Even before the pandemic, one of the most popular ways of earning extra income is through freelancing. Whether you are doing it to make extra to pay your bills or considering it as your full-time career, choosing a job site where you can find freelance jobs can be tricky.
Freelance job sites are essential for experienced and inexperienced professionals looking for a fresh start, new clients, or unique opportunities.
In the world of freelancing, Fiverr and Upwork are two of the most well-known job sites. These job sites are big names in the digital and virtual employment realms. Upwork and Fiverr provides a plethora of possibilities for freelancers and clients.
Clients seeking creative professionals have a lot of options on Fiverr. In contrast, Upwork provides a more extensive selection of talents and projects to choose from, as well as a free membership.
But which is better for freelance services?
When deciding on a freelance marketplace, it is a good idea to consider all the factors that will affect you. Such as job types, fees, how safely and quickly you can get paid, and so on.
This article will help you decide which is better for your freelancing career, an in-depth analysis of Upwork vs Fiverr.
Table of Contents
What is Fiverr?
Fiverr began in 2010 as a platform where customers could purchase any service for a “fiver,” or $5. Fiverr boasts that a gig is bought every four seconds.
It is primarily known for its logo design services, and it has sold over 50 million transactions on its platform to date. Its clients include Facebook, Google, Netflix, and PayPal.
What’s it like to work with Fiverr?
Fiverr’s many opportunities and ease of use make it an attractive option for freelancers looking for work online. Freelancers can find jobs in various fields, including graphic design, music and audio, programming and technology, digital marketing, writing and translation, lifestyle, data, video, animation, etc.
Through a comprehensive search tool, clients can confidently choose the best freelancer for their needs. But you can always take the initiative and list your products or services for sale.
Also, it is a simple sign-up process; there is no waiting game for the approval process. Thus, it is an excellent alternative for freelancers who want to work right away.
Fun fact: Fiverr gives freelancers the option not to reveal their identities to their clients. You can freely choose a username, remain anonymous or use your brand’s name. But, you still need to provide Fiverr with your real name.
The first thing you will do after signing up is creating your seller profile. This step is where you will package your skills into services (referred to as “gigs”) that clients can buy.
To think about how you can present your services is highly recommended to appeal to clients.
This strategy is essential because freelancers on Fiverr rely on clients coming to them for work. Try including a video to promote your services and allow clients to get to know you better. It is an excellent way to connect with your potential clients.
After you have set everything up, you wait patiently for a client to buy your service. Then, you will receive your most anticipated notification and can go to work right immediately.
Fiverr also provides a feature called “Buyer Requests,” which allows freelancers to explore projects posted by clients and create customized proposals to bid for jobs actively.
Four different seller levels in Fiverr
- New Seller: New users are automatically redirected to this page.
- Level 1: Sellers that have fulfilled ten orders, have good statistics, and have been active for 60 days or more.
- Level 2: Sellers that have fulfilled 50 orders, earned at least $2,000 or more, and have been active for 120 days or more.
- Top-rated Sellers: Sellers that have completed 100 orders, earned $20,000 or more, have solid statistics, and have been active for 180 days or more.
Fiverr also offers a secure, in-platform payment method for freelancers. However, their holding period is slightly longer.
Most freelancers must wait for their standard 14-day clearing period before withdrawing funds. Fiverr allows you to get your money in four ways: (1) PayPal, (2) Fiverr Revenue Card, (3) Bank Transfer, and (4) Direct Deposit for US citizens only.
How much does it cost to use Fiverr?
Fiverr makes it straightforward by charging zero fees. There are no fees to pay for a list of services, and there is no need to sign up for a subscription. But Fiverr deducts 20% from each transaction when you finish a project.
How is Fiverr’s Customer Service?
Fiverr is not known for providing excellent customer service. Their Terms of Service state that their customer support is available 24/7; but you must submit a request to reach them.
They usually respond within a day, but there have been mixed reviews about this. They also have a help page for frequently asked questions (FAQs) but no live chat feature, chatbot, or otherwise.
Pros and Cons of Using Fiverr
Pros:
- Joining is completely free.
- Advertisements promote complimentary services.
- There are many resources for freelancers.
- There are certificate courses available.
- Total command over the project’s scope of work.
Cons:
- There will be no hourly projects.
- There is a 20% service charge.
- The project has a $10,000 limit.
- Scams and spam exist.
- Poor customer service.
- Payment withdrawal takes longer.
What is Upwork?
Upwork is a massive freelancing marketplace that allows freelancers and clients to connect, buy, and sell services in a convenient and secure environment.
Upwork is home to well-known clients such as Microsoft, Airbnb, Bissell, and GoDaddy. However, unlike Fiverr, you will need to be approved by their moderators before you can look for a freelance job.
After that, you will be able to land gigs with top clients that meet your compensation rates and scheduling preferences if you learn how to market yourself effectively.
Freelancers can work on hourly and fixed-price projects for short or long periods. Thus, they can easily set and adjust their rates to ensure that each job is worth their time.
There are three ways on how you can find jobs in Upwork:
- Talent Marketplace is where you can post jobs and get hired.
- Project Catalog is where you can post and sell projects.
- Talent Scout is a recruiter service that connects candidates with employers.
What’s it like to work with Upwork?
Upwork offers a wide range of job opportunities to freelancers. You can choose based on your expertise and knowledge.
Upwork has 12 major categories you can choose from. Some of the categories include Accounting & Consulting, Admin Support, Customer Service, Design & Creative, Engineering & Architecture, IT & Networking, Writing, and many more.
Start your freelance journey by creating a free profile and filter between domestic and international jobs.
Upwork has its virtual currency called Connects. You can opt to use this to apply for jobs. Plus, with the basic free plan, you get ten FREE Connects per month.
However, if you upgrade your plan, you get 80 each month. Connects can be used to apply for jobs directly. But you can post projects that are available for hire and wait for employers to contact you.
Fun Fact: Upwork offers freelancers professional assistance. Recruiters will do the legwork for you with a skills-based approach to your job search. You can also put Badges to your profile that highlight your qualifications to employers who visit your profile.
You get paid in various ways, including traditional hourly pay or fixed-price protection, which uses project milestones to release amounts in full or over time.
You can choose how you receive your earnings—options such as traditional direct deposit and wire transfer, as well as PayPal and Payoneer. An invoicing feature is available to help you simplify things and keep all your records in one place.
How much does it cost to use Upwork?
Joining Upwork is entirely free. You may build your profile, add a video introduction, look for jobs, and develop your projects through the free plan. To apply on the platform, you can use your free ten Connects. If you want to buy more Connects, you can purchase one of their bundles.
Upwork charges freelancers a sliding service fee based on their lifetime billings. This service fee, however, is the same for all types of contracts, whether hourly, fixed-price, or per project.
Below is the current fee schedule on Upwork:
- $0-$500: 20%
- $500.01-$10,000: 10%
- $10,000.01 or more: 5%
How is Upwork’s Customer Service?
Customer service is one of Upwork’s weak points. This is echoed in numerous Upwork reviews.
Unlike Fiverr, they have a support chatbot where you can raise simple questions and issues 24/7.
But when it comes to seeking assistance from their agents, you will receive slow responses with rehashed statements that do not attempt to address or solve your issues. And if you have a complex problem that needs to be solved, the go-to option is to use Upwork’s social media instead.
Pros and Cons of Using Upwork
Pros:
- Hiring in a multifaceted manner.
- Recruiter assistance.
- There are no service fees associated with payroll enrollment.
- Projects with a more extensive scope and long-term relationships are met.
- Clients of a higher caliber.
Cons:
- Only a limited number of FREE Connects are available each month.
- Extra Connects must be purchased.
- Service fees vary.
- For freelancers, customer service isn’t always dependable.
- Too many scams and spam.
The Verdict: Which Job Site is Better for Freelancers?
In making a decision, it is important that you compare by the tiniest details Upwork vs Fiverr. The devil is on the detail and these tiny or slight differences could spell the difference in your decision-making.
Upwork and Fiverr are freelancing sites that make it easy for freelancers to work online. Both are excellent resources for your professional development as a freelancer.
Each, however, has its own set of perks and drawbacks that cater to different types of freelancers.
But you should now have a good idea of how Upwork and Fiverr differ. You can use this as a key to weigh your options, whether you want to try both or just one.
In the end, the choice between Upwork and Fiverr boils down to your personal preferences and needs.
