Guru vs Upwork
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
U
upwork.com
Best for companies hiring freelancers for ongoing, hourly or custom-scope work across any remote skill
The largest work marketplace: hire independent talent hourly, by fixed-price milestones or from a project catalog, with funded-milestone protection.
Visit UpworkPricing compared
Guru
$8.95/mo (billed yearly)
Upwork
Free Basic plan; clients pay up to 7.99%; freelancers 0-15%
Head to head
| Guru | Upwork | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ||
| Starting price | $8.95/mo (billed yearly) | Free Basic plan; clients pay up to 7.99%; freelancers 0-15% |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Free plan for freelancers; free posting for clients | Free Basic plan for clients; free sign-up for freelancers |
| Platforms | Web · iOS · Android | Web · iOS · Android · macOS · Windows |
| Founded | 1998 | 2015 |
| HQ | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA | San Francisco, California, USA |
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.
Upwork
Pros
- Huge talent pool across almost every remote skill.
- Hourly contracts with Work Diary time tracking and fixed-price milestones.
- Funded milestones are held as project funds with a dispute process.
- Free Basic plan for clients; eligible US clients paying by bank get a 3% fee.
- Publicly listed company (Nasdaq: UPWK) that issues 1099-K forms to US freelancers.
Cons
- Fees stack on both sides: up to 15% for freelancers and up to 7.99% or 10% for clients.
- One-time contract initiation fee of USD 0.99 to 14.99 per new contract.
- Freelancers pay to apply with Connects, and the number needed varies by job.
- Fixed-price work is protected only if the milestone was funded in advance.