Freelancer.com offers to connect clients and freelancers, but could use some improvement.
August 16, 2018
Freelancer.com offers to connect clients and freelancers, but could use some improvement.
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Freelancer.com
As a freelance writer, especially working 100% online, exposure to clients is exceptionally difficult. Even six years into the game, having my own website and social media presence isn't enough to get in front of clients' eyes. Freelance hubs, like Freelancer.com, make it easier to gain exposure, post a profile, and find clients and projects. That being said, it is somewhat of an impersonal site, and hasn't been my main source of clients or projects.
- The website is easy to navigate.
- It's easy to get started on Freelancer.com (somewhat less-so to be successful, however).
- Easy to communicate with current and prospective clients using on-page chat.
- Multiple money withdrawal options include ACH, PayPal, and others.
- Competency tests give clients a chance to see where a freelancer really stands out.
- There seem to be a lot of low-quality projects, what I would term as excessive expectations for little return. It takes a little more time to weed them out.
- Tiered membership fees seem to increase exposure to prospective clients, but I have not seen the benefit of it. Considering many clients multi-post on different hubs, I've seen the same project pop up on other hubs of which I'm a member. I would think it impossible for Freelancer.com to guarantee exclusivity.
- Freelancer.com desktop app needs some improvement. It only manages hourly projects, so my non-hourly projects and chats don't show in the app.
- I am currently in the lowest tier, which hasn't limited my exposure. At 99¢/mo, this is acceptable.
- Freelancer.com charges a 10% flat fee for project milestone payments. Other hubs charge more or less or on a sliding scale.
Of the freelance hubs I am listed on, more than a few, I haven't been as successful on Freelancer.com. Freelancer.com, I think, could use some more development and better customer service. It does separate itself with its competency tests, but I'm not sure this is enough. Still, I check out the project lists from time to time and keep my profile up to date, just in case.