The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world we live in. Nothing is the same as it was a few months ago. In fact, the biggest change is social distancing which has resulted in people working from home. However, what does this mean for a freelancer who’s always worked from home? Surely, this has to have no impact on them, does it?
Well, whether you’re already working as a freelancer or are new to the market because of the social changes, the freelancing industry continues to function. And in these digitally connected times, you can make use of your skills and contribute to freelance projects online. For your convenience, we’ve researched and compiled a list of the 5 best freelancing websites you could join depending on your expertise.
Let’s take a look.
Upwork, formerly known as Elance-oDesk was founded in 2015 and is an online global freelancing marketplace that helps businesses to connect with freelancers and agencies for their hiring needs.
- It offers online services in 12 core domains viz. writing, legal, design & creative, etc.
- Currently, they are giving $1 million in talent grants (an Upwork credit that you never need to pay back) to businesses working to counter the impact of COVID-19
- It allows you to filter freelancers by their skills, work history, location, etc.
- There are four plans you can choose from based on your requirements namely- Basic, Plus, Business and Enterprise
- Their app is available for Android and iPhone
Founded in 2009, Freelancer is an Australian crowdsourcing marketplace with over 43 million users spread globally across 247 countries.
- They offer online freelancing services in web development and design
- Freelancer is available in several languages including English, French, Hindi, Spanish, etc.
- It includes a live chat feature to be in constant contact with the freelancers
- Businesses can crowdsource an idea and pay only for the one they select from the multiple entries received
- Their app is available for Android and iPhone
PeoplePerHour is a freelancing marketplace founded in 2007 that connects businesses to freelancers all over the world with no joining fee.
- They offer online services in almost 15 categories namely- Creative Arts, Marketing, Tutorials, Writing, etc.
- They have local freelance directories to ease your search
- Businesses need to make a minimum down payment before freelancers begin the project
- They offer Escrow protection services making sure the freelancers do not exceed the timeline to finish the project
- Their app is available only for iPhone
Founded in 2004, Skyword is a content marketing solution platform catering to media companies, content marketers, and creative professionals like photographers, writers, videographers and more.
- They offer services in four categories namely – content strategy, editorial & creative, data & insights, and training & support
- They are present in over 27 countries and offer services in over 13 languages
- Having integrated with Google Analytics, they offer extensive tracking and analytics
Founded in 1998, Guru.com is a crowdsourcing marketplace for sales, support and marketing teams across the globe with over 2 million users.
- They offer services in over 8 categories ranging from writing, translation, accounting, design, development and more
- Businesses can post a job for free and raise an invoice after reviewing the work
- They include an All-Time Transaction Data dashboard that helps freelancers showcase their experience which helps the freelancers and the business hiring them to connect easily
Working with professionals you’ve never met and interacted with before might seem a bit out of place, especially if this is your first time. Nevertheless, the experience of freelancing and finding freelance projects online can be a fulfilling one if it matches with your expertise and skills.
In the meantime, you can even try to take advantage of this lockdown and learn a new skill online to enhance your skill-set. Do check out our blog on Best Online Courses to Take While Quarantined, to learn something that’s long been in your bucket list.
We’ll see you soon. Until then, stay home and stay safe!
