No official office hours or micromanagers, nor toxic coworkers or traffic to work. Could a workspace be that easy? Sometimes we can only hope, some other times we can do better, we “freelance” because it provides more freedom to us workers. Where do we do freelance? Plenty of websites provide the space for freelancers to apply for a gig or two. Find the best freelance work websites for beginners below!
Key Takeaway
According to USAFacts, in 2025, the unemployment rate reached 4.2% in the US, not so different from the previous year. Plenty of people still have limited ways to see where money comes from, while these days it’s actually pretty easy to get additional cash from freelancing. These are the best freelancing websites for beginners that are worth checking out.
Upwork is one of the biggest freelancing platforms worldwide. It provides a massive client base and is trusted by a wide range of clients, from top and global companies. This platform covers almost every single work department.
It also pays well, as well as providing the option to charge projects per hour. However, the downside of this website would be its high competition and high administration/operational fees (can be steep, up to 10%).
Also Read: 10 Best Apps for Freelancers to Boost Productivity
As one of the best freelance work websites for beginners, they call their projects gigs, and are paid approximately $5 but can go higher depending on the task itself. It is said that Fiverr is popular for design projects, voiceover, marketing, content, editorials, and other creative work. Unfortunately, this website takes a 20% cut of the commission (insanely high) and is highly competitive.
Just like the name, it is a general freelancing marketplace. It is in the same category as Upwork, but the older type. It offers both projects and contests. You can find numerous jobs posted daily, which would be your way to showcase your skills.
However, you have to be aware that they take 10% per project (with many low-paying gigs), and its interface is outdated.
As the opposite of Fiverr, Toptal is all about premium. It’s a premium network for the top 3% of talent, including developers, designers, and other experts. It offers very high pay rates, access to top global companies (like Airbnb, Shopify, etc.), and less competition once you get accepted.
But be aware that the process to be accepted into Toptal takes a while. It includes tests, interviews, and long recruitment steps. It is also for selected professionals and is not so beginner-friendly.
Guru is another platform for freelancers. It offers gigs for IT, writing, design, and admin jobs. This platform has a daily job-matching system with payment flexibility (whether you are comfortable being paid hourly, per task, or per milestone, you decide). It also has a workroom feature so you can communicate smoothly.
But remember that Guru still takes service fees (5–9%). It is also a smaller platform than the others in this article, which also explains why their UI is outdated.
Thumbtack is a platform that connects freelancers professionally with local clients. It’s especially strong in categories like home improvement, event planning, wellness, and personal services. Freelancers can set their own prices and build a strong client base locally.
However, the downside is that freelancers often need to pay for leads upfront (even if they don’t land the job), and competition can be intense in popular categories.
Also Read: Learn How to Create a Freelance Portfolio in Just 7 Steps
99designs (by Vista) is best known as one of the best freelance work websites for beginners and for graphic design (logos, branding, and packaging). It also offers contest-style jobs, which give you a chance to showcase your portfolio. However, it doesn’t guarantee payment, so you have to keep that in mind.
DesignCrowd is similar to 99designs but provides more creative categories such as logos, T-shirts, and advertising. It offers a wide range of design work and clients from many industries. DesignCrowd gives opportunities in the form of contest projects. Unfortunately, this method of opportunity is risky because of high unpaid effort.
FlexJobs is known for being scam-free. However, it is not as big a platform as Upwork. It is also not a direct marketplace; instead, you apply to companies. It covers many professional fields, with curated jobs to ensure legitimacy, and offers not only freelance but also remote jobs. Unfortunately, it requires a paid membership, which is quite high ($14.95/month).
TaskRabbit is a local services marketplace (for moving, furniture assembly, cleaning, errands, etc.). It offers a good opportunity to do offline freelance work, with decent pay per task. It is also easy to get clients locally. However, it is impractical for online freelancers, and it takes a pretty big service fee (15% per task).
It is a free-to-apply, large job search engine that includes freelance gigs. It has a huge database of jobs, and the pay can be negotiated. But SimplyHired has a reputation for offering lower-quality freelance jobs in comparison to Upwork/Fiverr.
Also Read: 5+ Accurate and Best Invoicing Software for Freelancers
Workana is among the best freelance work websites for beginners, focusing on startups and businesses. It offers a broad range of gigs (IT, writing, design, admin). Unfortunately, it pays lower than global platforms and has smaller international visibility.
Outsourcely is a remote working and freelance platform that requires no commission fees. It focuses on long-term, stable work and provides direct communication with employers. The only downside would be the fact that it’s a smaller platform, therefore it offers fewer opportunities than the rest.
Want to start but don’t want to commit? Try Hubstaff, because it’s completely free without fees. While it’s good for developers, marketers, and designers, it is a smaller platform, so it offers fewer jobs, meaning you really have to stand out through self-promotion.
It is a popular job board with high-quality remote jobs, not just freelance. We Work Remotely is filled with many startups and established clients, and trusted by big companies like Google and Amazon. It is more suitable for experienced professionals; hence it is more of a job board platform than a freelance marketplace.
LinkedIn is a very popular professional networking website worldwide. You can research companies you want to work with, pinpoint the decision-makers, and send targeted, cold LinkedIn messages that spark conversations. It is also a marketplace for freelancers to find the job they want. The only thing less attractive about it would be its high traffic competition.
Also Read: 5 Efficient Time Tracking Software for Freelancers
Well, you decide. Every platform provides its own benefits and downsides. Make sure that you choose the platform that not only gives you ease but also offers you a space to grow and experience from project to project.
Freelancing offers flexibility and growth, whether as a side job or full-time career. Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com are beginner-friendly but competitive, while niche sites such as Toptal or 99designs reward specialized skills. The best website is the one that matches your skills, goals, and experience.
Many of these freelancing websites focus on creative work, but the competition is immense. As a designer, you have to stand out personally to win deals. When it comes to typography, Stringlabs offers various fonts tailored for designing professional resumes, portfolios, and branding materials. Make your brand and win your freelance, with Stringlabs’s distinctive typography solutions.
