The Great Big Freelancing & Work-From-Home Employers Database
There are a lot of places where a freelancer can go to find work, but there are also a lot of dangers along the way. This page is a work in progress, where I collect all the freelancing pages that I know of, along with information on what they do, what you need to sign up for them, and what you can expect when you're working for them.
If you have worked for any freelancing places that I don't have listed, I'd love to know what your feedback is. Freelancers have to stand together and protect one another, right? So, if you know something that I don't, please feel free to send me the information so I can update the database.
Freelance Marketplaces
As the name suggests, freelance marketplaces are places where freelancers can post their services for sale and clients can offer jobs to a large selection of freelancers all at once. Think of it kind of like eBay, except for freelance work. There are people buying and there are people selling, and they're all individuals rather than a single large company hiring employees.
Always treat freelance marketplaces with a degree of caution, because the person you're talking to on the other end is a fallible human, just like you are. Be polite and friendly, but also be careful and protect yourself, because sometimes people may try to take advantage of you.
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Fiverr
Fiverr is a very large marketplace and it was one of the earliest public freelancing marketplaces that gained true popularity. It's a great place to both post your skills for sale and to hire someone to work for you, but it does have some limitations.
Buyers who go to Fiverr are usually expecting to get budget services, as Fiverr has established that reputation through its branding. In the early days, it was all about "pay a fiver, get a job done".
Fiverr has expanded a lot since then, but be careful and very clear about what you're offering and for how much.
That said, Fiverr is easy to use and it can be a great place to get started when you're first exploring the world of freelancing.
Click here to read about how to get started on Fiverr.
You may also find this article from Medium.com writer Christina M. Ward helpful.
Upwork
Upwork is kind of the next step up from Fiverr, both in terms of the kind of jobs on offer and the kind of payouts you can expect, but it's also harder to use as a beginner.
Upwork works kind of the opposite to Fiverr. On Fiverr, you post your skills for sale and buyers come to you. On Upwork, buyers post their jobs and then you have to go and bid on them.
Upwork works best if you have a very specific skill set that has limited other providers offering the same thing. If you're bidding on a job and there are a hundred other people bidding on it, then you're not going to get as much attention and you'll probably have to offer less than you want to win the job. But, if you're bidding on something that not many other people are qualified to do (or interested in doing), then you can ask a higher rate and you have a better chance of getting the job.
Upwork also requires that you pass some tests in your specific fields before you can offer your services, which makes it simultaneously harder for newcomers, and safer for buyers.
Freelancing Companies
Freelancing companies are more specific than marketplaces. They're one company (or perhaps a couple who work together) to hire freelancers to perform specific tasks in specific industries. Freelancing companies are generally more reliable because you're working with an actual company, but they usually have a stricter application process and requirements.
Just like a "real" employer, with a freelancing companies you need to build up a relationship and prove yourself before you start getting offered the really good jobs. If you decline too many jobs then you may stop getting offered jobs in the future. So, mind your manners and watch your rep!
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Appen
Appen collects and labels images, text, speech, audio, video and other data used to build and continuously improve the world’s most innovative artificial intelligence systems. It sounds high-tech and scary, but it's mostly things like teaching AI how to understand different accents, or how to recognise faces as they age.
They offer a few different levels of freelance work, ranging from long-term projects to micro-tasks that you can do right now. You can view their recruitment page here:
Constant Content
Constant Content is all about writers. Writers can offer their pre-written articles and other content for sale in the marketplace, or potential buyers can hire you to write something just for them.
Full disclosure: I have not worked with Constant Content, but they have great reviews in the community.
Lionbridge
Lionbridge are primarily focused on translation, localisation, and transcription, but they have their fingers in quite a few different pies these days. In their own words, "We create, transform, test, and train more content than anyone in the world – from text, voice, audio, video, to structured & unstructured data."
Lionbridge are an excellent source of employment if you're multilingual, but they do other things a well. Have a look through their employment section to see what's currently available.
Scripted
Scripted is all about writers. If you want to become a freelance writer in just about any industry, then Scripted is the place to be. But, be warned: It's very competitive!
Full disclosure: I have not worked with Constant Content, but they have great reviews in the community.
TranscribeMe
TranscribeMe offers exactly what it sounds like - transcription services. If you have decent hearing, a good typing speed, and some time on your hands, then transcription can be a great way to earn some spare cash from the comfort of your own home. They also offer a very reasonable rate of pay for this kind of work, which is a bonus!
Full Disclosure: I have never used TranscribeMe as I am hearing impaired, but the reviews are great and I'd love to know what your experiences with them are like!
Testlio
Testlio are one of the more technically-focused freelance platforms. They offer app testing services. While the service is available to anyone and there's a lot of resources to help you self-teach, this one is better if you're into coding, app development, and technology in general.
You need to go through a rigorous testing process to get accepted into the Testlio group, but if you pass then I hear the pay is quite good!
Full disclosure: I applied to work for them but I got overwhelmed by the degree of tech-braining needed to pass the entry test, so I gave up. But, I spoke to them on several different instances and my gut tells me that they're legitimate and run by genuinely good people, so if you're a tech-brained type person then it's well worth looking into this opportunity.
Remote Employers
Remote employers are more like regular employers, except that you can work from the comfort of your home instead of having to go in to an office every day. If you work for them, you're an employee rather than being a self-employed freelancer, with all the positives and negatives that come with that status.
Many employers are now offering work-from-home solutions thanks to the COVID-19 situation, but fully remote employers are still not as common as they could be. Here are the ones we know about that offer employment globally.
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Shopify
Shopify are one to watch! They're going through a growth phase, and are actively recruiting work-from-home teams in many different countries now, including New Zealand.
Shopify provide one of the leading ecommerce platforms in the world - in English, that means that they provide the software that helps online stores run.
You don't need any technical know-how to work for their customer service team and full training is provided, along with a decent wage and some very nice perks.
I worked for them for almost two years and they were a fantastic employer. My only word of caution is that the job is very high-pressure, so not suitable for someone who struggles with fatigue or severe social anxiety.
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