Table of Contents
UpWork is a famous platform to find freelance work. However, it isn’t the only one that you can use to find various opportunities.
In this post, we’ll discuss various viable Upwork alternatives.
Moreover, we’ll also address their pros and cons.
Quick Summary
In this post, we’ll cover the following topics:
- 5 viable alternatives for UpWork
- Essential tips and FAQs
Let’s jump right into it.
5 Useful UpWork Alternatives You Should Use
Upwork has many useful features and tools you can use to your advantage. But over the past few years, many other competitors have entered freelancing.
Some are designed for specific purposes. While on the other hand, some are designed to promote a healthy work culture between clients and freelancers.
Let’s check what these alternatives are in detail.
FreeLancer.com
The first alternative on our list is the Freelancer.com platform. In some aspects, it is quite similar to UpWork.
The entire design of its platform is made to promote communication between clients and freelancers.
Interesting Fact: Freelancer.com was founded back in 2009. Since then, it has gained over 59 million users globally.
Furthermore, you can also filter out jobs based on skills and your preferred language. This can help you narrow down leads and find clients quickly.
How is Freelancer.com different from UpWork?
There are 4 key differences between the two platforms. Freelancer.com has a unique commission system.
Every single job has its commission rate. As you go up the ladder, your commission will climb as well.
Secondly, Freelancer.com often organizes various contests on its platform. This is a way to engage their customer base and provide them extra opportunities to earn money.
Another difference between the two is customer support. You can easily access the 24/7 customer service as a client and a freelancer.
Lastly, Freelancer.com doesn’t require you to be approved to start earning. Unlike UpWork, you can start earning from the get-go.
PeoplePerHour
Our next alternative is based in the UK under the name of PeoplePerHour. The entire design of the platform is made for one single reason, fast track interactions.
You can select from 15 different job categories and upload an application. The application is then reviewed by its moderators.
Interesting Fact: PeoplePerHour is one of the oldest freelancing platforms. It went live back in 2007.
Once it is approved, you can filter out jobs based on their criteria. It includes hourly-based jobs and project-based jobs.
How is PeoplePerHour different from UpWork?
UpWork is quite elaborate in the representation of its clients and freelancers. In most cases, this can extend the process by quite some margin.
On the other hand, PeoplePerHour can help you find jobs in no time at all. Other than that, PeoplePerHour also provides the feature to collaborate with other freelancers.
Another major difference is that PeoplePerHour uses an automatic invoice system. This system reduces the work on your end.
Thumbtack
Next up, we have the Thumbtack freelancing platform. It is designed to promote freelancing opportunities among local communities.
You can list your skill set and services on the platform and within 48 hours, the platform will redirect you to interested clients.
However, the platform requires you to pay a certain amount for each lead. This amount can be refunded if the lead doesn’t respond within a specific timeframe.
How is Thumbtack different from UpWork?
Besides the promotion of local community work, Thumbtack also provides detailed insight into your previous performances.
You can use this to check various graphs and statistics to determine which areas need attention. This can help you grow as a freelancer.
Another difference is the lead-generation work style. Unlike UpWork, Thumbtack focuses on creating solid leads for you.
Guru
The next alternative for UpWork is Guru. In comparison to UpWork, Guru is quite versatile in terms of niche work opportunities.
Besides digital work like graphic designing, you can also find work in the legal, marketing, or sales department. It has a niche for every skill set.
How is Guru different from UpWork?
Other than providing work for countless niche areas, Guru is also known for its seamless progress tracking system.
As a client, you can easily track the progress of your project to create a seamless work channel. As a freelancer, you can benefit from their low processing fee.
This enables you to maximize your earnings within a short amount of time.
CloudPeeps
For the last alternative, CloudPeeps makes the list. Compared to UpWork, CloudPeeps provides a number of versatile features.
You design proposals, create unique service packages, and set your preferences to hourly/project-based jobs. As a freelancer, this brings freedom of choice to the table.
How is CloudPeeps different from UpWork?
To put it simply, CloudPeeps is designed to keep the process as simple as possible. Clients can contact you or you can send your proposals to them.
Moreover, the processing fee drastically changes as your freelancer profile goes. You can pay as low as 5% per job.
Other than that, CloudPeeps also provides a membership system. You can use this system to make yourself stand out from the competition.
As a freelancer, this can come in handy if you are looking for higher-paying projects.
Important Tips to Keep in Mind
Following is a list of tips you should always keep in mind.
- Always focus on the work environment. The client-freelancer dynamic is quite important when it comes to finding online jobs.
- Keep yourself updated. A stable platform is always a safe choice. However, that doesn’t mean should just stick to it at all times. Find new and better alternatives.
- Use multiple platforms. Leads can quickly go cold if you only use a single platform. Always make sure you have at least two platforms as a backup.
- Pay attention to the niche areas. Some platforms are designed to promote niche skills. This can help you find numerous opportunities.
- Look for reviews. A platform is ultimately a business that desires to expand itself. It is good practice to learn from the experience of other freelancers on a platform.
- Analyze the potential for growth. As a freelancer, your main goal should be professional growth. If a platform doesn’t provide room for it, it isn’t worth your time.
Wrapping Things Up…
With this, we come to the end of our post on 5 Alternatives for UpWork You Should Use. We hope you can use this information to grow yourself as a freelancer.
UpWork is a detailed platform designed for freelancers. However, you can also use other alternatives to find projects in niche areas like marketing, sales, brand development, or basic graphic designs.
Do tell us about your experience in the comments below.