The freelancing world has been on the rise since the mid 2000s. The freelance global market is most likely to reach up to $455 billion by the end of 2022 and it made up 36% of the workforce in the US in 2020 and the percentage has only increased over the years. The covid-19 outbreak led people to discover options beyond the available workforce and this is when the freelance market saw its first boom. Now Companies like Facebook and Netflix even rely on freelancing platforms to find individuals suitable for the required task.
A great freelancing website can aid you no matter what the situation is, whether you are looking to make extra bread or looking to shift to a volatile yet flexible hour lifestyle or you are just a beginner in the world of self-employment. Freelance sites are not just for people who are looking to make a career but it works just as well for the people on the other side of the fence too i.e Business, startups, entrepreneurs, and companies. Regardless of which genre you belong to, you can find a job that can not only make your businesses stand out but also can be cost-effective.
When It comes to the freelancing world and multiple platforms, there are several factors one should take into account when you start looking for a freelancing platform. One platform might have better job opportunities than others while being specific to that particular industry. On the contrary, the other platform might be working on more than one domain. Some might be slower, but others might be faster however charging a better commission rate.
I have managed to put together a list of the top 5 freelancing platforms while taking all the above-mentioned factors and here are the websites that performed great not just from the employee perspective but also from the employers` point of view.
On Fiverr, you can find from virtual assistants to project managers, instead of the hourly wage concept an individual gets paid for getting the job done, So the chances of running into scams and not being able to find anyone to work the job is far less.
The website provides an easy-to-follow method for both the business owner and freelancers to interact with each other. On the website, you will find freelancers referred to as sellers, their gigs as the service they are providing, and business owners referred to as buyers.
All sellers have to do is put up a listing of the service they are providing instead of the conventional approach of sending out bids to buyers. And it`s up to buyers to simply scroll through the listings and choose the person for their required task.
The fiver also has rating and feedback options and categorizes individuals on the basis of the projects they have done. So a beginner seller will be referred to as a level 1 seller and the levels keep increasing as they progress along with the projects.
The popular franchise takes a cut of the freelancers’ earnings and will send out 80% off the original invoiced amount to the seller while charging the amount from buyers as soon as the gig is purchased. Fiverr acts as an intermediary in these situations making the platform a lot more trustworthy for freelancers.
Toptal
It does not have a huge database or availability of freelancers but this is what the popular freelancing website is aiming for. Instead of letting everyone sell their services, you have to go through a rigorous process of screening ensuring only the best candidates are given the chance to offer their services. You will have access to the cream of the world which means the platform is significantly more costly than the rest of the places of its type.
The screening process includes language, skill, and test projects to find world-class talent. The organization has reported that only 3% of all the applicants that apply make it to the list, they also rely on the expertise of industry experts to pick out the best freelancers for the project.
The Renowned platform has high barriers to entry making every project a lucrative one for freelancers. Also, there is a restriction on the experts available on the platform, you are more likely to just work with developers, finance experts, designers, and product managers. Making the platform moot for a lot of other required tasks and will not be able to take care of all the needs of a digital business requires today.
Guru
When it comes to the world of freelancing, guru is one of the biggest names on the market with over 800,000 listed employers and over two million freelancers ready to offer you their services. The huge amount of freelancers means you can find an individual for almost everything including writing, data entry, data visualization, sales, marketing, legal, engineering, and educational field. The possibilities are endless with this whale of the industry.
The low charge fees and freelancer verification are what make the employers and freelancers fall in love with the platform.
Each freelancer has a rating and feedback bar right next to their profile so you know how well they will perform under the project and also get an idea of their expertise.
The drawback of the guru is it charges fees from both ends i.e employer and freelancers on every invoice.
Jooble
The international job marketplace is used by millions of people on a day-to-day basis. You can find job postings from corporations, job boards, freelancing platforms, classifieds, and social networks.
Since the platform aggregates postings for different sources worldwide, the edge it provides is you do not have to hop from platform to platform to find a job, as it is a one-stop solution for individuals combining platforms for appropriate positions.
Unlike other platforms, you do not have to create a profile, since it works on an aggregation model all you have to do is search for the required job, set the filters as per your preference and it will lead you to third-party platforms with actual job postings. You can apply for the particular gig as per their requirement.
Upwork
Upwork is another freelancing platform that focuses on your abilities and skills. Connecting freelancers to employers for various tasks including web development, content writing, accountant, legal task, virtual assistants and so much more.
The process is very streamlined, clients can cherry-pick the talent they require for a particular job, or the freelancers have the opportunity to send out proposals pertaining to particular job postings by the employers.
Its commission policy is regressive, which means the more you work on Upwork, the less you will have to pay out of your pocket. Starting from 20% for the $500 and the amount gradually decreases as your profile progresses on Upwork.
You can withdraw the amount through several mediums i.e PayPal, wire transfer, or direct bank transfer.
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