Fiverr vs Upwork vs Freelancer: which is best for freelancers?

Fiverr vs Upwork vs Freelancer at a glance

All three are large, established marketplaces, but they work in different ways. Here's how they compare for freelancers at the time of writing (October 2026), using each site's own help pages and terms, in US dollars:

Fees and plans change, so check each site's current pricing before you decide.

How you get work on Fiverr, Upwork and Freelancer

Fiverr: clients come to your Gig

On Fiverr you package your service as a Gig, usually with Basic, Standard and Premium options, and clients browse, compare and order. Clients can also post a brief and receive offers. Your visibility depends on how your Gig performs in Fiverr's search; Fiverr says staying active and replying quickly helps, and you can pay for Fiverr Ads.

Upwork: proposals paid for with Connects

On Upwork, clients post jobs and you send proposals. Each one costs a number of Connects set by the job, and you can spend more to boost it. Clients can also invite you, and you can sell fixed-price projects through Upwork's Project Catalog.

Freelancer.com: bids and contests

On Freelancer.com you bid on posted projects from a monthly bid allowance that depends on your plan, or enter contests, which are mostly design work. Our guide on how to bid on Freelancer covers how to make each bid count.

Fiverr vs Upwork fees (and Freelancer.com)

• Fiverr takes a flat 20% of every order, including tips, so you keep 80%. Clients pay a separate 5.5% service fee, plus $3.50 on purchases under $200. Full details in our Fiverr fees guide.
• Upwork charges a variable 0% to 15% per contract, shown before you apply and fixed once the contract starts. Clients on the Basic plan pay up to 7.99% plus a one-time contract fee. See our Upwork fees guide.
• Freelancer.com takes 10% or $5, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects and 10% on hourly work. Clients pay 3% (minimum $3 on fixed-price). See our Freelancer fees guide.

Here's what you'd keep on the same job, before withdrawal fees:

The Upwork range covers its 0% to 15% fee; the fee actually shown for that contract decides where you land. The client figure for Upwork assumes the Basic plan's maximum fees. All figures are at the time of writing.

What it costs to apply for work

This is where the three differ most. Fiverr doesn't charge you to win work: clients find your Gig and order, and Fiverr is paid through its commission. The trade-off is that you wait to be found unless you pay for ads.

Upwork charges Connects for every proposal, win or lose, at $0.15 each. Twenty proposals a month at 12 Connects each is $36 if you buy them all. Some Basic accounts get 10 free Connects a month and Freelancer Plus includes 100.

Freelancer.com bids don't cost money one by one, but they come from your plan's allowance (6 a month on a free account, 50 to 1,500 on paid plans) and you need a $20 minimum balance to bid. Our Freelancer membership plans guide compares the options.

Payment protection and getting paid

Fiverr takes the client's payment when they place the order, so the money is already there before you start. Once you deliver, the client accepts it or the order completes automatically after three days without a response, and your earnings clear 14 days later (7 for Top Rated sellers).

Upwork asks clients to fund fixed-price milestones before work starts. If the client neither approves your submitted work nor asks for changes, funds are released automatically after 14 days. Approved funds become available five days later. Hourly Payment Protection covers time logged with Upwork's tracker that meets its criteria.

Freelancer.com uses Milestone Payments: the client funds a milestone, Freelancer holds it and the client releases it when the work is done, with a Dispute Resolution Service if you can't agree.

On all three, protection only works if you stay on the platform. Our guide to freelancer scams covers the warning signs.

Who each platform suits

• Fiverr suits freelancers with a clear, repeatable service they can package and price upfront, such as a logo, a video edit or a set of blog posts, and who would rather be found than pitch.
• Upwork suits freelancers going after larger or longer contracts who can build a strong profile, get through the approval review and write careful proposals that justify the Connects.
• Freelancer.com suits people who want to start straight away, bid often for a low monthly cost, or win work through contests. Competition on small projects is heavy, so speed and tailored proposals matter.
• Beginners can try two at once: a Gig on Fiverr working in the background while they bid or send proposals elsewhere.

Verdict: Fiverr or Upwork, or Freelancer?

There's no single best site. Fiverr is the simplest way to sell a defined service without paying to apply, but its 20% is the highest standard cut of the three and a new Gig starts with no reviews. Upwork shows its fee upfront and is built for pitching to clients with real projects, but every proposal costs Connects and new profiles are reviewed first. Freelancer.com has the lowest headline fee and the easiest start, with plenty of competition on smaller jobs.

If you sell a productised service, start with Fiverr. If you'd rather pitch for projects, try Upwork and Freelancer.com side by side. Either way, track where your replies and paid work actually come from for a couple of months and put more time there. For a deeper two-way look, read our Freelancer vs Upwork comparison, or see the wider field in the best freelancing websites.

Where MoreGigs fits

MoreGigs works with Freelancer.com only, not Fiverr or Upwork. It bids for you around the clock from its own servers, checking new projects every couple of minutes, skipping likely scams, tiny budgets, crowded or stale listings and off-skill work, and writing a fresh proposal from your real profile, priced inside the client's budget and paced to your plan. There's a 24-hour free trial with no card needed, or check your profile for free.

Frequently asked questions

Is Fiverr or Upwork better for beginners?

It depends on how you like to find work. Fiverr lets you create a Gig and wait for orders with no cost per application, but a new Gig starts with no reviews. Upwork reviews your profile first and charges Connects to apply, but lets you pitch directly for jobs. Freelancer.com is the easiest to start on, with open sign-up and contests.

Does Fiverr or Upwork take a bigger cut?

At the time of writing, Fiverr takes a flat 20% of every order. Upwork's fee varies from 0% to 15% per contract and is shown before you apply, so it's never more than Fiverr's, but you also pay Connects to apply on Upwork. Freelancer.com takes 10%, or $5 on small fixed-price jobs.

Is it free to apply for work on Fiverr and Upwork?

On Fiverr there's no charge per application: clients come to your Gig. On Upwork each proposal costs Connects, at $0.15 each, though some Basic accounts get 10 free a month and Freelancer Plus includes 100. Freelancer.com bids come from your plan's monthly allowance.

Which pays out fastest: Fiverr, Upwork or Freelancer?

Upwork releases fixed-price funds five days after the client approves a milestone. Fiverr clears earnings 14 days after an order completes, or 7 days for Top Rated sellers. Freelancer.com pays when the client releases a milestone, with a 15-day clearing period on your first withdrawal.

Which is safer for freelancers?

All three hold the client's money before or during the work. Fiverr takes payment upfront when the order is placed, Upwork protects funded milestones and tracked hours, and Freelancer.com uses Milestone Payments with a dispute service. On any of them, stay on the platform and be wary of clients who ask to pay elsewhere.

Can I use Fiverr, Upwork and Freelancer at the same time?

Yes. They're separate companies and nothing stops you having a profile on each. Keep each client's work and payments on the site where you met them, as all three have rules against taking payments off the platform.

Is Fiverr good for long-term clients?

It can be. Fiverr supports milestones, hourly contracts and subscription orders as well as one-off Gigs. Still, Upwork and Freelancer.com are built more around clients posting projects and choosing from proposals, which suits ongoing or larger work.

Which site has the lowest fees?

For a typical fixed-price job, Freelancer.com's 10% is lower than Fiverr's 20%. Upwork can be cheaper or dearer than Freelancer depending on the fee shown for that contract and the Connects you spend getting it.