Best Freelance Websites for the Brand-New Freelancer

Landing jobs and finding clients can be one of the most challenging aspects of freelancing. When you’ve got bills to pay and food to put on the table, you can’t always sit around and wait for clients to come to you. Sometimes you’ve got to go out and find them! Luckily, freelance websites make it easier for freelancers to find new projects and even long-term clients. 

We’ll mostly touch on the best freelance websites you should know for finding work, but we also have some suggestions for websites that you can turn to for tips, advice, and giving your mind a break. 

For Finding Work

So where exactly do people go to find work as, say, a freelance artist or engineer? Websites like Upwork are platforms that seek to match businesses with freelancers best-suited to complete their specific projects. 

These websites are how millions of freelancers find clientele and make a living. They can be extremely helpful tools, especially at the beginning of your freelancing career. You’ll get the opportunity to build your portfolio and skills, which open you up for more work in the future. Even if you prefer not to rely solely on them, they can still be a great way to pick up new projects here and there when business is slow.

Upwork

While most job sites mingle full-time and part-time work, Upwork is where companies go to post jobs specifically for freelancers. People across many industries – including web and software development, design, marketing, sales, customer support, writing, and more – can find work with Upwork. One of the perks of this site is the opportunity to work with more complex projects and build long-term relationships with potential clients.

Fiverr

Fiverr connects freelancers and businesses in over 250 different categories, meaning that even if you have a specific niche, you can likely find work in it here. Here, freelancers have the opportunity to show businesses completed projects, letting them take out the guesswork of what quality of work they can expect to see from a freelancer. From writing jobs to graphic design projects, no task is too big (or too small) for the Fiverr community.

Toptal

This website pre-vets its freelancers, allowing top-tier talent in software development, design, finance, product management, and project management to find gigs with more prominent clients. While the clients and work are certainly lucrative, Toptal does have a robust screening process, meaning it probably isn’t the best option for those starting out. 

PeoplePerHour

Over 2.5 million freelancers have taken advantage of PeoplePerHour, making it one of the most popular freelance websites out there. Like Fiverr, PeoplePerHour isn’t limited to just a few industries, helping freelancers in all sectors find work.

CloudPeeps

If you’re a freelancer in content marketing, public relations, web development, design, or the virtual assistance space, be sure to add CloudPeeps to your list of websites. Businesses can find freelancers on a per-project basis or for ongoing work. Though CloudPeep is smaller than some other sites, they still have matched freelancers with notable clients like Airbnb, Virgin America, Lyft, and more.

Guru

Guru is a general freelance marketplace where people can find work in writing, programming, web development, translation, and more. Some of the most significant benefits to Guru are it’s viewable feedback scores, overall cost-effectiveness, and payment options. 

Remember, this is by no means an exhaustive list of freelancing websites out there. Be sure to look for job boards that are specific to your area of expertise. 

For Tips and Advice

Finding work is essential, but sometimes you may have questions about other areas of freelancing. These can include managing your finances, working remotely, or learning the practices for staying productive. The following websites are great resources to check in on every so often for tips and advice.

NerdWallet

Managing your finances can be hard enough as it is, but throw in unpredictable income flow, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster if you’re not careful. NerdWallet has a plethora of articles on personal finances, helping you make the right money moves. Start with their guide to freelancer taxes and explore on your own.

Being Freelance

Read about others who have been there and done that with Being Freelance. On this website, you’ll find a ton of helpful blogs written for every type of freelancer. The search feature allows you to find articles on just about any topic if you have a specific question. You can also browse recent submissions for inspiration and general advice.

Small Business Trends

Looking for some general advice on running a business? Small Business Trends is a wealth of information from topics ranging like marketing, management, technology, and finance. They also have a resource section filled with nifty guides, FAQs, and more on a variety of business topics.

The United States Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration has a ton of great resources on their website, including guides on how to plan, launch, manage, and grow a business. Dealing with business registration, taxes, and other legal aspects of freelancing can be one of the more intimidating elements, but the SBA does an excellent job of breaking it down in layman’s terms. And since it’s a government website, you’ll be getting the most important information straight from the source. 

Just For Fun

Part of the reason people choose to work as a freelancer is to better align their lifestyle with their career. These sites offer a great balance of work humor and general freelance lifestyle trends.

Clients from Hell

There are clients that you’ll love as freelancers and some that can become your worst nightmare. Clients from Hell showcases the best of the best (or, rather, worst of the worst) horrible client stories from anonymous submissions. It’s an excellent site to browse if you need a little reminder that you’re not alone in the big world of freelancing.

AP Oddities

Staying up-to-date with news is essential— even if it’s goofy news. AP Oddities is here to give you a little laugh with interesting, weird, and bizarre stories from around the world.

Conclusion

Freelancing websites are used by fresh freelancers, seasoned professionals, and everyone in between. They can be especially helpful at the beginning of your career to land short-term gigs while you seek out more long term clients. They’ll help expand your portfolio and provide an experience that will allow you to land bigger and better clients down the line.