5 Best Freelance Websites To Find Work In 2023

Freelance work is becoming more and more popular each year. However, with so many options now available, finding the best freelance websites for work can be challenging, especially as a beginner.

The workforce continues to embrace the gig economy, with 16% of all Americans now having earned money via an online gig platform.

The best freelance websites now provide a real alternative to a traditional job board as they increase in popularity. In addition, they are a great way to find clients and start your own freelancing business.

To help you get started on your freelancing journey, I’ve put together a list of the best freelance websites of 2023. These sites are great for finding high-quality projects and networking with other professionals.

So, whether you’re just starting or looking for your next project, check out these top freelancing sites!

Want to jump into the top 5 freelance websites?

How I Got Started With Freelancing – Skyler’s Story

I had been dreaming of being a professional freelance writer for many years. 

Ever since I left high school, I told myself that “one day” I would be a writer. But I never took any action to make it a reality.

Fast forward to 2016, and I decided that I wanted to work online from my laptop, quit my job, and travel the world.

It seemed so out there and impossible – instead, I was just stuck in a 9-5 job that I hated.

To make it worse, I was dealing with major imposter syndrome and a lack of self-confidence.

I didn’t think I was good enough.

I had no experience and no network.

But I decided I would try anyway rather than continue living with regrets and thinking, ‘what if.’

Using a freelancing platform to find freelance writing work was how I made my dream become a reality.

I still remember my first freelance writing task from over 5 years ago.

After looking through hundreds of job listings on Airtasker, I found a listing looking for 10 freelance writers.

Surely, I could be chosen among the top 10 applicants, I told myself. So, I applied and was successful!

I was given a 400-word SEO writing task to do related to accounting.

The pay was $8, and after the service fee, I earned $6.80. 

Hardly life-changing.

But, it wasn’t about the money. It was about proving to myself that I can make money from writing.

I previously had my doubts, even after doing so many online courses and reading blog posts saying it was possible.

It may sound crazy, but that $6.80 made me more happy and excited than in the future when I earned $500 in a single day from writing!

It was proof of concept, and I had proven that it was real and possible. 

I was super nervous when I submitted the article to the client, expecting to be told that it was terrible.

Instead, I received the following review “I hired 20 writers. Skyler was the best.“

Suddenly I started to believe that I could be a writer and that perhaps I was better than I expected.

I have since raised my rates dramatically.

But doing a few tasks for a low rate on freelance job sites and getting great reviews can make it much easier to get more freelancing work with new clients.

I have done over 300 tasks on Airtasker and have a 5-star rating from over 280 reviews.

From 284 reviews, I received a 5-star rating from 280 of 284 tasks. The trick is to overdeliver every single time.

I have made over $15,000 freelancing on Airtasker and worked with many clients long-term directly after completing just one initial task on the freelancing site.

I want to show you that it really is possible if you take action and get started with freelancing.

The most important thing is not to compare yourself to other freelancers. Instead, only compare your progress to where you were yesterday.

All it takes is to find the right freelancing website for you and to get started, even if you don’t feel you are ready yet.

To help you out, I’ve put together a list of the five best freelance websites in 2023 to find clients and freelancing work.

DISCLAIMER: Please note this article contains affiliate links for which I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. However, I fully recommend these as the best freelance websites.

What Are The Best Freelance Websites?

Here are my picks for the best freelancing websites in 2023 to find freelance work and land clients.

1. Fiverr: Best Overall

2. Upwork: Best for Finding Long-Term Projects

3. Airtasker: Best for Finding Local Projects

4. 99designs: Best for Graphic Designers

5. PeoplePerHour: Best for Fixed-Price Projects

1. Fiverr: Best Overall

Type of Freelance Jobs: Graphics & Design, Digital Marketing, Freelance Writing & Translation, Video & Animation, Music & Audio, Programming & Tech, Business, Lifestyle

Trusted By: Facebook, Google, Netflix, and PayPal

Fiverr is one of the best and most popular freelancing sites for finding work and clients on the market today. It was founded in 2010 and got its name by initially offering all of its gigs for just $5.

But it has experienced massive growth since then. It now provides a creative marketplace for professional freelancers to set their own prices, create packages, and offer add-ons. 

There is a wide variety of projects with millions of potential clients and small businesses using the site to find freelance talent worldwide.

Tasks on Fiverr can vary from the simple, such as data entry or transcription, to more complicated tasks like website design, video animation, or other freelance design jobs.

You can also offer your services at a wide range of price points, making it an excellent option for new and experienced freelancers. 

You set project-based pricing rather than hourly. Then, as you become more efficient with your work, you can truly scale your business by completing gigs faster while still getting paid the same rates.

In addition, the platform handles all payments, so you don’t have to worry about invoicing your clients.

Pros:

• Widest variety of services
• Easiest platform to use
• Good for finding quick, small jobs

Cons:

• No guarantee of repeat clients
• Higher fees than other platforms
• 14-day wait until you can withdraw earnings (7 days for top-rated sellers)

Withdrawal Methods: 

Fiverr offers three different ways to withdraw your earnings. They are by PayPay, Bank Transfer (only available to the US), or using the Fiverr Revenue Card.

Fees: 

Fiverr charges a 20% fee for each gig.

There are also additional fees depending on your withdrawal method.

• PayPal withdrawals have a $0 fee.
• Local bank transfer (LBT) is $3 per transfer.
• Direct Deposit (ACH) is only available in the US and has a fee of $1 per transfer.
• Fiverr Revenue Card has a $1 fee to receive a payment within 2 days or a $3 fee to receive payments within 2 hours (not available in India)

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Unsure what type of freelancing work to do? Check out my list of the best online business ideas of 2023 for freelancing ideas inspiration.

2. Upwork: Best For Finding Long-Term Projects

Type of Freelance Jobs: Software Development & IT, Design & Creative, Sales & Marketing, Writing & Translation, Admin & Customer Support, Finance & Accounting, Engineering & Architecture, Legal

Trusted By: Microsoft, Airbnb, GoDaddy

If you are looking for more long-term freelance opportunities, Upwork is a great option to consider. It was founded in 2015 when Elance and ODesk merged and has over 12 million users.

Upwork is the best freelance website to help you grow your business. The high-quality freelance opportunities on the platform often lead to long-term projects with repeat clients.

Touted as the “largest online workplace in the world,” Upwork connects businesses with freelancers for various projects. There are thousands of projects posted each day.

It is one of the best freelance marketplaces for web developers, freelance writing jobs, project management, human resources, graphic design, academic writing, and content writing.

Simply create a free profile and start applying for jobs that interest you. Once you land a project, you can begin working and will get paid through Upwork’s secure payment system.

Unlike Fiverr, you can create a profile and list your services so clients can approach you directly and bid on projects on the job board that people list. Upwork also offers both project-based and hourly projects for total flexibility.

Upwork is the perfect platform for freelancers who want to take control of their own careers and get paid quickly and securely.

Pros:

• Work with big brands
• Get paid quickly
• Easy to use platform

Cons:

• Competition can be very high
• Low pay for some services
• Only 10 free ‘Connects’ per month to apply for projects (each additional connect costs USD $0.15)

Withdrawal Methods: 

US Bank (ACH) Transfer, Direct to Local Bank Outside of US, US Dollar Wire Transfer, Instant Pay for US Freelancers, PayPal, Payoneer, M-Pesa (Kenya only).

You can either set up an automatic payment schedule or withdraw your available balance at any time by requesting a manual payment.

Fees: 

Upwork fees are calculated based on how much you earn in the total lifetime working with a client.

There is a 20% service fee up to the first $500, then a 10% service fee up to $10,000. Any earnings above $10k are then charged a 5% service fee.

So, the longer you work with each client, the less you will pay in service fees.

There are also fees for withdrawing your earnings. These include:

• Free – Direct to US Bank (ACH)
• $0.99 per transfer – Direct to Local Bank (Outside the US)
• $2 per transfer – Instant Pay for US Freelancers
• $30 per transfer – US Dollar Wire Transfer

3. Airtasker: Best for Finding Local Projects

Type of Freelance Jobs: Marketing & design, Tutoring & training, Business & admin, Computers & IT, Music & audio, Writing & Translation, Photo & Video

Airtasker is another excellent freelance website that connects freelancers directly with potential clients in their local area or region.

It is Australian-based and was founded in 2012. While Airtasker isn’t as well known as Fiverr or Upwork, it has since grown and expanded to the UK, Ireland, Singapore, the United States, and New Zealand.

Airtasker is different from other freelancing platforms. For example, you can only see and complete tasks in your country rather than worldwide.

This means there is less competition, making it great for beginners. But, there are also fewer tasks available than on other freelancer websites.

Airtasker has over 1 million users and offers a variety of project categories, including web design, programming, writing, and marketing.

The job board lets you browse jobs listed either remotely or in your location. You can also filter jobs based on various criteria such as price, distance, or keywords.

As well as bidding on tasks, you can also set up ‘listings,’ where you list the services you offer, and potential clients can contact you directly to book your services.

You can also do in-person odd jobs, which can be anything from delivering a package to cleaning an Airbnb property or helping someone move home.

Many writing jobs are advertised, especially by job seekers looking for updated resumes and cover letters. In addition, web designer tasks and graphic design skills are also in high demand.

Airtasker is an excellent resource for finding freelance jobs, especially if you want to do in-person tasks and remote job opportunities.

A benefit of Airtasker is the funds are released to your chosen payment method as soon as the task poster accepts the task is complete. 

Payments are processed through Stripe and usually take 3-5 business days to arrive after release.

Pros:

• Less competition- only bidding for tasks against people from your country
• Can find in-person and online tasks
• Earnings are withdrawn automatically as soon as each task is completed

Cons:

• Isn’t available worldwide
• Has expensive fees – although there are different tiers depending on how much you earn
• Not as many freelance job opportunities as on other websites

Withdrawal Methods: 

Bank Account or PayPal

Fees: 

Airtasker charges a service fee based on your current ‘tier.’ This is calculated based on how much you have earned over the past 30-day period.

The amount you need to earn for each tier differs per country, but the percentages are the same. Tax may also be added depending on your location.

The Service Fee is as follows:

• Bronze Tier: 20%
• Silver Tier: 15%
• Gold Tier: 12.%
• Platinum tier: 10%

Unlike most freelancing sites, Airtasker charges a fee based on how much you have earned in the previous 30 days for all clients rather than each customer’s lifetime.

This makes it better to do one-off tasks but is a disadvantage if you take a break from the platform for a few weeks or months.

4. 99designs: Best For Graphic Design

Type of Freelance Jobs: Graphic Design, Logo Design, Web Page Design, Business Card, Brand Guide, Packaging Design, Book Cover Design, T-Shirt Design

99designs is the best freelance website for professional, creative freelancers, passionate graphic designers, and web designers. 

It is the go-to freelancing website for creative professionals to create one-of-a-kind custom designs.

As a freelancer, there are two options to find jobs. You can either work directly with a client and collaborate with them one-on-one. Or you can enter design contests where you submit your ideas, and the client picks their favorite.

A downfall of the contests is that you don’t get paid unless you are chosen as the best designer. However, they usually are high paying and can give you a lot of exposure.

As a graphic designer, 99designs is the best freelancing platform to find creative jobs. Even if you don’t have much design experience, you can upload your portfolio so potential clients can see your work.

It’s important to remember that clients care about results, not experience. They don’t care if you have worked with hundreds of clients. They are only interested in your design skills and that you can bring their personal brand and vision to life!

Pros: 

• Many design contests with high payouts
• Can get a lot of exposure
• No experience necessary

Cons:

• Design contests are not guaranteed payment unless selected as the winner
• High competition among designers in popular categories like logo design and web page design.
• Can be challenging to find work as a new freelancer

Withdrawal Methods: 

PayPal (within 2-3 days) and Payoneer (within 1-2 days)

Fees: 

99designs charges a one-time client introduction fee of 20% from the first $500 earnings for a new client.

For any earnings above $500, there is then a platform fee as follows:

• Entry-level freelance designers – 15%,
• Mid-level freelance designers – 10% fee
• Top-level freelance designers – 5% fee

There are also withdrawal fees:

• PayPal – No Fee
• Payoneer – $3 load fee for each payment received

5. PeoplePerHour: Best For Fixed-Price Projects

Type of Freelance Jobs: Technology & Programming, Writing & Translation, Design, Digital Marketing, Video, Photo & Image, Business, Music & Audio, Marketing, Branding & Sales, Social Media

PeoplePerHour is a UK-based freelance platform that was founded in 2007. The job board offers freelancers the ability to find work and clients across various project categories, including design and creative services, web development, and writing.

Earning potential is also great with PeoplePerHour – there are plenty of high-paying projects available. Although they are usually catered more towards experienced freelancers.

Whether you’re looking for short-term work or long-term projects, PeoplePerHour has you covered for both and is accessed by over 1 million businesses worldwide. 

It also uses anti-fraud protection and an advanced screening process for total peace of mind.

Pros:

• Cheaper fees than other freelancing sites
• Fixed-price projects only – no hourly billing
• Helps match clients and freelancers better than most freelancing websites

Cons:

• Not as popular as other freelancing platforms
• Not as many jobs or clients on offer compared to other freelance websites
• 14-working day clearing period before you can withdraw earnings

Withdrawal Methods: 

PayPal, Payoneer, Bank Transfers

Funds Available For Withdrawal: After a 14 working day clearing period

Fees: 

PeoplePerHour has a fee structure that is significantly lower than other freelance sites, allowing freelancers to keep more of the money they earn over time. 

PeoplePerHour charges freelancer fees based on the lifetime billing with each client as follows:

• Below £250 – 20% (excl. VAT)
• Between £250 and £5000 – 7.5% (excl. VAT)
• Over £5000 – 3.5% (excl. VAT)

Best Freelance Websites – FAQs

What is a freelance website?

A freelance website is a site where freelancers can find work and clients. These websites usually have a variety of project categories, including web design, programming, writing, and marketing. They also often have a messaging system so that freelancers and clients can easily communicate with each other.

How do freelancing websites work?

The hiring process for freelance gigs is much more straightforward than for traditional job seekers looking for remote jobs.

Freelance marketplaces also make the screening process much more manageable. First, you create a profile highlighting your skills and then upload your portfolio on a freelance marketplace.

Potential new clients create job postings to find freelancers, and you submit an offer to work with them. They will then hire talent which meets their requirements. They can also approach you directly from your listings.

A huge benefit of using freelance websites to find clients is that you don’t have to invoice clients directly. Instead, payment is taken care of through the freelance site. This helps to reduce the risk of being scammed by untrustworthy clients. 

It works by the client paying upfront before you commence working. Then the payment is held by the freelancing website until the project is completed. It will then be released to you, minus any fees.

After completing tasks, both you and the client then leave a rating and review. This helps build your reputation and proves that you are trustworthy, reliable, and deliver high-quality work, making hiring for future projects easier.

The whole process helps clients accelerate the hiring process and for businesses to find specialized talent and qualified freelancers for their exact project. You can also read the experience that other freelancers have had with the client and look out for any red flags before working with them.

Which freelance website is best?

This is a question that can vary from person to person. It depends on the type of skills you have and the type of freelance work you are looking for. The most well-known and trusted freelancing websites are Upwork and Fiverr. Check out each one and see which one best suits your needs.

Which freelance website is best for beginners?

Upwork is a good recommendation for beginners because it has a wide variety of project categories and a built-in messaging system. But it is also highly competitive. Upwork also allows freelancers to bill by the hour or by the project. This gives you flexibility as you start out and gain more experience in your chosen field.

What should I do if I don’t have any skills?

Don’t worry – you’re not alone! Many people start freelancing without any prior experience. The best way to learn is to do courses with online learning platforms such as Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, or SkillShare. You can also watch YouTube tutorials.

Next, just dive in and start working on projects to get practical experience – a great place to start is to do a few tasks for your friends or family first for free. This helps you to build a portfolio that showcases your newly developed skills.

Is Upwork better than Fiverr?

This is a question that often comes up when discussing freelance websites. Upwork and Fiverr are both popular and well-known sites, so it can be hard to decide which one is best for you. Ultimately, it depends on what you are looking for. Fiverr has more project categories, while Upwork allows freelancers to bill by the hour and project. Check out both sites and see which one best suits your needs.

What should I do if I’m not getting any freelance jobs?

Suppose you’re having trouble finding work on a freelance website. In that case, it might be because your skills are not a good match for the currently available projects. Alternatively, it could be that you’re not bidding on enough projects or that your profile is not attracting enough clients.

Another way to get more projects is to update and redo your freelancer profile. Are you expressing all of your skills and experience in your profile? Are you setting yourself apart? This is the one place where you should hype yourself up and not underestimate your skills.

You can also search for freelance job opportunities on LinkedIn job postings or a traditional job board to help you find jobs that suit your skills. Usually, these are for more permanent jobs but may be a good way to get started and gain experience in your field. You can then build a freelancing business on the side.

5 Best Freelance Websites To Boost Your Business

We all have to start somewhere, so don’t be intimidated if you don’t have any reviews or experience yet.

Instead, focus on creating a great portfolio that showcases your best work – remember quality over quantity.

So, there you have it – the top freelance websites to find work in 2023. These platforms offer a variety of projects and opportunities, so be sure

If you’re looking for a variety of project categories, then Fiverr might be the best choice. Do you want to bill by the hour or by the project? Then Upwork might be a better option. Or, if you plan to do local and in-person projects, try Airtasker.

While there are many freelance sites to choose from, the most important thing is just to get started. Sign up for a few of the best freelance websites, apply for some projects, and see which one works best for you.

Ideally, you should not rely on just one freelance platform for all of your work. However, sometimes freelancers may have their account frozen, banned, or suspended from a platform, either temporarily or permanently.

So create as many revenue streams as you can.

Good luck!

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for some products I am recommending. If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a small commission.