10 Best Freelance Websites for Finding Online Work 2023

  Being a freelancer can be both liberating and nerve wracking. You can set your own prices and hours, and choose which projects to devote y...

 Being a freelancer can be both liberating and nerve wracking. You can set your own prices and hours, and choose which projects to devote your time to. But you never feel you have the security of a full-time employee.

A lot of freelancers feel like they’re always chasing the next opportunity, splitting their time between securing work and finishing it.

Many websites are out there to help freelancers find projects. While they’re not all created equal, and some are meant only for workers with specific skills, the right website can help you spend less time looking for work, so you can spend more time on-task.

Table of Contents: Best Freelance Sites

1. Upwork
2. Toptal
3. Fiverr
4. Designhill
5. LinkedIn
6. SimplyHired
7. Dribbble
8. Guru
9. Freelancer.com
10. Flexjobs

Upwork

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Upwork is a remote work platform that connects clients with skilled independent workers from around the world. Whether you’re an accounting expert, developer, web designer, writer, customer service worker, or any other type of specialist, you’ll find jobs that meet your needs on Upwork.

With Upwork, small businesses or clients can post jobs and wait for skilled freelancers to apply. Or they can hire workers who specialize in particular tasks using the Project Catalog.

Meanwhile, freelancers can create a profile and even add an introduction video that showcases their skills, personality, and experience. Then, they can wait to be discovered by clients or respond to job posts directly.

Here are some of the benefits of using Upwork:

• The site features reputable clients looking to pay freelancers competitive rates.
• There’s payment protection for clients and freelancers on hourly and fixed-price projects.
• Freelancers can get paid in a variety of ways, such as PayPal or direct transfer.

However, there are some aspects of Upwork that not everyone may like.

• Upwork aims to find the best workers from all over the world to fill clients’ open positions. Vetting workers from a worldwide freelance talent pool can make for a long and selective hiring process.
• Upwork has a relatively high service fee (20% of your first $500 bill). However, the fee works on a sliding scale—the more money you make on the platform, the less you’ll pay (percentage-wise) in fees.

Upwork has a free basic plan for freelancers, but the Freelancer Plus plan is $14.99 a month and includes perks like a customized URL and 80 Connects per month.

Interested in seeing how Upwork can help propel your freelance career forward? Sign up today.

Toptal

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Toptal helps a variety of highly qualified freelancers find work. Professionals who specialize in things like software development, project management, and business consulting can particularly benefit from this site. However, note that Toptal has a rigorous five-step selection process for identifying the best workers in any field.

The intense process begins with an English test and project assessment. Only the top 3% of freelancers are accepted on the platform. Those who make it through then apply for job posts from well-known businesses like Airbnb. Freelancers who fail the test have to wait several months before taking it again.

Some benefits of using Toptal include:

• The site has premium job posts from well-known businesses.
• Only top-tier professionals can get through the site’s screening process.
• The platform has free tools for time-tracking, invoicing, and receiving payments.

Some disadvantages of using Toptal:

• Freelancers must endure an intensive and exclusive screening procedure to use Toptal. Very few freelancers make the cut.
• Toptal is great for businesses looking to complete large-scale projects, like developing and maintaining huge software applications. Freelancers who perform smaller tasks, like updating landing pages, may have difficulty finding work on the site.

Toptal doesn’t take any fees from freelancers, but companies can easily spend over $200 per hour to hire a freelancer on the site.

Fiverr

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Fiverr makes it simple for digital freelancers to find people looking for their services. There are many project listings on Fiverr, from content creation and video production to app design to almost any other type of project you can imagine.

Fiverr has a very simple model: Sellers (freelancers) can create free profiles listing the gigs (services) they offer without sending bids or pitching prospects. Buyers (businesses) can simply purchase the services that work best for them.

Some benefits of using Fiverr include:

• Fiverr has a large selection of service categories.
• Registration is free for freelancers.
• The platform offers online courses to help freelancers learn skills.

Some disadvantages to using Fiverr include:

• Fiverr charges freelancers a large fee on commissions.
• It can take some time for freelancers to get paid.

After a seller finishes a gig, Fiverr takes 20% of their commission. It can take a few weeks for a seller to be able to withdraw payments from the site as well.

Designhill

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Designhill connects freelance artists and designers with businesses seeking things like website, logo, and catalog design. In addition to offering a large list of design opportunities, the site is helpful for freelancers learning to manage their business.

It has resources that allow freelancers to open their own stores to clients all over the globe. There are also management tools that can help freelancers measure profits, make business cards, and create digital marketing materials.

Some benefits of using Designhill include:

• Designhill lets you create a free online store.
• The site has a reliable live chat support team.
• There are no service fees for freelancers.

Some disadvantages of using Designhill include:

• Designhill is exclusive to designers.
• It has a seven-day window for clients to request changes to logo designs, which can result in extra work from picky clients.

Designhill is free to use for freelancers.

LinkedIn

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LinkedIn is a social networking site for professionals, and is one of the most reputable career resources around. On the site, you can create a profile to showcase your experience, education, work history, past projects, and skills to businesses looking for new talent.

You can also create and share posts to give companies a glimpse into who you are and your interests. LinkedIn has a huge list of freelance and full-time opportunities.

Unlike most of the platforms we’re discussing, LinkedIn isn’t a dedicated job site for freelancers, but it does feature a range of opportunities for independent professionals. Freelance graphic designers, developers, and copywriters, and more can all look for work using LinkedIn.

Some benefits of using LinkedIn include:

• LinkedIn helps you network with professionals from a wide variety of industries.
• The site can expose you to the most current news and trends about your industry.

Some disadvantages of using LinkedIn are:

• Because so many professionals use LinkedIn, it can be difficult to stand out.
• Maintaining a current and professional LinkedIn page requires continuous updates.

Freelancers can use basic LinkedIn features for free. A Premium account, for $39.99 a month, offers learning courses, allows users to track employers who view their profile, and increases the number of connections users can make.

SimplyHired

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SimplyHired features a wide range of freelance jobs, though it isn’t specifically for freelancers. The site has an easy-to-use interface that helps job seekers find opportunities from all over the web. Some job fields featured on the site include finance, marketing, and administration.

Applicants can customize job searches based on factors like their preferred industry, location, and interests. SimplyHired also lets you view company pay scales and see reviews written by former or current workers.

Benefits of using SimplyHired include:

• The site will send you email alerts when new jobs that meet your experience and criteria become available.
• The site has resources you can use to help your professional development.

Some disadvantages of using SimplyHired include:

• Businesses can post jobs on the site for free. Scammers may use the site to create fake job openings and contact you.
• It can be hard to get noticed on a large site like SimplyHired.

Freelancers can apply for jobs and create profiles on SimplyHired for free.

Dribbble

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Dribbble is mainly for designers, artists, and marketing professionals. Creative professionals can make portfolios of their past work on the site to increase their odds of landing contracts.

Dribbble is a great platform for creatives to showcase their work. It caters to people looking for full-time employment as well as freelancers. However, freelancers have to sign up for the Pro plan to access contract job lists.

Some benefits of using Dribbble include:

• The site has a large network of employers and professionals from around the world.
• It has an assortment of portfolios from inspiring artists and creators.

Some disadvantages of using Dribbble are:

• Freelance jobs are only offered to users with a Pro account.
• You have to apply for a designer account on Dribbble.
• It can be hard for beginning designers to use the site.

For freelancers, a Dribbble Pro account can cost from $5 to $15 a month. Pro members also get a boost in the search results for hiring managers.

Guru

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Guru caters to freelancers worldwide who are experts in things like programming, graphic design, and project management.

The site makes it simple for freelancers to create profiles, advertise their skills, peruse job listings, and send bids to potential clients. The service will propose job opportunities that match your work experience, skills, and preferences. Guru features both long- and short-term projects that you can apply for.

Here are some benefits of using Guru:

• The site has SafePay protection to make sure you’re compensated for your work in a timely manner.
• Guru customizes job listings based on specifications.

Some disadvantages of using Guru include:

• Fake businesses might approach you on the site looking to scam you.
• The website’s interface isn’t very user-friendly, making its huge library of job posts difficult to navigate.

A Guru basic membership is free for freelancers. However, the site does take a 9% fee for completed freelance invoices. Paid plans can cost as much as $50 a month and give freelancers access to a variety of tools to expand their businesses.

Freelancer.com

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As the name suggests, Freelancer.com is a job site exclusively for freelancers. The site is a great place where professionals like web developers, social media experts, and marketing specialists can find work.

The site also features contests for things like design work that can help freelancers earn extra cash, add to their portfolios, and build up a positive reputation on the site.

Some benefits of using Freelancer.com include:

• The site has a progress tracker that shows your growth as a freelancer.
• 24/7 customer support and live chat help you navigate the site.

Some disadvantages of using Freelancer.com include:

• The interface is less intuitive than many other sites.
• You’ll need to watch out for scam businesses that may contact you.

Freelancer.com is free to use for freelancers. However, the site takes 10% of your earnings for fixed projects and contests and 20% for services.

Flexjobs

Flexjobs is a subscription service that connects job seekers with flexible work. This includes freelance jobs, as well as part- and full-time seasonal work, jobs with alternative schedules, and temporary work.

Flexjobs caters to an assortment of professionals with skills like content marketing, copywriting, administration, and transcription. Flexjobs verifies that every job on the site is trustworthy and comes from a reliable source. You also won’t find any ads.

Some benefits of using Flexjobs include:

• Every job post on the site is guaranteed to be legitimate.
• The site offers a helpful, reliable customer support team.
• The site offers things like skills testing and career advice to help catapult your career.

Some disadvantages of using Flexjobs include:

• The sight is more expensive for freelancers than many other options.
• Some job opportunities listed aren’t exclusive to the job site. You might even be able to find some of them on free sites.

Flexjobs is a subscription site, so you’ll have to sign up for a paid account to use it. Accounts start at $9.95 per week but can go down to $1.35 per week if you register for a whole year. You’ll get a 30-day guarantee when you sign up. You can get a refund for any reason during that time.