Thanks to technology advancement and globalization, freelance work gets popular and seems to be a favorable trend due to its flexibility and potential incomes. Hundreds and thousands of websites connecting freelancers with clients have been built, with many different jobs from freelance writers, programmers, graphic designers or editors and virtual assistants. Here are top 5 outstanding freelancer platforms that can be helpful for freelancers as well as hirers to get a great job and have the best final work.
1. Freelancer
With over 20 million users, Freelancer is known as one of the biggest and the oldest online freelancer platform for freelancers looking for work out there. After a decade of development, it has now turn into world’s biggest outsourcing destination after acquiring other two giants in the freelancing marketplace: vWorker and Scriptlance.
Millions of jobs including software development, writing, data entry, IT, legal, and writing in both short- and long-term period are available. But freelancers have to compete with others in contests to prove their skills and get the job with the most reasonable prices. About the hirers, after posting the jobs, they can receive bids from freelancers, so they can review freelancers’ qualifications by tests scores, work history, skill sets, and overall rating, and especially they can get the job done at the most affordable prices.
2. Upwork
Another great freelancer platform is Upwork , the new beast from the combination of oDesk.com and Elance.com in 2015 and is my personal favorite online freelance platform, which become a huge competitor of Freelancer, but after debates, in my opinion I think they are both amazing places offering short and long-term projects, hourly or per-project work and entry-level or expert-level engagements for finding jobs and hiring freelancers.
The most important thing that I like Upwork is their support team when they can respond to every queries and problems occurring. And it can be the reason why it’s estimated that more than 3 million jobs are posted annually, which generates around $1 billion as a result.
3. Fiverr
It is no surprise that Fiverr is one the list of top best freelance platform when it is known as the world’s largest marketplace for small services.
The most interesting part is that we can create gigs at $5. Because the gig is just about $5, many people choose Fiverr for finishing basic task so it is much easier to get a freelance job here. Especially, technical skills are not necessary, what we need is creativity and we have to prove it, while we still enjoy fun.
A special feature I think freelancers can have a higher chance of getting the job is that hirers will search for their Gig, which freelancers can easily do marketing on social media to get more exposure and orders.
As a buyer, $5 is all the budget, and still even enjoy the better service than Upwork or other freelance platforms. Also if the results are not great, $5 will not a big problem.
4. Flexjobs
After 6 years of the launch, FlexJobs has become one of the most favorable freelance platforms, so it is understandable when it is listed on Forbes’s Top 100 Best Career Websites in 2013. This freelance platform is ideally suitable for those who seeks remote work only in clerical, public relations, marketing and volunteering jobs.
The key factor making FlexJobs stand out is that each job is screened fully.
Sign up is easy so I can on the right track and start browsing jobs right away.
I was really impressed by its great organization with over 60 categories and sub-categories, thus we can browse through with all recent postings right there at the top.
If you click on any of the jobs, you’re taken to a more detailed description with a link to apply. Sorting jobs by company name, location, the newest jobs will help us find our favorite jobs much easily.
FlexJobs also has a very regularly updated blog with helpful articles or sharing on tips, finding jobs, hot jobs, or information about working from home.
Updating 5 days per week, guaranteeing no ads on sites, no monthly billing and a money-back guarantee are also key elements that attract new freelancers.
5. People Per Hour
With over 1 million members worldwide, People Per House creates a large online marketplace for all people who are either seeking or offering services relating to designing, writing, SEO, translation, video, administration, web development, social media or marketing and business development.
What I really appreciate is the “payment protection”. Obviously, freelancers tend to be afraid of the clients who disappear when it comes time for payment, but with People Per House, the risk will be eliminated when the funds have to be placed for the work up font in an Escrow account and then released after finishing.
These above are top 5 brilliant freelance platforms that are highly recommended for people who want to start their freelance career as well as those wishing to get job done at the most feasible prices.