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Contra vs Toptal

A side-by-side look at 2 Design tools for 2026 — the verdict, pricing, ratings, features, and what readers think.

contra.com

2 (66 · Trustpilot)

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

toptal.com

4.8 (2,564 · Trustpilot)

Best for companies hiring senior, pre-vetted developers, designers or finance experts for long-term work

Hire from the top 3% of freelance developers, designers and consultants, matched within about 24 hours, with a no-risk trial.

Visit Toptal

Pricing compared

Contra

$29/mo

Toptal

$79/mo

	Contra	Toptal
Rating	2 (66 · Trustpilot)	4.8 (2,564 · Trustpilot)
Starting price	$29/mo	$79/mo
Free tier	Yes	No
Free trial	Free plan for independents and clients	No-risk trial up to 2 weeks; not billed if not satisfied
Platforms	Web	Web · iOS · Android
Founded	—	2010

Contra

Pros

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.

Toptal

Pros

Rigorous vetting: fewer than 3% of applicants are accepted.
Candidates usually introduced within 24 hours by a matching team.
No-risk trial of up to two weeks, with up to three candidates per role.
Talent keep 100% of their rate; Toptal takes no cut.
Highest Trustpilot score among major freelance platforms: 4.8 from 2,564 reviews.

Cons