Freelancer vs Upwork: which is better for freelancers?

Freelancer vs Upwork at a glance

Both are large, long-running marketplaces run by listed companies. The biggest differences for a freelancer are how you apply for work, what it costs and how easy it is to get in. Prices below are from each site's own pages at the time of writing (October 2026), in USD.

How getting work differs: Freelancer bids vs Upwork Connects

Freelancer.com: bids from an allowance

Every bid uses one from your membership's allowance, which refills over time. There is no charge per bid, but you need a minimum account balance of $20 before bidding, and you can pay to sponsor, highlight or seal a bid. Run out of bids and you wait for the refill or upgrade. Our guide on how to bid on Freelancer explains how to make each one count.

Upwork: Connects per proposal

Each Upwork proposal costs a number of Connects that the job sets, based on its size, scope and demand; some need none. You can also spend Connects to boost a proposal up the client's list. Connects come back if the client cancels the job before hiring or Upwork removes the post, but not if you withdraw your proposal or the job simply expires.

Contests: a Freelancer-only route in

Freelancer also runs contests, mostly for logos and other design work. Entering is free; the client picks a winner and the prize carries a 10% or $5 fee. Upwork has no equivalent.

On both sites the proposal itself matters most. Our Freelancer proposal template works on either, and the free proposal generator drafts proposals for Upwork jobs too.

Freelancer vs Upwork fees and plans for freelancers

Freelancer.com charges 10% or $5, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects, 10% on hourly payments and 15% on Preferred Freelancer Program projects. Withdrawals typically cost $1, or $25 by international wire. Membership plans cost from $4.99 a month (50 bids) to $99 a month (1,500 bids), and prices can vary by country. Full details are in our Freelancer fees guide.

Upwork charges a variable freelancer fee of 0% to 15% per contract, depending on the type of contract and supply and demand. You see the exact fee before you submit a proposal or accept an offer, and it stays fixed once the contract starts. Freelancer Plus costs $19.99 a month and includes 100 Connects and no fee on Direct Contracts (clients you bring to Upwork), against 5% on Basic.

A quick example

• $500 fixed-price job: Freelancer takes $50. Upwork takes anywhere from $0 to $75, depending on the fee shown for that contract, and you'll have spent Connects to apply.
• $30 fixed-price job: Freelancer's $5 minimum applies, about 17%. On Upwork it depends on the contract's fee, plus the Connects you spent.

Neither is always cheaper. On Freelancer the main cost is the fee and your plan; on Upwork it is the variable fee plus Connects spent on proposals that don't win.

Competition and typical budgets

Both sites are competitive. On Freelancer, bids come out of an allowance rather than costing money each time, so popular projects can collect many bids within minutes, and the site has a reputation for lots of small, price-sensitive projects alongside larger ones. Speed and a proposal that clearly fits the brief matter a lot.

On Upwork, every proposal costs Connects, which encourages freelancers to be choosier about where they apply. Upwork also sets minimum rates of $3 an hour and $5 per fixed-price contract. You'll still find everything from quick tasks to long-term contracts on both.

Payment protection on Freelancer and Upwork

Freelancer.com uses Milestone Payments: the client funds a milestone, Freelancer holds the money, and the client releases it when the work is done. If you can't agree, the Dispute Resolution Service decides; its fee is $5 or 5%, whichever is greater, refunded to the winner.

Upwork works in a similar way for fixed-price work: the client funds a milestone before you start, you submit the work, and if the client neither approves it nor asks for changes, the funds are released to you automatically 14 days after you submit. For hourly contracts, Hourly Payment Protection covers time logged with Upwork's time tracker that meets its criteria; it doesn't cover manual time or bonuses.

On both, the protection only works if you stay on the platform. Clients who ask to pay you elsewhere are a common route into a scam; see our Freelancer scams guide.

Account approval and verification

Upwork reviews each new profile before you can send proposals. Freelancers commonly report being turned down for incomplete profiles, unclear titles and overviews, or skills in areas Upwork already considers well covered. If that happens, tighten the profile and resubmit.

Freelancer.com lets you sign up and bid straight away. Identity verification (KYC) may be required later, for example before some withdrawals, and your first withdrawal has a 15-day clearing period. The optional Verified badge costs $99; in our experience verified profiles get noticeably more client messages.

Which suits beginners and which suits experienced freelancers?

• Beginners often find Freelancer easier to start on: no approval queue, contests to build a portfolio, and cheap plans for more bids. The trade-off is heavy competition on small projects.
• Experienced freelancers can do well on either. Upwork's fee is shown up front and Connects reward careful targeting; Freelancer rewards speed, volume and sharp, tailored proposals.
• Designers get an extra route on Freelancer through contests.
• Anyone on a tight budget should weigh Freelancer's monthly plan against the Connects they would spend on Upwork each month.
• Part-timers who can only check in now and then may struggle on Freelancer, where the best projects fill up fast, and may prefer applying to fewer, carefully chosen Upwork jobs.

Verdict: Freelancer or Upwork?

There is no single winner, and many freelancers use both. Freelancer is the easier door to open and the better fit if you like contests or want to bid often for a low monthly cost. Upwork asks more of you up front, with a profile review and Connects, but shows its fee before you apply.

A sensible approach is to build a strong profile on each, track where your replies and wins actually come from, and put more time where it works. A few habits help on both:

• Keep your profiles consistent: the same headline, portfolio pieces and core skills, so clients see one professional.
• Write every proposal for that one project. Copy-paste openings get ignored on both sites.
• Count the real cost each month: plan, Connects, fees and withdrawals, against what you earned.
• Keep each client on the site where you met them. Both protect you only on their own platform.

If you're weighing up whether Freelancer is trustworthy, read our Freelancer.com review.

Where MoreGigs fits

MoreGigs works with Freelancer.com only, not 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. Read how Freelancer auto bidding works, or check your profile for free. The trial lasts 24 hours and needs no card.

Frequently asked questions

Is Freelancer or Upwork better for beginners?

Freelancer is easier to get into: anyone can sign up and start bidding, and contests let you win work without reviews. Upwork reviews new profiles first and charges Connects for each proposal, but a well-built profile can do well there too. Many beginners try both.

Which has lower fees, Freelancer or Upwork?

It depends on the job. At the time of writing, Freelancer takes 10% or $5, whichever is greater, on fixed-price work and 10% on hourly work. Upwork's fee varies from 0% to 15% per contract and is shown before you apply. Upwork also charges Connects to apply, while Freelancer bids come from your plan's allowance.

Do you have to pay to apply for jobs on Upwork?

Usually, yes. Each proposal costs a number of Connects set by the job, and extra Connects cost $0.15 each at the time of writing. Basic accounts may get 10 free Connects a month and Freelancer Plus members get 100.

Are bids free on Freelancer.com?

Bids don't cost money one by one, but they are limited by your membership: free accounts start with 6 a month and paid plans give 50 to 1,500. Freelancer also asks for a minimum account balance before you bid, and bid upgrades cost extra.

Can I use Freelancer and Upwork at the same time?

Yes. They are separate companies and nothing stops you having a profile on each. Just keep each client's work and payments on the platform where you met them, as both have rules against moving clients and payments off-site.

Why was my Upwork profile not approved?

Upwork reviews new profiles before you can send proposals. Freelancers commonly report rejections for incomplete profiles, vague titles and overviews, or skills in areas Upwork says are already well covered. Improve the profile and resubmit.

Does Upwork have contests like Freelancer?

No. Contests, where many freelancers submit entries and the client picks a winner, are a Freelancer.com feature. Upwork works through proposals, invitations and its catalogue of fixed-price services.

Is Freelancer.com as safe as Upwork?

Both hold client funds for fixed-price milestones and offer dispute help. Upwork adds Hourly Payment Protection for time logged with its tracker. On either site, the biggest risk is scam clients, so stay on the platform and only work against funded milestones.