Working as a freelancer either full time or part time is becoming more of the norm with the growth of technology and remote work. The question is, how do you get clients to start with?
Most people start with their personal network, hoping to find a few people or businesses that could use their expertise. Others may use paid ads with ad companies like Google Ads. But the truth is, both of these options can be extremely limited (either limited in potential leads or limited in money). If you know where to go and what tools and resources to use, you can find freelance work online that produces a full six or even seven figure income.
Here we'll show you how to find freelance jobs online so that you can start building your side hustle or full-time gig! I've been doing freelance work for many years and have come to find the best places and websites for finding freelance work. These 15 freelance websites are hands down the best places to start building your freelance book of business with new clients.
Top 10 Websites to Find Freelance Jobs Online
The truth is there are potentially hundreds of websites that allow you to go find work as a freelancer. In fact, you'll find endless blog posts like this one that have a list of 70+ freelance websites, when 90% of those are just job boards like Indeed.com.
Instead of giving you sub-par content and resources, I've vetted this list down to ONLY the websites that actually work when it comes to building a freelance business and finding customized jobs for your company.
These aren't just “job boards,” but they are platforms where you can build a major presence, and websites with resources that filter down the jobs available to fit your exact freelance expertise.
1. Fiverr
Fiverr might be one of the most popular websites for freelancers to find new clients. Freelancers can post their “gigs” or services, on their Fiverr profile while buyers can come and order your gigs.
Once you start getting your first orders on Fiverr, along with some positive reviews, you will start to gain some real traction and get regular clients and a regular stream of income for your freelance business.
Fiverr started out as a website where businesses could purchase work for as little as $5 and in increments of $5, thus the name “Fiverr.” It has evolved into a major freelancing website and is now even publicly traded on the stock market.
Website: www.Fiverr.com (click here to get started)
2. Upwork
Upwork is another freelance website where freelancers and businesses connect to work together. Upwork is technically the opposite of Fiverr in terms of how it works. Rather than freelancers posting their work for sale, businesses post the jobs they need done and freelancers bid on the job for hire.
If you bid on enough jobs, you'll start to get some positive feedback from customers and it soon becomes easier to get hired for work on Upwork.com. Like Fiverr, Upwork is also publicly listed on the US stock market.
Website: www.Upwork.com (click here to get started)
3. Freelancer
Freelancer.com is very similar to Upwork in how it works. Freelancers can set up a profile and begin bidding on jobs that fit their skill set. On Freelancer.com you can find freelance work doing anything from delivery services to web development.
Website: www.Freelancer.com (click here to get started)
4. Guru
Another similar bidding platform where freelancers and businesses go to find work and extra help. Guru is unique in that it is a little bit more flexible in terms of how you decide to work.
You can set up different payment options, build a workroom to have other workers on your team help out, and even have potentially the lowest fees on the freelance market. Their fees can be as low as 5% of the gig, where most platforms charge upwards of 20%.
Website: www.Guru.com (click here to get started)
5. FreeUp
Freelancers on FreeUp can't just build a profile and begin selling or bidding on gigs. They first have to apply to the platform and get approved to be a trusted freelancer. They have three levels of freelancers that you can apply for which are:
- Basic
- Mid-Level
- Expert
Each of the levels cater to different audience of businesses, and the higher level you are approved for the higher you will get paid from different projects.
This can be both good and bad for freelancers. For those just getting started it adds a barrier of entry because you don't have much of a portfolio or proof of expertise yet. On the other hand, it potentially attracts more businesses looking for higher quality work.
Website: www.FreeUp.net (click here to get started)
6. PeoplePerHour
Much like FreeUp, PeoplePerHour requires their freelancers to apply to their platform before being approved to become a “certified freelancer.”
They align projects with freelancers using their Artificial Intelligence system that takes info from your profile and application and aligns you with the projects that you will be best suited for. This can also save time for freelancers because otherwise, you may spend hours bidding on different projects.
As of this writing, PeoplePerHour only works with freelancers located in the USA and in the United Kingdom.
Website: www.PeoplePerHour.com (click here to get started)
7. Toptal
Toptal is a great freelance website to apply as an expert freelancer. They are very niche in who they hire and the types of work that are posted on their platform. Freelancers with experience in web development, design, finance, project management, product managers, consulting and anything related can find great work opportunities with TopTal.
In fact, their name was created by merging the two words “Top” and “Talent.” Because of their high standards for freelancers, typically only 3% of all the freelancers that apply to the platform are even approved. Should you get approved on Toptal, no doubt you will find great jobs that pay well.
Website: www.Toptal.com (click here to get started)
8. LinkedIn ProFinder
We're all familiar with LinkedIn, if not, you should head over now and create your LinkedIn profile. It's the social media platform for the career, job and employment world. As such, they also provide a platform for workers and employers to find work and jobs.
They require an application for all freelancers to apply to vet who they allow to be a Pro Freelancer on their platform. When applying, the more detail you have and the better your profile is set up the higher chances you have to getting approved.
With exception to TopTal, LinkedIn ProFinder may be one of the harder platforms to get approved on, and also one you should seek to become a Pro on.
Website: www.Linkedin.com/profinder (click here to get started)
9. FlexJobs
FlexJobs targets people that are both freelancers as well as those who need a job with additional flexibility or the option to work from home. I would almost consider FlexJobs more of a mix between a freelance platform and a job board, since it's more of a place to find and post jobs, and not necessarily a “freelance platform” like the others listed in this article.
FlexJobs is unique in that its more of a job board that requires a subscription ranging from one week, one month, three months or one-year pricing. Again, this can be both a good and bad thing for beginning freelancers. It adds a cost to your business, but also filters the jobs and freelancers available to only those who are serious about getting good work and projects.
Website: www.FlexJobs.com (click here to get started)
10. SolidGigs
SolidGigs is another resource for freelancers to find jobs that fit their skill set. It's not a “freelance platform” but it's a service that offers freelancers the benefit of receiving the best freelance jobs delivered to their inbox daily. The jobs are hand-picked and will be uniquely fit to your profile and expertise.
Most freelancers start their career with ambition, but slowly phase out of the business because they can't maintain a consistent stream of new clients. That's where SolidGigs can help you find constant jobs on a regular basis.
Website: www.solidgigs.com (click here to get started)
So, Where Should You Start?
You have no business if you have no clients. Rather than going to each platform and signing up for all of them (which isn't a bad idea to do….eventually), start with one or two platforms listed above and really build up your profile and make yourself very trustworthy and professional to potential buyers.
As you start getting gigs and customer reviews, your work will start becoming more of a constant stream of income, and you can begin expanding your online presence doing the same with all the other freelance websites listed here.
If it were me, I'd start with Fiverr and Upwork, because they are both very well known, give you the best of both worlds in terms of bidding on projects and also posting your “gigs” for buyers to find, and both provide great jobs that can pay well.
