Freelance marketplace: Sites You Can Start Making Money Today!
Revised for 2020 and 2021
Have you been dreaming of quitting your 9 to 5 job and working as a freelancer? What are you waiting for?
Maybe you think you need additional training. Perhaps you worry that you don’t have the necessary discipline to work from home. Maybe you worry about health insurance and the other benefits that you would leave behind when you quit your full-time job. These are all valid concerns that you need to work through before you make your decision to become a freelancer.
And what about finding clients? Of course, finding work is a significant concern for freelancers. That’s why the staff at freelancingbuzz.com has compiled this list of the best freelancing websites for you. Read more to learn the ins and outs of the top 22 freelancing sites.
Fiverr
Fiverr is the perfect platform for someone just entering the freelance world. You decide what service you will offer for $5. The main Fiverr categories are Graphics and Design, Digital Marketing, Writing and Translation, Video and Animation, Music and Audio, Programming and Tech, Business, and Lifestyle. Maybe you worry that your time is worth more than $5, but if you can do multiple projects each hour, your earnings can add up quickly. Once you have been on the site for 30 days and have completed ten jobs successfully, you will be promoted to the next level. Level one freelancers can start charging more than $5 for their work. The Fiverr resolution center settles potential disputes with your clients, and for their trouble, Fiverr keeps one buck out of every fiverr you earn.
You can find our staff-recommended book on Amazon “The Fiverr Master Class: The Fiverr Secrets Of Six Power Sellers That Enable You To Work From Home (Fiverr, Make Money Online, Fiverr Ideas, Fiverr Gigs, Work At Home, Fiverr SEO, Fiverr.com)”
Flex Jobs
Maybe you aren’t interested in being a freelancer, but you are interested in working remotely or with a flexible schedule. Perhaps you are interested in seasonal work. If this describes the work situation that you are seeking, check out Flex Jobs. The staff at Flex Jobs screens the job listings and removes ads, scams, and “business opportunities,” so the jobs that are listed are legitimate, quality jobs in over 50 different categories. You apply for gigs that interest you by providing the potential employer your resume or by sharing your Flex Job profile with them. You can also show off your abilities by paying to take skills tests. Share these results with prospective employers to show you are ready and able to get the job done. There is a charge for this service.
Solid Gigs
Solid Gigs provides you with high-quality leads for jobs within your skillset. Their team looks at over 100 sites and job boards to hand pick the top gigs for you. Solid Gigs also provides online training videos, tools, and other resources for the freelancer for $19 a month.
Upwork
Another natural place to enter the world of freelancing is Upwork. Upwork is huge. Over 12 million freelancers compete for work from 5 million clients who list millions of jobs each year. As a freelancer, you send a proposal out to potential clients. Those clients look at your plan, profile, feedback from previous clients, and then may choose to offer you the gig. Upwork takes a 20% cut, as well as a monthly service fee. There is also quite a bit of competition, but Upwork is a great place to find your footing as you begin your freelance career.
You can find our staff-recommended book on Amazon “How to freelance on Upwork: Complete guide: How to build a successful remote work career on Upwork and step-by-step increase earnings.”
Cloud Peeps
Cloud Peeps works similarly to Upwork. When you become a “peep,” you can submit proposals to the client’s job listings. You can also promote the services you offer on your profile and storefront. While Upwork allows freelancers of all types to find work, Cloud Peeps focuses more on marketing, social media, website design, and PR. This is the logical site to transition to after you have built a portfolio. It’s free for beginning users, but you will soon want to expand your scope, which requires you to pay a monthly membership. They also charge between a 5 and 20 percent transaction fee.
Freelancer
Find your next client on Freelancer. This website offers a wide variety of jobs. You choose from online or local gigs. You can even choose to search for one-time projects or full-time freelance jobs. Freelancer charges a monthly fee, and they also take a percentage of your income. The project fee is between $3-5 or 3-5 percent, whichever is greater.
Indeed
Surely you have heard of Indeed. Indeed compiles all the job listings in your area to one website. You search for a job title, keyword, or a company name, and tell where you would like to work. Indeed spits out a list of potential work for you. The best part of this site is that it is free to all users. It is not explicitly designed for freelancers.
Guru
Guru works similarly to Upwork and Freelancer. You can choose to be paid per hour, per milestone, by task, or by recurring payments. The site charges a commission of between five and 10 percent. Guru is specially designed for professionals who choose to work as freelancers. Categories include programmers and developers, designers and artists, writers and translators, sales and marketing gurus, engineers and architects, business and finance gurus, and lawyers.
ServiceScape
If you are a writer, editor, translator, or graphic designer, ServiceScape may be the right freelance website for you. ServiceScape has been around since 2000, and it has a global focus. While you don’t have to spend as much time bidding for jobs with ServceScape, the company’s commission is high – up to 50 percent.
Craigslist
You read that right. You may be able to find remote or freelance work by checking out Craigslist. Don’t be limited by the listings in your local area. Check out the listings in large metropolitan areas as well. And you might as well sell that treadmill that’s been gathering dust in your basement while you are at it. You aren’t using it anyway.
Contena
Contena is a paid site that helps freelance writers find work. Through Contena, freelance writers can find one-time projects or full-time remote job across a variety of industries. You have to pay for the service. Membership to Contena starts at $42 a month, but the fees also include training through Contena Academy. This optional training will walk you through the process of becoming a professional freelance writer. According to the website, Contena limits the number of writers they have working for them through their site. You may have to wait a bit before your profile is up and running.
Freelance Writing Gigs
Freelance Writing Gigs is a no-frills website that lists writing jobs available right now. You can submit your proposal directly to the client through their email or send your resume through the site. It’s not sexy, but there are no additional charges or fees. It’s rather straightforward. Freelance writing is one of the most sought after services for business owners. If you are just starting out, we recommend learning more at Freelance Writing Riches. It is a great resource for entry-level writers too! 
Journalism Jobs
Journalism Jobs is similar to Indeed, except it is explicitly designed for journalists. Writers can apply for writing jobs through the website. It seems as if most of the posts are on-site positions, but there may be a few free-lance opportunities hiding throughout the job listings. The site is free.
Blogging Pro
Freelance writers can visit the Blogging Pro website to try to find writing gigs, but they will be redirected to the Flexjobs website. Blogging Pro is a website that allows companies to find writers, but the writers will find the work through Flexjobs. See more information about Flexjobs above. It is a paid site.
Freelance Writing
Freelance Writing allows you to find writing jobs for remote writers, but you can also seek onsite writing jobs as well. Writers apply for jobs through the website, but it is not clear how much commission the company charges for each of your paid gigs. How about proofreading?
If you think you might have an interest in the proofreading niche’ our staff at Freelancing Buzz recommends Proofreading Anywhere.
Media Bistro
Media Bistro is a website that is similar to Journalism Jobs, but instead of just focusing on writing gigs, Media Bistro is concerned with all aspects of media. There are freelance opportunities available through the website, but the bulk are onsite full-time positions.
Paid to Blog
Paidtoblog is a website that offers a course on how to become a freelance blogger. Writers can choose between $29 guides or $49 guides to receive access to the Paid to Blog course. The more expensive guide comes with in-depth interviews with top freelancers as well as five actionable articles with tips on how you can make up to $100 an hour blogging.
PubLoft
PubLoft allows you to focus on what you love to do — write. PubLoft will enable you to spend more time honing your craft because they interact with the clients for you. PubLoft also offers editor support, and your pay increases the longer you write through them. PubLoft charges clients up to $500 for one article per month, but it is not clear how much of that the writer receives.
99 Designs
Are you a designer or an artist? Can you design logos, websites, and book covers? Through 99 Designs you can work directly with the clients, or you can compete for work with others in the design community.
Behance
Behance is the go-to job website for designers, all types of designers. Whether you are a textile designer or design toys, Behance is the website for you. If you are an architect or a clothing designer, find your next job through Behance. Behance offers full-time and freelance work as well as internships.
Dribble
If you are an artist or designer, your work speaks for itself. At Dribble, artists can showcase their work, and receive reactions and hopefully jobs, from visitors to the website.
With the help of these websites, the world is your oyster. All it takes is a fast internet connection and a quiet house, and you can make money freelancing in no time at all.
Freelancing Buzz is your one-stop resource center for everything you want and need to know about Freelancing.