Upwork Vs Fiverr | Fiverr Vs Upwork [Comparision For 2024]

Freelancing or the gig economy is booming ever since COVID-19 started. There was seen a surge in demand for freelancers all across the globe after the global lockdown due to the coronavirus. Various freelancing portals and websites saw an increase in membership, registrations, and job searchers for various categories including marketing, coding, design, and a lot more. 

Today, there are more than 50+ dedicated freelancing portals available where freelancers and employers can register to find the best talent and suited job for them. 

In this gig economy world, two major players dominate the industry which is: Upwork & Fiverr. These are the two biggest freelancing websites in the world where freelancers and employers all across the world hunt for talent and remote job opportunities. 

Today, in this blog I am going to do the ultimate comparison of these two platforms so that you can decide which is the best-suited platform for you. 

The blog will cover the following topics:

• What is freelancing?
• Overview of Upwork & Fiverr
• Working of Upwork and Fiverr
• Features of Upwork Vs Fiverr
• Pricing of Upwork vs Fiverr
• The legality of Upwork Vs Fiverr and so on

This comparison is based on my personal experience, so it will be 100% unbiased and genuine.

Upwork Vs Fiverr [Overview]

Upwork:

Started in the year 1999 as Elance, Upwork is the biggest freelancing website in the world. The company was founded by Beerud Sheth, Srini Anumolu, Sanjay Noronha, Odysseas Tsatalos, and Stratis Karamanlakis. In the year 2022, Upwork was named to be one of the most successful companies of the year 2022. 

It is also one of my personal favorite freelancing websites when it comes to hiring people for job roles or searching for freelancing gigs on a small-time basis. 

At Upwork, you’ll find more than three million jobs across various categories which includes: marketing, SEO, writing, designing, finance, coding, development, accounting, creative and so much more. The platform is 100% genuine and works on the commission-based model.

Fiverr:

Fiverr is an Isreal based freelancing website which was founded by Micha Kaufman and Shai Winiger. 

Since this is also a freelancing portal it connects loads of freelancers to the employers who are looking for services like designing, marketing, finance, accounting and a lot more. Jobs on Fiverr are from various industry categories including: Coding, development, designing, SEO and marketing. 

There are more than 40+ categories of jobs that you’ll come across on Fiverr. The company was started with the idea to provide a two-sided marketplace for individuals to buy and sell digital services offered by freelancers. At the beginning, the company started with only a few services like writing, coding and development, but now it has more than 50+ categories under its belt. 

In the year 2013, Fiverr also launched its Mobile application, allowing freelancers and employees to hire talent and search for jobs more easily.

Upwork vs Fiverr [Working]

Upwork:

The working model of Upwork is slightly more professional and complex as compared to Fiverr. And this helps employers to hire the best talent for their job. That’s the reason why most employers seek Upwork for hiring talent across the globe.  

Upwork has created an interview system which allows employers to hire and work with the best freelancers or agencies across the world. The employer has to post their job, project duration and quotation they are willing to pay for the job. 

The client might interview freelancers based on their experience, previous work done, reviews and many other factors. Once the client has chosen with whom they want to work, they hire that freelancer by sending them the proposal with the set horse, pay rate and deadline o the project to be completed. 

Besides, Upwork also allows employers and freelancers to directly chat with one other to better understand the project requirement. Moreover, it also allows the employers to see time tracking and track the mouse moments and take screencasts, so that 

Fiverr:

The business model and working of Fiverr is very simple. It works on a two-sided network. On one side we have got freelancers and on the other site, we have got employers or hiring managers. Freelancers are looking for jobs in their respective domains and employees and seeking for their services. Fiverr bridges the gap between the two and connects both parties.

Speaking about its revenue model. Fiverr charges a certain commission after the service services set the initial price for their gig. Generally, Fiverr charges 20% of the fees as a commission. For example, if you want SEO services for $100, then Fiverr would keep $20 as its commission and the rest $80 will be given to the service provider. 

Fiverr takes care of the entire payment process and you don’t need to worry about anything. You can book a gig via Mastercard or Visa Card and your payment will be dedicated. Freelancers will be getting their payment in the Fiverr wallet and they can transfer it either via PayPal or any other international payment system.

Upwork vs Fiverr [Ease Of Use]

Upwork:

Speaking about the ease of usage, then Upwokr has a slightly complicated process, which gives an edge to the hiring manager to hire the best job for their work. On the other hand, Fiverr has a more easy-to-use interface which allows employers to hire quick talent and freelancers to find the best job in a quick time.

Also, the platform is slightly more complex for freelancers to get the job because it works on a bidding system where freelancers need to bid for a project based on their Upwork connects [When you join Upwork as freelancer you’ll be getting ceratin Upwork connects which you can leverage to get projects] The more connect you spend for bidding on a particular project, there is a high chance of getting a project and vice versa.

This makes the platform bit tricky and complex to use by Freelancers. 

Fiverr:

Fiverr has the best user interface and makes hiring and job hunting for freelancers more easy and quick. This is because Fiverr does not support any bidding system or interview process, unlike Upwork. 

You simply need to create your profile on Fiverr, set up your skill set and get the ball rolling. Trust me, it is as easy as eating a piece of cake.

At Upwork, hiring managers can also directly contact the freelancers by viewing their profiles and previous work done along with reviews. They can contact the freelancer with direct messages and ask more about their services.

However, the quality and type of freelancer you get at Upwork is slightly on the lower or average side because there is no interview process and complex hiring procedure as compared to Upwork.

Upwork vs Fiverr [Legality]

Upwork:

Trust, safety and security are what Upwork stands for. In fact, it is one of the most safest and genuine freelancer websites in the world where you can blindly trust work, payment modes, freelancers, data and other aspects. 

Also, protecting your data is the top-rated priority of Upwork, which sets them apart from Fiverr. They follow cutting-edge security standards and the best privacy policy to offer both freelancers and managers a safe and secure marketplace for online services.

Upwork also takes data protection very seriously with its robust infrastructure that offers streamlined authentication and protection. They have also got the multi-factor authentical, single sign in and custom session timeouts to ensure maximum integrity and protection. 

Fiverr:

For Fiverr, Trust and safety is their #1 priority, which makes them safe for millions of users all across the globe. Backed with seller-level ratings, buyer feedback and reviews, Fiverr have made simple and easy-to-purchase gig or order service that you need without any hassle.

Apart from that, Fiverr also values your privacy and data. Your data with Fiverr is secure all the time and they’ll never misuse your personal information or share it with third-party sites for money. Also, all the transaction made on Fiverr is safe. You can opt for credit card payment or Paypal or another form of payment. 

You can safely communicate and exchange files with any Seller on Fiverr through our secure messaging system.

Upwork vs Fiverr [Features]

Upwork:

1. Project Catalogue

Project Catalog is your go-to place where you can kick-start your work with ready-made projects that are built by talented experts across the globe. You can browse through these projects and compare them with reviews, and ratings to the find best project freelancer for your need. You can also customize the project catalogue by using several add-ons and upgrade. 

Simply put, a project catalogue is the best way to get your customized job done with limited effort of searching and hiring for the freelancer. 

2. Talent scout

Talent scout is a game-changing feature of Upwork that gives you more assistance and help in your hiring process. You can visit the Talent Socout section and get help from professional recruiters who can help you with shortlisting the right expert who is specialized in the field of your project. The aim of a talent scout is to save time and get your job done with the best freelancer. 

The talent scout itself has loads of features to quickly match up with your project requirement and get the job done. Upwork is also planning to add more features to the talent scout section in the coming years. 

3. Quick verification

The verification process is quick and easy at Upwork. The entire process is automated and you just have you fill in your basic details like name, age, photo, and so on.  it’s important to note that your image should be clear and well-lit for successful verification. If needed, you can use photo editing tools to enhance the quality of your photo before uploading it to Upwork. Within a day or two, your account as a freelancer or hiring manager will be created at Upwork, provided that you have rendered the right information. 

4. Quick Payment

Every freelancer in the world would love to get the payment on time without any delay. With that in mind, Upwork has created a swift process and made it a lot easier for freelancers to get paid for their work. 

This includes: 

• Allowing managers to pay via credit cards. 
• For freelancers based in the EU, bank-based payment is also allowed.

5. Get outside talent

Hiring talent from all across the globe is one of the best things you can do as a hiring manager. You’ll get the best quality of work without any delay or issues. 

This feature of Upwork allows you to onboard freelancers who don’t use Upwork onto the Upwork platform. You can bring your own talent and take care of all your billing, contract, and reporting at one place and see professionals who have worked on various projects. 

6. Payroll service

If you determine that a worker should be classified as an employee rather than a contractor, we have made improvements to our onboarding process that will allow you to move them through the payroll set-up process within the Upwork platform. This will reduce onboarding time significantly while providing transparency throughout the onboarding process. For Enterprise clients: This process is automated so you can scale more easily.

Fiverr:

1. Product categories

At Fiverr, you can find services through various categories including designing, SEO, marketing, finance, writing, programming, business, lifestyle and a lot more. In fact, there are more than 20 categories which are further divided into various sub-categories, so that you can hunt for the best job you need. You can simply search from the categories or simply search for specific keywords.

You can explore the categories and search for the best freelancer that you need to hire. 

2. Transparent inforamtion 

Transparent information and privacy is what Firverr stands for. On this platform, you’ll be able to completely see the information about the freelancer such as: their experience, expertise, reviews, projects completed, charges, skills they have and a lot more. In fact, you can also contact and chat with the seller and ask more about their service offers. 

3. Low fees

Whether you agree with me or not, Fiverr is cheaper as compared to Upwork. Many freelancers from Asian countries are switching over to Fiverr owing to the low commission it charges on every service which makes the life of a freelancer easier. 

Anyone can sell their services on Fiverr, which does not require any pre-requisite or any complex knowledge or technical know-how. Mostly, this platform is dominated by freelancers from Asian countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. 

4. Filtered search 

Fiverr as got three different layers of sellers. These are the freelancers with different job completion, statuses and ratings. They also come with different prices and skill levels as well. For example, a seller with the first level will be a beginner and a third-level seller will be an expert and might charge more for his services. 

5. Security 

I have already mentioned it a lot of times above. Fiverr takes security very personally and it goes the extra mile to safeguard buyer and seller personal details online to keep it protected. The platform only gives information to registered users and employers. 

Plus, the services they don’t even share the buyer and seller details with any third-party service, app or website. This ensures that everyone’s privacy and details are protected. 

6. Payment protection 

Worried about your financial transaction via Fiverr? Then all your financial transactions will be 100% safe and secured via Fiverr. The platform not only assures data safety and privacy, but also financial privacy is taken care of by Fiverr. They have created a secure payment option which allows freelancers to withdraw payments hassle-free and hiring managers to make payments without thinking twice. 

7. Private communities

Do you don’t know what is freelancing or how it works? Do you need some help in getting your first freelance job or hiring the best talent across the world? If yes, then you can leverage private communities on Fiverr and connect with like-minded people who can help you grow as a freelancer.

Upwork vs Fiverr [Pricing & Payment]

Upwork:

Upwork’s business model is based on a commission basis. If you are a freelancer and offering successful services to clients, then Upwork will charge a certain commission on your rate. Here’s a detailed look at how and what Upwork will charge.

For example, if you are working on a project of $600, then Upwork would take $20 on the first $500 and 10% on the remaining $100. You are in-hand commission would be $490. Agencies and enterprises are also subject to the same service fees on total agency billings with a client.

Fiverr:

As of March 2021, the service charging fees on Fiverr is 5.5% of the total amount purchased.

Upwork vs Fiverr [Jobs Avaliable]

Upwork:

Upwork is having more than 30+ categories of job listings on their portal ranging from accounting and consulting, admin support, customer service, data science, design and creative and a lot more. You can select from a wide range of jobs as per your skill level and appy for the role. Depending on your experience, pitch and expectation of the hiring manager, you may or may not get a job.

Overall, this is a good platform to get 100% genuine freelancing jobs. 

Fiverr: 

Fiverr is also having a wide variety of jobs listed on their portals ranging from accounting, finance, marketing, SEO, content writing and more. There are more than 20+ categories of jobs listed and various sub-categories are also there to help you get the best job that you are hunting for. 

Upwork vs Fiverr [Customer Service]

Upwork:

Customer service at Upwork is truly something that gives it an edge over Fiverr. They have got an in-house team of customer support executives who are always ready to help freelancers as well as hiring managers on any doubts and clarifications they have.

Whether you are a client, agency owner or freelancer, Upwork’s customer support team can help you with payment, building your profile, getting jobs, account setting, payment issues and not many stuff that might come in your way on Upwork. 

You can either directly contact the customer team at Upwork by email or chat with them. You can also join the community and discuss your issue with various like-minded people in the forum. 

Fiverr:

Customer service at Fiverr is slightly poor and slow as compared to Upwork. This is because they have yet to streamline the customer service process. So, you can only reach out to them via email. They don’t have live chat support at the moment which is one of the few drawbacks of this platform. 

However, they entertain a vast array of questions and doubts with regard to payment issues, legal issues, profiles and more. 

Upwork Vs Fiverr [How To Get A Job]

Upwork:

Getting freelancing work on Upwork is surely one of the most daunting tasks ever. All because of the strict guidelines and complex procedures they have curated, especially for freelancers. However, if you follow the below-mentioned tips and tricks, then you can surely grab a good number of freelance projects on Upwork. 

1. Create a strong profile:

The first and utmost important thing is that you need to create a stunning profile which should look genuine and 100% authentic to the hiring managers. You must fill in all your profile details completely like: name, experience, certifications, contact details, professional and the rest to get the job. 

Remember, your profile should look as genuine as possible. 

2. Build a portfolio:

Upwork allows you to create a portfolio of your work, which can be a powerful tool for impressing potential clients. Include examples of your best work and make sure they’re relevant to the types of jobs you’re applying for.

3. Apply for relevant jobs:

Upwork offers a wide range of job postings, so it’s important to find ones that are a good fit for your skills and experience. Read each job posting carefully and tailor your application to the specific requirements of the job.

4. Be professional:

When applying for jobs on Upwork, it’s important to be professional and courteous. Respond promptly to messages from potential clients, and make sure your communication is clear and concise.

5. Be patient:

Finding work on Upwork can take time, so it’s important to be patient and persistent. Keep applying for jobs and refining your profile and portfolio, and you’ll increase your chances of success over time.

6. Consider taking skill tests:

Upwork offers a variety of skill tests in different categories. Taking and passing these tests can help showcase your expertise and credibility in your chosen field.

Remember, it’s important to be proactive and persistent in your job search on Upwork. By following these tips and staying committed, you’ll increase your chances of success over time.

Fiverr:

Getting a job on Fiverr is not as complicated or difficult as Upwork. The registration and authentical process at Fiverr is easy-peasy and it does not take too long to create your profile. If you are still struggling to grab your first gig on Fiverr then you can follow these steps.

1. Create a stunning profile

First things first, you need to create a stunning profile with your skill and experience with full information including your work history, education, skills, reviews, certifications and lot more. Be clear with your language and focus more on highlighting your strengths and experience.

Here’s how the complete profile will look like.

2. Offer niche gigs only

Don’t be a jack of all trades and master none. Focus only on your core services that will help you stand out from the crowd. For example, if you are offering link-building services, then focus on link-building, blogger outreach, guest posting and all. Also, make sure to communicate about your gig very clearly. 

3. Optimize your profile

Keep on optimizing the profile with the relevant keywords and put your main targeted keywords in the title, meta, description and image of your profile. Make sure your title and descriptions are clear and accurate which describe the services that you are offering.

4. Be professional

When you are communicating with the clients, make sure to be professional and responsive. This will make your clients feel that you are interested in working and offering genuine services.

5. Responsive pricing 

Fiverr is known for its low-cost services, so offering competitive pricing can be an effective way to attract potential clients. Consider pricing your services competitively to help you stand out from the crowd. 

FAQs About Upwork Vs Fiverr