Fiverr vs. Freelancer: Complete Comparison for 2024

Fiverr and Freelancer.com are online freelance marketplaces that help talented professionals and clients connect with each other.

So which one’s right for you?

The answer depends on a few factors, including how you prefer to get work done. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about Fiverr, Freelancer, and other freelancing websites that may be of interest.

Fiverr vs. Freelancer: The main differences to compare

There are several differences between how Fiverr and Freelancer work.

Fiverr is great for short-term, online projects that follow a structure set by talent. For example, a graphic designer might offer three different levels of service that their clients can select from. This keeps things streamlined for the talent and makes it easy for clients to browse and find the best freelancer for their project.

Freelancer, on the other hand, offers a mix of one-time, ongoing, and even local jobs. A franchise owner in need of a photographer in a specific location might be able to use Freelancer to find the right person.

Fiverr and Freelancer also refer to their users differently.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most important factors to consider when deciding between Fiverr, Freelancer, or another work marketplace.

Fiverr overview

Fiverr is headquartered in Israel and launched in 2010. At the time, each gig on the platform cost a maximum of $5—which is how the company got its name.

Eventually, Fiverr expanded to include projects at all price points. Users can sell or buy freelance services in 11 different work categories.

One of the most unique things about how Fiverr works is the way its projects are structured. Many work marketplaces, including Freelancer, Guru, Toptal, and Upwork, allow potential clients to post their needs online and receive proposals from qualified talent.

On Fiverr, it’s more common for talent to start this process by posting specific service packages, or gigs, on the marketplace. Buyers can then browse all available options on the site and reach out to the sellers whose gigs interest them the most.

It is technically possible for buyers to post a request for help on Fiverr and get responses from sellers, but the seller-first workflow for posting gigs is the most popular and well-known way to hire freelancers on Fiverr.

Pros and cons

There are pros and cons to using Fiverr—make sure the platform is compatible with your preferred way to work.

Pros

• Service fees assessed at the time of payment. Sellers don’t have to pay any service fees upfront when starting a gig; these fees are deducted from payouts.
• Escrow-based payment protection. Fiverr holds on to buyers’ funds while sellers complete a gig, only releasing the funds once the work is completed, delivered, and approved.
• Wide array of payment methods. Buyers and sellers can carry out transactions on Fiverr using a range of payment methods, which vary by location.
• Collaboration tools. The Fiverr platform includes messaging tools to help buyers and sellers collaborate; Fiverr Pro and Enterprise sellers can collaborate with colleagues on the platform, too.

Cons

• No hourly contracts. If you’re using the standard Fiverr marketplace, you can’t set up or start an hourly contract—it’s all flat-rate services.
• High service fees. The 20% service fee assessed by Fiverr on all seller earnings is higher than the fees assessed by Freelancer and some other work marketplaces.
• Instant gig purchasing. Buyers can purchase a gig without contacting the seller first to discuss specific needs or questions.
• Usernames. Standard Fiverr seller profiles use usernames, not legal names, which may be off-putting to some sellers or buyers.

Searching for talent

Business owners and leaders searching for talent can start a talent search right on Fiverr’s homepage, even before logging into the site. To search, buyers need to select a work category that they’re interested in or type a need into the search box.

Here’s what it looks like when searching for web designers on Fiverr:

Each of the boxes pictured above represents a gig offered by a seller on the platform. You can easily narrow down the results by using Fiverr’s available search filters, including budget amounts and turnaround times.

Clicking on one of the gigs opens a page with more information about the service and the seller. Buyers can opt to purchase the gig right away, or they can message the seller for more information.

Finding work

Sellers can find work on Fiverr in two ways:

1. By posting a gig and waiting for buyers to purchase the service or sending a message with questions. This is the most common way sellers procure work on Fiverr.
2. By browsing buyer requests and responding with information about an applicable gig.

Sellers can also apply to be a Fiverr Pro, which may expose them to more clients and work opportunities.

Profile features

Fiverr sellers can build their profile pages in a way that highlights their work and provides upfront information to interested buyers.

A seller profile can include:

• A headshot
• Profile badges indicating the seller’s rating and expertise on the platform
• Location
• Languages spoken
• A short bio
• Highlighted skills
• Available services and pricing options
• Feedback from previous buyers

Subscriptions and pricing

Two account types are available to sellers on Fiverr: the standard free plan or a Seller Plus membership that incurs a monthly fee.

• Advanced analytics
• Additional insights about buyers
• Faster payouts
• Access to a dedicated success manager
• Priority customer support

Sellers must be invited to join the Seller Plus program.

Buyers on Fiverr can choose from a few different account types: the standard Fiverr account, Fiverr Pro, and Fiverr Enterprise.

Fiverr also offers a unique product called Fiverr Certified, which allows companies to create their own marketplace of experts certified in using specific tools.

For example, if your company produces a website builder used by dropshippers, you can create a curated list of independent professionals who know how to use your tool. You can then display this list to your customers who want or need product help.

Customer support

Fiverr offers a few levels of customer support:

• Self-service via online help documentation
• Community forums for Fiverr users to connect and converse
• Messages through the company’s Fiverr Support account on X (formerly known as Twitter)

Fiverr Pro and Fiverr Enterprise users get additional help from dedicated support teams. There’s a special Fiverr Pro help center for sellers with Pro status, too.

Customer reviews

Fiverr typically gets a positive response from users who rate the platform on online forums like G2 and Trustpilot.

‍

Freelancer overview

Freelancer is an Australian company that’s been in business since 2009. According to the company’s website, there are over 75 million registered users and, according to their latest annual report, more than 23 million jobs posted to the platform.

Freelancer offers a variety of ways for clients and talent to work together, including through contests.

Contests are unique in that a client can see finished products—such as a logo design—from multiple professionals before making the decision about whom they’re going to pay to carry out a job.

The platform also offers clients the ability to find talent to carry out location-specific, in-person tasks—which is uncommon across online work marketplaces.

Pros and cons

Contests and local work opportunities are just two of the factors to consider when thinking about using Freelancer to find work or talent.

Freelancer pros

• Multiple ways to work. Freelancer users can find clients and talent interested in online, in-person, hourly, fixed-rate, and contest-style work.
• Recruiter support. For $11.95, clients can engage the help of a recruiter on the Freelancer team.
• Lower fees. Freelancer service fees vary by the type of work engagement, but max out at 15% for talent and 3% or $3 for clients.

Freelancer cons

Searching for talent

Clients can start browsing talent right on the Freelancer homepage before ever logging in. The freelance website provides a nice selection of filters to narrow results by:

• Type of work
• Type of project
• Talent location
• Hourly rate
• Talent rating
• Relevant skills
• Languages spoken
• Online status

Clients can reach out directly to any talent they’re interested in working with, or they can post a job and wait for talent to submit bids to complete the work.

Anyone can begin posting a job on Freelancer by filling out a form or sending the project details to Freelancer via a text message.

Finding work

Talent can seek out work on the platform by browsing Freelancer job listings organized by category and skill.

At first, this may seem overwhelming, as Freelancer lists out every single skill associated with one of its 17 work categories, and some skill pages don’t contain any jobs.

Skills that do contain jobs, though, can easily be filtered by a variety of criteria like:

• Budget
• Project duration
• Relevant skills
• Languages

Talent can also see how long a job has been active, the number of total bids from other freelancers, and the average rate that others are bidding.

Profile features

Talent profiles contain a lot of information, including:

• Average rating from prior clients
• Job completion statistics
• Repeat hire rate
• Hourly rate
• Length of time on the platform
• Location
• Professional bio
• Examples of work

Clients can reach out to talent directly from profile pages, too.

Subscriptions and pricing

Several plan options are available to talent on Freelancer. While these plans aren’t necessary to use the platform, some users may find that a monthly subscription is cost-effective as it can increase the number of bids available each month and unlock other additional features.

Freelancer.com also charges specific service fees based on project type.

Only two usage tiers are available for clients: Freelancer and Freelancer Enterprise.

Neither type of account has upfront fees. Freelancer Enterprise clients pay service fees based on usage.

The benefits of a Freelancer Enterprise account include:

• Access to pre-vetted talent with over 2,000 skills
• Curated Freelancer Clouds with talent that meets specific criteria
• Help from Freelancer recruiters
• Access to a cloud-based workforce management platform

Freelancer Enterprise can also support logistics and delivery needs.

Customer support

Freelancer offers clients and talent 24/7 support via:

• Online live chat
• Email
• Self-service help documentation

Customer reviews

Reviews of the Freelancer platform on sites like G2 and Trustpilot are also typically positive.

‍

FAQ about Fiverr and Freelancer

Still not sure whether Freelancer or Fiverr will work best for you? Check out the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about these platforms—including the best alternative to both.

Which is better for beginners: Fiverr or Freelancer?

Both Fiverr and Freelancer offer user-friendly features and nice opportunities for beginners. The best choice for a beginner comes down to personal preference.

If you prefer to respond to client requests, then Freelancer may be worth a try. If you’d prefer to advertise a specific set of services and only do those projects, then you may prefer Fiverr.

Because both platforms offer free signup, some new users prefer to try out both and see which one they like best over time.

What are good alternatives to Fiverr and Freelancer?

Upwork is one of the most popular freelance websites for clients and talent, and is a great alternative to Fiverr as well as Freelancer.

New and experienced talent alike can benefit from all of the resources and features that are included in a free Upwork account, like:

• Learning new skills in the Upwork Academy
• Getting peace of mind with Upwork payment protection
• Offering set services or sending proposals in response to client job posts
• Keeping more money earned thanks to service fees ranging from 0% to a maximum of 10%

There are several ways for clients to use Upwork, too, including:

• Browsing available services in Project Catalog™
• Posting jobs in Talent Marketplace™
• Building talent clouds of trusted talent through Upwork Enterprise
• Benefiting from fully managed services

Both clients and talent can sign up for Upwork for free and begin exploring all the ways the platform helps to facilitate great work.

What are the highest-paid freelancing skills?

There are highly paid freelancers in nearly every field!

If you’re just starting out on your freelancing journey and are interested in acquiring high-value skills, though, these are some of the easiest starter projects and highest-paying freelance jobs available right now:

• Public relations manager
• Business consultant
• Media buyer
• Photographer
• Artificial intelligence (AI) professional
• Data analyst
• Copywriter
• Project manager
• Digital marketing consultant
• Mobile app developer
• Virtual assistant
• Social media manager
• Web developer

How much can you earn freelancing as a beginner?

Many independent professionals work full time through Upwork, serving a variety of clients around the world.

• Margareth turned her customer service experience into a successful career as an independent project manager and bought her dream home in just three years
• Oleksii uses his work as an independent designer to support his family, friends, and countrymen in need during turbulent times
• Chisom works independently as an architect and enjoys the flexibility of working and spending time with her growing family

The rate each independent professional charges on Upwork is different based on location, skills, and years of experience.

You can use the Upwork Fee Calculator to get an idea of what you might be able to charge when you’re first starting out—and how that number can grow over time!

Which work marketplace is right for you?

The best freelancing site for you will be the one that:

• Fits your budget
• Offers the work categories and skill sets that you need
• Is structured in a way that works well with how you prefer to work with clients
• Offers access to talent and quality work around the world
• Has an array of jobs and professionals available at different price points
• Offers support for hiring and professional development
• Has established processes and support channels for invoicing, timekeeping, dispute resolution, and more

For many professionals and companies, Upwork is the right fit.

Talent on Upwork earned more than $3.8 billion in 2022—and clients found experienced professionals offering more than 10,000 different skills. It’s no wonder that 30% of the Fortune 100 turns to Upwork to get work done—and you can too.

Whether you’re interested in a new way to work independently, or you want to augment your existing team’s skills, Upwork is the place to start. Sign up as a client or talent today and explore everything that the world’s work marketplace has to offer.