Contra
Commission-free network for creative independents: portfolios, job board, escrow-backed projects, invoices and digital product sales in one place.
Contra at a glance
Contra — Commission-free network for creative independents: portfolios, job board, escrow-backed projects, invoices and digital product sales in one place. It has a free plan, with paid plans from $29/mo and a free trial (Free plan for independents and clients). Rated 2.0/5 from 66 reviews on Trustpilot. Best for creative and tech freelancers who want to keep 100% of earnings, and clients hiring designers from portfolios. It ranks #3 of 7 in our Design guide.
- Rating
- 2.0/5 Trustpilot
- Starting price
- $29/mo
- Free plan / trial
- YesTrial: Free plan for independents and clients
- Guide rank
- #3 of 7 Design
About Contra
Contra is a professional network and freelance platform for creative independents such as designers, developers, video editors and AI builders. Its core promise is that freelancers keep 100% of what they earn: Contra charges no commission and says independents have earned more than USD 150 million on the platform. Freelancers build a portfolio profile, list services, apply to jobs and get paid through Contra's contracts, invoices and payment links, and they can also sell digital products with Contra as merchant of record.
Clients post jobs for free or hire directly from portfolios and verified studios. Paid projects can be one-time fixed price, one-time hourly or milestone based, all held in escrow until the client approves the deliverable, or billed by invoice. Instead of a percentage cut, Contra charges a flat platform fee per payment on its Free plan (USD 15 for payments up to USD 499, USD 29 above), paid by either side as agreed. If the freelancer subscribes to Contra Pro (USD 29 per month or USD 199 per year), that fee is waived. Card, ACH and SEPA processing fees are passed through.
Compared with Upwork or Fiverr, Contra is cheaper on larger projects and gives freelancers a portfolio-first profile, but its talent pool is focused on creative and tech work and is smaller than the big marketplaces. Contra.Work Inc is the legal entity and the team launched the platform in 2021.
Contra pros & cons
- 0% commission for freelancers, on every plan.
- Free job posting and hiring from portfolios and verified studios.
- Escrow on fixed, hourly and milestone projects until the client approves.
- Built-in contracts, invoices, payment links and digital product sales.
- Flat USD 15 or USD 29 platform fee per payment on the Free plan, which is costly on small invoices.
- Card and payout processing fees are passed on to users.
- Smaller, creative-focused talent pool than Upwork or Fiverr.
- Low Trustpilot score of 2.0 from 66 reviews.
Key features
Contra pricing
Prices change — confirm on Contra's site before you buy.
Contra alternatives
All Design toolsHow Contra stacks up against the tools readers weigh it against.
| Tool | Rating | From | Free plan | Endorsed | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Contra
This page
|
$29/mo | Yes | 0 | ||
Freelancer.com
Named by readers
|
$4.99/mo | Yes | 0 | Compare | |
|
U
Upwork
Named by readers
|
Free | Yes | 0 | Compare | |
Fiverr
Named by readers
|
$5/gig | Yes | 0 | Compare | |
Toptal
Named by readers
|
$79/mo | No | 0 | Compare | |
Kmong
Best for korean businesses buying fixed-p...
|
Free | Yes | 0 | Compare | |
Figma
Best for UI/UX designers and product team...
|
$16/user/mo | Yes | 0 | Compare |
Frequently asked questions
What is Contra?
Contra is a commission-free freelance platform and professional network for creative independents, with portfolios, a job board, escrow-backed projects, invoices and digital product sales.
Does Contra take a commission?
No. Contra does not take a percentage of freelancer earnings. On the Free plan there is a flat platform fee per payment of USD 15 for payments of USD 1 to 499 and USD 29 for USD 500 and above, paid by the client or the freelancer. Fees as of November 2026.
How much is Contra Pro?
Contra Pro costs USD 29 per month or USD 199 per year. It waives the per-payment platform fee, removes digital product fees, gives faster payouts and boosts visibility.
Is payment on Contra protected?
Fixed, hourly and milestone projects use escrow: funds are held until the freelancer submits the deliverable and the client approves it, with dispute assistance. Invoice billing is not described as escrow-protected.
What processing fees do clients pay on Contra?
Domestic cards cost 2.9% plus 30 cents, with extra charges for manual, international or currency-converted cards. ACH costs 0.8% capped at USD 5, and SEPA costs 0.5% plus 30 cents capped at USD 6.
What are the alternatives to Contra?
Upwork and Fiverr have larger talent pools across more categories, Toptal offers pre-vetted senior talent, and Freelancer.com supports contests. Contra is the strongest pick for portfolio-led creative hiring without commission.
Reader endorsements 0 written
+ Write oneNo endorsements written yet. Be first.