If you are looking for a freelance job or a freelancer to hire, you might be wondering which platform is better for you: Fiverr or Upwork. Both are popular online marketplaces that connect freelancers with clients, but they have some key differences that you should know before you sign up.
In this article, we will compare Fiverr and Upwork based on the following criteria:
- How they work and how to sign up
- Hiring a freelancer
- Doing freelance work
- Fees and payment methods
- Pros and cons
By the end of this article, you should have a clear idea of which platform suits your needs and preferences better.
How they work and how to sign up
Fiverr and Upwork have different approaches to how they operate and how you can join them.
Fiverr
Fiverr is more of an open marketplace where freelancers advertise their services as gigs. A gig is a fixed-price offer that describes what the freelancer can do, how much they charge, and how long it will take. Clients can browse through thousands of gigs in various categories, such as graphic design, writing, video editing, etc., and choose the one that matches their needs. They can also use filters and keywords to narrow down their search. Once they find a gig they like, they can order it directly or contact the freelancer for more details.
To sign up on Fiverr, you just need to create an account with your email address or social media account. You can then complete your profile with your personal information, skills, education, work experience, portfolio items, etc. You can also create your own gigs or browse through existing ones.
Upwork
Upwork is more of a job board where clients post their projects and freelancers apply for them. A project can be either hourly or fixed-price, depending on the client’s preference. Clients can specify their budget, deadline, requirements, and expectations in their project description. Freelancers can then submit proposals for the projects that interest them, highlighting their skills, experience, portfolio, and rates. Clients can review the proposals and invite freelancers to interview or hire them directly.
To sign up on Upwork, you need to create an account and fill out your profile with your personal information, skills, education, work experience, portfolio items, etc. You also need to complete an application and answer some questions about your skills and experience in order to get accepted. Upwork has a limited number of freelancers in each category, so you need to stand out from the crowd.
Hiring a freelancer
The process of hiring a freelancer differs between Fiverr and Upwork.
On Fiverr, you can hire a freelancer in two ways: by ordering a gig or by posting a request.
Ordering a gig is the simplest way to hire a freelancer on Fiverr. You just need to find a gig that matches your needs and budget, check the reviews and ratings of the freelancer, and place your order. You can also contact the freelancer before ordering if you have any questions or special requests. Once you order a gig, you will pay upfront and the freelancer will start working on your project. You can communicate with the freelancer through the Fiverr platform and request revisions if needed. When the project is completed, you will receive the final deliverable and leave feedback for the freelancer.
Posting a request is another way to hire a freelancer on Fiverr. You can post a request if you don’t find a suitable gig or if you want to receive multiple offers from different freelancers. You just need to describe your project in detail, specify your budget and deadline, and choose the category and subcategory of your project. Your request will then be visible to freelancers who offer services in that category. You will receive offers from freelancers who are interested in your project. You can review their profiles, portfolios, ratings, reviews, etc., and choose the one that best fits your needs. You can also contact them before hiring them if you want to discuss more details.
On Upwork, you can hire a freelancer in two ways: by posting a job or by buying a service.
Posting a job is the most common way to hire a freelancer on Upwork. You just need to create a job post with your project details, such as title, description, budget, deadline, requirements,
expectations, etc. You can also choose the type of freelance
you want to work with, such as independent contractors, agencies, or employees. You can also choose the level of experience you are looking for, such as entry-level, intermediate, or expert. You can also invite freelancers to apply for your job if you find them through search or recommendations. You will then receive proposals from freelancers who are interested in your project. You can review their profiles, portfolios, ratings, reviews, etc., and choose the one that best fits your needs. You can also contact them before hiring them if you want to discuss more details.
Buying a service is another way to hire a freelancer on Upwork. You can browse through the Project Catalog, which is a collection of pre-packaged services offered by freelancers, such as logo design, blog writing, video editing, etc. You can filter the services by category, price, delivery time, etc., and find the one that matches your needs and budget. You can then order the service directly or contact the freelancer for more details. Once you order a service, you will pay upfront and the freelancer will start working on your project. You can communicate with the freelancer through the Upwork platform and request revisions if needed. When the project is completed, you will receive the final deliverable and leave feedback for the freelancer.
Doing freelance work
The process of doing freelance work also differs between Fiverr and Upwork.
On Fiverr, you can do freelance work in two ways: by creating gigs or by sending offers.
Creating gigs is the main way to do freelance work on Fiverr. You can create up to seven gigs per account (or more if you level up) that showcase your skills and services. A gig consists of a title, a description, a price, a delivery time, and some optional extras that you can offer for additional fees. You can also add images, videos, or samples of your work to make your gig more attractive. Your gigs will then be visible in the Fiverr marketplace where potential clients can find them and order them.
Sending offers is another way to do freelance work on Fiverr. You can send offers to clients who post requests in your category of service. You can write a custom proposal that explains why you are suitable for their project and how much you charge for it. You can also attach samples of your work or previous reviews to increase your chances of getting hired.
On Upwork, you can do freelance work in two ways: by submitting proposals or by selling services.
Submitting proposals is the main way to do freelance work on Upwork. You can use Connects (virtual tokens) to submit proposals for projects posted by clients in Talent Marketplace™. A proposal consists of a cover letter that introduces yourself and explains why you are qualified for the project and a rate. You can also attach samples of your work or previous reviews to increase your chances of getting hired. You will need to use Connects to submit proposals, which are virtual tokens that you can buy or earn on Upwork. You will receive 10 free Connects when you sign up and 10 more when you complete your profile. You can also buy Connects for $0.15 each or get them through a paid membership plan.
Selling services is another way to do freelance work on Upwork. You can create and list your own services in the Project Catalog, which is a collection of pre-packaged services offered by freelancers, such as logo design, blog writing, video editing, etc. You can set your own price, delivery time, and requirements for your service. Your service will then be visible in the Project Catalog where potential clients can find it and order it.
Are there any differences?
Fiverr and Upwork have some similarities and differences when it comes to doing freelance work.
Some of the similarities are:
- Both platforms allow you to showcase your skills and services through your profile and portfolio
- Both platforms provide a secure payment system with escrow protection and dispute resolution
- Both platforms offer various payment methods for freelancers and clients
- Both platforms have a rating and review system that helps you build your reputation and credibility
- Both platforms have customer support and help center resources
Some of the differences are:
- Fiverr has a fixed-price model for gigs, while Upwork has both hourly and fixed-price options for projects
- Fiverr has a marketplace structure where clients find freelancers, while Upwork has a job board structure where freelancers find clients
- Fiverr has a high service fee for freelancers (20%), while Upwork has a sliding service fee for freelancers (5% to 20%)
- Fiverr has a low processing fee for clients ($2 or 5%), while Upwork has a high processing fee for clients (3%)
- Fiverr has a limited number of gigs per account (7), while Upwork has an unlimited number of proposals per month (60)
- Fiverr has no screening or vetting of freelancers, while Upwork has an application and verification process for freelancers
Upwork and Fiverr Reviews
Fiverr and Upwork have mixed reviews from freelancers and clients who have used their platforms.
Some of the positive reviews are:
- Fiverr is easy to use and offers a wide range of services at affordable prices
- Fiverr is fast and convenient for ordering gigs and receiving deliverables
- Fiverr is great for beginners who want to start freelancing
- Upwork is professional and reliable for finding quality freelancers and clients
- Upwork is flexible and transparent for setting rates and terms with freelancers
- Upwork is ideal for long-term projects and relationships
Some of the negative reviews are:
- Fiverr is saturated with low-quality gigs and scams
- Fiverr is unfair and biased toward buyers over sellers
- Fiverr is hard to make a decent income due to the high service fee and low rates
- Upwork is competitive and difficult to get accepted and hired as a freelancer
- Upwork is expensive and complicated for paying fees and processing payments
- Upwork is inconsistent and unpredictable with its policies and changes
Getting Paid
One of the most important aspects of freelancing is getting paid for your work. Fiverr and Upwork have different ways of handling payments for freelancers and clients.
On Fiverr,
Freelancers get paid when they complete an order and deliver the final work to the client. The client then has three days to review the work and request revisions or accept it. If the client accepts the work or does not respond within three days, the order is marked as completed and the payment is released to the freelancer. The payment is then held in a pending balance for 14 days before it becomes available for withdrawal.
On Upwork,
Freelancers get paid depending on the type of project they work on. For hourly projects, freelancers get paid weekly based on the hours they track using the Upwork Desktop App or manually report on their Work Diary. The hours are billed to the client every Monday and the payment is released to the freelancer after a five-day security period. For fixed-price projects, freelancers get paid when they reach a milestone agreed upon with the client. The client then reviews the work and releases the payment to the freelancer or requests changes.
Both Fiverr and Upwork offer various payment methods for freelancers and clients.
Freelancers can withdraw their earnings from Fiverr through PayPal, Payoneer, bank transfer, or Fiverr Revenue Card. Clients can pay for gigs on Fiverr through credit or debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
Freelancers can withdraw their earnings from Upwork through direct deposit (U.S. only), PayPal, Payoneer, wire transfer, local funds transfer (LFT), instant pay (U.S. only), or M-Pesa (Kenya only). Clients can pay for projects on Upwork through credit or debit cards, PayPal, bank account (U.S. only), or wire transfer.
Amount of jobs and types of jobs
Fiverr and Upwork have different amounts and types of jobs available for freelancers and clients.
On Fiverr,
There are over 300 categories of services and millions of gigs to choose from. You can find anything from graphic design to voice-over to astrology readings on Fiverr. The average price of a gig on Fiverr is $30, but you can find gigs as low as $5 or as high as $10,000. The most popular categories on Fiverr are:
- Logo design
- WordPress
- Video editing
- Social media marketing
- Content writing
On Upwork,
There are over 90 categories of services and thousands of projects posted every day. You can find anything from web development to accounting to legal services on Upwork. The average hourly rate of a freelancer on Upwork is $35, but you can find freelancers as low as $5 or as high as $200 per hour. The most popular categories on Upwork are:
- Web development
- Graphic design
- Data entry
- Customer service
- Writing
Upwork vs Fiverr Fees
Fiverr and Upwork have different fee structures for freelancers and clients.
On Fiverr,
freelancers pay a 20% service fee on every completed order. This means that if you charge $100 for a gig, you will receive $80 after Fiverr deducts its fee. Clients pay a processing fee of $2 for orders up to $40 and 5% for orders above $40. This means that if you order a gig for $100, you will pay $105 to Fiverr.
On Upwork,
freelancers pay a sliding service fee based on their lifetime billings with each client. The service fee is 20% for the first $500 billed with a client, 10% for lifetime billings between $500.01 and $10,000, and 5% for lifetime billings above $10,000. This means that if you charge $1000 for a project with a new client, you will receive $800 after Upwork deducts its fee. Clients pay a 3% processing fee on every payment they make to freelancers. This means that if you pay $1000 to a freelancer, you will pay $1030 to Upwork.
Upwork – Pros and Cons
Upwork has its own advantages and disadvantages that you should consider before choosing it over Fiverr.
Some of the pros of Upwork are:
- A professional and reliable platform for finding quality freelancers and clients
- Flexible and transparent pricing options (hourly or fixed-price)
- Ability to negotiate rates and terms with freelancers
- Sliding service fee for freelancers (5% to 20%)
- Screening and vetting of freelancers
- Option to buy pre-packaged services
- Secure payment system with escrow protection and dispute resolution service
Some of the cons of Upwork are:
- Competitive and difficult to get accepted and hired as a freelancer
- The time-consuming and complicated bidding process
- Need to use Connects to submit proposals
- Processing fee for clients (3%)
- A limited number of proposals per month (60)
Fiverr – Pros and Cons
Fiverr has its own advantages and disadvantages that you should consider before choosing it over Upwork.
Some of the pros of Fiverr are:
- Easy to use and offers a wide range of services at affordable prices
- The fast and convenient ordering process
- Fixed-price gigs with clear scope and expectations
- Ability to offer custom offers and extras
- Option to post requests and receive offers from freelancers
- Secure payment system with escrow protection
- 24/7 customer support
Some of the cons of Fiverr are:
- High service fee for freelancers (20%)
- Low average rates for some services
- A limited number of gigs per account (7)
- No screening or vetting of freelancers
- No option to negotiate rates or terms with freelancers
- Potential quality issues or scams
Conclusion
Fiverr and Upwork are both popular and reputable freelance job boards that can help you find freelance work or hire freelancers. However, they have different features, fees, and processes that you should consider before choosing one over the other.
Fiverr is better for you if you:
- Want to sell or buy fixed-price services
- Want to find or offer gigs quickly and easily
- Don’t mind paying or receiving a high service fee
- Don’t need to negotiate rates or terms with freelancers
- Don’t care about screening or vetting freelancers
Upwork is better for you if you:
- Want to sell or buy hourly or fixed-price projects
- Want to find or offer quality freelancers and clients
- Don’t mind paying or receiving a sliding service fee
- Want to negotiate rates and terms with freelancers
- Care about screening and vetting freelancers
Ultimately, the best platform for you depends on your personal preferences, needs, and goals. You can also try both platforms and see which one works better for you. Or you can use other freelance job boards that might suit your needs better.
Whatever platform you choose, make sure you use Wise Business to save money and time on your international payments. With Wise Business, you can get paid in over 50 currencies with your own local bank details and pay freelancers in over 70 countries with low-cost transfers.