Contra vs Kmong
A side-by-side look at 2 Design tools for 2026 — the verdict, pricing, ratings, features, and what readers think.
contra.com
Best for creative and tech freelancers who want to keep 100% of earnings, and clients hiring designers from portfolios
Commission-free network for creative independents: portfolios, job board, escrow-backed projects, invoices and digital product sales in one place.
Visit Contra
kmong.com
Best for korean businesses buying fixed-price design, IT, marketing or content work delivered in Korean
South Korea's largest gig marketplace: buy fixed-price services from vetted experts in about 700 categories, paid through escrow.
Visit KmongPricing compared
Contra
$29/mo
Kmong
Free to join; buyers pay 4.5% fee; sellers pay tiered 4.4-16.4% + 3.3%
Head to head
| Contra | Kmong | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ||
| Starting price | $29/mo | Free to join; buyers pay 4.5% fee; sellers pay tiered 4.4-16.4% + 3.3% |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Free plan for independents and clients | Free to register as a buyer or expert |
| Platforms | Web | Web · iOS · Android |
| Founded | — | 2012 |
| HQ | — | Seoul, South Korea |
Pros & cons
Contra
Pros
- 0% commission for freelancers, on every plan.
- Free job posting and hiring from portfolios and verified studios.
- Escrow on fixed, hourly and milestone projects until the client approves.
- Built-in contracts, invoices, payment links and digital product sales.
Cons
- Flat USD 15 or USD 29 platform fee per payment on the Free plan, which is costly on small invoices.
- Card and payout processing fees are passed on to users.
- Smaller, creative-focused talent pool than Upwork or Fiverr.
- Low Trustpilot score of 2.0 from 66 reviews.
Kmong
Pros
- Very broad catalogue of about 700 service categories with a large Korean buyer base.
- Escrow safe payment releases money only after the client confirms the purchase.
- Fixed-price Standard, Deluxe and Premium packages make services easy to compare.
- Seller fee falls on larger orders, down to 4.4% service fee above 2 million KRW.
- Well-rated mobile apps: 4.9 on Google Play and 4.6 on the Korean App Store.
Cons
- Small orders are expensive for sellers: 16.4% service fee on the first 700,000 KRW, plus 3.3% and VAT.
- Buyers pay a 4.5% purchase fee on top of the gig price.
- Tax invoicing is split: the seller invoices the service and Kmong invoices its fee separately.
- Korean-only and KRW-only, so it does not suit non-Korean buyers or freelancers.