73% of freelancers use online job platforms to find work, so although it means high competition it also means opportunities and hence one of the most important steps when starting to work as a freelancer is joining freelance websites to find attractive jobs and projects.
There are many aspects that should be considered before investing your time in creating a profile within a platform, and one of them is that they offer a good level of payments.
When choosing a high-paying freelance website you should not only take into account the type of jobs you will find there or the fees, but also the effort it will take to find a job within that platform.
The faster and easier the process, the better because that will mean that you will be able to generate income sooner. Here you will find a list of the highest paying freelance websites that are worth your time and that will surely help you to grow your freelance career.
Platform | Signup Fees | Commission Fees | Entry level difficulty |
FlexJobs | $14.95 per month | 0 | Easy |
Upwork | Free | 10%-20% | Medium |
Freelancer | Free or $4.95 per month | 10% | Easy |
Guru | Free or $11.95 per month | 5%-9% | Easy |
Fiverr | Free | 20% | Easy |
PeoplePerHour | Free | 3.5%-20% | Easy |
Get a Copywriter | Free | 0 | Hard |
Smashing Magazine | Free or $3 per month | 0 | Easy |
Toptal | Free | 0 | Hard |
1. FlexJobs
Best for freelancers whose goal is to work for recognized companies.
To access the list of 30,000 secure freelance job offers offered by this platform, you must register and pay a subscription of $14.95 per month.
You can also pay for a 3-month subscription for $29.95, which will save you 65% or you can even pay for a year in advance for just $49.95, which would save you 87%.
By paying this subscription you will save a great deal of time, as you will be guaranteed that you will not find false or no longer existing job offers, repeated posts, or broken links that hinder the search for real opportunities.
You can also activate email alerts to be aware of offers that may interest you.
Payment Structure
To pay for the subscription to the platform you can use a prepaid card or even PayPal. Once inside the platform, you may not be able to see information about the payment offered by each job offer because it is information that many employers prefer to discuss during job interviews.
About The Platform
This site has more than 50 job categories, with jobs ranging from freelance to full-time, from beginners to experts.
They stand out for analyzing job offers before publishing them, so you do not waste time on false/illegal offers. They currently have about 30 thousand job offers from almost 4,300 companies.
To get a job at FlexJobs, try to make your profile as attractive as possible to your potential clients. Complete it, record your experience and if you want, take skills tests in the topics you handle, since these give evidence of the virtues you have.
Application Process
To be part of this platform you just have to sign up and choose the type of membership you want to pay. Once you join, you can apply for job offers.
2. Upwork
Best for freelancers that work in various niches.
Upwork is one of the most used platforms in the freelance world. In fact, it is the one that today has more income than any other, exceeding one billion dollars a year.
It is one of the platforms for freelancers with more opportunity — but also competition — in the market today, one of the many where most begin their freelance life.
On this platform, graphic designers can earn up to $150 per hour, which makes Upwork an ideal freelance website for graphic artists. For this reason, 75% of Upwork users belong to the art and design industry.
However, careers such as software development are also very well paid, being able to receive up to $1000 an hour.
Joining this platform has no cost, but to apply to the offers, you must have connects, which is a type of currency within the platform. You will have to pay for the connects and the purpose of this is that the offers are not saturated with applications but that there is a filter.
Anyone can enter Upwork but once you create your profile, it will be reviewed by the Upwork team to define if you have a place within the platform. In several days you will receive an answer and in case of rejection, you can modify your profile and submit it to review again.
Payment Structure
In Upwork you can receive payments by the hour or by projects, it depends on the proposal they make or the agreement you reach with the client.
The platform will charge a commission for each payment they make to you, at the beginning it will be 20% and after you earn your first $500 the commission will be 10%.
About the Platform
In Upwork, there are a large number of categories among which you can look for work, so whatever your niche is, you will surely find your place here.
Although the most recommended is that you specialize in a single niche. For example you work with graphic design but also photography, you can create an independent profile in each area.
It is a platform that is responsible for protecting the freelance employee by ensuring that they receive their payments and that they can receive a response in case of being scammed.
Here you can also take tests that endorse your skills and you can create a portfolio (or several) to showcase your previous work and experience and you can create a reputation within the community that will help you receive more job proposals.
As you do jobs, you can receive feedback from your clients and this will increase your reputation within the community, which will make you get more job opportunities.
Application Process
In Upwork, you can apply to the vacancies you want as long as you have connects available. There you can tell the client why you would like to work with them and in case the client asks you questions, you should also answer them.
You can also attach work samples or show them your portfolio. Clients will review your proposal and the platform will keep you informed of the selection process.
3. Freelancer
Best for freelancers who not only need to find work but also need to hire other freelancers.
Being part of Freelancer.com is very simple, you just have to sign in with your Facebook or Gmail account and that is it. By joining the page you will immediately have a free membership that will allow you to search for work and apply or create offers, it depends on the profile you have on the page.
However, you can also acquire the paid membership that will allow you to access many benefits of the platform. Subscription plans range from $4.95 to $69.95 per month, obtaining a 20% discount if you choose an annual membership.
Not all offers are from large companies since many of them are individuals or entrepreneurs who need the help of a professional.
Besides, one of the advantages offered by the platform is that the same user can have two profiles, one as a worker and one as an employer. It is very common for a freelancer to become an employer and vice versa.
Payment Structure
Freelancer.com uses the Milestone Payment System, which guarantees the protection of both parties on the platform and which is done once the freelancer has completed the project or a part of the project stipulated by the client.
The employer may release the payment once they are satisfied with the job and the freelancer may report any problem or inconvenience with the client, in case there is an unfair situation.
On the platform, you will find hourly projects and fixed-price projects, and a 10% fee is charged for each payment.
About the Platform
Freelancer.com is the world’s largest freelance platform and more than 8,000 projects are published daily, which is why the profit ranges for freelancers are very wide.
The average that a freelancer earns per completed project on the platform is $167. However, this fee varies, as it depends on the requirements and duration of a project.
Application Process
To apply for a job, you must have Bids, which is a kind of currency within the platform. The number of Bids you have per month will depend on the plan you are subscribed to.
If you have the free membership, you will only have 15 bids per month. Each job offer requires a certain number of Bids.
Freelancer.com also offers contests. From Freelancer, you will be able to access an ideas contest once a client has exposed their needs.
In this contest, you and other users of the platform will be able to present their proposals to the client. They will then decide which of them interests them the most.
Whether or not they choose your proposal, it is a good idea to participate in them to increase your portfolio and improve your reputation.
4. Guru
Best for web and design developers.
To be able to use Guru, all you have to do is sign up. Upon entering you must create your profile and it is recommended that you complete each section and create an attractive profile to attract the attention of employers.
You can also pay for a subscription to the platform that will give you many benefits that you will not have if you use the free membership. There are four types of membership with different benefits but the basic plan costs $11.95 per month.
Depending on the type of subscription you have, Guru will charge a commission amount for each payment you receive.
If you use the free plan, they will charge you 9% of each payment, and it may only be 5% if you acquire the most advanced subscription.
Payment Structure
To get paid they offer several options, you can use SafePay to secure your payment the first time you work with a client you are just getting to know.
In this way, they must make a small transaction to the platform before you start the job. That will give you the security to start doing your tasks.
There is also the AutoPay option with which you will receive automatic payments as soon as you complete a task or job.
On this platform you can have hourly or project payments. You can also create your own invoices with the details you need and you can charge through transfers, Payoneer, or PayPal.
About the Platform
The operation of this platform is very intuitive and easy to use. There are more than 3 million services distributed by categories, where computing, web development, and design predominate.
With so many offers available, it can be tedious to search for one that appeals to you, that is why Guru allows you to configure notifications so that the system does the searches for you, analyzing the projects that adjust to your skills.
Guru also has a Work Room, a tool that allows you to organize your job. You will be able to manage your projects, distribute your tasks, share files, and communicate with your clients directly.
Application Process
According to the type of membership you have, you will have a certain amount of Bids per month. The Bids are a currency within the platform and each quote, which is the application you make to a job, costs one Bid.
In each quote, you must describe your proposal and how much you will charge to carry out that work. You can also send Sales Messages to contact potential clients and generate a job opportunity for you.
5. Fiverr
Best for freelancers that want to offer a service and not chase clients.
To use Fiverr it is not necessary to make any payment because the platform is completely free, however, for each transaction you receive, Fiverr will charge a 20% commission, which is quite high compared to other platforms.
The point of Fiverr is that you can sell many products plus add-ons, which does not limit your earnings because you do not depend on the payment of a single job. To be part of Fiverr you just have to register and create your profile and catalog of products or services.
Payment Structure
To make money with Fiverr all you have to do is create a “gig”.
Basically, it is a presentation of your professional services with a brief description of what you offer and what they can expect when hiring you, and above all, in this section, you should emphasize why you are the right person to do a job.
In Fiverr the payments are according to the services you sell, that is, the payments correspond to each gig. There are also add-ons that are extra elements that can be added to each gig.
Fiverr has a level system to differentiate all the freelancers who offer their services within the platform. Higher tiers allow sellers to create more Gigs and offer more extra services with each Gig.
The good thing about the Fiverr system is that immediately after submitting an order, the payment will be sent to your account.
About the Platform
Fiverr is a specialized platform for the purchase and sale of digital products and services, that is, it is only possible to sell services or products that can be delivered online. It is one of the most popular web portals to earn money online with specific jobs.
This is due to its ease of use, the number of services and products that can be offered, the large number of active users who hire freelance services as well as the possibility of growing on the platform since it has a scoring system for generating a good reputation among the professionals who participate in it.
Do not be fooled by the Fiverr format. Although its format encourages you to sell gigs starting at $5, it is a platform where you can earn a lot of money if you work correctly and if you know how to attract customers. A former Google worker made about $800,000 in a year selling Google Ads services, just using Fiverr.
Application Process
As a seller, you can offer your professional services very easily and comfortably.
Unlike other platforms, in Fiverr it is not about applying to job offers but that you offer your services to the public, at different competitive prices, with different possibilities and options.
It is all about knowing how to sell what you do, so it is a good option for both beginners and more experienced freelancers. As you gain more clients and sell more services, you will level up and that will improve your chances on the platform.
6. PeoplePerHour
Best for freelancers that do not want to pay a subscription but want a quality platform.
Registering on the PeoplePerHour platform is easier than you think. If you immediately try to post an hourly (that is how pre-packaged gigs or services are called here) or apply to a project, you will realize that the platform has not yet fully accepted you.
The registration process as such does not have any kind of in-depth review or evaluation — although to start selling your services and getting clients you will have to complete your profile and provide a bit of information.
To be part of PeoplePerHour you do not have to pay absolutely anything, but when you receive a payment you will have to pay a commission.
You will be discounted a 20% commission if you have earned less than $350 in total within the platform, when you earn more than that they will charge you 7.5% and when you earn more than $7000, they will only charge you 3.5%.
Payment Structure
On this platform, payments are for completed projects. After the client reviews the work you did and is satisfied with the result, they will proceed to make the payment. You can withdraw your earnings through PayPal, Payoneer, or directly to your bank.
About the Platform
PeoplePerHour mixes the famous project model (client applies, freelance applies) similar to the Upwork platform, with the gigs model (pre-packaged services) such as Fiverr.
The concept comes from the idea that the activities to be carried out usually take little time and that they could be done in a few hours.
Areas such as graphic design, web development, and audiovisual media such as photography or video are the niches that are most demanded on this platform.
However, there are also many other diverse areas where clients seek freelancers to work on their projects.
Application Process
Although unlike other platforms in PeoplePerHour you do not need to subscribe to a membership to be able to look for work, you will have to pay to acquire proposals. Each month they give you an amount but if you want more you must pay for them. With those proposals is that you will apply for the available vacancies.
7. Get a Copywriter
Best for writers of any kind.
Get a Copywriter is a platform with an excellent pay range but quite strict to enter. Only 20% of freelancers who submit their application end up being accepted, but this is because being part of the page translates into obtaining excellent jobs and therefore, very good income.
To work on Get a Copywriter you must fill out the application page and wait for a response from the page. The review can last between one to four weeks, but other than that you will not have to pay anything.
When you make your application to the page you should make sure to fill in all the information they ask you to have a better chance of being selected.
You can also send the link to your portfolio or attach work samples that you have done previously. It is a demanding process but certainly worth it.
Payment Structure
In this platform, the payments are by projects and the range of payments varies depending on your level, what type of documents you are writing, and how many words they have.
For example, if you work writing blog posts and you write an article of 1000 words, you will earn $86 if you are Standard, $135 if you are Pro, and $297 if you are Expert.
Payments will be added to your account one week after the customer has approved the item. The price they offer you for each article is the total price of what you will earn and you do not have to pay fees.
About the Platform
This platform is responsible for providing articles for web pages and tries to hire only the best writers to guarantee its clients that professionals will carry out the work.
They only accept native English speakers with experience writing SEO-optimized copy. The qualities they look for in freelancers are time flexibility, speed, ambition, and quality.
Application Process
To apply for a job on Get a Copywriter you can take a look at the available projects page and choose a project that catches your attention. However, you will have to pitch if you want to get that project.
That way clients can meet potential writers and choose the one they think is best. This process can take several weeks.
8. Smashing Magazine
Best platform for designers and developers.
Smashing Magazine is a basic resource for graphic artists and developers. This digital information product, a mix of a magazine, tutorial, newsletter, and editorial, also has a job board where you will find freelance job offers related to different niches.
Smashing Magazine is a very broad community that helps illustrators find unique job opportunities with highly relevant companies in the market.
This website has a membership system to guarantee its long-term operation, you can pay $3 or $5 per month.
However, it is not necessary to pay the subscription to access the job board offers and you do not have to go through an admission process to look for work on this page.
Payment Structure
What Smashing Magazine does is connect freelancers with platforms that are looking for workers, so each payment depends on the company that hires you.
However, most of the jobs posted here are long-term and paid monthly. Payments are not made through this platform either, but the employers of each offer take care of it.
About the Platform
Smashing Magazine is much more than a job board, but its main purpose is to create a community of graphic artists and developers. If you join the community on this page you can access many other benefits, such as webinars, ebooks and discounts.
Application Process
In each job offer, they specify which are the requirements that must be met and the skillset that must be had, along with a brief description of the position.
To apply, you are redirected to the website of the client that published the offer so that you can better know what they need and the company that published the vacancy.
In general, they will only ask you to fill out an information sheet so that they will contact you later. All jobs are requested directly from the client, so you will not have to pay commission fees to the website.
9. Toptal
Best for experienced freelancers.
Toptal is a fairly exclusive platform that seeks that the best freelance designers and developers contact clients to carry out various jobs.
Unlike other freelance markets, the Toptal team personally helps the clients to find the best freelancer they need, and since they allow so few freelancers, this guarantees jobs for all.
Toptal only allows the world’s best freelancers in their platform, so if you want to join you must go through an exigent process where they will evaluate your skills.
This is how they guarantee to the clients that here they will get the best freelancers of all.
Although it is difficult to be accepted on this platform, they guarantee you payments that go far above what you will find on other platforms. Just to give an example, at Toptal a full-time developer can earn $2,000- $4,800 + / week.
Payment Structure
In Toptal payments can be per hour or per project, it all depends on the agreement the client reaches with the platform.
About the Platform
Since its premise is to hire the top talent, only 3% of freelancers who apply are accepted on the platform. This website is very popular with the most professional clients.
It is a platform that transmits a lot of trust and where clients can trust that they will find the best freelancer for their project.
The talents that generate the most demand at Toptal are iOS Developers, Front-End Developers and UX Designers.
Application Process
In Toptal it is the platform that is in charge of assigning you a client, so you will not have to worry about looking for it. Toptal takes care of connecting you with the projects that are most compatible for you.
Usually the client is presented with a catalog with the best freelancers options and 90% of the time, the client chooses the first candidate suggested by Toptal.
It All Depends on Your Hard Work
There is a wide variety of freelance platforms with different benefits and advantages In the market, that will serve you depending on the activity you perform or the goals you have.
All these platforms can help you obtain a stable and significant income, but everything will depend on your performance and how you take advantage of the features they offer you.
Being a constant and hard-working freelancer will help you get great rewards.