Guru vs PeoplePerHour
A side-by-side look at 2 Freelance Marketplaces tools for 2026 — the verdict, pricing, ratings, features, and what readers think.
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 Guru
P
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
Guru
$8.95/mo (billed yearly)
PeoplePerHour
Free to join; clients pay 10% + £0.60; freelancers 20% to 3.5% tiered
Head to head
| Guru | PeoplePerHour | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ||
| Starting price | $8.95/mo (billed yearly) | Free to join; clients pay 10% + £0.60; freelancers 20% to 3.5% tiered |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Free plan for freelancers; free posting for clients | No sign-up fee for clients or freelancers |
| Platforms | Web · iOS · Android | Web · iOS · Android |
| Founded | 1998 | 2007 |
| HQ | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA | London, UK |
Pros & cons
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.
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.