing and the reason why many decide to go this route. Now, what is a freelancing website? We’ll give you a few seconds to guess.
This is a platform that allows freelancers to find work and new opportunities, and connect with other freelancers and employers. This site is a platform for those who want work and those who want work done, connecting them seamlessly.
However, such websites act as middlemen. This means they’ll charge a small fee for each payment. The fee can vary from 10-20%. If you earn $20 for a project, the site will take $1 or $2, leaving you with $18 in total. Some sites take more, some less.
Of course, the best freelancing platforms are different, as you’ll soon see. But they have the same premise and goal. Helping you find work, earn money, and enjoy the flexibility and freedom that often comes with self-employment.
Best Freelancing Websites to Find Work Easily in 2024
Now that we’ve clarified what these websites are, it’s time to discuss our favorites. If you’re just starting, we strongly recommend reading the guide to the end.
This way, you’ll find the most suitable freelance site easily and not waste time on those that you don’t like.
1. Fiverr
Pros
- Free account creation
- Lots of projects to work on
- Online courses for learning new skills
- Wide variety of job categories
Cons
- 20% commission fee
- Not easy to get work as a beginner
Even if you’re not a freelancer, Fiverr is likely familiar to you. For us, this is the best freelancing website with a long tradition of helping people find work relatively quickly. Moreover, the variety of work you can get here is astonishing.
Fiverr allows for content writing, video/photo editing, interior design, finance, health, nutrition, and many other types of work. This will allow you to find your go-to job, even if your talents aren’t the most abundant. If they are – even better!
You’ll find a plethora of work and start earning promptly. We like Fiverr’s ease of use. The platform lets you quickly create an account, customize your portfolio, and begin working. Freelancers will create a free account and signal to others what they can do.
Here, you don’t bid on projects. Instead, you list your services and buyers purchase these services from you. For instance, you could be a freelancer that edits videos. If a buyer notices you, he will contact you, hire you for his project, and pay for it.
Fiverr has the advantage of online courses on the site. Freelancers can learn new things from them, hone their skills, and attract more buyers. Some people don’t like that Fiverr takes a relatively large fee on commissions, which can be a deal-breaker.
Namely, there’s a 20% fee on all commissions, which some will find annoying. For every $10 you make, Fiverr will take $2. However, that’s not a problem for us given the wide array of things you can do on the platform, making it quite attractive.
2. Upwork
Pros
- Intuitive website
- Secure payment through PayPal/Bank Transfer
- Almost no scams and fake job postings
- Long and short-term jobs
Cons
- Getting the first job is hard due to the millions of users
- It takes 5 days to withdraw funds
Upwork is another excellent freelancing website for beginners and advanced freelancers. Like Fiverr, it connects people all across the world, dabbling in all sorts of work. From content creation to architecture, engineering, healthcare, crypto, and hundreds more.
Upwork is surely enough for most because of the wide gamut of businesses it covers. Unlike Fiverr, the platform functions through project bids. Freelancers create their free accounts and fill out their profiles with the required information like work history, skills, and so on.
They’re then given a list of recommended jobs according to their skills. From here, freelancers use so-called Connects to bid on the project they like. Each bid is a couple of Connects and if you’re outbid by specific users, Connects are returned to you.
Upwork even recommends jobs based on your skills and invites you to bid on them. Another benefit lies in supported payment methods, such as PayPal or Bank Transfers. Plus, the platform’s fees aren’t alarming, and as of 2023, Upwork has a flat fee of 10%.
For every $10, it takes $1, which is much better than Fiverr. We love that you don’t need to wait to be discovered like in Fiverr. Instead, you can apply for the projects you deem interesting, and if you’re selected, give 101% to impress the project giver.
Moreover, users can be paid per project or hour, with Upwork’s nifty time-tracking app for computers. The downside of Upwork is that getting your first job is hard, and sometimes, people bid for months before they get it. After that, it’s a smooth ride.
3. Toptal
Pros
- Employers from all across the world
- Well-paid jobs (sometimes over $200 per hour)
- Time-tracking tool is available
Cons
- Very difficult to be approved by the platform
- Failing the test means you can apply again only after a few months
Toptal is a freelance website that hires the top 3% of freelance talent. As a result, it’s incredibly difficult to pass the screening process given the amount of talent and prowess you need to display. But hey, Toptal is still awesome due to a solid array of jobs on offer.
The platform is home to business consulting, software development, and finance experts who passed a five-step evaluation process. If you’re in the top 3%, you’re accepted and ready to take on some tasks. The platform functions like Upwork – to an extent.
If you’re accepted, you can apply for jobs but this time, from well-established worldwide businesses. The downside is that failing the test related to the applied job will result in a several-month waiting period before you can apply again.
Similarly to Upwork, Toptal has time tracking and supports several payment methods. There’s also an app titled Toptal Talent, which you can use on your computer or mobile device, which aids project and time-tracking for added convenience.
The nicest thing about Toptal – if you make it in the top 3% – is the loot. Or payment if you will. Companies that work with Toptal will gladly spend more than $200 per hour for a top-grade freelancer and Toptal doesn’t take ANY fees!
We said that finding your first job on Upwork is difficult. But not nearly as doing so on Toptal. If you think you have what it takes, register on Toptal, display your skills, and see what’s in it for you on this awesome freelance website.
4. Guru
Pros
- The SafePay system for secure payments
- Intuitive job listings for easier access
- Selection of different job categories
Cons
- Known for occasional fake business posts
- Outdated interface
Speaking of the top sites for freelancers, Guru is another famous option. However, unlike the previous three, it has nothing unique to make it stand out. Again, we’re looking at jobs in areas like design, programming, writing, education, finance, and architecture.
Guru is extremely popular nowadays, with over 800,000 employers looking for skillful freelancers. Creating a profile on Guru is free and freelancers can start working right away. As said, this is a bit of a run-of-the-mill platform but nevertheless, works really well.
It allows you to bid on projects and get recommendations from Guru based on your skills and experience. Like Fiverr or Upwork, Guru allows you to work on long-term and short-term projects, adding a lot of variety to the platform.
Guru supports popular payment methods and there’s the SafePay system used to ensure all payments are on time and in the required amount. While intuitive, Guru’s interface is a tad outdated compared to Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com.
The good thing is that employers tend to pay well, with only a few examples of fakery and scams. These are seldom, so don’t be afraid. When it comes to fees, Guru goes with 9%, which isn’t too much. In fact, it’s lower than Upwork’s 10% but by a tiny margin.
Finally, Guru has a few paid plans as well – they start at $8.95 per month. Usually, they have a lower job fee, more yearly bids, premium quotes, and other benefits to promote and develop your business. The free plan is, however, enough for most.
5. Freelancer.com
Pros
- An all-around freelancing website with plenty of work
- It highlights your progress
- 24/7 round-the-clock support
Cons
- We’ve had some bad experiences with scammers
- Whopping 20% commission fee
Many of our team members started their careers on Freelancer.com. At the time an outstanding freelancing site (it still is today), this one was home to hundreds, if not thousands of interesting jobs. We like to compare it to Upwork.
It functions pretty much the same. You’ll make an account, add your skills and other information, and bid on the jobs corresponding to your skills. Freelancer.com isn’t limited to specific fields of work. It’s an all-encompassing platform.
This means you’ll find work as a writer, programmer, web designer, developer, and so on. Freelancer.com allows you to build your portfolio and promote your work to be detected by employers. We also love how it highlights your freelancing progress.
This can be seen on your profile as an indication that you’ve done exquisite work and are ready to take on new projects. Better yet, Freelancer.com includes 24/7 support and has an intuitive desktop/mobile app to make it easier to connect while you’re away.
We dislike its interface, which tends to be cluttered, especially for beginners. Also, we had one unpleasant experience with a scammer who refused to pay for one of our member’s work. This is the biggest con of this website, so be careful with whom you’re working.
Registration on Freelancer.com is free but the freelancing website will take a 10% free from your earnings. For services, it’s 20%, so it’s a tad higher than Upwork or Guru.
6. LinkedIn
Pros
- Great for connecting professionals around the world
- Ability to educate and progress as a freelancer
- Full-time job opportunities
Cons
- Overcrowded, so it’s hard to stand out
- It requires lots of work to maintain your LinkedIn page
On our list of the top freelancing sites, we have LinkedIn – a giant in this industry. It’s not a platform where you’ll find work directly, so to speak. Instead, it acts as a hub for professionals looking to progress in their careers and connect with people alike.
It’s phenomenal for additional education and developing yourself as a quality freelancer. LinkedIn allows you to share your interests and create engaging posts. Simultaneously, you can get in touch with people looking for talent in various fields of work.
As said, this isn’t a direct site for freelance but it’s a good place to seek work opportunities. Whether you’re a programmer, architect, or content writer, LinkedIn is a good place to start. Unfortunately, LinkedIn is overcrowded, which means it’s used by LOTS of people and firms.
With so many people on the platform, you’ll find it incredibly difficult to stand out and be on top of your game. This freelancing site is free but there’s a premium subscription that supports some tracking abilities and increases your potential for new connections.
7. Dribbble
Pros
- Likely the best freelancing website for designers
- Employers usually pay well for their projects
- Easy-to-use website
Cons
- You need a Pro account to receive freelance jobs (at least $5/mo)
- Users need to create a designer account
Dribbble is your go-to option if you’re into creative and breathtaking designs. The platform looks and feels stunning, with a portfolio of premium designs at your hand’s reach. However, it’s in our top 10 freelancing platforms for a reason.
First of all, it’s easy to use, and making an account takes a minute. Dribbble is fond of full-time and part-time jobs as well, so you can cater the experience to your needs and possibilities. If you’re a designer and/or artist, Dribbble is the best option to use.
We know artists struggle and don’t get paid as much as they deserve. Well, Dribbble is here to change that if you’re talented enough. It’s a populated platform with plenty of employers that will spot your work from a mile away – again if you’re good at this.
However, there’s a major flaw – freelancers are offered work only if they have a Pro account. It’s inexpensive and starts at just over $5 a month. This account boosts your appearance in search results, so you have more chances of being noticed and getting a job.
8. DesignHill
Pros
- You can make a free online store
- No commission fees
- Free account registration
Cons
- You must be a designer to work on DesignHill
- Choosy clients can ask for frequent design reworks in the first 7 days
DesignHill is one of the best sites that work perfectly for freelancers, similar to Dribbble. As the name implies, it’s a freelancing site for designers but this time, with a focus on logo and catalog design. If you have what it takes, you can make some good bucks here.
Those in need of a new design can reach the top designers and likely be satisfied. But if you’re a freelancer, you can create an account for FREE and start seeking new opportunities. Our team likes the option to craft an online store, which DesignHill doesn’t charge.
This allows you to highlight your work and proudly present yourself to each new client. DesignHill has a heap of nifty tools for tracking your progress, creating business cards, and seeing how much you’ve earned through hard work.
One of its unique features is the lack of fees. What you earn is 100% yours and nothing is dedicated. On top of that, DesignHill sports a 24/7 live chat service, so if you encounter problems, its round-the-clock team will ensure these issues vanish.
To use DesignHill, you must be a designer – and a good one at that. One thing about design is working with picky clientele that will request improvements and reworks. A 7-day window for that is available on DesignHill, so expect such scenarios on some occasions.
9. SimplyHired
Pros
- Finding your desired job is simple thanks to job filters
- Full-time jobs are available
- SimplyHired displays reviews of each employer
Cons
- Occasional fake jobs and scammers
- Difficulty in finding work due to the platform’s scope
If you simply want to be hired, SimplyHired is among the top freelancing sites to keep an eye on in 2024. Like LinkedIn, it’s not a “direct” freelancing platform but that takes nothing away from it. For one, you’ll dabble in hundreds of diverse job opportunities.
Writers, administrators, marketers, accountants, and receptionists all have a place here. Furthermore, people often find full-time work on SimplyHired, as there’s a specific filter that lets you seek only full-time jobs if you have more time.
SimplyHired is simple and enables you to find exactly what you want. Do you want a half-time job as a mechanical engineer? Apply this filter, select the location you want, and search for the job! SimplyHired is ingenious because it lets you see the reviews of each employer.
This is handy when you’re in doubt whether to work for an employer or skip him/her. SimplyHired isn’t as streamlined as Fiverr or Upwork, so you’ll find some fake jobs and scammers looking to get work done for free. Beware of those.
Also, SimplyHired is robust and large, so landing your first job might be difficult. However, with enough patience and resolve, you should be able to find your dream job after a while. No fees are present because it’s not a dedicated freelancing site.
10. 99designs
Pros
- No fake jobs thanks to a secure payment infrastructure
- Design jobs for clothes, websites, and other products
- Skilled designers can make plenty of money
Cons
- Higher commission fees (up to 15% + $100 for each new job)
- Beginner designers will struggle to find a job
Among the top 10 freelancing platforms is 99designs – but stay with us, we have 5 more! 99designs is yet another designer-focused site where you can handcraft designs for clothes, mugs, logos, sites, and whatnot. Sounds good?
Well, 99designs takes special care of freelancers by allowing them to showcase their hard work. You can edit your profile and point out your most impressive work to attract new clientele. Moreover, people also get the designer level, which, if higher, means more work.
On 99designs, you can apply for jobs manually and find ones you like using filters. 99designs is highly competitive, so you’ll be swimming in the restless waters of skilled designers. The good thing is a secure payment system that prevents scammers and fake job posters.
Speaking of payments, 99designs isn’t perfect. For example, starting a new job with someone costs you $100 and there’s a commission fee from 5% to 15% according to your designer level. 99designs isn’t for everyone – only the top-grade designers.
Imagine struggling to find new work only for 99designs to charge you $100 when you do. But if you land a good opportunity, these $100 shouldn’t rob you and influence your earnings too negatively.
11. TaskRabbit
Pros
- Lots of easy labor that pays well
- No commission fees (just $25 for account approval)
- TaskRabbit is free to use
Cons
- Not available in all locations except for US cities
- Jobs on TaskRabbit require a physical appearance at the client’s address
TaskRabbit won’t be available in all countries due to its specific nature. This freelancer website isn’t offering jobs in content writing, advertising, or engineering. It’s a site where people need handiwork and tasks that involve your physical presence.
For example, you’ll find work in IKEA furniture assembly, home repairs, house cleaning, moving, painting, and many others. We like that you’ll see a starting price for each product, so for instance, a simple TV mounting job starts at $69 – and you know how little it takes!
TaskRabbit allows you to create a free account and set your hourly rate, simultaneously listing your service. Moreover, TaskRabbit doesn’t take any fees because of the way everything works. You’ll be paid directly by the customer upon job completion through TaskRabbit, using the secure payment system.
However, there’s a small catch. TaskRabbit will do a small background check when you apply for it. An approval is followed by a $25 fee, which is needed for you to start working. From now on, you don’t have to pay a dime, so focus on finding more work.
As said, TaskRabbit isn’t available everywhere and our main gripe is that it’s locked mainly to the US cities. If you’re in Europe or Asia, you surely won’t rush to mount a TV for a “neighbor” in New Orleans for $69 or so.
12. Flexjobs
Pros
- Flexible and diverse jobs
- No fake job posts
- Excellent customer support
Cons
- It requires a subscription (at least $1.3/week)
- Not the most modern interface
Flexjobs is here to provide you with a wealth of job opportunities with flexible work times. Unlike Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com, it’s a subscription-based freelancing site. It starts at around $10 a week or just over $1.3 a week for an entire year.
For this money, you get exclusive access to full-time and part-time jobs. These jobs aren’t physical, so you’ll be doing translation, writing, marketing, programming, and so forth. Another perk of Flexjobs is security in payments and job providers.
This means you won’t find spammers and fake job postings because Flexjobs filters every job post before it’s public. Granted, the site looks a bit outdated compared to other best freelancing sites in 2024. Is that a problem? For us, no.
Besides, you have top-of-the-line customer support and the ability to test and sharpen your skills for jobs to come. We don’t like its subscription-based model which can be a problem if you’re starting your freelance site journey and don’t have money to spend.
The silver lining is a 30-day refund policy, which makes the site risk-free. At the time of writing, Flexjobs has around 33,300+ online jobs from more than 5,200 companies. It’s plenty of work even for ambitious freelancers, so you’ll be facing no shortages.
13. Behance
Pros
- Social media blended with freelancing
- Behance notifies you of potential suitable jobs
Cons
- A very large platform makes it hard to find work
- Limited to design, photography, and digital art
Behance is great if you’re creative and willing to sell your astonishing designs. Being another designer freelancing platform, Behance is best suited for those in animation, photography, and digital art. It’s like social media but with freelancing opportunities.
Behance will let you discover a variety of talented artists and their designs. When you register on the site, you can upload your designs as well, hoping to find new clients. Also, there’s the Follow function, which allows you to follow people similarly to social media.
This freelancing site will also notify you of potential jobs that fit your experience and skills. It helps you get more work and display your skills in the best possible light. Behance boasts a large community, so you’ll discover thousands of artists and designers.
In a way, it can be intimidating seeing all of the great designers with top-notch skills. Behance has around 10M members and finding a job can be challenging. On the brighter side, the platform is 100% free and once you’re registered, you can start working your way up.
There are no hidden fees or anything. You can post a job, apply for the job, and enjoy enriching your profile with your majestic work. A haven for designers and artists!
14. People Per Hour
Pros
- Automated invoices
- Very small 3.5% commission fee that dwindles over time
Cons
- Only 15 monthly bids
- Not the best reviews online
Okay, so People Per Hour sounds like a site where you’ll sell people and get paid hourly. In reality, it’s another website for freelancers with expertise in some of the most popular industries. These include copywriting, 3D design, journalism, and marketing.
PPH has millions of users and they’re paid either by project or hour for added variety. It’s free like Fiverr or Upwork, and setting up your profile isn’t complicated. However, PPH employees will analyze your profile application before you can use it.
From here, it’s smooth sailing. You can search for jobs that match your skills, negotiate the pricing, and enjoy working half-time or full-time. PPH has an array of long-term jobs as well, and if you’re looking for a quick cash infusion, short-term jobs are there.
PPH has a secure payment system and automated invoices that make payments safe and certain. However, like almost all of the best freelance websites in 2024, PPH has commission fees. They’re not too large and at 3.5%, PPH won’t take too much money from you.
Besides, PPH’s fees will drop as you work and you won’t be charged that much. Finally, we’ll mention that we dislike that it gives you just 15 bids per month. If you’re actively searching for work, sometimes, this can be insufficient, albeit, you can always buy more.
15. ServiceScape
Pros
- Great freelance site for writers
- Allows you to showcase your best work on your profile
Cons
- The largest commission fee (half of your commission)
- No option to bid for new jobs – the client reaches out to you instead
ServiceScape is for people like us writers. If you’re into ghostwriting, copywriting, translation, and text editing, this is a huge landscape of opportunities. Or should we say ServiceScape?! A freelance platform like this allows you to showcase your magnum opus to new clients.
Then, the clients reach out to writers and negotiate business deals. Sadly, ServiceScape doesn’t allow you to contact the client directly, so you must focus on having an impeccable profile and portfolio. This, however, has a few advantages.
You’ll usually be offered a price first, so you can negotiate and increase it based on your work quality. ServiceScape also lets you list your average price in different currencies so that worldwide users can understand it better.
Collaboration on this platform is spot-on and the overall experience is great. Unfortunately, fees are astronomical, as ServiceScape will take HALF of your earnings for each job. If you earn $100, $50 goes to the platform. This is the worst aspect of ServiceScape.
Summary
With our 15 best freelancer sites, every reader can find something for himself. Fiverr and Upwork are our go-to options due to their robustness, lots of projects, and millions of users. They’re safe payment-wise and have a very low percentage of scammers – zero.
Our team tested and listed various options for designers, such as DesignHill, Dribbble, and Behance. Additionally, there are freelance websites with jobs regarding content creation, marketing, administration, and even physical jobs (TaskRabbit).
If you’re excited about skyrocketing your freelancer career, this is your starting place. Explore our 15 favorite websites for freelancers and find your dream job! Self-employment doesn’t have to be tedious. You can work half-time and still make a living.