Upwork vs Wishket
A side-by-side look at 2 Freelance Marketplaces tools for 2026 — the verdict, pricing, ratings, features, and what readers think.
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 Upwork
wishket.com
Best for korean companies outsourcing custom software, app or web development that needs scoping and a contract
Korea's IT project platform: post a software project free, get manager-reviewed proposals from vetted developers and agencies, paid via escrow.
Visit WishketPricing compared
Upwork
Free Basic plan; clients pay up to 7.99%; freelancers 0-15%
Wishket
Free for clients (project cost + VAT); partners pay 10-25% commission
Head to head
| Upwork | Wishket | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free Basic plan; clients pay up to 7.99%; freelancers 0-15% | Free for clients (project cost + VAT); partners pay 10-25% commission |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Free Basic plan for clients; free sign-up for freelancers | Free to sign up and post projects; no fees before a contract |
| Platforms | Web · iOS · Android · macOS · Windows | Web |
| Founded | 2015 | 2012 |
| HQ | San Francisco, California, USA | Seoul, South Korea |
Pros & cons
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.
Wishket
Pros
- Free for clients: you pay only the project cost plus VAT.
- A Wishket manager helps scope the project and suggest a fair budget before it goes live.
- Escrow payment protection, law-firm-reviewed standard contracts and dispute mediation.
- Large pool of Korean developers and agencies, plus fixed-term on-site placements.
Cons
- High partner commission: 25% under 5 million KRW and 20% above.
- IT and software projects only, with no instant-buy packages.
- The consultation, meeting and contract process is slower than buying a gig.
- Korean-only service with no mobile app we could find.