Fiverr vs Freelancer – Which Platform Is Right for You?

Do you want to know the similarities and differences between Fiverr vs Freelancer? If you are looking for the right freelancing solution and can’t decide between the two, we’ll help you out. Let us talk about how freelancing sites like Fiverr and Freelancer can help you with your business and which one among the two will best suit you.

As a freelancer, one of the challenges you will face is landing a job, or a short-term project, usually called a “gig.” With millions of freelancers in the market nowadays, you need to really maximize all the resources available for you to sell your business. Online freelance marketplaces are effective avenues to bid for gigs and even land high-paying clients. But with all the job sites out there, which ones must you subscribe to? You can get easily overwhelmed and get stuck choosing which one, like Fiverr vs Freelancer, is better. So, here’s an overview of these two platforms to help you evaluate and decide.

two choices sign pointing at opposite directions

Fiverr

Fiverr is an online freelancing platform where you can promote yourself and your services to prospective clients. Most newbie freelancers love the user-friendly interface of Fiverr. It is easy to navigate, so you don’t have to spend much time learning how the platform works. Fiverr takes pride in its global reach, with more than 50 million deals closed and an estimated gig sold every 4 seconds. Now, that’s a lot of transactions.

Fiverr does not limit the platform to the talents they offer to clients (buyers). Freelancers (sellers) from any and every industry and field may register and post their talents and skills. Fiverr has hundreds of gig categories, making the platform a go-to marketplace for buyers.

Fiverr website

One of the differences between Fiverr vs Freelancer is that Fiverr gives you access to their productivity feature called the Fiverr Workspace. Fiverr Workspace is a tool where you can do your admin tasks like proposal and contract creation, time tracking, and invoicing.

For clients that work with a team, Fiverr Business is another helpful feature to them. It allows team collaboration and project management. Simply put, Fiverr is more than just a marketplace for freelancers.

Freelancer

Freelancer.com is one of Fiverr’s strongest competitors. This freelancing site caters to thousands of skills and talent categories, making it one of the largest freelancing marketplaces to date. It also has a big pool of active clients.

With Freelancer, clients post job offerings, giving freelancers an opportunity to bid. Freelancer gives you more chances of landing a job through bidding.

Freelancer website

Simply go to the “Find Jobs” tab, choose your specialty, and available jobs will be displayed in seconds! Browse through the list of job postings and review the clients’ offerings, like job descriptions and rates. And because Freelancer uses a bidding method, you have to bid for the job you wish to take on.

As you can see, Freelancer.com gives you the leverage to choose the right gig for you. Don’t worry, you do not have to check the site for postings every minute because Freelancer will notify you once a job relevant to your skills is posted. Now it is up to you whether you are comfortable with the offer to bid for it or not.

Clients have the option to browse through freelancers’ profiles too and offer jobs directly. With Freelancer, opportunities are handed to you on a silver platter!

Fiverr vs Freelancer Fees

Of course, for Fiverr and Freelance to run their platforms smoothly for their clients and freelancers, fees like service fees and membership fees are charged. Check out how Fiverr vs Freelancer differ when it comes to charging you for transactions made through their platforms:

FiverrFreelancer
Joining Fee (creating an account/profile)FREEFREE
Service Fee (successful transactions)20% of the final purchase amount• For Fixed Projects: 10% of the bid amount or $5 (whichever is greater)
• For Hourly Projects: 10% of every milestone payment 
Other (Optional) FeesFiverr Workspace upgrade: $24 per monthFreelancer Membership: starts at $4.95 per month

Fiverr vs Freelancer Similarities

You can see similarities between Fiverr vs Freelancer in most of their features. For one, both freelance sites are easy to use. From creating an account and profile to closing a deal, Fiverr and Freelancer have made it simple for freelancers. After all, nobody wants to use software that is difficult to navigate and work out.

Fiverr and Freelancer give you endless opportunities to sell your talents and skills. Online job marketplace platforms as big as these two are good investments for your business. Resources like blogs and articles to guide and give tips to freelancers on how to find clients on Fiverr and Freelancer is also very helpful.

You can find a category in these platforms for whatever product or service you offer. Not only are these platforms globally accessible (clients can hire you from a different country or continent!), but you can also set the language to use!

You can also find invoicing and payment support on Fiverr and Freelancer. Sending out invoices and receiving payments through these platforms ensures a smooth transaction between you and your client.

Stand Out and Get the Job

black and white photo of man showing half of face

Joining big and popular job marketplaces like Fiverr and Freelancer opens up global opportunities for you—and for thousands of other freelancers as well. You must remember that you face international competition as a freelancer. Just imagine how many freelancers are there offering the same talents and skills as you. Providing products and services that are deliverable digitally is a great offer, but unfortunately, it is not unique to you. This is why you have to stand out from the crowd. If you are wondering how to get clients on Fiverr and Freelancer, this is the secret: you have to make a scroll-stopping impact! Here are some tips for creating an amazing profile on job sites:

1. Choose your profile photo wisely

Keep in mind that most clients will be more drawn to profile photos than texts. People have become more visual at this age and time (not to mention the continuously decreasing attention span rate). So, having the right profile photo is the golden key to opening your door to big opportunities. Remember, you are selling yourself and your business and not applying for a passport, so do not use a profile photo that looks like something you will use for an ID application. Do not use oddly cropped or blurred photos. No client will stop and look at your profile if your picture looks like it was hastily uploaded.

2. Competitive rates

We all know that you want to earn. And that every cent counts, especially for freelancers who are just starting a new business. But if you are charging way, way higher than most freelancers, you will most probably miss the cut. The smart thing to do is to study the market and know the industry standard. You may increase your rates if you offer services that others can’t, or have impressive credentials.

3. Have a Unique Selling Point

A Unique Selling Point (USP) is that special something you offer better than your competitors. Or, something you provide that others don’t. It could be a unique specialty, an additional service, or a rare technology. In other words, it can make your product or service superior to others.

4. Proof of competency

You cannot just write your experiences on your profile page. Create an impressive portfolio, showcase all your best work, and add the link to your profile. Have a professional website and not just social media pages. Websites imply professionalism and that you are running a serious business. It will also be best to publish testimonials and feedback from previous clients. This builds trust and confidence and can be the ticket to getting the gig.

Once your potential client is interested in you, give them the means to know more about you. Your website (and social media pages) can help turn that curiosity into an inquiry.

Other Ways to Market Your Business

While it is important to know and check out online freelance marketplaces and their differences, like Fiverr vs Freelancer, keep in mind that there are also other ways to market your business. You cannot just rely on online marketplaces to keep your business running. As old-school as it may sound, actual physical interactions also work. See other marketing options you can do below:

• Go Local

Do not forget your local community. Go out and interact with your neighbors and local stores. Join festivals and special events and build connections. Do not be afraid to sell. Just be comfortable talking to your neighbors. For instance, you can simply say, “Hey, if you know someone looking for a photographer, maybe you can hook me up.” Or, make (subtle) selling a part of your conversation, “You know, I started accepting bookkeeping jobs on the side. Never thought I could make it work, but as it turns out, I have more time on my hands, so, yeah, business is doing well.” This way, you are telling them that you are available without telling them to hire you directly.

You can never tell; your local baker may be looking for a photographer. The veterinarian across the street may need some bookkeeping services. And you won’t know it unless you interact with them. So, go out, go local, and make your community know your business is up and running.

• Networking

You can hold a party to build a network. It could be a casual dinner or an outdoor barbeque where you invite family and friends. Tell them that they can bring a friend or two that may be interested in your business. After all, who will support your business more than family and friends?

You can also set up a grand reunion for your high school batch. For sure, you have built meaningful relationships with your classmates, and having a reunion will be fun. This will be a good time to tell them about your business.

group of people talking while eating pizza with laptop on table

Conclusion

Marketing is a very important aspect of your freelance journey. More and more people are joining the freelance and gig economy. Some are shifting to full-time freelancers while others are doing it as a side job. But the point is that millions of remote and independent workers are now competing for similar projects and clients, so you have to up your game. Have a good marketing strategy, and that includes knowing the right avenues and platforms that will sell your business.

Thanks to software innovation and development, online marketplaces have become available to freelancers. Joining these marketplaces are absolutely free and easy, making selling your business a breeze. The problem now lies in choosing which platform to register to. It is always best to take advantage of free trials, and compare and review differences, like between Fiverr vs Freelancer, to know which platform is right for you.

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