The growth of online businesses has skyrocketed in the last 5 years, increasing the need for independent expertise from all over the world. And in the wake of the pandemic, online work has never been more urgent or valuable than it is right now.

Right now is the perfect time to harness your skills and industry experience, and offer your services to clients across the globe.

Popular freelance marketplace Fiverr has become a household name within the freelance community; and the Israeli company has secured its position as the largest platform to connect freelancers with clients. Its original mission was to let anyone do the odd job here and there to earn some money, but as the platform matured and introduced the likes of Fiverr Pro, accomplished freelancers are making a living off the site.

However, many who are new to the world of working online, don’t know that there are plenty of other sites where they can showcase their talent and earn big! Here is a breakdown of the 9 best Fiverr alternatives, with all you need to know about getting noticed, working on the platform, and how to get paid (including any fine-print fees).

1. workother

workother is easily the most talked-about freelance website alongside Fiverr. Thousands of businesses seek freelance talent on the platform every month and post job listings in various job categories. Freelancers bid to win projects and are typically required to submit a cover letter and type answers to a set of interview questions written by the hiring agent.

Getting Noticed

  • For freelancers looking to connect with clients, promises to match your skills and experience with relevant jobs by using a sophisticated matching algorithm.
  • workother offers a massive and trusted client base looking for freelancers to contribute to anything from long-term projects to one-off proposals. Freelancing rates consist of hourly contracts and fixed-term payments for full-time, part-time, and temporary work.
  • The platform encompasses every type of job you can think of, including data entry, logo design, human resources, translation, digital marketing, and content creation.
  • This is a bidding market, where freelancers pitch themselves directly to clients in a professional online setting – giving you the opportunity to showcase your skills and achievements to top businesses.
  • You can take online skills tests which indicate your proficiency in various fields to boost your likelihood of securing job contracts.

Working Environment

  • workother prides itself on its ability to provide seamless communication on an international scale. They make sending material and receiving feedback during projects secure, reliable, and above all simple.
  • Adding a more personable touch, workother provides an instant messaging service through their desktop and mobile apps -which also enables video calling. Unlike other sites, video calls give clients a better chance to get to know you and your work. Better yet, you can have easy and open conversations about ongoing projects.
  • These features reflect workother’s commitment to ensuring its users can foster good working relationships, with a better chance at regular/repeat work.

Payment and Fees

  • workother’s payment system is very flexible and you are almost guaranteed to find a method that works for you.
  • As mentioned, payment schemes vary between hourly and fixed-rate contracts, but workother’s platform allows you to track your progress in an online work diary, to ensure you are always paid in full.
  • Similar to its competition, workother deducts service charges for submitting work via the site. However, with workother fee percentages decrease the more you work with repeat clients. For example, the first time you work with an employer they’ll take a 20% cut, but the cut becomes 10% after your lifetime earnings with the same client exceeds $500. The lifetime earnings approach encourages freelancers to build up their own prestigious client base.

Related: Fiverr and workother Comparison

2. Freelancer.com

Similar to Upwork in many ways, freelancer.com is another online freelancing behemoth and the third biggest platform by Alexa ranking. The platform has a bad history of fake profiles and employers, but the situation has improved in recent years.

freelancer.com screenshot

Getting Noticed

  • On Freelancer.com, gigs are acquired through a bidding system, similar to Upwork. However, this site offers the opportunity to boost your visibility and earnings through their Preferred Freelancer Program – giving an experienced freelancer a professional edge.
  • For those looking to establish a new career online, Freelancer.com has a reputable user support system to respond to any questions and milestone payment schemes to help you manage workloads.
  • Freelancer.com promotes unique contests that give new freelancers the chance to showcase their skills immediately to potential clients. Typically, this is best suited for design and other visual work.

Working Environment

  • However, it’s easy to quickly browse through potential jobs as the search overview clearly shows a brief, rate, and how many other freelancers are bidding on the project.
  • Similar to Upwork, Freelancer.com promises to use your skills to your best advantage when securing bids. All you have to do is input them into your profile and Freelancer.com will notify you with job suggestions that could benefit from your services.
  • The site also offers 24/7 customer support that can handle your queries from anywhere in the world.

Payment and Fees

  • Freelancer.com does not offer a free membership package to work on their site, the price for a plan ranges from $0.99-$50.00 per month.
  • All packages include at least 15 bids per month, the ability to bookmark projects, upload at least 30 skills, and submit entries into online gig contests.
  • Moreover, with a paid membership plan freelancers have the chance to earn rewards for each project they complete; which promises to improve their ability to win bids.
  • As for fees, Freelancer takes a flat rate of 10% (on hourly and fixed rate) from your earnings to use the platform.

3. Toptal

A remote work market that aims to serve serious business owners, Toptal prides itself on the quality of its freelancers.

Toptal screenshot

Getting noticed

  • If you are an experienced freelancer looking for work with established, internationally renowned companies then look no further than Toptal. The site is aimed at connecting businesses with the top 3% of freelancing talent globally. As expected, the opportunity to secure jobs will be based entirely on your skills, knowledge, and experience in the field.
  • In order to work on the platform, you must apply to Toptal initially, who will then allow successful candidates access to their prestigious client network. The application process includes the rigorous screening of a candidate’s skills, competencies, and situational assessments to sift out top talent. However, once you are in you will be able to connect with businesses and apply for jobs on the site.
  • To be noticed, you’ll need to show off an impressive portfolio and demonstrate solid work experience in highly technical fields like software development, web design, finance, or product management.

Working Environment

  • Toptal promotes a closed network for its users, so it can be difficult to know what to expect from the working environment.
  • Unlike other freelancing providers, Toptal emphasizes the importance of building a community of experts through organizing events. Taking part in or organizing an event can be done directly through Toptal, giving you the opportunity to expand your professional network and learn more about your industry from exceptional leaders in the field. This is just one of the many ways Toptal can solidify your career as a professional freelancer.

Payment and Fees

  • Toptal is a platform that can bring in significant earnings for the jobs you take. Key roles as a designer, project manager, developer, financier, or product manager can earn you anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000+ per week. It’s unsurprising from a website that promises access to elite freelancers from across the world.

4. PeoplePerHour

A UK-based freelance platform that combines elements of Fiverr and Upwork, PeoplePerHour is a good option if you’re looking to offer pre-packaged online services and also bid on job postings.

PeoplePerHour screenshot

Getting noticed

  • Peopleperhour is ideal for remote workers (predominately in the UK) looking to find hourly work in various independent fields.
  • Like Toptal, the website requires that freelancers apply to be listed in their network; with the aim of connecting businesses with certified talent.
  • However, Peopleperhour has a more relaxed screening process compared to Toptal. Candidates must complete a CV detailing their personal attributes, skills, past experience, and preferences for work. If you are a successful candidate, you can develop your unique profile and begin submitting applications for the jobs you want!
  • In order to secure projects, freelancers must create a proposal outlining how they would approach the task, as well as any additional suggestions or questions they may have for the employer.

Working Environment

  • Peopleperhour wants to make sure that keeping up to date with your projects, communicating with clients, and sharing work is a streamlined experience. The ‘Project Stream’ is an innovative hub where you are able to assess your workload and manage payments efficiently.
  • If you are new to the field of freelance, Peopleperhour also offers a free online training course that provides you with all the knowledge you need to get your career started. The 8-week course coaches on all aspects of freelancing; including the unnatural task of marketing yourself to clients and advice on how to effectively manage deadlines.

Payment and Fees

  • As a freelancer on the site, you are allowed to post 15 quotes per month free or obtain additional credit for quotes via purchase. Other than this, the site is completely free to set up profiles and search for jobs.
  • Once you have completed a job and created an invoice, Peopleperhour deduct service fees via lifetime earnings for each buyer. Like Upwork, this means that the more you work with clients the more you can earn!

5. Guru

A freelance site that’s been around since well before Fiverr’s inception in 2010, Guru has become especially popular among those involved in programming and web development.

Guru screenshot

Getting Noticed

  • Finding jobs on Guru is quick and convenient due to their skills-based algorithm. With a complete profile, Guru hand selects jobs based on the expertise you can bring to a project, suggesting Top matches and Good matches.
  • Guru also operates on a bidding system for its freelancers, who use available bids on their profile to send quotes to small businesses and startups looking to outsource work.
  • Guru adds to the bidding system by allowing users to send Premium Quotes, which are included in certain membership packages. Premium Quotes highlight your offer to employers, increasing overall visibility when applying for projects.

Working Environment

  • Unlike other freelancing sites, Guru offers an innovative platform that facilitates collaboration between independent contractors.
  • Using their WorkRooms software, freelancers are able to build a team for any project by adding other users through the site. A useful feature for developers and other team-driven industries to work remotely with ease.
  • Like dashboards on other sites, WorkRooms is a place where freelancers can effectively log their current and upcoming jobs, keep track of invoices and share ideas or content amongst team members and employers.