Freelance work is an excellent way for individuals to make money without having to commit full-time. Luckily, there are dozens of great freelancing apps available that make it easier to find opportunities and start making money from your skillset.
Freelancing has become incredibly popular. Why? From tech layoffs to industry-wide hiring freezes, many are losing faith in the traditional 9 to 5 and opting for additional ways to secure an income.
Read on to see the five best freelancing apps to get you started on the right foot.
Popular Freelancing Apps
Although there are dozens of freelancing apps out there that are designed to make the process easier, some of better than others.
These include Upwork, Fiverr, and Guru, which provide access to freelance jobs across a wide range of categories. Popular work options from these apps include web design, virtual assistant work, and writing.
These platforms typically have large user bases. Meaning, they can offer both employers and employees ample opportunities to connect! They also tend to follow a similar structure, so it’s relatively simple for users to set up an account and start taking advantage of them right away.
5 Best Freelancing Apps You Should Try Out
1. Upwork
Upwork is one of the most popular freelancing apps people use to find various online gigs, and getting started on the app is pretty straightforward. To begin, you’ll need to sign up and fill out your profile information. From there, you can start to review available jobs to find a gig that fits your skill set.
The app can provide an excellent opportunity for freelancing beginners to learn more about the freelance community. One of the best aspects of Upwork is that it allows beginners to get an understanding of how online gigs function. Eventually, you could even decide on a different career path based on the skills you own and the jobs you frequently notice are available.
There are millions of gigs to choose from, so there’s definitely something for everyone. Although their fees are high, the platform does offer quick payments backed up by convenient payment protection.
Pros
- Quick and easy sign-up
- Millions of jobs are available
- Quick payout
- You’re backed up by payment protection
- Remote work from anywhere in the world
Cons
- Too much competition
- Unfair rating system
- High fees
- Difficult to get the first client
How to find clients on Upwork
One of the downsides of Upwork is that the competition on the website is pretty high.
The app offers ratings that clients can see before hiring you. Since there are a lot of service providers, newbies on the website may need to work harder to get their first gig without any reviews and ratings.
Although landing your first gig can be tricky, finding jobs and expanding your network will be much easier after getting your first client. Check out my guide on how to find clients on Upwork. I provide tips that I used to get to my first $1,000 in earnings!
2. Fiverr
Fiverr is also among the best freelancing websites for beginners or anyone else who wants to find work. In comparison to Upwork, the sign up process is the same but, instead of searching through jobs posted by clients, you are posting your gig and waiting for clients to reach you.
When setting up your gig, you can set your own offer, delivery time, and price, which is very convenient. Fiverr supports all kinds of gigs, from content writing and copywriting to social media marketing and web design.
Pros
- Easy to use
- No need to bid for gigs
- Quick payout
- Remote work from anywhere in the world
Cons
- High commissions
- Difficult to land the first job
- High competition
How to get a job on Fiverr
Similar to Upwork, landing your first gig on Fiverr can take awhile.
I’ve not used Fiverr as a freelancer, however, I have hired over 20 different gig providers from this platform. I also have quite a few friends who make money on Fiverr, so I wrote this post on how you can get started with Fiverr fast.
In general, you will need to spend most of your time on Fiverr crafting a great gig post. Since Fiverr works like a search engine, this will help your gigs show up hire in the listings. The best way to do this is by utilizing competitive research.
What I like about Fiverr is that it is generally easy to use and offers quick payouts. I would also say that Fiverr is a bit more friendly for international freelancers compared to most other freelancing apps.
3. Guru
Guru is another excellent freelancing app that offers various work. The process to get started is very similar to Upwork. For example, the signup process between the two is nearly identical, and afterward, you can immediately get started giving quotes on particular gigs that interest you.
To show off your skills and expertise on Guru, you will need to add your portfolio and fill out your information. Once you start bidding on jobs and giving quotes, those hiring will be able to look at your profile and decide if you are suitable for their gig.
The platform offers various online jobs ranging from social media marketing to copywriting, web development, and product research. A downside to Guru is that it allows users to receive reviews and ratings, which can make it challenging for you to land your first job without previous experience on the app.
However, with your portfolio and personal data, you should still be able to stand out and land a gig on this freelancing platform.
The positives to note about Guru are that the platform offers a lot of flexibility and has quick payouts. However, the app does take a high commission rate which will affect your earnings.
Pros
- Flexibility
- Quick payouts
- Remote work from anywhere in the world
- Millions of jobs to put a quote on
Cons
- High commission rates
- Landing the first gig may be tricky
4. Freelancer
Freelancer, as the name says, is a freelancing app where you can find remote jobs. The platform offers all kinds of gigs, from software development and design to content writing, sales, and engineering.
All you need to do to find your first job on Freelancer is to create a profile and list your skills. The platform also offers multiple exams and tests you can take to display your knowledge in a particular field.
After that part, you’ll need to wait for the approval of your account.
Once you get the approval, you can start bidding on jobs by sending customized proposals. Freelancer is a decent freelancing app for making money; however, their payment withdrawal takes pretty long, and you can’t withdraw high amounts of money monthly.
Pros
- Millions of available jobs
- Tests and exams to show your skills
- Remote work from anywhere in the world
Cons
- You need to wait for the approval of your account
- Payment withdrawal takes a pretty long time
- You can’t withdraw high amounts of money monthly
5. 99Designs
Last but not least is 99designs. The platform is another excellent freelancing app that’s worth a try. Unlike other freelancing apps on our list, this app only focuses on design-related jobs.
To get started with 99designs, you’ll need to sign up and submit examples of your past work. Then, the platform then needs a few days to approve your profile and assign you a particular designer level.
Once approved, you can bid on jobs, get direct offers from clients, or join contests on the platform. Finding your first job on 99designs is easy if your work is good, which is all that matters on this platform.
Although 99designs doesn’t have high commissions, receiving your payout will take time.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Designer levels based on skill
- Decent payouts
Cons
- Only for design-related jobs
Conclusion
Overall, I recommend using freelancing apps because they are a great way for individuals to find more flexibility in their careers. I’ve vetted these five to be the best on the market, and most importantly, worth your time.
Most people will find that at least one of the platforms listed meets their needs. However, it’s most important that you spend time researching what option will be the best for you in terms of achieving success with freelance work.
Starting as a freelancer is no easy feat, but hopefully these apps can make the process easier.
