Freelancing is an incredible way to earn a living or start a side hustle to supplement your regular income. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are working from home, and there has never been an easier time to start freelancing online.
However, there is a lot of information overload when it comes to starting a side hustle. Many articles and resources exist on building a profitable side hustle or picking up a part-time weekend job for extra cash. However, sometimes you need more guidance. This article will discuss the best sites to join for online freelance work.
What is Freelancing?
Freelancing is essentially working for yourself. Instead of being tied to an employer for a specific contract or undetermined length of time, you are self-employed and committed to your own business. Freelancers work for themselves rather than a company. Freelancers might take on long-term contracts or employment opportunities from various companies, but ultimately, they remain self-employed. Freelancers usually create their own hours and decide which projects they want to take on.
What Kinds of Jobs Are Available on Freelance Sites?
There are many different types of freelance jobs available online, but some of them are more lucrative than others. Some of the most popular fields for online freelance work include copywriting, editing, graphic design, web design, and UX/UI design. However, you can do virtually anything online as a freelancer, including teaching English, transcribing audio files, and more! The sites we will be talking about in this article have a variety of opportunities available for online freelancers.
How Much Money Can You Make Freelancing?
As a freelancer, you control your income. Since you make your own hours and charge what you want, the cap on freelancing income is virtually limitless. One of the great things about freelance work is that you get better at your craft as time goes on. This will allow you to take on more clients and search for more work. And obviously, the more work you can do, the more money you will make.
Some people do freelancing work as a side hustle to supplement their primary income. However, many end up quitting their “day jobs” to pursue freelancing full-time.
Do I Need to Have A Lot of Experience to Start Freelancing?
Not necessarily. Depending on the type of work you want to do, you can learn as you go along. While it can help tremendously to have a background in the kind of freelance work you want to do, you don’t need to be an expert in the field you wish to enter. While you may not get as many gigs at first with little experience, you will eventually build your empire!
5 Best Sites to Join for Freelancing
In the next section, we will discuss five of the best sites to find freelance gigs and get paid for your work. You can join any or all of these sites to find a multitude of gigs. There is no one-size-fits-all with freelancing platforms. Depending on your skills and line of work, some will likely be better a better fit than others. Try them out, explore them, and find what works best for you! There are unlimited opportunities available, so don’t be afraid to pour some time into all your possible options.
1. Fiverr
Fiverr is a global online freelance marketplace founded in 2010 in Tel Aviv, Israel. The Fiverr platform connects freelancers to clients seeking services. On Fiverr, you can sign up as a freelancer or a buyer and be connected with writers, designers, artists, photographers, and more! As a freelancer on the site, you set your own prices and parameters for the projects you want to take on, having complete control of your timeline and connecting with customers. In addition, on Fiverr, you can make listings to sell virtually any freelancing service you want!
2. Upwork
Upwork is a freelancing platform started in 2013 in California. While Fiverr is a platform that connects freelancers directly to individual customers, Upwork is designed to connect freelancers with companies and businesses that need contract work. Upwork is preferred by many freelancers for longer-term contract projects, while Fiverr might be better for quick individual gigs. On Upwork, clients set their hourly pay with freelancers, and they might go through multiple potential candidates to find the right one for the job. As a freelancer on Upwork, you send proposals for available opportunities and try to get hired from there.
3. TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit is a different kind of freelance site that connects people with services. It’s the perfect platform if you need a handyperson, plumber, repair man, mover, furniture assembler, etc. But it’s also ideal for those who offer service-related work. TaskRabbit might be the right freelance platform for you if you prefer working with your hands in the service industry. On TaskRabbit, you can post what you do, your work schedule, and your geographical area. Then, customers can request you for a job. On average, TaskRabbit freelancers make $36 an hour, but you can earn up to $60 or more depending on the task.
4. 99Designs
99Designs is one of the most popular sites for freelance graphic designers to find work online. 99Designs acts as a middleman between designers and their clients, allowing you to set your own rates as a designer and only take on the projects you want to work on. On 99Designs, you will create your own design profile to showcase the kind of work you can do for potential clients. Then, clients can find you on the site using different filters and reach out to you directly. From there, you can accept or deny various projects based on what you have time for or want to do.
5. Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com is one of the most inclusive sites for freelancers, as they have job opportunities in more than 1800 categories. These include translation, web design, coding, public relations, illustration, content writing, marketing, and many more. Freelancer.com has a workforce of over 50 million people, so while there might be some competition, there is no shortage of freelance work opportunities. On this site, clients post projects for freelancers to bid on. But you’ll need to be fast—most projects start getting bids within 60 seconds.
Should I Start Freelancing?
If you have wanted to find a way to supplement your current income or perhaps even switch career paths entirely, freelancing could be the way to go. Start by choosing what kind of work you want to do. Then begin building a portfolio of experience.
Don’t get discouraged if you join a site and don’t get any work. Keep trying, find another site, and circle back around later. New freelance opportunities are constantly popping up on the web, so while you may think the freelance market is diluted, there is no shortage of work.
