12 Best Fiverr Alternatives for Independent Consultants in 2024
What is Fiverr?
Fiverr is a freelance marketplace where people post job listings for all types of freelancers, from graphic designers to freelance writers to web designers to social media specialists. With nearly a million freelancers, the site has been around since 2010 and has gained a lot of popularity among both buyers and sellers of freelance work. However, there are some pros and cons to using Fiverr as a freelancer.
On the plus side, Fiverr is a great way to find work quickly and easily. You can browse through different categories of tasks, or search for specific skills that you have. There are also a lot of available gigs, so you're likely to find something that interests you. Fiverr also handles all of the communication between you and the client, facilitates the payments for you, and showcases past work that you’ve done.
On the downside, though, you're competing with a lot of other Fiverr freelancers for work. And since many tasks only pay $5, you might not make very much money if you're not one of the top performers on the site. Plus, some buyers can be tough to please, so it's important to read their instructions carefully before taking on a task. Finally, because gigs are often completed very quickly, there's not always a lot of room for creativity or customization.
Overall, Fiverr is a mixed bag. It has its pros and cons, but ultimately it's up to you to decide if it's the right platform for your freelance needs.
Fiverr alternatives
While Fiverr is a popular freelance marketplace, it isn't the only game in town. There are a number of other freelancing platforms out there that can offer you high quality gigs at a variety of price points. So if you're looking for an alternative to Fiverr, here are a few places to check out.
1. Upwork
Upwork is a freelancing marketplace that offers a wide variety of freelance jobs, from writing and design to web development and administrative tasks. You can set your own rates on Upwork, and the platform takes a percentage of your earnings as commission.
From the freelancer perspective, Upwork is more expensive than Fiverr, with a more complicated fee structure that includes paying for connections, subscriptions, and a sliding scale percentage fee for each job that you land. However, it also offers more opportunities, and may be a better option for freelancers looking to build their business. Clients also find Upwork more expensive than Fiverr, but they appreciate the quality of work they get from Upwork freelancers.
2. 99designs
99designs is primarily focused on design gigs, but they also offer opportunities for writers, developers, and other creative professionals. 99designs works differently than most freelance platforms, including Fiverr: instead of bidding on individual freelance jobs, the client enters "contests" where multiple freelancers compete to complete the project. The client then chooses their favorite design (or design concepts) and awards the prize money to the winning freelancer (or freelancers). While this system may not be ideal for everyone, it can be a great way to get exposure to new clients and win high-paying projects.
3. Toptal
Toptal connects freelance talent – including developers, designers, finance experts, project managers, and product managers – with clients from all over the world. It is a selective platform with a strict vetting process that results in only the top 3% of freelancers being accepted. This ensures that clients are working with the best of the best and receive high-quality work. Toptal also has a rigorous screening process for clients, so you can be sure that you're working with legitimate businesses.
Toptal charges clients more than Fiverr does. However, clients know that they’re paying for top notch talent, including those who can commit for long term projects.. Toptal also offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, which Fiverr does not.
4. Guru
Guru connects businesses with qualified freelancers. It is very similar to Fiverr in terms of both quality and price. However, Guru does have a few advantages. First, Guru has a larger pool of freelancers to choose from, which gives clients more options. Second, Guru offers a money-back guarantee if the client is not satisfied with the work completed, which Fiverr does not offer.
5. PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour is a freelancing platform that connects businesses with Hourlies (hourly services). This is great if you need a specific service done and don't have time to search for a qualified freelancer. It also has a more relaxed screening process than other platforms, so you can find freelancers easily. However, the quality of work may not be as good as those found on other platforms.
In contrast with Fiverr, PeoplePerHour offers fixed-price contracts, which gives clients more certainty about how much they will spend on a project. They also offer escrow services, which ensures that both the client and the freelancer are protected financially.
6. Freelancer
Freelancer is another freelance marketplace with a wide range of gigs available. Freelancer is very similar to Fiverr:: freelancers offer services starting at $5, and clients can then browse and select the services they need. There is a wider range of services available on Freelancer, so if clients are looking for something specific that's not offered on Fiverr, it's worth checking out.
From the freelancer perspective, Freelancer is a good option because there are more jobs available, and you can bid for jobs at any price you want. This gives you more control over your income. However, it can also be more competitive to win jobs, so you'll need to make sure your bids are competitive, so you don’t have total control over pricing
7. Solidgigs
Solidgigs offers a more curated experience for freelancers and clients. Freelancers must apply to join the platform, and are then vetted by the Solidgigs team. This ensures that only high-quality freelancers are accepted, and that clients can be confident in the work they receive. This also means that freelancers must pay a monthly fee to join (starting at $49/month), which can be a deterrent for some. However, the high-quality of work and service on Solidgigs makes it well worth it for those who can afford it.
8. FreeUp
FreeUp specializes in creative work. It is similar to Fiverr in that it offers a place for freelancers to find work and clients to find contractors, but there are some key differences. For starters, FreeUp places a greater emphasis on quality over quantity. This means that only the most talented freelancers are accepted onto the platform and clients can be assured of receiving high-quality work. FreeUp also offers a money-back guarantee on all projects, which helps to ensure client satisfaction.
FreeUp is different from the other websites mentioned here in that it focuses exclusively on short-term projects (usually 1-3 months). This can be a good option if you're looking for variety in your work, or if you need to find work quickly. It's also good for clients who only need help for a short period of time.
9. Outsourcely
Outsourcely connects freelancers with businesses. It is similar to Fiverr in that it offers a place for freelancers to find work and businesses to find contractors. However, Outsourcely offers more options when it comes to job type and project length. This means that freelancers have more flexibility when it comes to finding work they're interested in and businesses can find contractors for shorter or longer projects as needed.
Outsourcely also has a lower commission rate than Fiverr (3% compared to 20%), making it more cost effective for businesses. Overall, Outsourcely is a good alternative to Fiverr for those looking for more flexibility when it comes to job type and project length.
10. Awesomic
Awesomic focuses exclusively on creative projects. The platform charges freelancers 15% commission on each project, versus Fiverr's 20% commission and $1 service fee.
The platform connects talented creatives with businesses who need help with their creative projects. From the freelancer perspective, this means that you need to have creative skills in order to be successful on the platform. The upside is that there is a lot of demand for creative professionals, so there is less competition than other platforms. The downside is that you may need specialized skills in order to be successful on this platform
11. Flexjobs
Flexjobs focuses on telecommuting and remote work. It’s a great option for freelancers who want to work from home, as it has a large database of remote working jobs. It also has a good system for filtering jobs, so you can easily find the ones that are a good fit for your skills and experience. The only downside is that it can be a bit more expensive than some other options, with membership prices for freelancers starting at $25/month.
Compared to Fiverr, Flexjobs offers more job opportunities and a wider range of services. However, Fiverr is more affordable and has a larger user base.
12. Truelancer
Truelancer is a freelance marketplace with a wide variety of jobs available and it’s easy to find work that matches your skills and experience. It also has a good system for rating and reviewing clients, which helps to ensure that you only work with reputable clients. The downside is that it can be difficult to collect your payments if there are any disputes about the work.
Truelancer is similar to Fiverr in that it allows freelancers to find quick and easy work. However, Truelancer offers higher paying projects and a wider range of services than Fiverr.
Summary
There are a number of different freelance marketplaces out there, but not all of them are created equal. When you’re choosing a freelancer marketplace, keep in mind the types of jobs available, the size of the community, the fees involved, and the quality of the jobs and clients.
When you’re starting, your best fit might be the larger marketplaces that don’t have as rigorous screening processes. The tradeoff, however, is that the fees are usually lower on those sites than they are on more exclusive ones. But if you keep working — and keep producing great work — you can make the transition over to one of the higher end marketplaces quickly.
