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Freelancer.com review
Last updated:
Post jobs and hire independent contractors swiftly and with relative ease.
Freelancer.com can connect you with freelancers from around the world. You’ll likely get many candidates to choose from, but it can be difficult to locate the most qualified individuals among the onslaught of proposals — unless you purchase an upgrade.- Key info: On most projects, Freelancer.com charges a 3% processing fee — the same rate as its top competitor, Upwork.
Details
| Features | Direct messaging, Project management |
|---|---|
| Price starts at | Free, and paid plans start at $3/month |
| App Integration | Yes |
| Tech Support | Phone, Email, Live chat |
| Monthly Plan | $3 |
What is Freelancer.com?
Freelancer.com is a site that connects employers with independent contractors — AKA freelancers.If you’re a business owner in need of a service, here’s how it works:
- Post a project. This is free, and only takes a few minutes.
- Hire a freelancer. Every freelancer who applies will send you a proposal. If you’re interested, you can view their profile and chat with them in real time before making a decision.
- Pay the freelancer. After you’re satisfied with their work, you’ll pay securely through your Freelancer.com account.
Payments and messaging are done with 4096-bit SSL encryption to keep your information safe. There is also 24/7 customer service available to if you need assistance.
Freelancer.com features
Freelancer.com is top notch in the gig economy for good reason — it facilitates the entire hiring process from start to finish. Here are some other features it offers clients that are looking to hire a freelancer:- Live chat. Use instant messaging to connect with your freelancer, up front and throughout the project.
- Recruiter upgrade: A recruiter can help connect you with the most qualified freelancers, and will facilitate the hiring process if you need.
- Direct hire. Scroll through all the freelancers that are registered with Freelancer.com and message eligible candidates directly, rather than simply waiting for proposals.
- Contests. Instead of a traditional job posting, you can start a contest encouraging freelancers to submit the finished project. You’ll only pay for the winning entry.
- Project management. Hire a project manager to help track your freelancer’s progress.
- Freelancer Services: Choose from a list of fixed-price services that a freelancer will begin work on immediately.
Freelancer.com pricing and fees
It’s free to sign up for Freelancer.com and to post a project or contest online. When it comes to paying, exact prices vary, depending on the work you receive.
Project fees
- If you have a fixed-fee project, a charge of 3% or $3 — whichever is more — is charged when you hire a freelancer for the job.
- If you hire a freelancer by the hour, you are charged 3% of each hour’s rate. For example, if you hire a copy editor at $20/hour for five hours, you would be charged $0.60/hour x 5 hours = $3.00.
Here are some upgrades you can add to your Freelancer.com project:
| Upgrade | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Featured | Attracts more quality bids | $9 |
| Urgent | Freelancers asked to bid on a project starting in <24 hours | $9 |
| Private | Hide project details | $19 |
| Full-Time | Fee is paid if project value exceeds $4,700 | $199 |
| Recruiter | Employ a recruiter for better candidates | $9.50 |
| Non-Disclosure Agreement | Freelancers must sign one | $19 |
| IP Agreement | Give over IP rights | $19 |
| Sealed | Freelancers can’t see each other’s bids | $9 |
| Priority | No review for job posting | $5 |
| Extend | Extend bidding period 7 days | $9 |
Price data obtained April 2020.
Contests
For contests, you’ll provide the funds up front. For example, if you start a logo contest and want to pay $100 for a company logo, you’ll submit this money beforehand. Freelancer.com will hold it in escrow until you select a winner.
If you are not happy with any of the submitted entries, you can get your money back up to 30 days after the contest ends.
Here are some upgrades you can add to your Freelancer.com contest:
| Upgrade | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Featured | You’re likely to get higher-quality freelancers | $30 |
| Top Contest | Automatically invite top freelancers to submit | $30 |
| Urgent | Encourage faster responses | $35 |
| Highlight | Your contest posting will visually stand out | $15 |
| Sealed | Hide the submissions from other freelancers | $30 |
| Private | Hide your contest from search engines | $25 |
| Private | Hide your contest from search engines | $25 |
| Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) | Your freelancer will sign a confidentiality agreement | $20 |
| Extend | Make the duration of your contest longer | 3 days = 15% of prize 5 days = 20% of prize 7 days = 30% of prize 14 days = 40% of prize 21 days = 50% of prize |
Services
Services are sold at a set price, so you’ll submit the funds up front. However, this is protected by the Freelancer Milestone Payment System, so you only need to release the payment if you are satisfied with the work.
Pros and cons of Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com has grown steadily over the past decade and offers a viable marketplace for hiring freelancers who are capable of getting the job done. Still, be sure to weigh the pros and cons before using it to find your next gig worker, including:Pros:
- Upgrades can help increase the quality of proposals you receive.
- Payment protections ensure that you won’t have to pay for unsatisfactory work.
- Posting and hiring can take less than 10 minutes.
Cons:
- It can be time-consuming to sift through the sheer number of proposals.
- Extremely low bids may be tempting, but can overshadow more qualified freelancers.
- The $199 “full-time” fee discourages hiring a freelancer long-term.
