Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com is an open global marketplace where employers post a project or contest and receive bids or submissions from freelancers. The platform covers a very wide range of technical, professional and creative skills.
At a glance
- Best for
- Businesses that want a very large global talent pool, competitive bidding and relatively low employer platform fees.
- Verified pricing / fees
- Free to post; employer fixed-project fee 3% or $3 minimum
Overview
Freelancer.com is one of the broadest open freelance marketplaces. Employers can post projects for free and pay a 3% project fee when they award work; fixed-price projects have a $3 minimum employer fee. Freelancers generally pay 10% or $5 minimum on fixed-price projects and 10% on hourly work. The platform’s Milestone Payment system holds funds until clients release them, while optional memberships and paid upgrades add visibility or functionality.
Core employer access is free until a project is awarded. For fixed-price projects, the employer pays 3% of the project value or $3, whichever is greater. Hourly projects carry a 3% fee on each payment. Freelancers generally pay 10% or $5 minimum on fixed-price work and 10% on hourly payments.
The Milestone Payment system is central to transaction protection. Clients deposit funds into milestones before release; money remains held until the client releases it or a dispute process resolves the payment.
Key features
- Project posting with competitive global bidding across more than 1,800 skills.
- Fixed-price and hourly engagement models.
- Contests for creative or problem-solving work.
- Milestone Payments that hold funds until work is approved or disputes are resolved.
- Real-time chat, file sharing and mobile project management.
- Optional memberships, bid upgrades, recruiter services and project/contest visibility upgrades.
Pricing and fees
| Fee / plan | Current amount | What matters |
|---|---|---|
| Employer fixed-price | 3% or $3 minimum | Charged when the project is awarded; also applies to overage payments. |
| Employer hourly | 3% | Applied to each payment to the freelancer. |
| Freelancer fixed-price | 10% or $5 minimum | Project fee on accepted fixed-price work. |
| Freelancer hourly | 10% | Applied to hourly payments received. |
| Freelancer contest | 10% or $5 minimum | Charged when the prize is awarded and handover is completed. |
| Preferred Recruiter projects | 15% freelancer fee | Applies to freelancers in the Preferred Freelancer Program on Recruiter projects. |
Optional upgrades, memberships, verification, contest enhancements and location/payment-method costs can add to the core fees. The 3% employer and 10% freelancer project fees are the baseline, not the only possible charges.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very large and diverse global freelancer pool.
- Employer core project fee is lower than several major competitors.
- Competitive bidding can help buyers discover a wide range of price points.
- Milestone Payments provide a clear funded-payment workflow.
- Useful for both standard freelance projects and contest-style work.
Cons
- Open-market scale creates substantial quality variation and can require significant screening.
- Freelancer 10% fee can influence quoted rates.
- Large numbers of bids can be noisy rather than helpful on popular jobs.
- Optional upgrades and marketplace features can make the platform feel more transactional.
Who is it for?
Who should use Freelancer.com?
Freelancer.com works well for buyers who are willing to evaluate bids, portfolios and reviews themselves and who value access to a very broad talent pool. It is especially useful when price discovery matters and the project can be clearly specified.
Who should consider an alternative?
Toptal is stronger when senior vetting and matching are more important than price. 99designs is more specialized for visual design, while Contra may suit independent relationships where the freelancer wants to avoid percentage commission.
ToolRankers verdict
Freelancer.com remains one of the strongest marketplaces for breadth and price competition. Its 3% employer project fee is comparatively modest, and the Milestone Payment system provides a straightforward way to fund work without immediately releasing payment.
The trade-off is screening effort. The platform gives buyers a large market, not a guarantee that every bid is high quality. Clear briefs, careful portfolio review and milestone-based payment discipline are essential.
ToolRankers research on Freelancer.com
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Sources and fact-checking
Product details and fees were checked against these official sources on 7 October 2026. Marketplace fees and terms can change; confirm the current terms with the provider.