1️⃣Upwork
The largest, most visible marketplace with robust escrow and dispute tools. Hire specialists in hours and scale budgets from $50 tests to $50k builds.
Address: San Francisco, California, USA
- massive talent pool
- reliable escrow and milestones
- powerful search and filters
- time tracking and reporting
- agency and enterprise options
- fast payouts and multiple payment methods
- service fees can add up
- top freelancers charge premium rates
- new buyers face a short learning curve
2️⃣Fiverr
Order-ready gigs with transparent pricing and real reviews. Ideal for marketing, design, and quick deliverables without long interviews.
Address: Tel Aviv, Israel
- fixed price gigs with upfront scope
- Fiverr Pro vetted sellers
- lightning fast delivery options
- huge range of marketing and design services
- buyer protection and order tracking
- scope creep if requirements are vague
- percentage fees feel high on small orders
- messaging can feel transactional
3️⃣Toptal
Elite, rigorously vetted engineers, designers, and finance experts. When failure is not an option, Toptal matches you with senior talent in days.
Address: San Francisco, California, USA
- top 3 percent vetted talent
- dedicated matcher curates candidates
- replacement guarantee
- smooth onboarding and management
- premium pricing
- minimum engagement expectations
- overkill for simple tasks
- smaller pool than open marketplaces
4️⃣Freelancer.com
Massive global pool with competitive bids and milestone payments. Best for budget driven projects if you can screen actively and manage scope.
Address: Sydney, Australia
- very low starting bids
- contest feature to source ideas
- milestone escrow
- wide category coverage
- 24 7 availability
- spammy proposals require heavy filtering
- aggressive upsells in the interface
- quality varies widely
- vetting takes time
- dispute resolution can be slow
5️⃣PeoplePerHour
UK centric platform with strong creative and web talent. Hourlies and clear briefs make costs predictable for small and mid sized businesses.
Address: London, United Kingdom
- strong for UK and EU time zones
- solid hourlies and project pricing
- VAT friendly invoicing
- good pool of creatives and web talent
- smaller marketplace and slower response times
- search and UI feel dated
- limited enterprise features
- fewer niche tech specialists