Back in the day, having two or more jobs was not uncommon. However, almost all options required a physical presence, and the majority involved physical labor, which eventually wore people off. Luckily, we live in a digital era and don’t have to leave our houses to make money.
If you have some time to spare or want to quit your job and work from home full time, here are some of the best freelance sites where you can finally land your dream job and set your own schedule.
Upwork
Upwork is the largest freelancing platform, boasting over 14 million users and growing by the day. Here, you can find jobs in almost any field, bid on a job listing, or get invited for a job interview. Every second, the listing is updated, and there are new gigs to find.
However, competition is strong (depending on the field of expertise), so you need to have an exceptional profile to stand out from the other freelancers in your industry.
You can sign up for free, start with small gigs, and work your way up to a higher rank in the search results.
Upwork charges a fee from 5% to 20% depending on the amount you’ve earned from the same client. Here’s how it works: If you’ve earned up to $500 from one client, you will be charged 20%. For earnings from $501 to $10,000, the fee drops to 10%. When you cross the $10,000 threshold, the fee is only 5%. Create your profile today—you won’t regret it.
Fiverr
Just like Upwork, Fiverr is a freelance marketplace where businesses look for people to hire and freelancers find all kinds of jobs. Start by signing up (it’s free), create a strong profile, and list your services and prices (from $5 and up). You can work as much as you want on Fiverr, either going full time or taking on the occasional job to supplement your income. As a freelancer, you get to keep 80% of each transaction, which means Fiverr keeps the other 20% for letting you use its platform.
Unlike Upwork, where clients can hire you on hourly contracts, Fiverr doesn’t have the option to track time. Both platforms are a great way to find freelance jobs, but Upwork seems the better option for long-term clients. If you are looking for short-term gigs, create your Fiverr account today.
Guru
Guru is a little different from Fiverr and Upwork in terms of handling fees and membership. Although it is free to sign up, create a profile, and look for jobs, you pay ten bids each month for membership (except for basic membership). You can purchase 20 bids for $10 or get discounts when you buy in bulk, like $50 for 125 or $100 for 250 bids.
Guru also charges a nominal handling fee of 2.9% on every invoice, but if you use wire transfer or pay with eCheck, you can get 100% cash back on the handling fee.
PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour is a U.K.-based freelancing site created in 2007, and it counts as one of the oldest. You can start by creating your account for free. To complete your profile, you should include your portfolio, pricing, skills, reviews, and endorsements. Make yourself stand out with a unique offer, and try to get endorsements from your trusted network.
Once you create your profile and select your skills, you have to wait to be approved before you can begin bidding on jobs. Basic accounts receive 15 free bids each month, but you can always purchase more if you run out.
PeoplePerHour charges a service fee of 20% on jobs paying less than $268 per client, 7.5% on jobs paying from $268 to $5,372, and 3.5% on projects worth over $5,372 with a single client. This means that if you complete two jobs paying $268 or more for two different clients, you will be charged 20% for each. In addition, you pay about $2.70 for each invoice.
Freelancer
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Whether you are looking for a part-time or a full-time job, small or big projects, you should check out Freelancer. On this platform, you can find jobs in over 900 categories, including transcription, data entry, programming, admin, and customer service.
Like Guru, Freelancer lets you bid on a project you are interested in. The higher you bid, the better your chances of landing the job. Basic membership gives you eight free bids per month, and you can purchase more to raise your chances of landing the job.
Keep in mind that the fee for fixed-price projects is 10% or $5.00 and 10% for hourly projects. Freelancer charges 20% on any amount you make on its platform.
As you see, there are plenty of freelancing sites and everyone can apply. Make sure to stand out from the crowd with a unique and eye-catching profile that will attract clients instantly. Be active, search for jobs, and try to get good reviews—they help you rank higher in the search results.
