Top Upwork Alternatives in 2025

When you think of freelance marketplaces, Upwork is probably one of the first names that pops up. It’s a go-to platform for professionals, offering a competitive space where major clients like Airbnb and Microsoft search for talent. But for new freelancers, standing out can be a real struggle. Plus, Upwork charges a hefty 10% fee on every project, cutting into your earnings.

If you’re ready to explore better options, you’re in the right place. In this post, you’ll find the 12 best alternatives to Upwork that can help you boost your freelance career.

What is Upwork?

Upwork is one of the best freelancing marketplaces with an active membership of 18 million freelancers.

The number of clients on the platform is 851,000 according to the latest data:

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How does Upwork work?

Upwork’s working system is based on “Bidding”.

Clients post a job advertisement with details of the project, deadline, and budget.
Freelancers send a proposal with the demanded price, the date they can deliver, and details.

And the client evaluates the offers and hires the freelancer accordingly.

The Platform’s Top features for freelancers

Upwork’s AI UMA helps you with proposal writing.

One of Upwork’s best features for freelancers is its AI support.**** It’s free and you can ask UMA questions about project details and chat about how to improve your proposal.

Create a portfolio

Upwork offers an area for creating your portfolio so you can showcase your best work without using another portfolio site.

Upwork offers various ways of making money.

As you know, you can get hourly and project-based work on Upwork. But another feature you might not know is “Project Catalog”. This is a feature you’ll recognize from Fiverr as well.

Now you’re able to list fixed-price service packages on Upwork, just like Fiverr’s Gigs, and let clients find you.

Top features for businesses

Upwork UMA AI: Automatic bid assessment, fast hiring processes

You can ask Upwork’s new artificial intelligence UMA to compare the best freelancer offers. Thus, you can hire the best freelancers in seconds instead of manually reviewing all offers.

Not only that. UMA AI’s “Job Post Generator” feature can save you tons of time.

Payment protection: Risk-free freelancer partnerships

Your business has a limited budget and you don’t want to risk your money? You’ll be happy with Upwork’s payment protection policy for clients.

How does it work? Your payment is not transferred directly to the freelancer. Upwork waits for you to receive and approve the project. However, if you do not approve it within 14 days, it is automatically approved and transferred to the freelancer.

Hire your favorite freelancers full-time

While Upwork is a freelancing platform, it offers flexible solutions for every need. As a business, you can hire the most talented freelancers full-time by organizing a meet-and-greet with them.

Advantages of Upwork

For freelancers:

Professional and corporate customers
3 different types of earnings: Hourly, project-based, and project catalog
Higher earnings compared to other sites
UMA AI support to make bidding easier
Ability to set working hours
The chance to effortlessly build a portfolio
More stable earnings
Long-term customer agreements
Risk-free working with Upwork payment protection
iOS/Android compatible mobile application

For businesses:

Senior freelancers
Time saving with artificial intelligence support
Hourly and project-based projects
Project Catalog for fast purchasing
Payment protection
Full-time hire

Disadvantages of Upwork

For freelancers:

10% fee for each project
Not suitable for beginners
Competition is fierce
Institutionalism can be boring
Limited “Connects” rights

For businesses:

Customers pay a 5% service fee
Prices are higher than on other sites
Service quality can be inconsistent

You can land a freelance Gig pretty much anywhere—through an online platform, by connecting with local people and companies, or even just from a post on LinkedIn.

Use Ruul to keep track of all your contracts and manage your solo work with minimum effort!

12 Top Upwork Alternatives

1. Fiverr

What is Fiverr?

Fiverr is famous, you probably have heard about it.

The platform supports over 700 categories - probably at least one of them covers you. The popularity of Fiverr is not a surprise because they don’t really leave any in-demand freelancing service out. High five to Fiverr, for that.

Here you create and sell Gig service packages - this is a big difference between Upwork and Fiverr.

Advantages of Fiverr

Registration takes a few minutes
Gig creation in just a few steps - for free
The chance to create a portfolio easily - for free
There are 3 different Gig levels: Basic, Standard, Premium
iOS and Android app available

Disadvantages of Fiverr

A high fee of 20%
Only service packages
No hourly work and no project-based work
Additional effort needed to stand out
You have to wait for customers to come

Fiverr vs Upwork

Fiverr is unrivaled in simplicity and speed. Upwork caters to freelancers who are used to corporate clients and corporate companies looking for more professional people.

Also, while the fee on Fiverr is 20%, it’s half (10%) less on Upwork. If the fee is important to you, Upwork wins.

See a complete comparison here: Fiverr vs Upwork

2. Freelancer.com

What is Freelancer.com?

One of Upwork competitors is Freelancer.com, which ranks among the top three largest freelance marketplaces. Similar to Upwork , Freelancer.com operates on a bidding system where freelancers compete for projects.

With over 2,700+ service categories, it even offers a wider variety of services than Upwork.

However, the Freelancer.com interface is more complicated compared to other platforms, making it challenging for beginners.

Competition is fierce, and finding your first client can be tough. Spam is present on most platforms, but it seems to be more here.

Advantages of Freelancer.com

Free registration
Portfolio creation
Showcasing skills
Large freelancer network
Wide customer base
iOS and Android app
Payment protection for freelancers and clients
Profile reviews for freelancers and clients

Disadvantages of Freelancer.com

5% fee for freelancers
3% service fee for clients
More complex interface
High rate of competition
Spam messages widespread
Below-market wages

Freelancer.com vs. Upwork

Both platforms charge a 10% fee for freelancers, but Upwork charges clients 5%, while Freelancer charges 3%.

When it comes to user experience, Upwork feels more professional, and its interface is more beginner-friendly. In contrast, spam messages are more common on Freelancer.com.

Lastly, Upwork’s UMA AI helps users save hours of work with its efficient features.

For a more in-depth look at comparison of Freelancer.com and Upwork, check out our blog.

3. Toptal

What is Toptal?

Unlike the sites we just mentioned, Toptal requires an application process. Only the top 3% get accepted.

Toptal promises to match businesses with the right freelancer within 48 hours, meaning you can find work quickly once you’re in.

The best part is that Toptal connects you only with high-quality clients, ensuring you’re assigned to suitable projects efficiently.

Advantages of Toptal

Only the top 3% of freelancers
High-budget clients
Experts in Blockchain and AI
Recruitment in 3 steps, within 48 hours
Serving 140+ countries

Disadvantages of Toptal

Difficult to enter (top 3%)
Not for beginners
Payment required for talent search
Higher prices compared to alternatives

Toptal vs. Upwork

Toptal offers a very advantageous environment for talented and professional freelancers to move away from the low-price market.

However, it is not possible to start directly like Upwork. You need to go through the application process and be among the top 3%.

The best freelance talent for high-budget businesses can be found here. However, looking at alternatives may be costly for you, as there is a fee for talent search and freelancer payments are high.

Also see:

4. PeoplePerHour

What is PeoplePerHour?

UK’s top platform for freelancers. If you want to become a certified freelancer, you can work here. However, you have to apply and be chosen to be in.

In addition to hourly jobs, there is another plus. You can create and sell fixed-price packages familiar to Fiverr.

Advantages of PeoplePerHour

AI-supported project matches
Careful recruitment process
High-quality freelancers and clients
24/7 platform support
Payment protection for freelancers and clients

Disadvantages of PeoplePerHour

The application process is challenging
Supported only hourly work and service packages
15 offer limit (additional fee for more)
£250 under 20% fee
£250 to £5000 7.5% fee

PeoplePerHour vs. Upwork

Joining PeoplePerHour is more challenging than Upwork, but it offers higher earning potential. When it comes to fees, Upwork applies a flat 10% fee, while PeoplePerHour uses a tiered system starting from 20% and dropping to as low as 3.5%.

5. 99designs

What is 99designs?

If you’re a freelance graphic designer, 99designs is a niche platform tailored for you. It offers an alternative to Upwork’s intense competition.

99designs operates in two ways: Competitions and 1:1 Projects.

Contest: Clients choose a contest package ranging from $299 to $1,299, and dozens of freelancers submit their designs. The selected designer wins and receives the prize.
1:1 Project: Clients browse the pool of graphic designers and choose a freelancer. They provide all the design details, including the fee. If both parties agree, the project starts. At the end of the work, full ownership of the design is transferred to the client.

Advantages of 99designs

Design competitions with fast results
Full copyright for customers
Various categories: Logo, website, packaging design
4.8 review score from 37,619 customers
Blogs about trends and tips for designers

Disadvantages of 99designs

For graphic designers (Not suitable for other skills)
Costly system for businesses
Unstable income for designers
Graduated fee structure: Top (5%), Mid (10%), Entry (15%) level designers
5% fee for clients in 1:1 projects

99designs vs. Upwork

In fact, 99designs and Upwork are quite different. While Upwork covers various categories, 99designs focuses exclusively on graphic design.

Their fee structures are also different. Upwork charges a flat 10% fee, while 99designs uses a sliding scale for freelancers. Clients on 99designs either pay a 5% fee for 1:1 projects or buy a contest package starting from $299 to $1,299.

6. DesignCrowd

What is DesignCrowd?

DesignCrowd is actually a good alternative to 99designs. Clients start a project. Other freelancers quickly create and submit their designs. The design chosen by the client is the winner, and the project is paid to the owner of the winner’s design.

Typically, when a new project is started, between 25 and 100 designs are sent. While this variety of designs is great for client profiles, you should also be aware that it increases competition among freelancers.

Advantages of DesignCrowd

Free registration
Best graphic designers
Broad design categories
Earning money with fun contests
Money-back guarantee
Full copyright of the selected design

Disadvantages of DesignCrowd

High competition for freelancers
Uncertain design quality for customers
15% fee from designer payments
An additional $129 on top of the package for customers

DesignCrowd vs. Upwork

DesignCrowd is a niche platform for graphic designers, unlike Upwork, which covers all freelancing fields.

It operates on a competition-based model, creating a highly competitive environment where only the winning design is rewarded. In contrast, Upwork offers a more structured environment with hourly or project-based work.

As for commission fees, Upwork typically charges 10%, while DesignCrowd charges 15%.

7. Guru

What is Guru?

To date, Guru has completed over 1 million jobs and paid $250 million to freelancers.

Here’s how it works: Clients post a job ad, and freelancers apply. The client then hires based on the freelancer’s review scores, portfolio, and qualifications.

Advantages of Guru

99% customer satisfaction
$250 million in payments so far
Small fee for freelancers: 5%
Minimal fee for employers: 2.9%
Recurring payments enabled
Hourly or project-based work options
Payment protection system
Team-building features

Disadvantages of Guru

Manual offer evaluation
No AI support
No mobile app
Lack of support

Guru vs. Upwork

Guru and Upwork are similar. However, while Guru seems to stand out for its low commission - don’t let that fool you. Keep in mind that Upwork forces you to buy Connects.

Upwork ranks first in user experience because UMA AI does so much of the work. We haven’t heard of a feature like that in Guru yet.

8. SimplyHired

What is Simplyhired?

SimplyHired works as a job search engine, listing remote, part-time, and full-time jobs instead of freelance opportunities. This approach covers a wider range of employment types.

It’s important to note that SimplyHired is not a freelancer platform. If you’re looking for local or remote jobs, it could be a good option for you.

Advantages of SimplyHired

Completely free for job seekers and employers
Remote, part-time, and full-time jobs worldwide
Simple and user-friendly site interface

Disadvantages of SimplyHired

Not just for freelancers
High advertising spend
There is intense competition
Non-guaranteed jobs
Unregulated job vacancies

SimplyHired vs. Upwork

SimplyHired is not like Upwork because it is a job search portal, not a freelancing community. Also, unlike Upwork, there are no sign-up or service fees.

But there’s a downside: businesses’ job postings get lost in the competition. That means more advertising spend.

9. FlexJobs

What is FlexJobs?

FlexJobs offers remote, flexible, and hybrid job postings and is likely one of the cleanest job search portals you’ll ever come across.

There are no distracting ads or deceptive job listings that could put your safety at risk. Each job posting is carefully vetted before being listed.

Advantages of FlexJobs

Remote, flexible and hybrid jobs
No scams, no spam and no ads
High employer and job seeker score
100k+ job postings
Supervised job posting

Disadvantages of FlexJobs

Most job postings limited to the US
Expensive for employers: $399/month
14 days of use for job seekers from $2.95

FlexJobs vs. Upwork

FlexJobs is not a direct freelancing website like Upwork and operates on a subscription model. To post jobs, you’ll need to purchase a subscription plan starting at $399 per month. If you want, you can check out plans starting at $2.95 for a 14-day trial.

While FlexJobs is more expensive than Upwork, you’re paying for access to quality work and the security of avoiding scams. If you’re not limited to freelancing, it’s definitely worth checking out.

10. Working Not Working

What is Working Not Working?

Working Not Working is a pool of over 100,000 of the best creative freelancers. By adding your portfolio, you can be discovered by the world’s most prestigious brands.

Companies can browse portfolios by filtering them by various criteria. Recruiters also use the site extensively to match companies with the right freelancers.

Advantages of Working Not Working

100,000+ Creative talent
Google, Apple, and Huge trust
Processes for efficient intake
Free the creative mind
Enhanced portfolio presentation

Disadvantages of Working Not Working

$499 monthly fee for enterprises
Site does not manage payments
No project launch on site
No major disadvantages

Working Not Working vs. Upwork

Upwork has strong payment policies for companies and freelancers. In contrast, Working Not Working does not manage payments or get directly involved in things like project contracts.

Also keep in mind that Working Not Working only helps you find a job, you don’t start a project on the platform. So you can think of it as a Behance-like portfolio showcase site.

11. We Work Remotely

What is We Work Remotely?

We Work Remotely focuses exclusively on remote work jobs. For many years, it has been one of the largest portals for remote work. Even though it’s not directly a freelance site, if you are up to remote work it may be the best platform to check

Advantages of We Work Remotely

The largest remote working opportunities
#1 for remote work for over 10 years
The choice of giants like Google and Amazon
Blogs about remote work trends
Additional career services like resume review

Disadvantages of We Work Remotely

$299 job posting fee
Limited with remote work

We Work Remotely vs. Upwork

The most obvious difference between the two sites is that Upwork focuses on freelance jobs, while We Work Remotely focuses on remote jobs.

In addition, Upwork manages everything from projects to payments, while We Work Remotely only acts as a job search portal.

12. Hubstaff Talent

What is Hubstaff Talent?

Hubstaff Talent brings freelancers and companies together from all over the world without charging for membership, services, commissions or hidden fees. If you are a freelancer or business, you can create an account now and start searching for jobs or hiring freelancers.

Advantages of Hubstaff Talent

Remote capabilities around the world
A 100% free portal for businesses
No surcharges, commissions or hidden fees
Easy to understand and convenient interface

Disadvantages of Hubstaff Talent

There is no service listing
Only companies find employees
No mobile app

Hubstaff Talent vs. Upwork

Hubstaff Talent does not resemble Upwork in the way it works. Instead, it has more in common with We Work Remotely and FlexJobs.

Also, while Upwork charges commissions to freelancers and companies, Hubstaff Talent charges nothing.

To sum up on Upwork Alternatives

We agree, Upwork is really successful among freelance platforms. But… Charges a 10% fee.

If any feature of Upwork is a red flag for you, the list above is made up of the best. Feel free to take another look and make up your own mind.

Evaluating the alternatives listed by Upwork, and even trying them out as a real user, can help you find the freelance site to make your day.

And also, use Ruul to avoid getting overwhelmed by

invoicing,
tax management, and
payment collection.

Try our pay-as-you-go feature and keep calm, even if dozens of financial work needs to be done.