The freelance industry is increasingly expanding, with both businesses and freelancers opting for this type of professional relationship due to its flexibility. Hiring specialized freelancers is not only affordable but also scalable. Freelancers have the option to work outside the 9 to 5 structure and offer unique conditions to companies. The fastest way to become a Freelancer is to enroll in a freelancing platform, but with so many options is difficult to find the one that works the best for your skills. We hope this Upwork vs Fiverr comparison helps you to decide which one should you use for your services.

The Debate of Upwork vs Fiverr

1. What is Upwork?

The idea for Upwork arose nearly a decade ago when a tech lead of a startup in Silicon Valley needed some work done from his close friend in Athens. This lead to the existence of a platform where you can securely get your work done with a process that is transparent and trustworthy. Now, it is considered one the most powerful and profuse freelancing site in the world. The site has an estimated 43 million visits each month, nearly 12 million writers providing work with around 5 million client accounts.

Let’s see in the next section or our Upwork vs Fiverr comparison whether you should start selling your services there.

2. Should You Sell Your Services On Upwork?

The mechanism behind Upwork is different than that of Fiverr. Once you signup to Upwork, you are required to bid for jobs, rather than wait till buyer’s approach you. Upwork does have an invite functionality where buyer’s contact you to bid for their job but that doesn’t always guarantee that you will get the job. You get 60 connects (points used for bidding) every month on the basic, free plan and 70 connects for the Plus, $10 per month plan.

Upwork is the best option for:

Web and Mobile App developers. Undoubtedly, this is one of most clear points in this Upwork vs Fiverr review. The option of Upwork to bill clients on an hourly basis makes it the clear winner for such Freelance jobs, as its a whole easier for developers to charge by the hour rather than for a whole project. This way they get paid for any additional work and hours they put in to complete the job.
Bitcoin experts. From writing jobs to development of blockchain, Bitcoin experts have plenty of opportunities on the platform. You get the option to peruse through exactly what the client requires and bid for the job accordingly. During the interview phase, you can ask the client questions to determine exactly how much work is required to see if the job is worth your time or not.
Customer service and sales agents. Sales and support agents have the chance to charge per hour so they get paid for the time they put in. While Upwork does warn against outside communication, it isn’t completely banned on the platform. This makes training and communication between you and the client easier since it can be on other platforms.
Writers. Since writers have the chance to bid on jobs, they know exactly what kind of work they are bidding for. During the interview phase, they get a better idea of what is expected of them so they know whether or not to accept the offer when it is sent to them.

3. The Pros and Cons of Upwork

3.1 Pros

Bid for your work. Freelancers have the option to apply for jobs that they are interested in. This gives them some control of the type of work they get and also allows them to be proactive, hunting for jobs rather than waiting around.
Free of cost. Upwork is free to signup to and freelancers get 60 connects to bid for jobs, bidding for a job costs 2 connects.
Upwork Premium. As freelancers develop their profile on Upwork, they can opt for Upwork Premium which gives them added benefits of better support and job recommendations for no additional cost.
Commission structure. Upwork like most other freelancing platform deducts commissions from each job. However, it has a structure that rewards freelancers by reducing commission rate the more you work with a client. From $0-500 it deducts 20%, $500- 10,000 10% commission is taken, and $10,000 and above 5% is deducted from the overall price.
Client’s rating. When bidding for jobs, freelancers have the option of checking previous reviews of clients to see how freelancers that have worked with them rate their experience. This allows them to get a better understanding of the client and their work ethics.

3.2 Cons

Client’s platform. The number of freelancers on Upwork is more than twice the amount of jobs available. This puts clients at an advantage to select freelancers they want, which means that established freelancers have a higher chance of getting jobs over newer ones.
Account bans. Upwork holds the right to ban accounts on its platform without prior notice. While this rarely occurs, the fact that it can happen is a threat to freelancers.

4. What is Fiverr?

Established in 2010, Fiverr started off as a network where clients could hire freelancers to complete a project for five dollars. It has evolved drastically since as freelancers now can set their own prices. They can provide a diverse range of services from development to design. The site gets nearly 35 million views per month and is known to host almost 1 million transactions every month.

But is it really a good deal for you as a Freelancer? Let’s find out in the next section of our Upwork vs Fiverr review.

5. Should You Sell Your Services On Fiverr?

Fiverr is a platform that allows freelancers to create a profile along with a GIG to sell their services. The GIG is where you highlight the service that you want to offer. It gives freelancers the chance to show how they stand out compared to their competition. You do this by showcasing your top work which shows the type of service you can provide. You need to learn to market yourself properly if you want to engage buyers. On Fiverr there is no way to approach buyers, your GIG does all the selling. So unless you have a gig that attracts buyers, you won’t get a lot of work.

Fiverr is suitable for:

Logo designers or illustrators: Fiverr makes it easy for designers to communicate with clients. You have the option to give them a questionnaire where you can ask as many questions and details as you need prior to performing the service. It makes communication more efficient.
Writers: No matter what type of writing service you provide, you have the option to set your price and also provide buyers with the option for upgrades. You can set different prices depending on word limits and timeframe so you dictate the terms. Similar to designers, you can set the questions the buyer needs to answer to allow you to get a better understanding of what is required.
Voice Over actors: Due to the restricted scope of the Fiverr’s GIGs, Voice Over tasks are perfect for the platform. You get a script from the client and you deliver the result. Simply as that. You don’t need to spend time talking about unnecessary details.

6. The Pros and Cons of Fiverr

6.1 Pros

Free to use: You don’t have to pay a signup fee; the platform is free to use. You can set up your GIG once you have signed up selling your service to buyers.
Fiverr Pro: Fiverr pro gives you access to a higher professional environment and buyers that are serious about their work. You have better chances of making a long lasting relationship with buyers which means more work for you. Although joining Fiverr Pro is free, only experts in a field are accepted into the program.
Buyers approach you: The freelancer’s job is to create an attractive GIG and once they have mastered that, buyers will start contacting them directly. This means, they don’t have to go out hunting for jobs which can be a blessing but at the same time can be tough, explained in the cons.
Freelancers set the scope: As you advertise your services, you have the option to set the pricing along with extras (e.g., urgent delivery). This puts you in the driving seat of what the pay of the service should be.

6.2 Cons

Buyers approach you: While some may consider this a blessing, it can be a disaster. If you don’t have the GIG setup properly and don’t really know how to sell your service, chances are that not many buyers will approach you. Which means little to no work on the platform.
Commission: This is probably the worst disadvantage that you will find in this Upwork vs Fiverr review. Fiverr deducts 20% commission on each service rendered, regardless of the project’s size or the time you have been working with the same client. As we saw, Upwork has a commission structure per client instead and it reduces the more you work with them.

7. The Last Word on Upwork vs Fiverr

The debate of Upwork vs Fiverr is ongoing; the two have become the top 2 freelancing platforms. For freelancers, it is a matter of what you prefer.

If you are a go-getter and want to be able to control the types of jobs you get, then Upwork is a better option.

if you enjoy marketing your services or don’t want to spend time writing proposals, then Fiverr may be better suited for you.

However, if you are truly looking to earn money from freelancing by working full-time on it, then we recommend establishing yourself on both platforms. This way you are likely to get more work and reach out to a wider base of clientele.

We truly hope that this Upwork vs Fiverr review helped you to decide where you should publish your services on. Ultimately, it all depends on where you find most comfortable on, as each platform has its peculiarities.

Have a nice day! 🙂

Want to read more? Check out our Upwork Ultimate Guide!

Upwork vs Fiverr: An In-Depth Analysis (2022)