Welcome to our guide on the “The 16 Best Freelance Websites for Finding Work in 2023.” Freelancing is becoming more popular for people who want flexible jobs they can do from home. Whether you’ve freelanced before or are new to it, this list of the best websites will help you find online jobs. We picked these platforms because they are trustworthy and offer good earning opportunities. Let’s explore together and find the right platform for you in 2023!
Nowadays, there are many freelance jobs available for various skills, ranging from web development to copy translation. However, even if you have an online portfolio, it can still be challenging to find the right job that suits you.
Thankfully, there are plenty of freelance websites that can be really helpful in your search for gigs. In this article, we have compiled a list of the 16 best freelance websites where you can find work in 2023.
Top 16 Best Freelance Websites for Finding Work in 2023
When beginning your freelance career, you have two primary choices. One option is to create your own website with web hosting and a domain name to offer services online. The other option is to sign up on freelance platforms. If you think the second option suits your needs better, then this list will be incredibly useful.
Here are our top 16 Best freelance websites for you to explore:
1. Fiverr
- Freelancing Type: Digital marketing, web development, social media
- Advantages: Diverse categories, free registration, access to online courses
- Disadvantages: High commission charges, lengthy payment process
Fiverr is a platform that links freelancers with business owners seeking services in a wide range of digital projects, such as website design, content writing, and voice-overs.
This freelance website offers a user-friendly approach for freelancers (sellers) and business owners (buyers) to connect and collaborate on various gigs or services.
Instead of placing bids, sellers can join for free, create gig listings, and decide their own prices. On the other hand, buyers can easily explore various categories and make purchases.
When a buyer buys a gig, the system automatically charges their account and holds the money. After deducting a commission fee, the system pays freelancers 80% of the offered price.
Depending on a freelancer’s seller level, it may take up to 14 days to withdraw their earnings. There are various options available for withdrawing payments, including debit card, PayPal, and wire transfer.
Fiverr offers a vast market with 3.42 million active buyers, providing potential for numerous sales. You can set your own project-based pricing as there are no hourly rates.
Sellers are assured of secure payments through an SSL certificate that safeguards billing and personal information. Additionally, there is 24/7 customer support available to offer assistance whenever needed.
2. Toptal
- Freelancing Type:Software development, financial consulting, interim management
- Advantages: Access to top-tier companies and talent, free invoicing and payments
- Disadvantages: Lengthy screening process, limited to big projects only
Toptal is a website for freelancers that connects highly qualified experts in various industries with companies. They have a wide range of freelancers, including web developers, web designers, finance consultants, and product managers.
If you want to work with Toptal as a freelancer, you need to go through five screening steps. These steps include a comprehensive English evaluation and a project assessment. The screening process ensures that only the top 3% of applicants are accepted onto the platform.
Once you pass all the steps, you’ll be able to see and apply to different job postings from top clients and companies like Motorola and Airbnb. However, if you fail the test, you’ll have to wait for a few months before you can try again.
Toptal offers a dedicated service called TopTracker for freelancers to track their working hours and create invoices. With this service, freelancers can set their own prices and receive payments through Payoneer, Paypal, or direct local bank transfer.
3. Jooble
- Freelancing type: writing, graphic design, data entry
- Advantage: centralized job discovery, email alerts, no signup necessary
- Disadvantage: no quick application – must apply from each job vacancy’s source
Jooble is a search engine that helps you find job vacancies from more than 140,000 sources worldwide. It gathers listings from corporate websites, online job boards, freelancing platforms, social networks, and classifieds.
Using Jooble has a significant advantage because you don’t have to check multiple job boards and platforms separately. It centralizes the process of finding freelance opportunities.
You can use Jooble to find jobs within a specific region. On the homepage, you can choose a particular city in your country, and it will show you job listings limited to that area.
The best part is that you don’t need to create an account to search for freelance jobs on Jooble. You simply enter the job keyword into the search engine. You can also use filters such as salary range, work experience, and post date to refine your search and find your ideal job match.
Since Jooble is an aggregator, clicking on a search result will take you to the source of the job vacancy. There, you can find more details about the job and learn how to apply for it.
If you want to stay updated on new job opportunities, you can sign up for Jooble’s email alerts. It will notify you whenever it finds a new job that matches the keyword you’re interested in.
4. Freelancer.com
- Freelancing type: content translation, web development, social media marketing
- Advantage: progress tracker, live chat, 24/7 customer support
- Disadvantage: complex interface, spam applicants, and fake clients
Freelancer.com is a website where professionals and companies from all over the world come together to work on different projects. With such a diverse pool of expertise, clients can easily find experts in any field they need.
You can sign up either as a freelancer or as a business owner. If you choose to be a freelancer, you’ll need to fill out a short registration form with detailed information about your skills, education, and work experience.
Besides regular projects, there are also contests on Freelancer.com for things like visual or design work. Freelancers can participate in these contests and earn money while also getting reviews on their profiles.
Once you complete a job, you’ll receive full payment for your work. However, keep in mind that the platform takes a 10% cut from your total earnings for contests and fixed projects. You have the option to withdraw your earnings using PayPal or wire transfer, just like on most other freelance sites.
5. Upwork
- Freelancing Type: Brand marketing, programming, website design
- Advantages: Payment protection, reputable clients, projects based on budget
- Disadvantages: Lengthy selection process, high service fee
Upwork is a website where clients and freelancers from all over the world can connect and work together.
The platform offers a wide range of categories, such as web design, software development, customer service, and accounting.
Clients and freelancers can connect in multiple ways – clients can post a job and hire freelancers, or they can buy a predefined service from the project catalog. Similarly, freelancers can browse the job board and offer their services for sale.
If you want to work as a freelancer on Upwork, start by creating a profile. Make sure to include information about yourself, your skills, and your work experience. Clients will review your profile whenever you bid on jobs or propose a project to decide if you’re a good fit.
Upwork has a sliding scale for its commission fees. As you work more and earn more money, the commission fee gradually reduces. For example, it may start at 20% for the first $500 bill and decrease as you earn more.
There are various options for withdrawing your earnings, including direct transfer, PayPal, and wire transfer.
6. Flexjobs
- Freelancing Type: Writing, content marketing, transcription
- Advantages: Protection from scams, 30-day money-back guarantee, dependable support
- Disadvantages: Premium jobs may be available outside the platform.
Flexjobs is a website that specializes in offering flexible and remote job opportunities, catering to freelance, part-time, and full-time jobs. You can find a wide variety of job categories, ranging from education and training to journalism and writing jobs.
One of the key features of Flexjobs is its commitment to ensuring that every job listed on the website is legitimate. They go the extra mile to verify and screen all job openings, making sure to filter out scams and fake companies. Unlike many other online job boards, Flexjobs doesn’t clutter its page with advertisements.
To access the freelance jobs, users need to sign up for a subscription. There are four plans available, with prices starting from $6.95 per week. Each subscription provides unlimited access to job listings, along with a personalized work portfolio, career advice, and free skills testing.
When it comes to payment, users can use a prepaid card or opt for PayPal. And, if you have any doubts about the service, there’s a 30-day satisfaction guarantee in place. This means you can get a full refund if you’re not satisfied with your experience on the platform.
7. SimplyHired
- Freelancing Type: Human resources, finance, data entry
- Advantages: Email alerts, useful guides, free job tools
- Disadvantages: Spam from unreliable third-party websites
SimplyHired is a job board where companies can post job opportunities without any charge. It gathers job offers from all over the internet and displays them on one page. The website has a user-friendly design, making it effortless to explore jobs based on categories.
You can find various freelance opportunities in fields like finance and marketing. To discover a specific job, you just need to enter relevant keywords in the search box. To get more precise results, you can narrow down your search by providing your city, state, or ZIP code.
Job seekers have the option to visit company pages, where they can find additional information such as salary details, benefits offered, and reviews written by actual employees.
You can browse through SimplyHired without creating a profile, but signing up for an account will grant you access to helpful job tools, including a salary estimator and a resume builder.
8. Guru
- Freelancing Types: Marketing, programming, administration
- Advantages: Secure payment, personalized job listings, no membership fee
- Disadvantages: Possibility of encountering fake clients
Guru is a website where freelancers and companies from all over the world can collaborate. Companies can hire professionals with different skills, such as programmers, graphic designers, and product managers.
This website is user-friendly and allows freelancers to browse job listings and send quotes to clients. To get started, create a freelancer profile by signing up. The system will suggest suitable jobs based on your skills and experience.
Freelancers can bid on projects for both short and long terms, and they can also offer a fixed price for each project. There are various ways to withdraw your earnings, including options like PayPal and wire transfer. The site ensures freelancers get paid securely and on time with SafePay protection.
When you sign up on this website, you automatically get a free basic membership. However, there are also paid membership plans available that offer additional tools to help make your profile more prominent.
9. LinkedIn
- Freelancing Type: Copywriting, translation, graphic design
- Advantages: Networking opportunities, updates on recent news, cost-effective
- Disadvantages: Risk of receiving spam content from malicious users
LinkedIn is a very popular job site that makes it easy to find jobs in different fields. It’s also a social networking platform where professionals can connect and communicate with each other.
To get started on LinkedIn, all you have to do is sign up and create a profile. Make sure to include as much information as possible, like your skills, education, and work experience. Having a detailed LinkedIn profile can open up more job opportunities for you.
You can also increase your profile’s visibility by adding new posts. For example, if you’re a freelance writer, you can create a post showcasing your expertise and share your work portfolio. Potential employers might come across your profile and offer you a job.
LinkedIn is also an excellent place to find freelance opportunities by browsing through job postings. To find the freelance job you want, make sure to use relevant keywords and sort the results by the most recent posts.
10. Behance
Freelancing Type: Illustration, photography, web design
Advantages: Large audience, networking opportunities, personalized content Disadvantages: Competitive environment, limited image file size
Behance is different from the other freelance sites mentioned before; it’s a social network for creative people. People all around the world use this website to create portfolios and share their creative work, like animations, illustrations, website design, and graphic design.
No matter if you’re a freelance graphic designer, web designer, or animator, Behance offers a platform where potential employers can find you. To get started, just sign up and create your profile.
Since it’s a networking site, the more profiles you follow, the more posts you’ll see on your feed. This gives you more opportunities to discover freelance work.
Behance also has a job list. Each freelancer receives personalized job recommendations based on their skills and category, making it easier to find freelance work that matches their expertise.
11. 99designs
- Freelancing Type: Web design, logo design, graphic design
- Advantages: Specialized environment, secure payment system, engaged community
- Disadvantages: High service fees, potential limitations based on designer level
If you’re a freelance designer searching for jobs, 99designs has a lot to offer. It’s a freelance website designed specifically for designers and businesses to collaborate. You can find various design projects here, like logo design, book covers, clothing, and merchandise.
When you sign up, you’ll need to create a profile and showcase your work experience. The team at 99designs will review your application and determine your designer level. The higher your level, the more visibility you’ll have on the platform.
Finding freelance jobs that match your expertise is simple on 99designs. By selecting industries, styles, and design categories, you can access a list of available jobs to choose from.
For each new client you work with, 99designs charges an introduction fee of $100 and a platform fee ranging from 5% to 15%. Freelancers receive their payments via PayPal or Payoneer within three business days, and it can be even faster for those with higher profile levels.
12. Dribbble
- Freelancing Type: Mobile design, illustration, animation
- Advantages: Extensive network, global community, plenty of design inspiration
- Disadvantages: Access to freelance job lists requires a pro version
Dribbble is a famous platform where creative people can meet, connect, and interact with each other. Designers and artists use this website to create portfolios and promote their brands.
To increase your chances of getting hired, create a work portfolio on the website. You can do this by signing up for an account and uploading your designs.
If you’re looking for work opportunities, open the job board on your browser. There are different types of jobs available, such as UI/UX design and content creation. However, access to freelance job lists is limited to premium users.
The Dribbble premium version costs between $5 to $15 per month. With a pro version, users can upload videos and multi-shot images to their profiles. Additionally, having a premium account will give you priority placement on hiring search listings.
13. People Per Hour
- Freelancing Type: Programming, journalism, branding
- Advantages: Automated invoicing, location-based job listings, secure payment
- Disadvantages: Limited to free bids up to $15 per month
People Per Hour is a website where businesses can find freelancers to hire by the hour or for specific projects. There are millions of freelancers from various industries, such as public relations, marketing, and journalism.
Freelancers can join for free and create a profile. However, their applications will be reviewed by moderators before approval. Once approved, freelancers can start looking for jobs in different categories.
When working on a project, freelancers can send offers and set their prices. After completing the work, they can easily generate an invoice from their dashboard.
Like most freelance sites, People Per Hour charges freelancers a service fee for each client. For example, if you earn $350, the website takes a service fee of 20%. The good news is that the fee will decrease as you do more work.
14. ServiceScape
- Freelancing Type: Academic writing, document translation, manuscript editing
- Advantages: Custom pricing structure, flexible scheduling option, effective communication
- Disadvantages: High commission percentage and limited expertise fields
ServiceScape is an online job board that focuses on freelance writing, editorial, and translation work. The website helps freelancers create profiles and showcase them to potential clients.
What makes ServiceScape unique is how freelancers are hired. Instead of bidding or sending proposals, freelancers simply wait for clients to offer them work. That’s why having an outstanding profile is essential.
Freelancers and employers can easily communicate through ServiceScape. They can send messages to each other and schedule conference calls.
When it comes to payment, ServiceScape distributes income every month through PayPal, check, and Gusto. Freelancers can set their own custom pricing structure, either project-based or hourly. However, keep in mind that the platform charges a commission fee of 50% for every completed job.
15. DesignHill
- Freelancing Type: Website, brand, and merchandise designs
- Advantages: Built-in online store, no service fees, live chat support
- Disadvantages: Not suitable for non-designers
DesignHill is a marketplace where businesses find top-quality designs from professional designers and artists. You can find a wide range of design jobs here, including logos, websites, and brochures.
When you sign up for an account, you’ll have access to many freelance design jobs and design contests. It’s an excellent opportunity to build your work portfolio and connect with clients.
As a freelancer on this website, you can create your own stores and sell your designs globally. You can use tools like a profit calculator and a business card maker to make things easier.
DesignHill only charges service fees to clients, so you, as a freelancer, will receive the full payment for your design jobs, contest wins, or store sales into your DesignHill account.
When it comes to withdrawing your earnings, you can use either PayPal or Payoneer.
16. TaskRabbit
- Freelancing Type: Delivery service, house cleaning, personal assistant
- Advantages: Custom hourly rates, no service fees
- Disadvantages: Limited to specific city areas
If you want to make money by doing tasks like grocery shopping or assembling furniture, TaskRabbit is the website to check out. It’s a same-day service provider that connects clients with freelancers for various day-to-day tasks.
Unlike most freelance sites that focus on professional jobs, TaskRabbit offers a list of simple errands, such as household chores, lighting installation, and delivery. To get started, create an account, select your area and category, and set your hourly rate.
Every application on TaskRabbit goes through a review and background check by their team. Once your profile is approved, you’ll need to pay a registration fee of $25. After that, you can start finding tasks and manage your work using the mobile app.
When you complete a task, you’ll send an invoice for the hours worked, and clients will directly deposit money into your registered bank account. TaskRabbit only charges service fees from clients, so freelancers will receive the full amount of the rate they charge.
How We Chose Top Freelance Websites
To make sure that the freelance websites on our list are reliable and trustworthy, we considered various factors, including:
- Terms and conditions: The chosen freelance websites have clear and well-documented terms and conditions that protect both freelancers and employers using their platforms.
- Customer support: Each freelance site provides customer support to assist users and resolve any issues or disputes that may arise.
- Payment and withdrawal methods: Freelancers from different locations can receive their payments through various options, like bank transfers and electronic payments.
However, always be cautious and double-check everything when applying for a job, as there is always a risk of potential scams.
If you’re specifically looking for freelance websites for web developers, you can check out our dedicated list of platforms for developers.
Quick Comparison of The 16 Best Freelancing Websites
| Website | Specialization | Membership Cost | Number of Freelancers | Payment Protection | User Rating (out of 5) |
| Fiverr | General | Free / Paid | 3,000,000+ | Escrow System | 4.7 |
| Toptal | Tech | Paid | 200,000+ | Escrow System | 4.9 |
| Jooble | General | Free | N/A | N/A | 4.5 |
| Freelancer | General | Free / Paid | 2,500,000+ | Milestone Payments | 4.6 |
| Upwork | General | Free / Paid | 5,000,000+ | Secure Payments | 4.8 |
| FlexJobs | Remote Jobs | Paid | 100,000+ | Payment Protection | 4.7 |
| SimplyHired | General | Free / Paid | 1,500,000+ | Milestone Payments | 4.5 |
| Guru | General | Free / Paid | 1,800,000+ | Secure Payments | 4.6 |
| Professional | Free / Paid | 700,000+ | Escrow System | 4.9 | |
| Behance | Design | Free | 400,000+ | Escrow System | 4.7 |
| 99designs | Design | Free / Paid | 300,000+ | Escrow System | 4.8 |
| Dribbble | Design | Free / Paid | 600,000+ | Secure Payments | 4.6 |
| PeoplePerHour | General | Free / Paid | 900,000+ | Milestone Payments | 4.7 |
| ServiceScape | Writing/Editing | Free | 50,000+ | Payment Protection | 4.5 |
| Designhill | Design | Free / Paid | 500,000+ | Escrow System | 4.6 |
| TaskRabbit | General | Free / Paid | 300,000+ | Secure Payments | 4.8 |
Note: The information in this table is fictional and for illustrative purposes only. The actual data should be gathered from reputable sources for accurate and up-to-date information. Additionally, not all websites may have the same specializations or offer the same features, so it’s essential to research each platform individually to find the best fit for your freelancing needs.
Conclusion
In 2023, There are plenty of great freelance websites to help you find work. Whether you’re an expert in your field or just starting, these platforms offer a wide range of opportunities to showcase your talents and connect with potential clients.
Make money online through freelance work doesn’t need to be difficult. Many websites only ask you to create an account and build your profile.
But before you sign up, it’s essential to understand how each freelance website operates. Check the payment system, withdrawal method, and any service fees involved.
If you’re interested in administrative or technical jobs like web development, social media management, or finance consulting, here are our top recommendations for freelance websites:
- Upwork
- Toptal
- Jooble
If you want to find creative jobs like writing, graphic design, or illustrating, here are the best freelance websites for you:
- Fiverr
- Flexjobs
- Dribbble
But remember, you can also create your own website or portfolio. It’s easy! Just get a hosting plan or use a website builder to launch your site quickly.
Each website has its unique strengths and focuses, catering to different industries and skills. From popular ones like Upwork and Fiverr to niche platforms like Toptal and 99designs, you can find the perfect fit for your freelancing journey.
So, if you’re looking to take your freelancing career to new heights, don’t hesitate to explore these top 16 freelance websites. With determination, professionalism, and dedication, you can make the most of the thriving freelance landscape in 2023 and achieve success in your chosen field. Happy freelancing!
FAQ
1. What are freelance websites?
Freelance websites are online platforms that connect freelancers (like writers, designers, developers) with clients who need their services for various projects.
2. How do these freelance websites work?
Freelance websites let you create a profile showcasing your skills and experience. Clients post job opportunities, and freelancers can apply or bid on projects they are interested in.
3. Are these websites free to use?
Most freelance websites offer free sign-ups, but some may charge a commission or service fee once you complete a project.
4. Can anyone join these platforms?
Yes, anyone with the relevant skills and expertise can join these freelance websites.
5. Is it safe to work on freelance websites?
Most reputable freelance websites have safety measures in place, like user ratings and reviews, to help ensure secure transactions.
6. Can I work with clients from different countries?
Yes, freelancers often work with clients from around the world on these platforms.