How to Start Selling on Freelancer.com
Best for competitive bidders across all industries
Freelancer.com is one of the largest freelance marketplaces with 70M+ users. It runs on a bidding system — clients post projects and freelancers bid. It covers virtually every category but is highly price-competitive.
Seller Fees
10% on projects, 20% on contests
Avg Earnings
$300–$2,000/mo for active freelancers
Difficulty
medium
First Sale
1–3 weeks
Best For
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓Huge volume of posted projects (thousands daily)
- ✓Covers nearly every category
- ✓Contest system for creative work
- ✓Milestone-based payments protect both sides
- ✓Free plan available (limited bids)
Cons
- ✗Very price-competitive (race to the bottom)
- ✗Bid limits on free accounts (8/mo)
- ✗Lots of low-quality clients and spam projects
- ✗Membership fees for premium features ($29.95/mo)
- ✗UI feels dated compared to Fiverr/Upwork
Getting Started on Freelancer.com
Create a free account
Sign up and complete your profile with skills, portfolio, and a professional photo.
Tip: Verify your identity early — verified freelancers win 2x more bids.
Take skill exams
Complete free skill exams to earn badges. Clients filter by exam results.
Tip: Take exams in your top 3 skills. Passing scores show on your profile.
Start bidding on projects
Use your 8 free monthly bids wisely. Write personalized proposals and bid competitively.
Tip: Bid on projects posted in the last 2 hours with fewer than 10 bids.
Deliver and collect reviews
Complete milestones on time and request reviews. Your rating directly affects bid visibility.
Tip: Consider upgrading to a paid plan once you're consistently winning bids.
Pro Tips
Upgrade to Plus ($29.95/mo) for 100 bids/month if you're serious
Use the contest section for quick creative wins
Focus on niche categories where competition is lower
Avoid projects with unrealistic budgets — they usually mean trouble
What You Can Sell on Freelancer.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Freelancer.com better than Fiverr?
Different models. Fiverr is gig-based (buyers come to you), Freelancer.com is bid-based (you go to buyers). Fiverr is easier to start; Freelancer.com has more project variety but higher competition.
Do you need a paid plan?
The free plan gives you 8 bids/month — enough to test the platform. If you're winning bids, the Plus plan ($29.95/mo) for 100 bids is worth it.
Some clients prefer to DIY
Not every client will hire on Freelancer.com. Some try to do it themselves using free or low-cost tools. Knowing what they use helps you explain why your work delivers better results.
Canva Pro
$12.99/mo (free tier)
Figma
$15/mo (free tier)
Claude (Anthropic)
$20/mo (free tier)