However, with various freelance websites, knowing which platform to choose can be difficult. The right website makes it easy to find freelancers so you can focus on your business and save more time. But how do you know which one is right?
In this article, we’ll highlight the best freelance websites to help you easily find top talents.
The best freelance websites to hire freelancers in Nigeria and around the world are;
- Expaat
- Toptal
- Fiverr
- Upwork
- Freelancer.com
- PeoplePerHour
- Guru
- Dribbble
- Behance
- 99Designs
- FreeUp
- Truelancer
1. Expaat
Expaat is a freelance website connecting clients with the top 5% freelancers in Nigeria and worldwide. Whether you’re searching for a software developer, designer, research analyst, digital marketer, or copywriter, you’ll find top global talents in these fields on Expaat.
As a client, you can start by going to expaat.co and clicking the “Hire an Expert” button to hire top freelance talents on Expaat. Freelancers on Expaat are vetted and skilled so you are 100% assured of the quality of work you’re getting.
You can hire talents for both long-term and short-term projects. And if there’s a need to work with these talents physically, Expaat provides a solution.
Pros
- Expaat attracts the top 5% of freelancers in Nigeria and around the world, so you work with only the best of talents.
- There is little to no dissatisfaction from working with freelancers on Expaat.
- The hiring process takes less than 48 hours to complete.
- There are no hidden fees when hiring talents on Expaat
- Expaat charges 0% commission fees from freelancers.
Cons
- Expaat’s talent marketplace is highly competitive, as clients are constantly in search of top freelancers to work with.
Pricing
Signing up on Expaat is free, with no hidden charges or commissions.
Want to work with the top 5% freelancers and save more time on projects? Sign up on Expaat today.
2. Toptal
Toptal connects top talents to top global organizations in need of their services. They work with highly skilled global talents with previous work experience in companies like SpaceX, AirBnB, Facebook, and more. Companies looking for talents in software development, product management, design, finance, project management, and more highly benefit from TopTal.
Unlike other platforms, Toptal has a rigorous process for vetting and approving talents on its platform. This ensures you only work with highly skilled talents for your project.
Pros
- Attracts the world’s best organizations looking to work with top talents in various skills
- There’s a 100% guarantee of skillset, as there are thorough vetting processes in place.
- Freelancers receive payments through different channels such as Payoneer, Paypal, or direct local bank transfers.
- Offers customized project delivery and team membership for projects
- Ideal for businesses looking for talents for serious, large-scale projects only.
Cons
- Not all freelancers make it to the final stage
- Only ideal for large companies or big projects.
Pricing
Prices vary depending on the skillset you are hiring. However, expect to pay between $80 to $200 per hour to hire a freelancer.
3. Fiverr
Fiverr makes it easy to find freelancers and get work done two times faster. They have over 700 categories featuring freelancers from all around the world and offer a clear pricing plan that helps you save more while working with the best talents.
On Fiverr, there are no hourly rates, you only pay a talent per project, and payments are released when you approve, keeping you in charge of everything.
Hiring is also easy. All you have to do is go through the category of freelance talent and select a talent whose services are the right fit.
Pros
- Fiverr is a renowned platform for hiring skilled freelancers
- The platform offers freelancer reviews. This saves you time in deciding who to work with.
- Has a mobile app that allows you to manage your freelancers on the go.
Cons
- Fiverr charges a 5.5% service fee for payments made on its platform.
- Freelancers are charged a 20% commission on all completed jobs. To curb this cost, talents include a 20% commission in their rates, resulting in a higher expense for clients.
Pricing
Fiverr charges a 5.5% commission on every buyer purchase.
4. Upwork
Upwork is a talent marketplace where clients hire freelancers for various jobs. From design to software development, accounting, IT, copywriting, SEO specialist, etc, you can find all these talents and more on Upwork.
There are three ways to hire talents on Upwork: Post a job and hire freelancers from the Talent Marketplace, browse the Project Catalog and take your pick, or use Talent Scout to get help from a recruiter to find the right talents.
You can choose whichever methods work best for you, as all three allow you to check previous work samples and client reviews before deciding who to hire.
Pros
- You can easily hire freelancers for various types of projects.
- Upwork attracts clients from around the world, offering freelancers a variety of projects at competitive hourly rates.
Cons
- There is a lengthy talent selection process with heavy service fees.
- New talents may find it difficult to get jobs as the marketplace is highly competitive.
Pricing
When you hire a talent on Upwork, you pay a 5% Client Marketplace Fee
5. LinkedIn
LinkedIn, a popular social networking site is also one of the best websites to hire freelancers online. While the site doesn’t have a dedicated structure for handling freelance talent, it’s a great place to see and work with top freelancers in various industries.
Hiring is also super easy as all you have to do is create a profile and showcase your experience, work history, and projects. Luckily, LinkedIn allows you to add a “Hiring” photo frame to your profile picture so top talents who match your requirements can easily apply for the role.
Pros
- Easy way to hire freelancers, contract workers, or remote workers
- Can network with top professionals in your industry.
Cons
- No system for managing freelancers on the platform.
- Due to the large number of users, it may be difficult to find the right talent.
Pricing
Hiring freelancers on LinkedIn is Free.
6. PeoplePerHour
If you want to hire freelancers and pay them hourly, People Per Hour is a great place to start. Whether it's marketing, public relations, IT, software development, etc..there’s a freelancer for you on People Per Hour.
The website utilizes AI for precision matching, ensuring that the details of your project match the services of freelancers. Once a match is found, the talent submits a proposal and you get to pick the right fit.
Pros
- Attracts freelancers from across the globe
- You don’t have to pay completely until the project is done to your satisfaction.
Cons
Some users complain of hidden charges on checkout.
Pricing
PeoplePerHour charges 10% of the total amount to be paid.
7. Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com is another platform exclusively for freelancers. The platform connects freelancers with various expertise to clients in need of their services. From design to marketing gigs, copywriting, SEO, and more, you can find various freelance gigs even in multiple languages.
Unlike other platforms, Freelancer.com offers freelancers more opportunities to develop their skills through regular contests. Winners get to win extra cash and add these projects to their portfolios, thereby enhancing their potential to get hired.
Pros
- A live chat feature to enable you directly communicate with freelancers on your team
- 24/7 support to handle all your concerns.
Cons
- There’s an increasing number of fake freelancers.
- The interface is slightly harder to navigate.
Pricing
Freelancer is free to use for freelancers. However, the platform charges 10% of your earnings for fixed projects and contests or $5.00, whichever is greater, and 10% for hourly projects.
8. Guru
Guru’s unique advantage is that it is a cost-effective platform to hire freelancers for your work needs. The platform caters to global talents who are experts in project management, design, and more. You can hire freelancers for both long or short-term projects, and depending on your budget.
The hiring process is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is sign up, publish your job listing, receive proposals, and select which client to work with. The website offers a SafePay protection which ensures that freelancers receive their payments only after the work is approved.
Pros
- 100% cashback on the 2.9% handling fee when you pay an invoice with eCheck or wire transfer.
- A SafePay protection that ensures you get high-quality work without losing money
Cons
- Risk of working with fake applicants & clients
- Has no mobile app for managing freelancers on the go.
Pricing:
Hiring freelancers on Guru is free.
9. Dribbble
Dribbble is a graphics design freelance website mainly for hiring creatives, artists, and designers. Whether you’re hiring for a full-time, part-time, or freelance role, using Dribbble is a sure way to save more time and work with top-quality designers across the globe. Over 60,000 companies have used Dribbble to find the perfect designer for their projects.
Hiring is also seamless. Post a job, search for designers, or browse millions of designs shared by the community to find the perfect style for your needs.
Pros
- The site is renowned for having the best graphics design freelancers around the world.
- It offers helpful features like powerful search and filtering and unlimited messages to help you manage your freelancers.
Cons
- Freelance jobs are only offered to users with a Pro account.
- Beginning designers may have difficulty getting accepted to use the site.
Pricing
Dribbble offers a job board plan for $5/day where you can post your listing or a $10/day Hiring Suite plan which gives you access to their vetted community of top designers ready to be hired.
10. Behance
Behance, popularly known to be a portfolio website for creatives, is also a website to hire freelance designers and creatives online. Talents such as photographers, creative designers, product designers, animators, etc. use Behance to showcase their work and apply for gigs.
Global clients also come to Behance to hire top creative clients. As you scroll through your feed, you’ll see various content from creatives. Once you see something you like, reach out to the creator and set up a meeting to discuss your requirements or send an email. It’s pretty easy.
Pros
- A hub for top creative talent across the globe.
- Hiring a talent is easy as it depends on the quality of work shared.
Cons
- Highly competitive, especially for beginners
- There’s a 50MB limit on file size to be uploaded.
Pricing
Behance charges a platform free for both freelancers and clients depending on the total amount of the project.
11. 99Designs
99Designs is a website for skilled freelance designers. With over 90 design skill sets, you can find whatever type of designer you need.
Hiring is in three steps; first, create a brief to help designers understand what you need. After this step, there are two options, the platform helps you find a designer with the right skills you need or you turn your brief into a contest, i.e.: make it open to their design community. Designers will submit their ideas, while you pick your favorite design.
Pros
- The site caters to freelance designers
- You can leverage the design community to get the best work.
Cons
- The platform fees are high compared to other sites
- New designers on the platform may not get the opportunity to be hired as they are all given a designer level.
Pricing
-
Clients pay a 5% platform fee in addition to project costs while freelancers pay various fees depending on their levels.
12. FreeUp
FreeUp approaches hiring freelancers a little differently. Freelancers here are pre-vetted, ensuring you only work with the top 1% across various industries. This Top 1% are those with extensive experience, skillset, and the right attitude. To see you only work with top-quality talents, FreeUp recruits, interviews, and vets hundreds of US and international freelancers each week for their skills, communication, and attitude. Only those who succeed are allowed into the platform.
Hiring on FreeUp is easy: Sign up and post a job listing, FreeUp connects you with the perfect match for your needs. This is not final, as you can have a meeting with the matched talent to ensure they’re the right fit.
Pros
- Billing is automatic. You just have to review the hours worked and payments will be made.
- You can hire a talent in 24 hrs.
Cons
- Rates start from $5 to $75 per hour.
- Freelancers are categorized in levels and priced accordingly
Pricing
FreeUp is free to use. But all services come with various fixed prices.
13. Truelancer
Truelancer is a freelance marketplace that connects top-rated freelancers to clients in need of them. With a talent pool of primarily Indians and Africans, Truelancer is a place to get your work done at the best quality while saving costs. The site offers great features for managing and communicating with freelancers seamlessly.
The hiring process is also in three steps: Sign up and post a job stating clearly your needs, receive proposals from freelancers in the community, pick the right fit, discuss directly with the talents, and kickstart your project.
Pros
- Leverage AI for smart hiring
- Truelancer’s Security Deposit guarantees a refund if expectations aren’t fulfilled.
- You only release funds on 100% satisfaction.
Cons
- The free plan comes with lots of limited functionality like the number of proposals, etc.
- Competition can be tough, especially for new freelancers
How to Choose the Right Freelance Website For Hiring
Lots of freelance websites make it easy for you to hire freelancers from any part of the world. However, with so many options, it can be difficult to know which option is best. Here are some important factors to consider when choosing the right freelance website.
1. Quality of freelancers
While lots of platforms promise you access to top freelancers, everything is not usually as it seems. Check reviews, ratings, and portfolios to gauge the skill levels and reliability of the freelancers. The best sites are widely known to have the best freelancers who deliver work on time, meet expectations, and require minimal revisions.
2. Service fees
Before you commit to any site, it’s important to understand the fees associated with each platform. These fees can be a percentage of the freelancer’s rate or a fixed amount. For example, Expaat has no commission/service fees while Upwork charges a 5% Client Marketplace Fee.
3. Industry Variety
Choose a platform that offers a wide range of industry expertise. Whether you need graphic design, writing, programming, or marketing, a site with diverse skills can help you find the right freelancer for your project.
4. Payment methods
Common payment options include credit/debit cards, bank transfers, and online payment systems like PayPal. Some platforms may also accept cryptocurrency. Multiple payment options provide convenience and flexibility for both you and the freelancers.
5. Terms and conditions
Always review the terms and conditions of a freelance site before registering. The best freelance sites have terms that protect both you and the freelancer, helping both parties understand their rights and responsibilities.
Hire The Best Freelancers Easily
To save more time on hiring and get your jobs completed in time, working with freelancers is the best way to go. It’s even easier now with various sites available, but you’ll still have to put in the work to get the best out of any platform you choose.
Luckily, Expaat is here to help you with the hiring process. From helping you find the perfect match to onboarding them on your team, we make it easy to find and hire the best freelancers globally.
Don’t agree? Sign up on Expaat and see how easy it is to hire and work with freelancers in Nigeria and across the globe.
