Upwork vs Freelancer
Choose Upwork if you want curated talent options and team billing tools; choose Freelancer if you want to compare bids, run contests, or prioritize its published standard employer project fees. Both are active marketplaces where businesses can hire freelancers for fixed-price or hourly work. The deciding differences are Freelancer’s contest format and fee structure versus Upwork’s Business Plus hiring and management features.
Last updated October 31, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | Upwork | Freelancer |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring formats | Job proposals and Project Catalog services | Project bids, contests, and services |
| Standard employer fees | Basic: 5% advertised; eligible U.S. bank payments: 3%; account rates may vary | Fixed-price: 3% or $3 minimum; hourly: 3% |
| New-contract fee | Basic Marketplace contracts: $0.99–$14.99 | Fixed-price project fee charged on award |
| Client plans | Basic and Business Plus: free to join; Business Plus: 10% service fee | Free employer account; Enterprise offering |
| Contests | Not published | Free to post and award; prize funded upfront |
| Managed talent options | Business Plus: Expert-Vetted talent and curated shortlists | Optional Recruiter upgrade; Enterprise talent networks |
| Payment protection | Escrow for fixed-price work; hourly payment protection | Milestone Payments and dispute resolution |
| Hourly tracking | Desktop time tracker and client Work Diary | Time tracking with client-visible activity |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, and Android | Web, iOS, and Android |
| Developer access | API access listed for Business Plus | Developer API |
| Support | Standard support; Business Plus premium support | 24/7 live chat |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose Upwork if
- Teams seeking Expert-Vetted talent and curated shortlists
- Businesses wanting centralized billing through Business Plus
- Clients buying predefined services through Project Catalog
- U.S. businesses eligible for Business Plus payment terms
Choose Freelancer if
- Clients comparing bids on a posted project
- Businesses seeking multiple creative submissions through a contest
- Employers prioritizing Freelancer’s published standard project fees
- Clients who want optional paid project-posting upgrades
The verdict
Pick Upwork when Expert-Vetted talent, curated shortlists, and centralized billing justify its client fees for your team. Pick Freelancer when you want freelancers to bid on a project or submit contest entries, and its standard employer fees suit your budget. Check the applicable fee before hiring: Upwork’s Basic rate can vary by account and payment method, while Freelancer lists additional charges for some payment methods and optional upgrades.
Upwork vs Freelancer: common questions
- Is it free for employers to start on Upwork or Freelancer?
- Both Upwork and Freelancer let employers get started without an upfront signup charge. Upwork charges client fees when payments are made and may charge a new-contract initiation fee. Freelancer charges a project fee when a fixed-price project is awarded or an hourly payment is made.
- How do Upwork and Freelancer employer fees compare?
- Upwork advertises a 5% Basic client service fee, or 3% for eligible U.S. clients paying by bank account, plus a $0.99–$14.99 initiation fee for new Basic Marketplace contracts; some Basic accounts have different rates. Freelancer lists a 3% fee with a $3 minimum for fixed-price projects and a 3% fee on hourly payments. Other charges can apply on either platform.
- Can I run a design contest on both platforms?
- Freelancer offers contests in which entrants submit work for a funded prize. Posting and awarding a contest carry no employer contest fee, though optional upgrades can cost extra. Upwork does not publish a comparable contest format.
- Which platform offers more help finding vetted freelancers?
- Upwork Business Plus includes access to Expert-Vetted talent and curated shortlists. Freelancer offers a paid Recruiter project upgrade and Enterprise talent networks. The better fit depends on the type of sourcing help you need and its applicable fees.
- Do Upwork and Freelancer support hourly and fixed-price work?
- Yes. Both Upwork and Freelancer support hourly and fixed-price freelance projects. Upwork provides a desktop time tracker and client Work Diary for hourly contracts; Freelancer also provides time tracking with activity clients can review.
- Can I hire and manage freelancers from my phone?
- Yes. Upwork and Freelancer both offer iOS and Android apps that let employers post projects or jobs, communicate with freelancers, and manage hiring. Some Upwork features may require a browser.
- How do client payments work on Upwork and Freelancer?
- Upwork offers escrow-backed fixed-price payments and hourly payment protection under its applicable terms. Freelancer uses Milestone Payments, which clients fund and release, and offers a dispute-resolution process. Review each platform’s protection requirements before starting work.
- Do Upwork and Freelancer offer integrations for custom workflows?
- Upwork lists API integration access among its Business Plus features. Freelancer publishes a developer API. Confirm the access requirements and supported actions for your intended workflow before choosing either platform.