The freelance economy is gaining significant momentum, as most companies no longer rely on traditional employment for the long term.
We can see the effect of Microsoft laying off 3% of its workforce and attributing it to the need to create a more nimble approach to its working operations.
What this means for the freelance industry is more opportunities and avenues for growth and a career-driven ecosystem for freelancers to thrive.
So, if you are looking forward to starting a career in freelancing in 2025, this might be the perfect time. With thousands of freelancers already thriving in the marketplace, with great benefits like high-paying jobs, work flexibility, time control, and professional networking on a global scale.
Whether you’re just starting out or already smashing gigs, choosing a platform that aligns with your goal is necessary to help you stand out and build a lasting career.
So in this article, we have curated some of the best freelancing platforms to help scale your freelance business or start your career as a freelancer in 2025.
So here is our list in no particular order:
Upwork
Upwork is a popular freelance platform that connects industry professionals, businesses, and freelancers on a global scale.
The platform is known for its large customer base, making it a suitable choice for anyone considering starting a career in freelancing.
Companies like Microsoft, Airbnb, General Electric (GE), Dropbox, and Samsung have reportedly sourced the platform for a reliable workforce as traditional employment continues to take a downturn.
In 2022 alone, the platform’s revenue was estimated at $618.32 million, which signals a massive opportunity for freelancers and a good fit for anyone eyeing the platform to start a career.
Upwork operates a virtual token system—known as “connects,” which allows freelancers to submit proposals for job postings.
When you first sign up on the platform, you will receive 50 connections, then 10 connections for every month. You will have to buy connections as you apply for more jobs.
Register on Upwork to start your freelancing journey here
Pros
opportunity for global networking
Serves as an avenue for growth and experience
It offers flexibility, as freelancers can set their work hours or choose projects themselves.
Cons
There is stiff competition, as you will have to contend with other freelancers.
The platform takes a percentage of every job, whch could be challenging for beginners.
Consistently securing jobs is not guaranteed. So high and low job time is probable.
Pro Tips
Use a clear, professional profile picture in your bio
Stay active on the platform, It will help you to see job postings as soon as they go live.
Add testimonials from past clients you have worked with outside of Upwork.
Enhance your SEO by incoporating relevant keywords that align with your skills and expertise.
Find inspiration from successful freelancers and model your bio, but do not copy them.
Toptal
Toptal, as the name implies—Toptalent—is a freelance platform that is designed for top-qualified freelancers. According to Toptal, they only accept world-class talent, which is shown on their website.
The platform is known for its selectiveness when it comes to choosing the best of the best freelancers in their respective fields. This means that only 3% of freelancers are taken after a thorough screening exercise.
Six job categories are listed on their job board, which include developers, designers, management consultants, project managers, product managers, and marketing experts. Once you pass the screening process, getting a job is less of a hassle because of the platform’s internal matching system.
Visit Toptal’s official website to get started
Pros
High payouts
Great customer support
Less competition
Clients ready to pay
Cons
A strict screening process that may take weeks to approve
Application may get rejected even after you pass the screening process
Pro Tips
Sharpen your skills to pass the screening process.
Use a likable and professional profile photo.
Provide a link to your projects in the project section to help you stand out.
Optimize your profile for visibility with relevant keywords that outline your core and complementary skills.
LinkedIn is a social networking platform that is designed for professionals and businesses. It is a great place to land your dream job, and one unique thing about this platform is that it takes the middleman out of the equation.
What this means is that you have the opportunity to render services without being charged for a commission, unlike Fiverr or Upwork, which are commission-based.
On LinkedIn, clients may reach out to freelancers to assess their expertise and discuss potential projects, which could lead to a long-term collaboration.
LinkedIn is a suitable platform for brand building, and it provides free tools for freelancers who seek to show their expertise.
These include ‘content publishing,’ where users are allowed to publish long-form articles to show their expertise; an open-to-work badge that can show potential clients that you’re available to work; and a service page where you can list the services you offer.
Although the platform offers a premium membership that comes with extra features, the free plan is very much ok to start your career as a freelancer.
Visit the official website of LinkedIn to get started
Pros
Great platform to start a personal brand
Connects you with industry professionals and businesses.
Cons
It can be very competitive.
Privacy on the platform is not guaranteed since it is a public platform. You can recieve spam messages from fake recruiters, businesses, or accounts claiming to offer you a job.
Pro Tips
Use relevant keywords for your description.
Be human when you communicate.
everage content marketing to advertise yourself.
Stick with a specific niche. No one hires or trusts a jack-of-all-trades.
Use professional photos on your profile. It attracts paying clients and leaves a lasting impression of who you are.
Show up all the time, whether it’s contributing to a post you find interesting or posting about what you do.
Offer the best when you’re hired.
Fiverr
Fiverr is another popular online marketplace that allows businesses to connect with freelancers offering a wide range of digital/professional services.
In the platform, freelancers set their gigs for clients to reach out to them. Gig prices start at $5.00, which is the lowest. However, most gigs surpass the $5 mark.
And depending on the experience and expertise of a freelancer, a project can go from $1,000 to $10,000.
The platform has been used by small, medium, and large companies to source freelancers.
So, if you are considering starting your journey as a freelancer or are already a freelancer looking for other platforms to explore, Fiverr might just be that platform for you.
Visit the official website of Fiverr here to get started
Pros
User-friendly experience.
Secure payment system.
Wide range of skill categories.
Global networking opportunities.
Cons
High competition
Elevated service fees.
Challenging for beginners to secure their first secure their gig
Pro Tips
Verify your ID.
Publish your gigs.
Use a clear, professional photo.
Add professional skills in your description with relevant key phrases.
Guru
The platform caters to freelancers with a broad range of services like web design, graphic design, writing, administrative support, data entry, etc.
Founded in 1998 with its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Guru is known for its safe payment system where employers can deposit funds for freelancers to confirm before executing a job.
Guru’s unique system of payment also allows freelancers to get paid installmentally, as payment can be made on an hourly basis or whenever a specific task is completed.
Guru’s workroom feature is a unique tool that makes real-time communication between clients and freelancers accessible.
In the workroom files can be shared, projects can be monitored or managed and the status of a project can be ascertained for transparency and accountability.
Guru is another great platform to start a Freelancing career and what you might need to connect with clients around the globe.
Head over to Guru’s official website to get registered and start your freelance journey
Pros
Not considered saturated, unlike Upwork
Allows multiple payment options.
Secure payment method for both clients and freelancers
The service fee is relatively low compared to other freelance marketplaces.
Cons
The service fee is high
Customer support can be challenging.
Managing some clients can be a bit of a pain.
Pro tip
Pick a niche and stick to it.
Use CTA in your proposals.
Respond to clients on time.
Show your expertise by documenting it
Lower your rate when you are starting and increase it when you start gaining experience.
People Per Hour
This service-based freelance marketplace links businesses with independent professionals. The platform functions in two ways.
Freelancers can send proposals to clients and also post their offers for clients to reach out to them. Clients can monitor projects based on the hourly feature of the website.
Freelancers can leverage the search engine feature that helps them get discovered on the platform.
To get started, visit the official website here
Pros
Flexible work hours
Access to global clients
Cons
Delayed payment
Fewer jobs compared to bigger platforms
Competitive application process
Pro Tips
Use a clear photo that looks credible and approachable.
List relevant skills that you have.
Upload samples of your (best) work, highlighting the problem, solution, and result.
Update your profile periodically.
Avoid copying and pasting templates.