Best Sites To Hire Freelancers in 2024
More than 35 percent of the workforce in the U.S. is now composed of freelancers, making the current time the perfect opportunity for companies to find low-cost, high-quality work through freelance websites.
Why it is important to start hiring freelancers
Hiring freelancers saves companies money, as they do not have to pay for costly medical benefits, vacation time and sick pay. Freelancers often work on weekends or on other days when businesses are closed, making them ideal for getting projects done when no one else can do it. Freelancers can also lighten the load on a full-time team that already has too much work to do.
Skilled freelancers can often work faster than full-time employees because they are less distracted and weighed down by pressure. They also bring a new perspective and can infuse a project with fresh creativity and a diverse set of skills.
Most full-time employees only stay at a company for an average of three years, but freelancers are more likely to want to build relationships and continue them for as long as possible. This also saves a company money in training costs.
What are the best freelance websites?
Fiverr is one of the best low-cost freelance platforms, as the services offered begin at only $5. It offers a very extensive range of services, from singing telegrams to programming, and it is ideal for short projects or recurring small projects. The client fee is 5 percent, but if you purchase $20 of work or less, the fee is only $1. Fiverr consistently has some of the highest online reviews of any freelance website.
Upwork is best for longer projects or projects that demand a specialized skillset. If a company has a large budget, it is even possible to use a $500 search function that narrows the options to carefully screened professional freelancers with more than 10 years of experience and excellent reviews. Upwork has approximately 10 million freelancers, giving businesses access to a large hiring pool. Upwork charges companies a 2.75 percent fee on every invoice, which is lower than many freelance sites.
Upwork Review 2024 Is It Legit To Make Money As A Buyer
One feature that separates PeoplePerHour from the other freelance websites is that it is more location specific, enabling clients to hire freelancers from their local area, which helps with targeted projects and could lead to long-term work relationships. PeoplePerHour is a bit smaller, with approximately 1.5 million freelancers on the website. Since the creation of the website, more than 1.1 million jobs have been posted on PeoplePerHour for freelancers in more than 89 countries, resulting in earnings of more than $100 million. Companies can choose from skills in approximately 15 job categories that include IT, marketing, SEO, translation, social media, video, writing, administration, design, tutorials and more.
Freelancer.com features the widest range of freelancers from around the world, hosting more than 21 million professionals from more than 247 countries. The fee per project is 3 percent on this platform, which is fairly standard compared to other freelance websites. One of the unique features of Freelancer is that companies can post jobs in a contest format, which allows businesses to list the work they need completed and freelancers to submit their best efforts, with only the winning freelancer being paid.
How freelance websites work
On all of the freelance websites mentioned, the money you pay for a project will go into escrow until the work is completed and accepted. Each website has a customer support team for any technical problems or payment disputes that might arise. On some freelance websites, freelancers apply for jobs that companies post, but on platforms such as Fiverr, freelancers post their services and businesses search for freelancers that fit their project qualifications.
How to find a perfect freelancer
Asking for a portfolio or previous work samples will greatly increase your chance of finding the best freelancer for your project because you will be able to see if their tone and writing style matches your need.
Your responsibility as a buyer when hiring a freelancer
Clearly communicating expectations and presenting detailed and accurate requirements is crucial for both the satisfaction of the company and the freelancer. If the project description is unclear or misleading, the freelancer will not know exactly how to meet that need, and it will result in frustration for everyone and possibly even a payment dispute. It is also important to think through details such as the deadline, your budget and the experience level you need for the work to be done well. Setting a deadline that is realistic and fair will go a long way toward a project being completed smoothly.
If your business is looking for a skilled freelancer to complete inexpensive, high-quality work, now is the best time to start your search on a freelance website.