Freelancer.com vs Guru
A side-by-side look at 2 Freelance Marketplaces tools for 2026 — the verdict, pricing, ratings, features, and what readers think.
freelancer.com
Best for budget-conscious clients who want many bids or a design contest, and freelancers building a global client base
Global freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace: post projects free, take bids or run contests, and pay through milestone escrow.
Visit Freelancer.com
guru.com
Best for US clients who want the lowest marketplace fees for coding, writing or design and will vet carefully
Long-running US freelance marketplace with low fees: 2.9% for clients, 5-9% for freelancers, SafePay escrow and flexible payment agreements.
Visit GuruPricing compared
Freelancer.com
$4.99/mo
Guru
$8.95/mo (billed yearly)
Head to head
| Freelancer.com | Guru | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ||
| Starting price | $4.99/mo | $8.95/mo (billed yearly) |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Free account; Plus membership has a 1-month free trial | Free plan for freelancers; free posting for clients |
| Platforms | Web · iOS · Android | Web · iOS · Android |
| Founded | 2009 | 1998 |
| HQ | Sydney, Australia | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA |
Pros & cons
Freelancer.com
Pros
- Very large global pool of freelancers and clients.
- Many ways to hire: fixed price, hourly, contests and ready-made Services.
- Low client fee of 3% (minimum USD 3), and posting a project is free.
- Milestone escrow, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee on most contest prizes.
- Well-rated apps: 4.7 on the US App Store and 4.2 on Google Play.
Cons
- Freelancers pay 10% or USD 5, whichever is greater, charged when the project is awarded.
- Free accounts get few bids and must keep a USD 20 balance to bid.
- Many small add-on fees for upgrades, withdrawals and verification.
- Open bidding attracts many low-priced proposals, so clients must screen carefully.
Guru
Pros
- Low freelancer fees of 5% to 9%, below most large marketplaces.
- Low 2.9% client handling fee, effectively zero by US eCheck or wire.
- Four payment agreement types, including recurring payments.
- SafePay escrow with arbitration, plus WorkRoom collaboration tools.
Cons
- Very poor Trustpilot rating of 1.7 from 210 reviews, mostly 1-star.
- The free plan has the highest fee (9%) and only 10 bids per month.
- Memberships are non-refundable.
- Smaller talent pool and weakly rated mobile apps.