The gig economy is booming, and new freelance websites keep popping up, but not all deliver high-quality talent or reliable support.
To save you time and headaches, we’ve rounded up the 20 best freelance websites for 2026, covering both tech and non-tech professionals.
From global platforms to specialized marketplaces, this list highlights where you’ll find vetted freelancers, flexible hiring options, and tools to manage projects smoothly.
Whether you need developers, designers, marketers, writers, or niche experts, this guide will help you find the right platform, starting with Betternship, the go-to destination for high-quality African tech talent.
Ready to hire smarter? Start with Betternship today →
Top 20 Best Freelance Websites to Hire (Table)
| Platform | Link | Focus / Specialization | Key Features | Typical Fees | Target Audience |
| Betternship | betternship.com | Tech talent & full-service hiring | Vetted African talent, full hiring support, compliance-free | Hourly or full-time fees | Startups, SMEs, international companies |
| Upwork | upwork.com | General freelance jobs | Hourly & fixed-price projects, portfolios | 10–20% | Small businesses, startups, global clients |
| Toptal | toptal.com | Elite tech & finance professionals | Rigorous vetting, high-quality projects | 20–30% | Corporates, high-budget clients |
| Fiverr | fiverr.com | Creative & technical gigs | Gig-based system, customizable packages | 20% per transaction | Small businesses, solo founders |
| Designhill | designhill.com | Graphic & design | Contests, 1-to-1 projects, PrintShop | 5–20% | Startups, agencies, small businesses |
| We Work Remotely | weworkremotely.com | Remote jobs across industries | Job board, direct applications | Free (for job seekers) | Remote workers, digital nomads |
| Behance | behance.net | Design & creative portfolios | Showcase work, community engagement | Free | Designers, creatives |
| SimplyHired | simplyhired.com | Aggregated freelance & remote jobs | Salary estimator, multiple sources | Free | Freelancers across industries |
| Dribbble | dribbble.com | UI/UX, graphic design, illustration | Portfolio + job board | Free–$20/month | Designers, creative professionals |
| PeoplePerHour | peopleperhour.com | Digital marketing, design, web dev | Hourlies, secure payments | 10–20% | Small businesses, startups |
| Guru | guru.com | Web dev, design, admin support | SafePay, project tools | 2.9–9% | Small businesses, agencies |
| Freelancer.com | freelancer.com | Wide industry coverage | Bidding system, milestones | 10–15% | Global clients, various industries |
| Wellfound | wellfound.com | Tech & startup roles | Direct applications, profile setup | Free | Startups, tech freelancers |
| DesignCrowd | designcrowd.com | Design | Contests or direct hire | 5–15% | Startups, small businesses, agencies |
| 99designs | 99designs.com | Branding & design | Contests + direct hire | 5–15% + intro fees | Agencies, startups, brands |
| Working Not Working | workingnotworking.com | Creative & marketing | Exclusive brands, high-quality jobs | Free–$20/month | Experienced creatives, premium brands |
| Webflow Experts | webflow.com/experts | Webflow web design & dev | Client connections, vetted projects | 10–15% | Designers & Webflow developers |
| YunoJuno | yunojuno.com | Developers, designers, marketers, PMs | Premium projects, contracts, invoicing | 10–20% | Experienced freelancers, high-budget clients |
| Authentic Jobs | authenticjobs.com | Creative & technical roles | Job board, curated listings | Free–$99/posting | Designers, developers, creatives |
| TaskRabbit | taskrabbit.com | Local, in-person tasks | Flexible scheduling, payment processing | 15–30% | Local freelancers, gig workers |
1. Betternship (Best for Quality, Speed, and Global Tech + Non-Tech Hiring)
Betternship is the number one freelance and remote-talent platform for companies that want high-quality african tech and non-tech professionals, without the noise, fake profiles, or endless vetting.
With a global talent pool (strong African talent core), built-in assessments, project-ready freelancers, and optional EOR support, Betternship helps you hire faster and more reliably than platforms where you sift through hundreds of unverified applicants.
Best for
Businesses that want serious talent, not random applications.
Pros
- Vetted tech and non-tech freelancers
- Lightning-fast matching
- Affordable rates (without platform inflation)
- Optional long-term hiring and EOR support
- Zero time wasted on low-quality profiles
Cons
- Not built for one-off five-dollar gigs
- Talent pool is curated, not open to everyone
Unique Features
- Skills assessments for every talent
- Betternship Projects for managed delivery
- Full hiring support with compliance handled
You can learn more about our process on How It Works – Hire Remote Talents
Hire African Talent Now with Betternship→
💼 You can also post a job for free on Betternship
2. Upwork
Upwork is a large marketplace with millions of freelancers across almost every industry. It works well for companies that have time to review dozens of proposals and want flexible pricing.
Pros
- Huge talent pool
- Short-term and long-term projects
- Hourly tracking tools
Cons
- High competition makes quality inconsistent
- Time-consuming screening
- 10 percent fee on all earnings
Best for
Companies with flexible timelines and small recurring projects.
3. Fiverr
Fiverr is best for small, task-based jobs with pre-priced packages created by freelancers.
Pros
- Easy to start
- Clear gig pricing
- Wide skill categories
Cons
- Quality varies drastically
- Search can prioritize veteran sellers
- Difficult to manage large or complex projects
Best for
Quick, low-budget tasks.
4. Toptal
Toptal focuses on the top tier of global freelancers and claims to accept only the top 3 percent.
Pros
- Highly vetted professionals
- Excellent for enterprise-level work
Cons
- Expensive
- Hard for new freelancers to join
- Limited non-tech roles
Best for
Companies that want elite specialists and have a strong budget.
5. PeoplePerHour
A UK-based platform offering hourly contracts and quick tasks through “hourlies.”
Pros
- Escrow protection
- Flexible pricing models
Cons
- Steep competition
- Up to 20 percent service fees
Best for
Digital marketing, design, and web tasks.
6. Freelancer
One of the oldest marketplaces, with bidding-based jobs and milestone payments.
Pros
- Wide job variety
- Contest feature to test abilities
Cons
- High fees
- Too many low-quality postings
Best for
Entry-level freelancers and budget-focused businesses.
7. Guru
A secure freelance site with SafePay and flexible payment terms.
Pros
- Strong security features
- Simple project workspace
Cons
- Less popular than Upwork or Fiverr
- Hard for newbies to land jobs
Best for
Steady remote admin, dev, and design roles.
8. FlexJobs
A subscription-based job board with manually vetted remote roles.
Pros
- Scam-free listings
- High-quality jobs
Cons
- Paid access only
- Fewer short-term gigs
Best for
Professionals seeking serious, long-term remote roles.
9. Dribbble
A portfolio site and job board for visual and UX designers.
Pros
- Great for building visibility
- Strong design community
Cons
- Competitive
- Requires strong portfolio
Best for
Graphic, web, and UI/UX designers.
10. Behance
Adobe’s creative portfolio hub with job boards integrated.
Pros
- Massive creative audience
- Analytics for portfolio views
Cons
- Hard to stand out
- Requires constant updates
Best for
Creative freelancers showing visual work globally.
11. Wellfound (AngelList Talent)
A top platform for freelancers targeting startups.
Pros
- Salary transparency
- Direct contact with founders
Cons
- Mostly tech roles
- Favors experienced professionals
Best for
Developers, product managers, and startup operators.
12. 99designs
A premier design contest platform for logos, branding, and web assets.
Pros
- High-quality designers
- Many design categories
Cons
- Entry fees
- Only paid if your design wins
Best for
Companies that want many design options before choosing a winner.
13. DesignCrowd
Similar to 99designs but with a broader global pool.
Pros
- Multiple design submissions
- Affordable contest pricing
Cons
- No payment guarantee for designers
Best for
Design contests for logos, graphics, and branding.
14. Working Not Working
A premium network for creatives working with brands like Apple, Netflix, and Google.
Pros
- High-profile projects
- Elite creative community
Cons
- Hard to join
- Limited listings
Best for
Experienced creatives with proven portfolios.
15. SimplyHired
A job aggregator that gathers freelance roles from multiple sources.
Pros
- Easy search
- Massive job volume
Cons
- Redirects to external applications
- Less curated
Best for
General freelance job hunting.
16. TopCoder
A platform for competitive programmers and developers.
Pros
- Great for advanced coders
- Global challenges with high payouts
Cons
- Highly competitive
- Niche skill set required
Best for
Developers who enjoy competitive problem-solving.
17. Webflow Experts
A niche platform for vetted Webflow designers and developers.
Pros
- Only verified talent
- High-quality work
Cons
- Limited project volume
- Niche specialization
Best for
Brands needing advanced Webflow sites.
18. YunoJuno
A managed marketplace used by enterprise brands for creative and tech freelancers.
Pros
- Premium projects
- End-to-end contract tools
Cons
- Tough vetting
- Fewer entry-level opportunities
Best for
Experienced freelancers in design, creative, and project management.
19. Authentic Job
A respected job board for creative and technical roles.
Pros
- High-quality listings
- Trusted by major companies
Cons
- Favors senior talent
- Limited short-term gigs
Best for
UX, design, and software professionals.
20. TaskRabbit
For local, in-person gigs such as moving, cleaning, repairs, and assembly.
Pros
- Fast and flexible
- Local jobs available
Cons
- Not remote
- Service fees
Best for
Real-world, hands-on help.
Read More:
Best 15 Tech Recruitment Companies in Africa for IT Talent in 2025
15 Top Offshore Development Companies to Quickly Hire Skilled Developers in 2025
How to Choose the Right Freelance Platform for Your Needs
Freelance platforms are everywhere now. The challenge isn’t finding one. It’s choosing the one that actually fits the kind of work you need done. Each marketplace attracts different types of clients, talent, work styles, and fee structures.
If you want predictable results, start by matching the platform to the type of work you’re hiring for, the level of talent you need, and the way you prefer to manage projects.
Here’s a simple way to break it down.
-
Industry specialization
Some platforms try to do everything. Others stay in a focused lane. Picking the right one saves time and filters out noise.
- Software Development and Tech
If you’re hiring developers, don’t waste time on platforms with no vetting.
Betternship, Toptal, Arc, and Gun.io are built for tech roles. They screen talent, test skills, and cut out guesswork.
These platforms work best when you want devs who can plug into your team and ship work without micromanaging.
- Design and Creative
If you need visuals that actually look good and match your brand, go where the designers live.
Dribbble, Behance, 99Designs, and DesignCrowd are built around portfolios.
You see the work first before you ever message a designer. It’s easier to filter style, skill level, and niche.
- Writing and Content
If you’re hiring writers or content teams, go to platforms that understand content workflows.
WriterAccess, Scripted, and ClearVoice focus on writers and editors. Upwork also has many writers, but quality varies.
Portfolio-driven platforms make the process smoother.
- Niche and Specialized Skills
Some roles need uncommon skills. General marketplaces won’t help you.
For niche categories:
- Webflow Experts for Webflow builds
- Kolabtree for researchers and scientists
- LawClerk for legal work
- Voices for voiceover
- Bark for offline personal services
- Flowremote for remote tech roles
When you know exactly what you need, these platforms reduce trial and error.
Client type
Different platforms attract different buyers. That affects the type of freelancers you’ll meet.
- Startups
Startups move quickly and want flexible people who can wear multiple hats.
Platforms like Betternship, Arc, and Wellfound attract builders who understand startup pace and ambiguity.
- Large Companies
Bigger companies usually need structure, documentation, and long-term capacity.
Toptal, Betternship, Upwork Enterprise, Fiverr Pro, and vetted talent networks work better here because they support bigger scopes and multi-stakeholder projects.
- Small Businesses and Local Needs
If you want simple, fast hiring for everyday work:
- TaskRabbit is good for local, offline help.
- Bark works for small businesses and personal services.
These are not ideal for tech work, but they’re strong for quick tasks.
Platform usability
Some platforms are smooth. Some feel like punishment.
The best choice depends on how hands-on you want to be.
- Betternship gives human support, matching, and full hiring help.
- Toptal handles screening for you.
- Arc is easy to navigate and focuses on speed.
- Fiverr and Upwork give you volume, but you’ll spend more time filtering.
- Dribbble and Behance feel natural for creatives because they’re visual-first.
If you don’t want to sift through 200 profiles, pick platforms that curate talent instead of dumping everyone into your feed.
Fee structure and payments
Every platform takes a cut somewhere. The question is how much and from whom.
- Flat fees
Platforms like Fiverr and PeoplePerHour take flat commissions that eat into earnings. This matters if you plan to hire repeatedly.
- Tiered fees
Upwork uses a tiered system where fees drop the longer you work with a freelancer. Good for long-term relationships, expensive for one-off tasks.
- No freelancer fees
Betternship, Arc, and Dribbble Hiring don’t charge freelancers. That means better talent sticks around.
Read More: How to Hire in Africa With Zero Risk (EOR, Payroll, and Hiring Done Right)
Freelancing Internationally: Taxes, Currency, Legal Basics
Paying freelancers internationally or working with global clients introduces new complexity.
Here’s the simple version.
Currency and payment
Currency changes affect actual earnings. The right tools can lower fees.
- Wise: real exchange rates, low fees
- Payoneer: multi-currency accounts
- PayPal: convenient but more expensive
Many freelancers hold balances in different currencies to avoid sudden conversion fees.
Tax basics
Every country handles freelance income differently.
- US freelancers must report all global income
- Double-taxation treaties exist and help reduce issues
- EU clients may require VAT compliance above certain thresholds
For big contracts, talk to an accountant familiar with international income.
Legal
Always use contracts.
Clarify:
- who owns the work
- what counts as done
- when payment is due
- what happens during disputes
Tools like DocuSign, HelloSign, and PandaDoc make this easy.
Conclusion
Freelancing in 2026 is bigger, faster, and more global than ever. But with hundreds of platforms out there, choosing the right one depends on what you need: vetted talent, five-dollar gigs, enterprise specialists, or creative portfolios.
If you want high-quality tech and non-tech talent fast, Betternship stands out as the most reliable and efficient option, especially for companies hiring across Africa, Europe, and the US.
You can learn more about our process on How It Works – Hire Remote Talents
Hire African Talent Now with Betternship→
💼 You can also post a job for free on Betternship