Freelancer.com
Global freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace: post projects free, take bids or run contests, and pay through milestone escrow.
Freelancer.com at a glance
Freelancer.com — Global freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace: post projects free, take bids or run contests, and pay through milestone escrow. It has a free plan, with paid plans from $4.99/mo and a free trial (Free account; Plus membership has a 1-month free trial). Rated 4.4/5 from 20,220 reviews on Trustpilot. Best for budget-conscious clients who want many bids or a design contest, and freelancers building a global client base. It ranks #4 of 9 in our Freelance Marketplaces guide.
- Rating
- 4.4/5 Trustpilot
- Starting price
- $4.99/mo
- Free plan / trial
- YesTrial: Free account; Plus membership has a 1-month free trial
- Guide rank
- #4 of 9 Freelance Marketplaces
About Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com is one of the oldest and largest open freelance marketplaces. Clients post a project for free and receive bids from freelancers on fixed-price or hourly terms, run design-style contests with a prize funded up front, or buy fixed-price Services. It says it connects more than 90 million employers and freelancers across 247 countries. The parent company, Freelancer Limited, is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: FLN) and also owns Escrow.com.
Money moves through the Milestone Payment System: the client deposits funds before work starts, and they are held until released, refunded or decided in a dispute. Contest prizes carry a 30-day money-back guarantee (except Guaranteed contests). Optional upgrades let clients mark a project Featured, Urgent, Private, Sealed or covered by an NDA or IP agreement, each for a one-off fee.
Fees are low for clients and moderate for freelancers. Clients pay 3% or USD 3 (whichever is greater) on fixed-price projects and 3% of hourly payments. Freelancers pay 10% or USD 5 (whichever is greater), must keep a USD 20 balance to bid, and get a small number of free bids each month, with paid memberships from USD 4.99 per month adding more. Compared with Upwork, Freelancer.com is cheaper for clients and supports contests, but it attracts many low-cost bids, so screening takes more effort. Freelancer also runs a Korean-language site at freelancer.co.kr.
Freelancer.com pros & cons
- 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.
- 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.
Key features
Freelancer.com pricing
Prices change — confirm on Freelancer.com's site before you buy.
Freelancer.com alternatives
All Freelance Marketplaces toolsHow Freelancer.com stacks up against the tools readers weigh it against.
| Tool | Rating | From | Free plan | Endorsed | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Freelancer.com
This page
|
$4.99/mo | Yes | 0 | ||
Wishket
Named by readers
|
— | Free | Yes | 0 | Compare |
Contra
Named by readers
|
$29/mo | Yes | 0 | Compare | |
|
P
PeoplePerHour
Named by readers
|
Free | Yes | 0 | Compare | |
Guru
Named by readers
|
$8.95/mo (billed yearly) | Yes | 0 | Compare | |
|
U
Upwork
Named by readers
|
Free | Yes | 0 | Compare | |
Fiverr
Named by readers
|
$5/gig | Yes | 0 | Compare |
Frequently asked questions
What is Freelancer.com?
Freelancer.com is a global freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace where clients post projects or contests and freelancers bid on them. It is run by Freelancer Limited, which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: FLN).
How much does Freelancer.com charge clients?
Clients pay 3% or USD 3, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects when they award the work, and 3% of each hourly payment. Posting a project or contest is free. Fees as of November 2026.
How much does Freelancer.com charge freelancers?
Freelancers pay 10% or USD 5, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects and 10% of hourly payments. Contest winners pay the same 10% or USD 5 when the prize is released.
Is payment on Freelancer.com protected?
Yes. The Milestone Payment System holds the client's deposit until it is released to the freelancer, refunded, or decided in a dispute.
Do I need a paid membership on Freelancer.com?
No. Accounts are free, but free members get a limited number of bids each month. Paid memberships start at USD 4.99 per month (Basic, 50 bids) and go up to USD 99 per month (Premier, 1,500 bids).
Is Freelancer.com available in Korean?
Yes. Freelancer runs a Korean-language site at freelancer.co.kr. Fees are set in the same way as the main site.
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