If you own a business, you know all too well the many tasks that have to be accomplished every day. You may have parts of your business that you love. These are the places where you excel.
But there are also the parts you don't love. These are the parts that make work feel like work. As you scale your business, you will want to search freelance marketplaces to hire freelancers to do some of these tasks. Then you can focus on growing your business.
Sites like Gigster can help you find freelance developers, but is it the best out there? A Google search for freelance marketplaces and software engineers could leave you overwhelmed with all of the options.
These comparisons between Gigster and other freelance platforms can help you decide which site can help you find the best freelancers for your needs.
Toptal does a fantastic job of screening and vetting their developers. This means you get high-quality employees without the added time and stress.
Only 3% of developers who apply get accepted into their program. Further, their hourly rates are what you would expect for hiring a software developer.
To learn more, you can register with Toptal, read our comparison of Toptal and Gigster, or read our full Toptal review.
There are many facets to consider when comparing sites. The first thing to look for is the type of freelancers a site can provide and the skills that meet your needs.
Next, you must figure out the quality. While amateurs may do well for specific tasks, you may need a more advanced freelancer for others like software development and mobile app development.
You should also think about your budget and what the freelancing site offers for your prices. You have to weigh in on whether you are willing to sacrifice money or expertise for your project.
Like Gigster, Toptal has a variety of freelance software developers and designers for you to hire. Toptal also has freelance finance and business consultants, allowing you more options for your business. They will also assemble a development team if you have a larger project.
While Gigster's freelancers are invitation-only, anyone can apply for Toptal. The company uses a screening process and reportedly hires only the top 3% of applicants. They vet for both technical qualifications and soft skills to help you find the best talent out there.
One of the best things about Toptal is that you get a two-week trial with your freelancer or group of freelancers. While this trial is no-risk, you should note that you have to make a $500 deposit.
When it comes to fees, Toptal is comparable with what you would pay for freelance software development on your own. They take their fees out of their freelancers' payments, meaning you don't have to pay extra for Toptal's services.
OnlineJobs.ph helps you find freelancers from the Philippines. These freelancers are primarily virtual assistants. Over time, they may also help with other aspects of your business based on training and skill sets.
This platform lets you either post a job or browse through applicants' resumes. You can then interview potential freelancers before hiring. You can see what type of VAs are available for free, but you will have to pay a subscription fee to get contact information.
One of the best things about OnlineJobs.ph is that you can move off the platform once you have found the people you want to hire. While the company does offer time management and payment apps, you can use what you want.
Since freelancers are in the Philippines, you don't have to submit a 1099 form, which is less of a headache. The company also offers a money-back guarantee if you do not find someone who meets your needs.
Freelancer.com is a hiring platform with a wide variety of freelancers. If you can think of a job to outsource, there is probably someone on the site who can do it.
To hire on Freelancer.com, you post a job. People will apply, and you can choose from the applicants. You also have the option of looking through available freelancers and contacting people you'd like to interview.
Besides the range of skills offered, Freelancer.com's most significant benefit is that you can get tasks and projects completed on the cheap. However, you will sometimes sacrifice quantity.
Freelancer.com lets you pay by the project or an hourly wage. It offers a time tracking device to help keep up with what you pay. You can choose to pay by project milestones or at the project's completion.
Upwork is still the top freelance platform, with over 14 million freelancers available for hire. But does this make it the best? Not necessarily.
There are several pros to Upwork. It's easy to find someone who will take on your project or task with so many users. You can find just about any skill set you need.
To get started, you post a project. Upwork's AI can recommend you some of the best freelancers for the job. Freelancers can also bid on the work. You can communicate through a messaging service or video chat to interview applicants. Everything happens within the platform.
When it comes to payment, you pay a 3% processing fee. You can also upgrade for premium features like promoting your job listings.
While Upwork can save you money, you have to be much more involved in the hiring process if you want to make sure you get quality work. In many ways, the service has become a race to the bottom, forcing many of the best to find work elsewhere. Still, you can find skilled freelancers on the site.
Lemon.io is a freelance platform where you can hire developers. Their applicants undergo an intense vetting process and offer a wide range of programming languages.
When you submit a project to Lemon, someone in project management will find a developer who is a good match for you. The project manager will typically make a match within 24 hours. If for some reason, your developer doesn't work out, they'll find you another one at no cost to you.
The company charges fair prices for developer work. You also have the option to upgrade to a CTO if you have a bigger project that needs more managing.
Gun.io is a go-to for businesses looking for experienced freelance developers. Freelancers with Gun.io undergo an extensive vetting process, including programming tests, to make sure they're qualified.
The company will match you in 24 hours. You have the opportunity to interview candidates or request a trial. Gun.io guarantees that you will be happy with your developer's work. If not, they will give you a refund or find you another developer. You do not have to pay until you are happy with the result.
The major con of Gun.io is there is no fixed price for services. All prices are based on the project. You will be given a quote. As expected, this can get expensive.
Fiverr is a freelance platform that features freelancers in a wide range of fields. You can find someone to build your website, another person to do digital marketing, and even someone to edit videos. You are sure to find a person who can fit your project.
To hire on Fiverr, you have a couple of options. You can post a project and get bids. Or, you can browse potential freelancers and contact the ones who look like a good fit.
While the name suggests you can get work done for $5, you are not likely to get quality work for that price. The skilled freelancers charge much more. You can ensure quality work by hiring through Fiverr Pro, but it will cost you extra.
Fiverr is great if you need a variety of skill sets and you want work done quickly.
Choosing a freelancer is supposed to make running your business easier, not harder.
Companies like Lemon and Toptal can help you find great developers, while sites like Upwork and OnlineJobs.ph are better for VA-type tasks.
Once you have a team of freelancers in place, you can begin to focus on the business aspects that you enjoy.