Freelancing’s popularity has skyrocketed as folks everywhere try to reap the fruits of their labor and supplement traditional income, particularly in these turbulent times. According to Upwork, a whopping 39% of US workers dabbled in freelancing last year – that’s 3% more than 2020!
Creatives are splashing onto the freelance scene with copywriting gigs or by leveraging unique talents like PowerPoint expertise into profitable side-hustles. With so many options at hand for entrepreneurs looking for work flexibility (or perhaps extra cash?), it looks like freelancers have plenty on the horizon…for now at least!
Freelancers are looking to Fiverr and Upwork as their go-to platforms for building businesses. With 814,000 active buyers on Upwork, compared with 4.3 million using Fiverr according to the 2022 annual earnings reports – they’re certainly not hard up for customers! Both companies provide services in hundreds of countries around the world too; however experienced freelancers have identified pros and cons between these two options that could mean make all the difference when trying to establish a successful business.
From the perspective of Evan Fisher, Jaime Hollander, Jake Northern and Levi Newman – four experienced freelancers on different platforms – comes a unique insight into Upwork and Fiverr. With each offering something distinct to the user in terms of expertise, rates and goals they suggest considering which platform is right for you before taking your next step as an employer or employee.
What is the difference between Upwork and Fiverr’s clients
When it comes to finding freelance work, there’s two big players in town: Upwork and Fiverr. Fisher highlights that their clientele is vastly different – while Upwokers generally tackle more involved projects with CEOs and founders at the helm, those on Fiverr are often smaller business owners or ordinary individuals looking for a one-off project like logo design; think of it as popping into your local store where you know exactly what you want before picking something up off the shelf! Hollander concurs too – she has had extended conversations with clients on Upworks to determine customer requirements but could easily buy an 800 word blog post from Fverrr without any fuss.
Upwork offers higher-paying gigs overall, but Fiverr’s small projects can add up to a hefty total if freelancers are willing and able to tackle more at once. It seems the race is on: complete fewer jobs with Upwork or fly solo faster with Fiverr?
Which is better for long-term clients?
Fisher loves Upwork’s service-fee structure, where the rates you pay are determined by how much you’ve earned with your current client over time. That means if a freelancer reaches $10k in projects completed for one customer they’ll only have to fork out 5% – sweetening up their chances of long term success!
You may think that $10,000 jobs sound like a dream come true – but there’s more to the story. Fiverr charges freelancers an unwelcome 20%, so if you’re looking for big paydays Upwork is your go-to gig!
Which is more “user-friendly?”
According to Northern, Fiverr was the perfect solution for him. He only had to create his profile one time and he soon hit paydirt with a job in just one week! Moreover, it enables Newman to focus on projects rather than wrangle with business minutiae like websites or advertising – which can be tedious tasks indeed. Thanks to Fiverr’s simplicity and convenience, now all that stands between him & success is hard work (and maybe a bit of luck).
Upwork is the place to be for freelancers looking for their next gig. With up to 10 skills listed on your profile, you can apply like a pro – no more sending off resumes! When starting out in this world of freelance work, Northern found that there was plenty of opportunity- if you put in the effort and read through those requests carefully.
How about payment terms and protection?
Fisher is one freelancer fed up with Fiverr’s haphazard payouts – 14 days may not seem like a big deal, but to independent workers every penny counts. Thankfully Upwork has stepped in and provides safe hourly payment protection so that all the hard work doesn’t go unpaid if someone decides they don’t want to shell out cash at the end of it!
Diving into the gig-economy words of caution come with a hefty side dish – disputes and chargebacks. According to Fisher, Fiverr seems to lean in favour of clients when push comes shoves but this shouldn’t be seen as a deal breaker for freelance hopefuls; Hollander suggests that though it may not happen overnight success can still be had if you’re willing put in the work needed on platforms such as Upwork or Fiverr. After all, isn’t hard graft why we go seeking gigs?
