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% (or $5 minimum, whichever is greater) on both projects and 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 (Basic $4.99/mo, Plus $9.99/mo, Professional $49/mo, Premier $99/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 ($9.99/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 roughly 8 bids/month (one every 90 hours) — enough to test the platform. If you're winning bids, the Plus plan ($9.99/mo) for 100 bids is worth it. There are two higher tiers too — Professional ($49/mo, 300 bids) and Premier ($99/mo, 1,500 bids) — aimed at agencies, not solo freelancers just starting out.
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)
Ready to start on Freelancer.com?
Create your account and start earning.
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