There are several excellent freelance websites where you can offer your skills if you want to make money online. For the most part, this is terrific news, but it may be a bit difficult when deciding which platform is best for you. We’ll examine two significantly different freelance websites in this post: Upwork vs. Fiverr.

Upwork vs Fiverr

Although Upwork and Fiverr appears to be comparable on the surface, they serve entirely different audiences. This is due, at least in part, to their highly diverse backgrounds.

Introduction To Upwork

Upwork was previously called “Elance-oDesk,” because it was once two separate freelance sites: oDesk and Elance.

Before Upwork, the two major freelancing websites, Elance and oDesk, were fighting for supremacy. Result of the merger, Upwork rebranded and became the largest freelance marketplace in the world.

Upwork’s massive scale is one of its most valuable assets since it makes it one of the largest freelancing marketplaces on the internet.

Upwork also has a lot of tools and features to offer. This includes features such as a “Work Diary” that monitors your project hours (by capturing pictures of your computer and counting keystrokes), integrated invoicing and payment processing, communication capabilities, and more.

Because of its size and reputation, Upwork draws many powerful brands and businesses seeking long-term contracts. Contractors and anyone wanting to form long-term partnerships will find this to be an excellent resource. This type of transaction is also encouraged by the cost structure.

When comparing Upwork with Fiverr, keep in mind the sheer scale and scope of Upwork. Many freelancers use Upwork to operate their whole business, and several companies also use it to hire and manage employees.

Introduction To Fiverr

Fiverr had a completely different start. Fiverr’s original aim was to allow you to buy “anything for a fiver,” hence the name! This frequently entails quirky “gigs,” such as caricatures, custom tunes, voiceovers, and much more.

However, Fiverr attracted many creative experts who offered services like video edits, customized video openers, short copywriting passages, and so on. Fiverr gradually shifted its focus to this new direction, finally establishing itself as a legitimate marketplace for buying and selling services. While novelty jobs are still available, the platform focuses on digital marketing, writing and translation, programming, music, and other related fields.

Upwork and Fiverr are both freelance platforms. On the other hand, Fiverr caters to creative workers who operate on a more “gig-based” basis. Upwork, on the other hand, has evolved into a more specific recruitment tool and job-listing website.

Upwork vs Fiverr for Finding Work

• Upwork

Comparing the processes of seeking jobs on each site is the most excellent approach to demonstrate these differences.

You’ll have to build a profile on Upwork that includes your credentials, skills, past job experience, career highlights, hourly rate, and portfolio. You may also demonstrate your knowledge of the topics you’ve mentioned by taking online quizzes. To validate your account, you’ll need to provide evidence of identification, after which you’ll be able to explore open jobs that fit your search criteria.

If you want to make a proposal for a particular job, you’ll need to utilize your monthly renewed supply of “Connect tokens.” You can also wait for an employer to approach you and request that you submit a proposal.

If you’re hired, you’ll work out a rate with the customer and determine whether you want to be paid by the project or by the hour. This will decide whether or not you get paid based on “milestones” or if you must log your productive hours using the Work Diary application.

Upwork offers diverse tasks and possibilities, from permanent high-paying positions to freelance contributions to independent film projects.

• Fiverr

Fiverr, on the other hand, puts the creator in the driver’s seat. After completing your profile, you’ll establish a “gig” to advertise a particular skill. The names of gigs must adhere to a specific naming standard (“I will…”). When you select a category, you’ll be given a list of fields to complete out. Gigs don’t have to include a $5 option (in fact, most don’t), but you may create multiple packages and add other services to give more flexibility in pricing.

When a client places an order, it goes into your queue, and you’ll get feedback on how well you fulfilled the requirements, your turnaround time, perceived value, and so on.

What does that imply for you?

This implies that Upwork favors long-term work for a single customer, but Fiverr allows you to accomplish a large number of smaller gigs.

Furthermore, Upwork entails filling client-specified responsibilities and finishing client-specified tasks. On the other hand, Fiverr allows you to create your gigs and so “productize” your skills. You’re no longer selling generic “editing” skills; instead, you’re offering to edit a specific sort of film for a specified purpose, with preset variables. Fiverr allows you to have far more flexibility over the kind of job you create, limiting your attractiveness in many situations.

Professionals that work on Fiverr may find it challenging to keep up with the vast amount of orders. They are, however, free to work as they want. Upwork, on the other hand, may force you to agree to continuous surveillance and monitoring.

If you want to stay relevant on Upwork, you’ll have to do a lot of “busywork.” You’ll have to take tests and maintain your account. Due to a lack of activity, your profile will no longer appear in searches. You’re also restricted in the number of tasks for which you can submit bids, and the process of submitting proposals is typically lengthy.

Upwork tends to attract larger customers and businesses, whereas Fiverr tends to attract YouTubers, photographers, designers, and other artists.

Fees on Upwork vs. Fiverr

• Fiverr

Another similarity between Fiverr and Upwork is their pricing structure. On payments made, both Fiverr and Upwork charge a fee. Fiverr, on the other hand, is less costly than Upwork.

Fiverr charges $1 for gigs under $20 and 5% for payments beyond that amount. This implies that if you were paid $100 for editing two minutes of video, you’d collect $95. However, you will have to process payments through PayPal, which will cost you an extra 2.9 percent + $0.30. As a result, you would receive $91.95.

Regardless of how your company grows, these figures remain constant. You will lose $85 in fees if you make $1,000.

• Upwork

However, Upwork’s rates are significantly higher. Each customer pays 20% of the first $500 in Upwork fees. Completing a similar job on Upwork, on the other hand, would only get you $80. If you do small jobs for UpWork, you’ll lose about a fourth of your earnings.

This is the polar opposite of how most recruiting businesses operate. In the industry, charging the employer rather than the employee is a standard procedure. Despite this, Upwork continues to penalize freelancers who use its services.

For the following $9,500, the charge is reduced to 10%. However, this still places it well ahead of Upwork. For total payments of $10,000 or more, the percentage drops to 5%. Remember that if your next task is with a different client, this will reset.

Upwork accepts a variety of payment options, so you might be able to avoid paying PayPal fees. However, specific clients/employers may insist that you utilize PayPal, which is something you may not be able to manage.

Only when you make more than $10,000 from a single customer and don’t get paid via PayPal does Upwork charge less. This, once again, firmly pushes users to seek long-term employment.

Fiverr Pro vs. Upwork Plus

Those who want more out of their Upwork or Fiverr accounts might consider subscribing to Upwork Plus or Fiverr Pro.

• Upwork Plus Membership

With an Upwork Plus subscription, you’ll get 80 monthly Connects instead of 10. (a proposal can cost you more than one Connect). Other advantages include improved reporting, a personalized URL, and the opportunity to examine competitors’ bids, among others. The cost of a Plus membership is $14.99 per month.

• Fiverr Pro

Fiverr Pro operates uniquely. As a Pro, you’ll be able to charge more and attract larger clients because your engagements will be classified as such. The site has a distinct “Pro area” that only includes the best pros and excludes the frivolous gigs. Pros also get access to extra features like seller requests. These allow you to react to client-posted tasks in a similar way to Upwork’s central concept.

It is free to become a Fiverr Pro, but you must first fill out an application that contains questions about your experience, qualifications, and prior work.

Final Thoughts

So, who wins in the Fiverr vs. Upwork battle? It all comes down to what you’re searching for.

Pricing and speed are better on Fiverr, but both don’t necessarily correlate with working correctly. Because Fiverr is a little rougher around the edges, you can get quicker turnarounds and meager prices, but there’s always a risk.

Upwork is the slow and steady option: it has a more significant financial stake since it draws higher-level experts, but it also has a higher level of safety. When you’re looking for a long-term hire or a freelancer to work with regularly, Upwork makes it easier to find them.

Naturally, neither Fiverr nor Upwork is very good at specializing. Both are leaning toward all-in-one freelancing platforms aimed at people who want services in several fields.

But, of course, it is only one person’s viewpoint. There are valid reasons to favor either of these platforms, and each has its own set of benefits. If you’re prepared to put in the effort, the most excellent choice is to try both.