8 Best Freelancing Websites To Find Work In 2022

So you want to get started on freelancing but don’t know where to look for clients? Today we are going to go through the best freelancing websites to find work in 2022! We’ve covered a number of different freelancing platforms in depth, but if you are just getting started here is a quick overview of the top freelancing sites of 2022.

Which website is best for Freelancing?

You want to find the perfect resource to launch or grow your freelancing career. The problem? Every month a variety of new freelancing platforms are getting their start. How do you know which one is the best for you? Here is our updated list of the best freelancing websites of 2022!

1. Upwork

Upwork has become a household name in the freelancing world, and for good reason. It generally provides you with the best of everything: high-quality clients looking for serious work, various methods of charging clients, a wide range of work categories, and an easy-to-use website.

Upwork is truly one of the best freelancing websites in the classic sense. You can post the kind of work you do and have employers connect with you, or reach out directly to clients about some work they need done. It is possible to charge hourly or per project. You can find projects with a long timeline and large pay, or work on a variety of small projects. It also has pretty much any category of work that a freelancer could be interested in doing.

If Upwork sparks your interest but you aren’t sure if it is the right platform for you, head over to check out our in-depth Upwork review and comparison articles.

2. Fiverr

What really sets Fiverr apart is the platform’s gig-based system. While Upwork creates and environment where freelancers have to be pretty proactive about connecting with potential clients, Fiverr allows you to post “gigs” and have clients come to you. Whether you want to design album covers, create content calendars or code websites, you can post and pre-price your work on Fiverr. Clients then browse through gigs and contact you to get work done.

Fiverr can be a great way to gain experience and build up your portfolio if you are just getting started. One reason why Fiverr is beginner-friendly is that it allows you to start at a low price point and then charge more as time goes on and you gain good reviews.

If Fiverr sounds like it might be the right option for you, feel free to checkout our Fiverr review and platform comparisons where we cover the platform in more detail.

3. Toptal

Toptal sets itself apart from its competitors by focusing on quality over quantity. It has an intensive vetting process for both freelancers and potential clients. Toptal also only focuses on a small set of work categories, unlike Fiverr and Upwork which have opportunities for all types of freelancers.

Toptal has made a name for itself being one of the best freelancing websites for experienced professionals.

Of course, this does mean that there is quite the vetting process. It can take many weeks to make it through Toptal’s interview process and only about 3% of freelancers get accepted on the platform. It’s not only freelancers who are judged, though! Only 5% of potential clients are accepted to post on the platform. Toptal is setting out to work only in connecting highly skilled freelancers with high-paying clients.

If you are curious about Toptal, consider checking out our platform review as well as comparison articles. This is another platform we have covered in depth!

4. Freelancer

Freelancer is another well-known option. Unlike Fiverr’s gig-based system, Freelancer.com operates primarily around clients posting jobs and freelancers applying for them. One of the downsides of Freelancer.com is that the things you can do on it with a free account are extremely limited. Also, it’s super competitive to land a job. It’s not unusual for postings to have dozens of bids made within minutes of going up. This can be an upside for clients who are looking for the cheapest freelancers, but for freelancers it can result in lowering your rate in an effort to be competitive.

It’s not only downsides, though. One of the major upsides of Freelancer.com is the variety of work categories they have. They venture into areas like shipping logistics and supply chain management projects that sites like Upwork and Fiverr don’t have. If your expertise is in one of Freelancers special categories, it might be a good choice for you.

Freelancer is free to use at first and it might be worth checking out. If you want to learn more about this platform, it’s another one we’ve already covered in depth. Check out our platform review to learn more about it.

5. Designhill

As the name suggests, this platform specifically targets designers. It also has a unique take on connecting freelancers and clients. Designhill allows employers to create contests in order to find the right freelancer for them. Freelancers submit entries and the companies select the best ones to work with.

Now, this method of connecting clients can be pretty controversial. After all, instead of simply applying for a job, it essentially requires you to do the work for free without getting paid. However, if you are just looking to break into the market it could be a good opportunity. If you are absolutely brand-new in design freelancing, creating work for these contests could be a good way to build up your portfolio and skillset while also having the chance at landing some paid work.

Think about it like this: if you go to university for graphic design, you are basically going to be doing the same thing. You’ll be given assignments and create work for free in order to learn skills and build up your portfolio. Designhill could give you the same experience without the cost…in fact, you might even get paid.

You can also connect with companies directly on the website without entering a contest. Employeers can use the search bar to find freelancers and reach out to them directly.

6. We Work Remotely

We Work Remotely is different than your traditional freelancer platform because it basically functions as a job board. Employeers post their jobs and you can apply directly to each one. There is no place for employers to browse freelancers.

A lot of the jobs on this board are more long-term and stable compared to what you would find on other remote work websites. Also, they tend to be fairly high-paying. Employers have to pay a fee of $299 to post a job, which weeds out any cheap employers. These jobs are high-paying and typically demand a high-skilled worker. There is lots of engineering work on the site, and it’s definitely not the place for someone who is still learning the ropes of their niche. Still, if the part of freelancing that is the most important to you is the remote work aspect, this could be a good option for finding some stable, high-paying job options.

7. FlexJobs

Just like the name suggests, FlexJobs is one of the best freelancing websites that allows you to search for jobs that offer flexibility. This is a huge part of what many freelancers are looking for: flexibility of location, hours, and workload.

Some of the employers that post on FlexJobs are quiet big names as well. They have companies like Apple, Perason, Xerox, United Healthcare, Della and Capital One, just to name a few.

This platform is quite similar to We Work Remotely. You do have to pay to use it, though. It cost $9.95 to use for one week, and $20.95 for one month. There are can be some amazing job postings on FlexJobs, but considering the amount of free options out there for freelancers, this one comes in last on our list.

8. LinkedIn

This isn’t technically a freelancing website, but it can be a great resource for finding freelancing jobs. Many freelancers use their LinkedIn as a digital portfolio they can direct potential clients to. You can put work examples up and write a compelling description of your freelance services.

There are a multitude of different ways you can find work through LinkedIn. One way is to browse the job postings. Many of them are for full time work, but there are also plenty of short-term freelance projects as well.

Another way you can find clients on LinkedIn is by contacting them directly. While traveling as a digital nomad, I met a British gentleman who had gotten all of his video editing clients through this method. He searched out over a hundred businesses and emailed them with his portfolio, letting them know he was available to do work. Ever since he has had a steady stream of work.

Is Upwork better than Fiverr?

Because these two websites are the most predominant freelancing platforms of 2022, many people ask about which one to choose. If you want a detailed analysis comparing these two platforms, go ahead and check out our comparison article on them. However the bottom line is: you don’t have to choose! Because both of them are free and easy to get set up on, it is totally possible to use both from the very beginning. If one performs better for you than another, go with that option. They are both great resources so it is worth trying them out.

Which freelancing job is best for beginners?

This is also a common question we get when people are researching the best freelancing platform. Because certain platforms focus on certain niches (like Toptal), figuring out what niche you want to go into might affect which platform you use.

Which type of freelancing work is best for you depends on a number of factors, like your skillset and what you want to get out of freelancing. Consider checking out our article, “What Is Freelancing?” for information on how to pick the best freelancing job for you. Also, checking out our article on easy online jobs might give you some ideas for the type of work you want to go into.

Best Freelancing Websites: The Bottom Line

New platforms are constantly coming into the market to facilitate freelancing work. After all, more and more people are looking for flexible and remote work. Companies are constantly being created to try to facilitate those economic exchanges!

We’ve already covered some of the most traditional freelancing platforms in depth, like Fiverr, Upwork, Toptal and Freelancer. But as you can see from today’s article, there are many other options for finding the work you want. If you just want flexibility and remote work, it isn’t necessary to eliminate more traditional jobs. Long-term projects can be a great way to get both flexibility and stability out of your online work.