Top Alternatives to Fiverr for Finding Cheap Freelancers

The freelance economy, also known as the gig economy, is rapidly growing and Fiverr has become one of the major freelance marketplaces in the world. Although Fiverr is a great place to find freelancers, there are a few alternatives better then Fiverr ⇣ out there

Fiverr.com (and Fiverr Pro) is a freelance marketplace where you can find services ranging from graphic design and music/video editing to marketing and copywriting. Fiverr is a good place to start when you are looking to strike a balance between quality and affordability.

Although some Fiverr-based freelancers provide exceptional service, most of the sellers on the platform just aren’t worth spending money on if you want high-quality work.

Top Alternatives to Fiverr in 2024

Here’s my list of the 8 best Fiverr competitors right now. Just like Fiverr, these sites are great for finding and hiring freelancers at affordable prices.

At the end of this list, I have listed two of the worst freelance marketplaces you should avoid using at all costs.

1. Upwork.com

• Official website: www.upwork.com
• Upwork is one of the oldest and most trusted freelancing platforms on the internet.
• Services include development and IT, design, sales and marketing, finance and accounting, writing and translation, engineering and architecture, admin and customer support, HR and training, and legal.
• Unlike Fiverr, Upwork lets you post a job and wait for freelancers to send you proposals. To reach out to you and let you know they’re interested in your projects, freelancers and agencies need to use Connects — Upwork’s virtual currency. Upwork calculates the number of Connects needed to submit a job proposal based on the projected job value as well as the marketplace demand.
• Upwork doesn’t have a sign-up fee. You can join the popular work marketplace and get quotes from freelancers free of charge.

Why use Upwork instead of Fiverr

If you want to get a job done by an expert, then Upwork is the way to go. You get to pick from hundreds of professionals who’ve applied to your job posting. Keep in mind that Upwork will cost you a little more than Fiverr if you want quality results.

Thanks to its sophisticated algorithms, Upwork narrows down your choice to the absolute best candidates for your project. Upwork also allows you to check the profiles, portfolios, and reviews of the individuals and agencies you’re considering hiring, as well as to conduct a video interview before making the final decision.

If you want to save yourself the bother of creating job posts and going through shortlists of candidates, you can browse and buy projects with clear expectations from the very beginning.

Safety is another great reason to go with Upwork. Upwork makes sure you get exactly what you pay for regardless of the type of your contract. On hourly projects, Upwork counts keystrokes and takes random screenshots of your hire’s screen so you can monitor their progress.

On fixed-price projects, you have to make milestone deposits, but these funds are released after you approve the work submitted by your freelancer.

Why use Fiverr instead of Upwork

If you want your first podcast episode edited, it makes sense to get it done for a low price. Go with Fiverr instead of Upwork if your project needs to be done well without breaking the bank. Fiverr is a good option if you need something done fast, too.

2. Freelancer.com

• Official website: www.freelancer.com
• Freelancer.com has been helping millions of businesses find freelancers for almost 13 years now.
• The platform is quite similar to Upwork and has over 56 million registered freelancers and employers.
• On Freelancer.com, you can find experts in over 1,800 skill set categories, including software architecture, web design, graphic design, logo design, 3D modeling, C++ programming, ghostwriting, copywriting, proofreading, AWS (Amazon Web Services), and many others.
• You can host a design contest where all the designers on the platform can compete.
• Freelancer.com is free to sign up. You can also post projects, receive bids from freelancers, check their portfolios, and discuss your expectations for free.

Why use Freelancer instead of Fiverr

If you want to get high-quality work done and stay within your budget, then you should go with Freelancer.com.

Freelancer lets you post projects for freelancers to bid on (you can even publish local projects like babysitting, gardening, etc.), browse freelancers and make direct hires, and use the recruiter service to find the right professional for you.

Freelancer even allows you to start design contests where you reward prize money to one or multiple entries.

One of my favorite things about this freelance marketplace website is the possibility to pay your hires in over 39 currencies.

Additionally, the Milestone Payments system releases your payments once you give the green light, i.e. confirm that you’re content with the work. This makes Freelancer one of the most secure platforms to choose from.

Why use Fiverr instead of Freelancer

Although Fiverr hosts thousands of talented freelancers who are experts at what they do, the platform is most suitable for employers who want to get some particular kind of work done quickly for a low price.

3. Toptal.com

• Official website: www.toptal.com
• Toptal advertises itself as the platform where businesses go to “Hire the Top 3% of Freelance Talent.”
• The Toptal network features seasoned software engineers and coders; expert UI/UX, visual, and interaction designers; finance experts; digital and technical project managers; and digital product managers.
• Toptal is trusted by industry giants and startups like Bridgestone, Shopify, Duolingo, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Airbnb.
• Read my detailed Toptal review here.

Why use Toptal instead of Fiverr

Toptal isn’t the platform you visit to find and hire unvetted freelancers who offer website-building services for less than $50. If you want to hire one of the top 3% of the world’s freelancers, then Toptal is the marketplace you’re looking for.

The name Toptal comes from Top Talent. Toptal prides itself on being an elite network of freelance experts from all around the world. Toptal has a very strict screening process and it usually accepts fewer than 3% of the thousands of applications it receives every month.

This process consists of 5 steps: 1) a comprehensive English language interview evaluation and a personality assessment; 2) an in-depth skill review; 3) live screening; 4) test projects; and 5) continued excellence.

If safety is high on your list, you’ll be glad to learn that Toptal’s hiring process is practically risk-free. Once you talk to a Toptal industry expert, you’ll be matched with a hand-picked freelancer. You can test your collaboration on a trial basis and pay only if you’re happy with the results.

Why use Fiverr instead of Toptal

If you are just starting out and are more concerned with your budget than the quality of the work you need to be done, then Toptal might not be the best platform for you. There, the prices start at $60 per hour.

Unlike other freelance marketplace websites on this list (for example, Upwork), Toptal only features freelancers within a select few skill set categories.

There are no writers or social media marketers for hire on this exclusive platform.

4. PeoplePerHour.com

• Official website: www.peopleperhour.com
• Although it’s not as popular as some of the other platforms on this list, PeoplePerHour has been helping companies access quality freelance workers since 2007.
• More than 1 million businesses across the globe trust PeoplePerHour.
• All freelancers on PeoplePerHour.com have been approved by an in-house moderation team to ensure all buyers get top-grade services.
• You can join PeoplePerHour for free. There are no upfront payments or hidden fees.

Why use PeoplePerHour instead of Fiverr

Hiring freelancers is a hit-and-miss game where you miss more than you hit. To find great freelancers, you usually have to shell out a few thousand bucks before you finally find a good candidate for the job.

With PeoplePerHour, you can rest assured that whoever you hire knows what they are doing as they’ve previously been vetted by a team of moderators.

What’s more, PeoplePerHour has its own ranking algorithm called CERT. CERT stands for Community, Engagement, Repeat Usage, and Trust, and ranges from 1 to 5. Every freelancer starts at CERT1. Once a freelancer starts making money through PeoplePerHour, they’ll get upgraded to CERT2 and CERT3.

CERT5 is the highest CERT level and it’s awarded only to freelancers with exceptional qualifications and performance. As a buyer, this can help you select the perfect bidder.

With PeoplePerHour, you can rest assured that whoever you hire knows what they are doing.

Why use Fiverr instead of PeoplePerHour

If you want to access highly qualified freelancers without the guesswork, go with PeoplePerHour. However, if you want to hire cheaper freelancers who can get the job done in a satisfactory manner, go with someone from Fiverr based on their level and reviews.

5. Guru.com

• Official website: www.guru.com
• Guru’s platform is home to 800,000 employers from around the world.
• It’s estimated that $250 million have been paid to freelancers through Guru.
• Whether you need an article written or a new logo designed for your brick-and-mortar or online business, Guru’s platform has got you covered.
• Guru has a 99% customer satisfaction rate.

Why use Guru instead of Fiverr

Guru provides you with access to millions of experienced freelancers you can hire. If you want to find a talented freelancer you can build a long-term professional relationship with, go with Guru.

Guru allows employers to browse 2 million experts with all-time transaction data, post jobs for free, manage multiple freelancers on the same project, and pay invoices only after reviewing and approving their hire’s work.

Another great reason to choose Guru is the 2.9% handling fee for each invoice you pay. Plus, if you pay your invoices using eCheck or wire transfer, Guru will give you a complete cash refund on the fee.

Why use Fiverr instead of Guru

Choose Fiverr if the cost of the freelance service you need is a major factor, as well as if you want to pay only for what you need.

6. Codeable.io

• Official website: www.codeable.io
• Codeable.io is your one-stop shop for all things WordPress. Some of the WordPress-related services offered on Codeable include theme development and customization, plugin development and customization, eCommerce development, design, security and performance, and troubleshooting and maintenance.
• Unlike most of the other freelance platforms reviewed in this article, Codeable matches you with a freelancer instead of you choosing one yourself.
• Codeable is 100% risk-free as there’s no obligation to make a hire even when you receive an estimate.

Why use Codeable.io instead of Fiverr

Whether you want to get an error fixed on your WordPress-powered site or need a custom plugin developed, Codeable has skilled freelance developers who can help you out.

Codeable has an in-house matchmaking system that picks the most suitable WordPress developers for you based on your project requirements. Codeable provides you with a shortlist of candidates so you can hire an expert fast. Plus, there’s a single-price algorithm that eliminates undercutting and overpricing.

Codeable will offer you a partial or full refund if you aren’t satisfied with the freelancer’s work (the amount of the refund depends on the amount of work already completed).

You only pay if the work is in line with the agreement between you and the developer. You also have 24/7 access to a client support team you can reach via email.

Why use Fiverr instead of Codeable.io

If you want to get something on your WordPress site fixed for a low price, then Fiverr is the way to go. If your website doesn’t run on WordPress, then Codeable is of no use to you.

7. Outsourcely.com

• Official website: www.outsourcely.com
• Outsourcely offers startups easy access to its talent pool of over 400,000 freelancers specializing in design and multimedia, sales and marketing, web development, content writing, customer service, and administrative support.
• More than 50,000 startups have used Outsourcely to find and hire talented remote workers.
• There’s no commission fee on the services provided by freelancers on the Outsourcely platform.

Why use Outsourcely instead of Fiverr

Although the people behind Outsourcely advertise the website as a freelance-hiring platform for startups, you can use it to get all types of work done even if you are way past the startup stage.

If you want easy and quick access to competent and experienced freelancers, Outsourcely is a much better option than Fiverr.

Outsourcely can help you build long-term professional relationships with highly educated and verified experts and, as a result, significantly reduce your payroll.

Outsourcely allows employers to communicate with remote workers via instant private chat, video and voice messages, and direct email.

Additionally, businesses can take advantage of the live video and voice interviewing feature to get a more accurate insight into a candidate’s English speaking level, soft skills (critical thinking, problem-solving, digital literacy, teamwork, etc.), and personality.

Why use Fiverr instead of Outsourcely

Fiverr is known for its five-dollar price tag and, as such, it’s a platform focused on providing cheap services rather than on providing the highest-quality work. If your budget is tight and you are just starting out, my advice is to go with Fiverr.

8. Truelancer.com

• Official website: www.truelancer.com
• Although it’s relatively new, Truelancer has made a name for itself by providing quality work at extremely affordable prices.
• According to Truelancer’s official site, more than half a million projects have been completed through the platform.
• Truelancer features mostly freelancers from low-income countries like India, Pakistan, and the likes. There are over 1 million remote workers on this website.

Why use Truelancer instead of Fiverr

If you want to get some work done quickly and don’t care much about its quality, then this platform might be a good option for you. When it comes to custom work, Truelancer is a better choice than Fiverr.

Truelancer’s freelancers might not meet everyone’s quality standards, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook this platform. Truelancer has a 100% refund policy, meaning you’ll get your money back if you aren’t satisfied with your hire’s work.

Why use Fiverr instead of Truelancer

If you have a job in mind that doesn’t require much custom work and need to get it done for a low price, then go with Fiverr. If you’re patient enough, you’ll find the right candidate for your project.

Worst Freelance Marketplaces (That You Should Avoid At All Costs)

There are many different ways to find freelancers to work for you, and online marketplaces are a popular option. However, not all marketplaces are created equal. Some are much better than others in terms of quality of work, pay, and communication. Here are some of the worst freelance marketplaces right now:

1. Konker

Konker is a marketplace for freelance services. It’s a place where freelancers can list their services and prices. The biggest advantage of using a freelance marketplace like Konker is that it lets you see how the freelancer performed in the past by looking at the reviews. You also don’t have to wonder what exactly the freelancer will do because the services offered are the same for everyone.

Konker is basically a clone of Fiverr but just not as good. If you run an online business and have hired a lot of freelancers from a services marketplace like Fiverr or Upwork, you’ve probably come across at least one or two bad freelancers.

But with Konker, it’s not one or two but a majority. Most services you’ll see on Konker are by freelancers who are just starting out. They don’t seem to have any experience at all. And you don’t have to go any further than the first page to find these services.

Just like Fiverr, Konker allows its sellers to sell services in many different categories, but its most popular category is digital marketing. You could also say that Konker is basically only for digital marketing services, which is not to say that that’s bad, but most services listed on Konker are kinda spammy and mostly SEO-related.

Most of these SEO services offer to “trick” Google into liking your website. If you don’t know this already, Google hates getting tricked. They hate it so much that if you try a spam SEO service and aim it at your website, your website might get dropped from Google altogether forever.

The platform is really buggy and has no vetting process for the freelancers. Anyone can post a freelance gig on the platform even if they have no experience at all.

I am not saying Konker is bad or that you should never try Konker itself. Konker simply lists services that are sold by 3rd party sellers. Konker as a platform is great. It works really well. But most of the services I could find on this platform were all about black-hat SEO aimed at tricking Google.

Those are the only services that have any kind of reviews on them. All other services offered are either really crappy or have no reviews at all. The support is terrible. There are dozens of reviews of Konker where customers are complaining about the horrible customer support.

If you are looking to buy black hat SEO services, Konker might be a great place. There are dozens of these services listed with most of them having 5-star reviews. But be warned that these SEO tactics almost never work and in cases when they do work almost always result in your website getting dropped completely by Google. I would highly recommend against buying any black hat SEO services.

If you are looking to hire freelancers to grow your online business, I would highly recommend looking at other freelance marketplaces such as Fiverr. They are better than Konker in every regard.

Konker’s competitors have been in business for a long time and have improved their platforms a lot over the years. Their support is much better, and they have a lot of features that protect you from getting scammed by sellers.

2. Servicescape

Servicescape is a platform that helps you find freelancers. There are four categories of services offered on this website: Writing, Editing, Translating, and Graphic Design. Unlike other similar freelance marketplaces, Servicescape doesn’t offer services in all categories. They only have freelancers in four categories.

Servicescape has been in business for over 20 years, but its platform is still in the past. The platform is kinda clunky and looks very outdated. It lacks a lot of features that other freelance marketplaces offer. For example, they don’t have a freelancer matching system. A lot of other platforms match you with a freelancer based on your needs. And these freelancers that they match you with almost always do a great job.

You can browse their directory of freelancers and hire anyone you like. Freelancers list their prices upfront, so there’s no need to waste your time in back-and-forth emails to just find the price.

One thing I don’t like about Servicescape is that it doesn’t allow you to post gigs as other platforms do. Other platforms allow you to post a gig and freelancers apply to your gig with quotes. This gives you a better selection of freelancers to choose from. On Servicescape, you’re on your own. You have to find a freelancer yourself from their huge directory of freelancers.

Servicescape has lots of predefined services. A freelancer can add these predefined services to their profile along with the price they would charge for them. You can also choose to do a custom project if you want.

Although Servicescape has a stellar reputation, the freelancers on this platform are not cheap. Most freelancers on this platform have great credentials. They went to a good college and studied the service they are selling. They also have full-time jobs at some big companies.

I saw a freelance writer who also works at PBS. These freelancers might be really good at what they do, but it’ll cost you an arm and a leg to hire them. Unless you are running a multi-million dollar business, these prices are most likely out of your budget. There are a lot of other platforms that are not only better than Servicescape but also cheaper.

Servicescape allows you to hire the best of the best freelancers in writing, editing, translation, and graphic design. These freelancers are among the top 5% in their field. They are also very expensive to work with. For the price of one article on Servicescape, you can probably get 5 or 6 on other freelance marketplaces. The quality might be a little bit (unnoticeably) lower, but you’ll save a lot of money.

What is Fiverr?

Fiverr is a platform/marketplace for buying and selling online services packaged as “gigs”.

These services range from web design, graphic design, videos, voice-over, and copywriting to music, podcast, and video editing. If you run an online business, the services offered on Fiverr can help solve most of your problems.

Fiverr started out as a platform with five-dollar services, hence the name Fiverr. Although it’s famous for the $5 price tag, the platform has outgrown its original purpose and now offers all types of services ranging from $5 to $1,000.

Fiverr Pro is one of the latest additions to the popular freelance marketplace website. Here, you can find and hire Fiverr’s top freelancers.

To earn the pro status, each applicant has to go through a rigorous process during which Fiverr’s team checks their background information, evaluates their expertise, and monitors their ongoing performance.

This is how Fiverr ensures buyers receive stellar quality and service when making a hire through Fiverr Pro.

Benefits of Fiverr

If you own an online business, you already know that most of the tasks on your list (like writing the About Us page for your site) aren’t worth your time. Most of these tasks don’t need to be done perfectly; they just need to be done.

It would be wise to outsource these tasks to someone on the internet who does these things for a living and thus save precious time. This is where apps like Fiverr come in.

Fiverr offers a balance between quality and affordability. If you want quick, cheap work done, Fiverr is where you should go.

But if you are a serious business owner with some complex needs that need to be taken care of, Fiverr may not be the best freelance platform for you.

Questions & Answers

Our Verdict ⭐

Is Fiverr good for finding freelancers?

Yes, companies like Fiverr serve their purpose as a place for finding cheap freelancers.

However, there are a bunch of superior freelance services like Fiverr out there.

If you want to get some work done on a budget without compromising its quality, you should go with a site like Upwork or Freelancer.com. Both offer access to millions of freelancers with a wide variety of skill sets and are the best platforms like Fiverr right now.

If money isn’t a major issue for you, I strongly suggest going with Toptal. Toptal advertises itself as the platform that helps you hire the top 3% of freelance talent on the internet.

How We Evaluate Freelancer Marketplaces: Our Methodology

We understand the critical role that freelancer hiring marketplaces play in the digital and gig economy. To ensure that our reviews are thorough, fair, and helpful to our readers, we’ve developed a methodology for evaluating these platforms. Here’s how we do it:

• Sign-Up Process and User Interface
  • Ease of Registration: We evaluate how user-friendly the sign-up process is. Is it quick and straightforward? Are there unnecessary hurdles or verifications?
  • Platform Navigation: We assess the layout and design for intuitiveness. How easy is it to find essential features? Is the search functionality efficient?
• Variety and Quality of Freelancers/Projects
  • Freelancer Assessment: We look at the range of skills and expertise available. Are freelancers vetted for quality? How does the platform ensure skill diversity?
  • Project Diversity: We analyze the range of projects. Are there opportunities for freelancers of all skill levels? How varied are the project categories?
• Pricing and Fees
  • Transparency: We scrutinize how openly the platform communicates about its fees. Are there hidden charges? Is the pricing structure easy to understand?
  • Value for Money: We evaluate whether the fees charged are reasonable compared to the services offered. Do clients and freelancers get good value?
• Support and Resources
  • Customer Support: We test the support system. How quickly do they respond? Are the solutions provided effective?
  • Learning Resources: We check for the availability and quality of educational resources. Are there tools or materials for skill development?
• Security and Trustworthiness
  • Payment Security: We examine the measures in place to secure transactions. Are payment methods reliable and secure?
  • Dispute Resolution: We look into how the platform handles conflicts. Is there a fair and efficient dispute resolution process?
• Community and Networking
  • Community Engagement: We explore the presence and quality of community forums or networking opportunities. Is there active participation?
  • Feedback System: We assess the review and feedback system. Is it transparent and fair? Can freelancers and clients trust the feedback given?
• Platform Specific Features
  • Unique Offerings: We identify and highlight unique features or services that distinguish the platform. What makes this platform different or better than others?
• Real User Testimonials
  • User Experiences: We collect and analyze testimonials from actual platform users. What are common praises or complaints? How do real experiences align with platform promises?
• Continuous Monitoring and Updates
  • Regular Re-evaluation: We commit to re-evaluating our reviews to keep them current and up to date. How have platforms evolved? Rolled out new features? Are improvements or changes being made?

Learn more about our review methodology here.