The 2023 Guide to Freelancing on Upwork vs. Fiverr

2020 was a year of financial instability and high unemployment rates. But there was one segment of workers that fared better than others – freelancers. 63% of freelancers reported that their industry wasn’t impacted by the pandemic and some said opportunities actually increased. If you’re considering freelance work, one of the easiest ways to get started is with popular marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork.

Freelancers are self-employed and sell their services to companies looking for help with accounting, web design, writing, editing, administrative tasks, and much much more. Since freelancers are not employees, they work on a contract basis. A client can’t legally tell a freelancer when or how to do their jobs and either party can end the relationship at any time.

While there are inherent risks for freelancers – financial instability, health care costs, finding clients – there are also a lot of benefits including:

Freelancing is an attractive option for experienced professionals that want to strike out on their own and grow their brand and business. It’s also a way to earn extra money alongside your full time employment.

Freelance platforms are marketplaces for freelancers and clients to connect for short term and long term work. For example, an experienced SEO marketing freelancer can meet clients who need outside help on a new marketing campaign because they don’t have the budget to hire a full time employee. Here at LinkedPhone, we used both platforms to hire voice-over talent for a blog article on professional voicemail greetings.

Some freelancers find clients through their own network but for many, these platforms are helpful for:

The two most popular platforms, Fiverr and Upwork, support millions of users seeking and providing services like bookkeeping, video editing, writing, and more. To get started, decide which platform will provide the most business for your particular services.

Fiverr has a famously unique approach to freelance jobs. Sellers create gigs and the buyers search for gigs that meet their needs. The starting price for a gig is $5, hence the name. Sellers can offer any type of service you can imagine like web design, caricature drawing, logo creation, voice overs, and even psychic readings. Examples of gigs include:

Fiverr is free and simple to sign up. There are optional skill tests that sellers can complete to establish trust with their buyers, but sellers aren’t required to submit an application to use the platform; they can get started right away.

Fiverr Pro is marketed as a way for highly skilled freelancers to meet Fiverr Business buyers. There are no entry or membership fees.

Before you can become a Fiverr Pro, you’ll need to go through an approval process. This includes detailing your professional background, your college or university qualifications, and providing noteworthy projects you’ve worked on. Benefits of Fiverr Pro include:

Upwork is the biggest freelancing platform around with 12 million registered freelancers. Instead of posting gigs like on Fiverr, Upwork is a more traditional set up where freelancers submit proposals to job postings. Depending on the skill set and budget, you could end up competing with 50+ proposals.

To submit a proposal to a job, freelancers use their monthly allotted ‘connects.’ Jobs usually require one or two connects, but can cost up to 6 connects for high budget jobs.

The types of skills and clients on Upwork lean towards more professional services. The most successful freelancers on Upwork are skilled in:

Upwork is free to use but first you have to submit an application. The likelihood of approval hinges on a complete profile so don’t skip or skimp on any sections. Upwork has become more picky over time about who they let on to the platform.

Once approved, every contract works in one of two ways:

Freelancer Plus is the paid version of Upwork with a monthly subscription fee of $14.99. Features and benefits include:

Both Upwork and Fiverr promise access to worldwide opportunities. Some freelancers find their fees predatory but if you consider that they’re hosting your portfolio, handling your transactions, and prospecting clients for you, it’s not such a bad deal. Regardless of which platform you choose, follow these freelancing tips.

Freelancing can be your full-time income or just a way to earn some extra cash. Be sure to take advantage of the freedom to choose clients and projects. For new and experienced freelancers, Upwork and Fiverr are great platforms to find new clients, make money, and build a portfolio of work.