Freelancer.com vs PeoplePerHour
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
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peopleperhour.com
Best for UK small businesses buying quick fixed-price Offers, and freelancers building long-term UK client relationships
UK-born freelance marketplace: buy fixed-price Offers or post a project and get AI-matched proposals, with escrow until you're satisfied.
Visit PeoplePerHourPricing compared
Freelancer.com
$4.99/mo
PeoplePerHour
Free to join; clients pay 10% + £0.60; freelancers 20% to 3.5% tiered
Head to head
| Freelancer.com | PeoplePerHour | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ||
| Starting price | $4.99/mo | Free to join; clients pay 10% + £0.60; freelancers 20% to 3.5% tiered |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Free account; Plus membership has a 1-month free trial | No sign-up fee for clients or freelancers |
| Platforms | Web · iOS · Android | Web · iOS · Android |
| Founded | 2009 | 2007 |
| HQ | Sydney, Australia | London, UK |
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.
PeoplePerHour
Pros
- Freelancer fee falls to 3.5% once lifetime billing with a client passes GBP 5,000.
- Escrow holds payment until the client confirms satisfaction.
- Two hiring routes: ready-made fixed-price Offers or custom projects with proposals.
- Long-established UK marketplace with GBP pricing and a strong UK client base.
Cons
- 20% freelancer fee on the first GBP 250 billed with every new client.
- Client fee of 10% plus GBP 0.60 is high compared with other marketplaces.
- Extra fees for currency conversion, disputes, upgrades and dormant balances.
- Its Trustpilot profile has been removed, so there is little independent review data.