Fiverr vs Upwork: Which Freelancing Website Is Better?

As a form of self-employment, freelancing has become increasingly popular. Users are looking for a Fiverr vs Upwork comparison, as these are the most prevalent freelancing sites. They offer plenty of work, part-time and full-time.

This allows freelancers to work per their possibilities and time, rather than being on an 8-hour shift in a company. Now, Upwork and Fiverr are very flexible and have excellent reputations among freelancers and employers. This makes them enticing.

Simultaneously, the two platforms are vastly different. Their premise is, more or less, the same, but the way you find work and employees is far from similar. In today’s Upwork vs Fiverr 2024 comparison, you’ll find everything you need to know about both.

How Do Upwork and Fiverr Work?

As explained a second ago, Upwork and Fiverr manage to achieve the same effect and attract millions of freelancers while functioning differently.

Upwork

Upwork is a rest haven for freelancers, as the website is more focused on finding plenty of different work. When freelancers create an account, they can bid on jobs they like using Connects, which replenishes over time. The great thing here is FREEDOM.

Freelancers can choose their skills when making an account and Upwork will display jobs tailored to those skills. For example, if you’re a cybersecurity expert, Upwork will display work in this field, allowing you to get a job more easily.

When discussing Connects, they’re a virtual currency for bidding on jobs – you get 10 each month for free. Additional Connects can be bought too. Upwork’s jobs are either long-term projects, or one-time projects, and some contracts are hourly-based.

Upwork has a special time-tracking app for this, so an hour of work is an hour paid, as Upwork says. On this platform, everything revolves around freelancers, their development, and reward badges that highlight their qualities and effort.

On the client side, Upwork is great too. It allows for simple account creation and finding new freelancers. The platform is extremely intuitive and won’t take hours to set up. Instead, if you need freelancers to do the job for you, you’ll likely discover them promptly.

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Fiverr

A long time ago, Fiverr was a simplistic platform where clients could hire freelancers to do work for $5. All freelancers’ offers sounded like this “For $5, I will [put your offer here]”. However, Fiverr evolved into something larger, and more serious.

At its core, Fiverr is a client-oriented platform where they can find work. Your first registration on Fiverr assigns you a client profile, so by default, you’re seeking freelancers to get the job done for you. Of course, you can also switch to a freelancer or Seller profile.

Fiverr calls clients Buyers and freelancers Sellers. Nevertheless, the platform consists of Gigs that sellers list and buyers buy to get work done. Gigs can be customized by sellers who can include several packages similar to subscription plans.

These “tiers”, so to speak, differ in price and offered services. All Gigs are one-time purchases but optionally, buyers can extend them by simply purchasing Gigs several times or with Gig Milestones. Sellers can also progress and earn different rewards for great work.

There are four tiers of sellers, where the best ones can withdraw money faster, get different perks, and enjoy priority customer support. Fiverr supports sellers by including numerous video lessons, alas paid, where they can hone their skills and improve their work.

To summarize, on Upwork, you can bid on projects as a freelancer, while on Fiverr, you create your Gig with the job offer and clients (buyers) choose you. On Upwork, as a client, you need to post a job and when freelancers bid on it, select one, two, or more to get the job done.

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Who Wins?

The first round of the Fiverr vs Upwork duel is basically a draw. We could say that Fiverr is more freelancer-focused, while Upwork is more client-focused. That said, it’s about your preferences as a freelancer or client.

Fiverr vs Upwork: How to Get Started?

Whether you choose Upwork or Fiverr as your main freelancing platform, you’ll have to create an account, fill out the necessary information, and so on. In this Fiverr vs Upwork duel, we’ll examine both sides and see which platform is more straightforward.

Fiverr

One thing we LOVE about Fiverr is its intuitiveness. Once you’re on the site and you want to create an account, you can do it in 2 minutes.

Seller’s Profile

As a seller, you’ll need personal information, which includes an appropriate profile picture, language, summary, etc. Sellers SELL their work, so this information is also required. By this, we mean skills, certificates, education, work history, and so on. Fiverr is quick to verify your account, after which, you can create your first Gig.

This is where things get interesting. Customizing and creating Gigs is incredibly interesting. You’ll find this all but laborious. While it takes time, it’s exciting to put all your packages in place, price them, provide a description, and give them your touch to make them stand out among the crowd.

Once the Gig is made, you’ll need to wait for the right buyer to find you. From here, it’s a matter of communication and agreement. Later in our Fiverr vs Upwork duel, we’ll mention how hard or easy it is to find work on these two platforms.

Interestingly, sellers don’t always have to wait for buyers to contact them. They can go to the Buyers Requests menu and see what the buyers want. Conversely, they can also send bespoke offers to buyers to get the job quicker.

Buyer’s Profile

By default, Fiverr is dedicated to helping buyers find sellers to get their job done. That said, when you create a buyer or seller profile, you can seamlessly switch between the two as you see fit. On the buyer’s side, you’ll be met with the Gigs according to the provided info.

When you make this profile, you’ll provide information on which type of work you need to be done. Let’s say you need a logo design. In that case, Fiverr will display logo design Gigs from various sellers that might suit your needs.

When you click on one, you’ll see information about the seller, his/her previous works, packages, and everything else he/she chose to divulge. Now, you can send a message or a direct request for work. When the seller responds, you can negotiate the terms further.

As a buyer, Fiverr opens up the option of manually finding freelancers. With the search bar, you can find specific logo designs or any other type of work. Fiverr allows for plenty of flexibility among sellers that can set their terms and prices but it’s not perfect.

As a whole, the service favors buyers, which can sometimes be an issue. Sellers usually have an issue with buyers choosing the wrong package and not getting the work they wanted done. The support team usually resolves this with the seller giving the money back to the buyer.

That’s a problem because sellers can sometimes get a lower rating because of misunderstanding. For this reason, before choosing the package, we recommend that buyers contact the seller first and ask about the Gig’s nitty-gritty.

As for sellers, their packages should be described well, with as precise information as possible. Such issues can be avoided with these two measures.

Upwork

Upwork isn’t as simple to get started with as Fiverr and it’s one of its weakest points.

Freelancer Profile

As a freelancer, you have to fill in a ton of information apart from the basic ones. So, if you’re a freelancer, Upwork will require things like:

• Profile overview
• Skills
• Profile picture
• Certifications
• Job title
• Past experiences, and so forth…

Of course, if you don’t have certifications or past experiences, you can leave these blank. But the point is that the account creation process is like a resume, which is understandable. That’s because you’re applying for the projects and clients need this info.

Each profile on Upwork looks (or should look) fairly complex. On the left side, you’ll have the type of work the freelancer does, his/her language, availability, verifications, education, etc. Then, the middle portion is reserved for the profile overview, which can be very long.

One thing we’d like to note is that not everyone can make it through Upwork’s verification process. Upwork is overcrowded with freelancers, especially in some fields of work. That said, it’s not uncommon to get rejected and not be able to register as a freelancer.

We know of one example of a content writer who got rejected because of content writing market saturation on Upwork. The good news is that freelancers can re-apply at any moment, update their profile, and try to get verified down the line.

Finding Work for Freelancers

Once the profile is verified, you can start working. Upwork will list the available work based on your skills and from here, you will bid for the project and wait for the client to contact you. Bidding requires a proposal, which will have to sound professional.

Either way, if your proposal is interesting to the client, he/she will contact you directly to discuss the job offer further. Honestly, applying for jobs on Upwork can be tedious, as each quality proposal takes time. Let’s say you apply for 5 jobs today.

Now, let’s say each proposal takes you around 10 minutes to write. You’ve essentially lost an hour and you’re not even sure you’ll be contacted. In our Fiverr vs Upwork duel, the latter is far more complicated and we’re not the only ones thinking that – freelancers on Upwork agree with us too!

When you complete the work, you’ll send it to the client and get paid. This is a safe process, as we’ll discuss later, as clients need to put their money in Escrow, which is a “limbo” space from where the money ends up in the freelancer’s hands after the work is done.

Client Profile

If you’re a client, things are much simpler in our book. The initial process is the same but this time, instead of listing your skills, you’ll have to create a project for the work you need finished. Clients need to provide in-depth information about the project.

We recommend always listing the price, the length of the project, and the exact requirements for the job. This way, you can filter non-eligible freelancers and not have to answer additional questions and proposals because of an unclear job description.

Clients also get access to the Talent menu where they can find top-rated freelancers and send job invitations manually. Additional filters are there, so if you need freelancers that specialize in IT, let’s say, select this filter and Upwork will display them.

Who Wins?

In this part of our Fiverr vs Upwork duel for 2024, Fiverr takes the win over Upwork. It’s much simpler to use overall and without the tedious verification and job application process from Upwork, it’s more user-friendly for freelancers and clients.

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What Kind of Work Can I Find on Upwork and Fiverr?

Being the largest freelancing websites in 2024, Fiverr and Upwork are home to thousands of Gigs or jobs respectively. Whether you’re a freelancer or a client looking to get something done, you’ll revel in countless opportunities. But who takes the lead?

Upwork

Let’s start with Upwork. We don’t like its complexity regarding the initial “setup” and bidding on projects. However, we must admit that its selection of jobs is extraordinary. If you visit the Support page on Upwork, you’ll discover 12 main job categories:

• Accounting and Consulting
• Admin Support
• Customer Service
• Data Science and Analysis
• Design and Creative
• Engineering and Architecture
• IT & Networking
• Legal
• Sales and Marketing
• Translation
• Web, Mobile, and Software Development
• Writing

These are broad categories and as you go, you’ll discover each of them has sub-categories. For example, writing. This category has 10 sub-categories like Content Writing, Creative Writing, Ghostwriting, Business Writing, and many others.

The IT & Networking category is also robust, with plenty of opportunities for engineers, administrators, and programmers. For clients and freelancers, these categories mean a lot. Freelancers, in particular, can add up to 10 skills.

This means they can specialize in a multitude of jobs and at the same time, be writers and network administrators. Moreover, clients can work in a team and hire several freelancers simultaneously, ranging in skills and other qualities.

Regardless of the category, Upwork’s contracts are customizable, with the following variants:

• One-time projects – paid after the project is completed.
• Long-term or ongoing contracts – they’re usually paid by milestone and last for as long as the client needs work.
• Hourly projects – they’re paid per hour, usually weekly. If an agreed price per hour is $20 and you work 30 hours a week, at the end of each week, you’ll get paid $600.

Fiverr

Fiverr’s plentiful job opportunities are extremely valuable as well, alas, they’re less numerous than Upwork’s jobs. At the time of comparing Fiverr and Upwork, the former offers these job categories:

• Graphics & Design
• Programming & Tech
• Digital Marketing
• Video & Animation
• Writing & Translation
• Music & Audio
• Business
• Consulting
• Data
• AI & Services

Of course, each category has sub-categories like Upwork. However, as Fiverr is primarily designed for buyers to find freelancers, there are way more of them and they’re quite specific. For instance, if you need a website designer, you can specify what you want.

Do you want a UI/UX design or just to build a website? If you need image editing, do you need photo restoration or manipulation? All of the categories are there. Unlike Upwork, Fiverr offers some unique categories – Nutrition Coaching, for one.

As a seller, you can earn money by providing bespoke nutrition plans to buyers per their goals. Job opportunities are endless here and just exploring these sub-categories is interesting enough. There’s no chance you won’t find anything worth your time/money.

Fiverr’s Gigs are less customizable and rely primarily on packages. As said, if you want to work long-term with someone, you have to re-buy the package or use Gig Milestones. It’s easier on Upwork to “maintain” a long-term contract than on Fiverr.

Who Wins?

Upwork and Fiverr are well-equipped with tons of work opportunities and categories. The former offers more categories, while the latter has more specific sub-categories and some unique job opportunities that its rival lacks.

At the end of the day, we’d say this round of our Fiverr vs Upwork analysis is another draw. For the most part, you’ll be able to find your niche on both sites, except for something specific – like fitness/nutrition – which is usually easier to get into on Fiverr.

Upwork vs Fiverr Payments Review

Freelancers are likely going to be interested in fees and the total cost of each platform. Well, let us inform you that both are free regarding account creation. But as these platforms offer job opportunities on both sides, they must take fees.

Fiverr

Fiverr is known to be fee-heavy for some people – especially freelancers. Still, it’s worth noting that there’s a 20% fee for Gigs. It’s a flat fee and doesn’t decrease or increase based on specific factors. Thus, if you earn $100 for a Gig, you’ll be paid $80 at the end.

This applies to tips too. If a buyer tips you and instead of the agreed $100, pays $120, Fiverr will still take 20% and you’ll receive $96. Service fees for buyers are there too and they’re 5.5%, so if the Gig is $100, a buyer will pay $105.5.

If a Gig is under $75, there’s a fixed service fee of $2.5. Fiverr offers a heap of payment methods for withdrawals/deposits, including:

• PayPal
• Wise Bank Transfer
• Payoneer
• Credit Card

Withdrawal limits depend on the payment method, location, and currency. We don’t like Fiverr’s 14-day waiting period before sellers can withdraw their money. But simultaneously, it’s for security purposes and ensuring buyer’s satisfaction. Top-rated sellers can withdraw in 7 days, though.

Upwork

We said that Upwork is free and that applies to its Connects – a virtual currency used for applying for jobs. But if you want more than 10 Connects a month, you can buy them at $0.15 for one Connect. Certain actions also reward you with free Connects.

Users who purchase the Freelancer Plus account at $15/mo have 80 monthly Connects and a few other benefits we discussed in our Upwork review. Now, what about fees? Well, as of 2023, Upwork introduced a new flat-fee system – a 10% fee if you will.

If you earn $100 as a freelancer on Upwork, you’ll get $90 and so on – much better than Fiverr. Clients, this time, have to pay a 5% fee for all payments, which is marginally lower than Fiverr’s 5.5%.

Who Wins?

In this category, Upwork is a winner. Fiverr’s 20% fee is larger than Upwork’s 10% fee for freelancers. Also, Upwork’s client fee is a tad smaller. However, it’s worth mentioning Upwork’s Connects as a potential cost if you want to bid on more projects.

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Security of Fiverr and Upwork

Security is important for a freelancer platform to ensure both parties (freelancers and clients) are fraud-protected. Let us mention that scams and fake job posts are integral parts of both platforms but their security mitigates potential risks of losing money.

Fiverr

Fiverr meets the highest security standards and is safe to use as long as you keep your Gig discussions ON the platform. As with every freelancing platform, we’re against taking things out of them for safety reasons.

Nonetheless, Fiverr is GDPR compliant and adheres to the Level 1 PCI-DSS standard for payments. Does this make you 100% immune to scammers? Not exactly. Buyers are known for scamming by requesting a custom order from the seller.

When the order is completed, a scammer can ask for a refund with the claim of dissatisfaction or the fact that the work hasn’t been delivered when it is. On the brighter side, Fiverr bans these users promptly and no one lingers for longer than expected.

To reward hard-working and fair sellers, Fiverr uses badges. A New Seller badge is given to every new seller with the first Gig. As you earn more, you can get the Top-Rated Seller badge, which puts you at the very top of the totem pole.

Upwork

Security-wise, Upwork is impressive. Unlike Fiverr, it’s Level 2 PCI-DSS, CCPA, and GDPR compliant. We love that Upwork requires every freelancer or client to verify the account, which involves government-issued documents for added security.

Upwork’s payments are secure too and payment verification is necessary, so everything is kept under control. The platform includes Multi-factor authentication, which is handy for preventing unauthorized access. Oftentimes, you have to complete two steps to log in – provide your password and verify your identity with a one-time code.

Upwork’s focus on security is even better with the spam/malware protection function. Some argue it’s privacy-unfriendly because Upwork scans all sent files for malware. This, in a way, means the platform can read and access your conversations.

But we don’t think that’s an issue because this is a business platform. Besides, Meta, Instagram, and other social media sites do the same – imagine their disbelief when they see your messages! What about badges? Does Upwork have them?

Yes – plenty! Freelancers have badges like Rising Talent, Top Rated, Top Rated Plus, and others. Scammers are present here too and on a couple of occasions, we found fake job postings that had nothing to do with the job description.

Some clients even have no verified payments, yet, they can still post jobs on the platform. However, verified clients/freelancers are easily noticeable because of their badges, publicly available reviews, and verifications.

Who Wins?

Our Upwork vs Fiverr security comparison was a close one but we’d say it’s a draw. Both platforms are “victims” of occasional spammers and security-wise, they’re close. Upwork is, on paper, slightly safer, with more security compliances than its rival.

Fiverr and Upwork use badges to highlight verified freelancers and clients for added safety. In the real-world use, the experience is on par and you won’t be able to tell the difference. Remember to keep your contracts within Fiverr or Upwork, however.

If you decide to take things out of them, don’t be surprised if you get scammed.

How Difficult It Is to Find Work on Fiverr and Upwork?

Starting your freelancing career is tough, as is every self-employment strategy. Given our rich experience with Fiverr and Upwork, we can confidently gauge the two and tell you which one will provide you with plenty of work more easily.

Upwork

Upwork has nearly 15M registered freelancers – quite an eye-watering number. When you take into account more than 5M clients, you can see the platform’s scope more clearly. For this reason, finding work on this platform can be extremely difficult.

This also depends on the industry. Writers have a harder time, while programmers and IT experts usually find work more promptly. However, the entire vetting process is more complex, as clients usually look for verified freelancers with fancy badges.

New freelancers can sometimes wait for months before getting their first job. Understandably so. They’re overshadowed by more experienced “rivals” The fact that Upwork doesn’t accept everyone is also discouraging at times.

Some profile applications are rejected to keep a “healthy” client-to-freelancer ratio.

Fiverr

Fiverr is more welcoming and it’s unlikely your profile application will be rejected. On top of that, clients do almost all the hiring, so it’s up to you to customize your profile, create a Gig, and wait for the buyer to come to you. You can also send bespoke offers – as said.

We also found Fiverr much easier to get into than Upwork overall. With customizable packages, you can appropriately price the service and get paid per work you’ve done. Some complain about freelancers being underpaid because of Fiverr’s original version with five-dollar Gigs.

At first, when you’re new, you’ll inevitably have to keep your pricing reasonable. However, as you progress and build your reputation, it’s natural to increase your pricing because you’re more experienced in your field of work. With this comes more opportunities for higher earnings.

Who Wins?

In this category, we’d give Fiverr the win. Upwork is larger and more complex, and it frequently rejects profile applications to maintain a certain number of freelancers and clients. Fiverr’s streamlined approach works much better.

Sellers have more freedom to make decisions on how to create their Gigs and don’t have to waste time (or even money!) to apply for projects like on Upwork. Fiverr wants you to sell your services of your own accord and enjoy earning doing what you love.

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Conclusion: Fiverr Wins Against Upwork

At the end of our Fiverr vs Upwork in-depth comparison, we have to declare the winner. Fiverr wins the duel by a tiny bit and is overall, a better freelancing platform than Upwork. Let’s be clear on one thing – both platforms are extremely good and it’s ultimately a matter of preference.

Upwork is more geared toward professionals with vast experience in their field of work. It’s great for long-term collaborations and clients who want an array of qualified freelancers to perform ongoing work. For freelancers, Upwork is excellent as well.

Its wallet-friendly fees sound exciting, plus, as a freelancer, you can apply for projects you like rather than having clients come to you. Fiverr, on the other hand, allows you to freely sell your work and allows you to swiftly start working after a simple verification process.

It’s better for short-term, one-time work, which allows you to tackle multiple clients simultaneously. Also, it has unique work categories, and finding work is a tad easier, which newcomers will welcome. On the other hand, Fiverr has larger fees – 20%.

Given our experience with both, Fiverr is our freelancing website of choice in 2024.

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