1️⃣Toptal
Toptal consistently delivers the highest effective hourly rates by matching you with funded, enterprise clients. No race-to-the-bottom bidding - just curated projects with long-term scope and fast payouts.
Address: San Francisco, California, USA
- Elite clients willing to pay senior rates
- No bidding and minimal proposal grind
- Long engagements with steady income
- Fast payments with dedicated support
- Global remote roles across engineering
- product
- and design
- Rigorous screening process
- Limited openings for some niches
2️⃣Upwork
Upwork remains the biggest pipeline for high-paying contracts if you position your profile right. Specialized profiles, hourly protection, and Project Catalog help you build reliable, scalable income.
Address: San Francisco, California, USA
- Huge client demand across nearly every niche
- Hourly payment protection and safe milestones
- Enterprise and Expert-Vetted projects with premium rates
- Powerful search to target serious buyers
- Great for building repeat clients and retainers
- Service fees reduce take-home
- Heavy competition means sharper proposals
- Time spent qualifying leads
3️⃣Fiverr Pro
Fiverr Pro lets you productize expertise and charge premium package rates. When your gig ranks, payouts are strong and upsells stack nicely for bigger carts.
Address: Tel Aviv, Israel
- Pro badge signals trust to higher-budget buyers
- Upfront payment before delivery
- High-ticket packages and add-ons
- Built-in upsells and bundles
- Global
- always-on deal flow
- 20% commission on every order
- Ranking volatility can whipsaw sales
- Funds typically clear after a waiting period
- Significant time needed to optimize gigs
4️⃣Malt
Malt dominates in Europe with transparent day rates and VAT-compliant contracts. Ideal for consultants and engineers who want well-scoped engagements with local brands.
Address: Paris, France
- Strong EU client base with solid budgets
- Transparent rates and direct messaging
- Insurance and contract tooling
- Good for on-site and hybrid work
- Primarily Europe-focused
- Slower deal flow outside major hubs
- Fewer categories than global marketplaces
- Some clients expect on-site availability
5️⃣Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com offers constant volume and quick wins via contests and small projects. It bridges gaps between larger contracts, but sustaining top rates takes effort.
Address: Sydney, Australia
- Huge volume of fresh listings
- Contests offer fast payouts and visibility
- Escrow for safer payments
- Global reach and many industries
- Lower average budgets and rate pressure
- Aggressive fees and upsells
- High noise and spam in listings
- More time spent bidding and managing scope creep