Site Reviews
Here you will find more detailed descriptions of a few freelance marketplaces, along with the list of their advantages and disadvantages.
These informations should help you in making the decision of which site to use.
List of the reviewed freelance sites:
GetAFreelancer
GetAFreelancer.com helps webmasters, web designers, programmers, software developers and business owners to develop their projects. Our escrow feature is developed to protect both buyers and sellers. Our site is global and we have freelancers from India, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, United States, UK and many other parts of the world. We have thousands of satisfied clients around the world. If you never tried to contract work to another part of the world you have your chance today. Sign up free! We provide a safe escrow environment and you don’t release the money until project is completed.
Read GetAFreelance users’ testimonials
100 projects recently posted on GetAFreelancer
GetAFreelancer is a great site and it’s expanding very quickly. In a very short time it has grown into a well known freelance marketplace and together with SL and RAC they form the “Big Three”.
Fees and comissions:
- Project award comission: 10% of bid amount (minimum $5)
- Project award comission for Golden Members: none
- Featured project award comission: none
- Golden Membership charge: $12/month
- Golden Membership one-time research fee: none
Withdrawal methods:
- PayPal ($1.00 fee)
- E-Gold (5.00% fee)
- Moneybookers ($0.75 fee)
- GetAFreelancer.com Debit card
- Bank wire
Advantages:
- number of the projects (over 200 projects posted daily!) and their variety
- reasonable fees and comissions
- interface and functions (for example - one account for both provider and buyer)
- refundable project posting fee (verifies the reliability of a buyer)
- monthly bid limit, eliminating mass bidding on the projects (auto-bidding)
- several withdrawal methods (cheque, PayPal, e-gold, wire transfer, Western Union, Moneybookers)
- very good and quickly acting support
- very attractive “Golden Membership” program
- fast withdrawal processing
Disadvantages:
- no obligatory deposit
- project budget ranges
ScriptLance
The site provides a service that helps businesses find freelance programmers and designers for their projects. What began in early 2001 as a way to satisfy the custom programming demands at Smarter Scripts, has now become one of the Internet’s most popular freelance programming sites. ScriptLance has helped thousands stay under budget and helped many become more financially independent.
Read ScriptLance users’ testimonials
100 projects recently posted on ScriptLance
One of the best sites, both for people just starting in freelancing and for those more experienced.
Fees and comissions:
- Signup bonus: $1
- Project award comission: 5% of bid amount (minimum $5)
- Project award comission for Certified Programmers: 2.5%
- Featured project award comission: 1% of bid amount
- Certified Programmer charge: $25/month
- Certified Programmer one-time research fee: $10
Withdrawal methods:
- PayPal (no fee)
- E-Gold (2% fee)
- Moneybookers (no fee)
- Payoneer Debit Card (no fee)
- Check - regular mail ($3 fee)
- Check - FedEx Overnight ($38 fee)
- Bank wire ($25 fee)
Advantages:
- number of the projects (over 150 posted daily) and their variety
- reasonable fees and comissions
- interface and functions (invited only projects, featured, job listings)
- several withdrawal methods (cheque, PayPal, e-gold, wire transfer)
- quick withdrawals (up to a few days maximum)
- own dedicated forum and support
Disadvantages:
- no obligatory deposit
- occasional problems with support
RentACoder
Rent A Coder is an international marketplace where people who need custom software developed can find coders in a safe and business-friendly environment. Buyers can cherry pick from a pool of over 145,000 coders enabling them to hire a coder across the country or across the globe… from the comfort of their computers. Buyers who wish to hire internationally, can take advantage of favorable overseas exchange rates, resulting in work being done for 50-90% less than if the project were done in-country. Coders are also given access to a huge pool of potential work and have the ability to work independently from their homes rather than for a company.
RentACoder is a site different than SL and GAF and for a beginner it may be harder to use. But due to its unique features it’s highly recommended after getting some more experience in freelancing.
Fees and comissions:
- Open Auction project comission: 15% of bid amount (minimum $3)
- One-on-One project comission: 12.5% of bid amount (minimum $3)
- Bonus / Direct Payment comission: 10% of bid amount (minimum $3)
- Bulletin board project comission: none
Withdrawal methods:
- PayPal
- Payoneer Prepaid Mastercard
- Mail check (United States: $5, Non-United States: $10)
- Western Union (US: variable Western Union fee + $5, Non-US: variable Western Union fee + $10)
Advantages:
- number of the projects and their variety
- obligatory deposit (Escrow)
- slightly higher average prices
- interface and functions (arbitrage system, better ranking system, conversation between buyer and seller is recorded)
- very good and quickly working support
- pre-moderated projects
- “Top Coder” ranking giving the additional exposure to your bid
Disadvantages:
- higher fees deducted from payment
- few withdrawal methods (cheque, PayPal, Western Union)
- withdrawals processed only twice a month (around the half and the end of the month)
- occasional problems with database and other temporary system issues
JoomLancers
If you require professional Joomla/Mambo website design or development for your business, whether its a long-term job or just a single project, you will find the help you need here at the prices you want to pay. No matter how big or small your budget is, Joomla freelancers from around the world will compete for your business at JoomLancers.
That’s it! Your project is then closed, your are put in contact with the chosen freelancer who will begin working, you can leave a review, and pay them when you are ready to pay them. Our fee: only $5, which is deducted from your JoomLancers account only after your project closes. We even give you 30 days time to pay that fee! Why? Because we are confident you will be satisfied with the service JoomLancers provides.
It’s like getting an estimate from dozens of qualified professionals and then choosing the one you like most. You save time because you don’t need to shop around, and you save money because programmers/designer are competing for your business! JoomLancers is the number one choice for thousands of freelancers and businesses when it comes to Joomla/Mambo programming and design projects.
100 projects recently posted on JoomLancers
Site dedicated for projects related to Mambo and Joomla, but other project categories are also posted there: design, graphics, programming, translation, etc. Just a few projects are posted daily (around 10), but the budget of each of them is really interesting.
Another great thing about JoomLancers is that the number of buyers is higher than the number of providers - which is unusual for a freelance market. This shows high interest in Joomla and Mambo related projects and means that there will be more and more work coming this way.
Fees and comissions:
- Project award comission: 10% of bid amount (minimum $5)
- Project award comission for Golden Members: none
- Featured project award comission: none
- Golden Membership charge: $8-$10/month (depends on the plan selected)
- Golden Membership one-time research fee: none
Withdrawal methods:
- PayPal (free)
- wire transfer ($35.00)
Advantages:
- reasonable fees (10%, min. $5)
- easier competition (less providers)
- precise and well working rating system
- attractive „Gold Membership” program
Disadvantages:
- number of projects (ca. 10-15 projects posted daily)
- smaller popularity
- few withdrawal methods (PayPal, wire transfer)
GetACoder
GetACoder is a leading Global Services Marketplace doing business in more than 200 countries. Our unique system accelerates your time to market and provides your business with key competitive advantages. When you use GetACoder you are stretching your budget and saving as much as 60% over traditional outsourcing. GetACoder is changing business, now it’s no longer about what you own or build but which resources and talent you can access.
Read GetACoder users’ testimonials
Site similar to ScriptLance/GetAFreelancer – with a similar interface and offered features. Compared to the “Big Three” (GAF, SL, RAC), there are less projects posted. Also their variety isn’t that rich – the webdesign and programming ones are strongly dominating.
Fees and comissions:
- Project award comission: 10% of bid amount + $5
- Project award comission for Premium Members: 10% of bid amount
- Premium Member charge: $7.95/month
- Premium Member one-time research fee: none
Withdrawal methods:
- PayPal (free)
- E-Gold (5.9% + $0.45 fee)
Advantages:
- number of projects
- easier competition (less providers)
- one account for both provider and buyer
- attractive “Premium Membership” program
Disadvantages:
- smaller popularity
- higher fees applied when a project is won
- few withdrawal methods (PayPal, e-gold)
PHP-Freelancers
PHP-Freelancers.com is an freelance reverse auction site with PHP Projects available for PHP Programmers to bid on.
Site with programming projects only (PHP, databases). Not as big as the previously reviewed freelance markets, but for a programmer it can be quite interesting. And another advantage is that it’s completely free to use.
Fees and comissions:
- Project award comission: none
- Direct payment comission: none
Withdrawal methods:
- PayPal ($0.50 fee)
Advantages:
- free - no fees, no comissions
- easier competition (less providers)
Disadvantages:
- smaller popularity
- only a few projects posted daily
- very limited withdrawal methods (PayPal only)