Arinola AfuapeEver since the emergence of the freelance work trend, many freelance job sites have been introduced. However, Upwork and Fiverr have grown to become the most popular in recent times.
Many African freelancers are faced with choosing the best freelancing sites that will make freelancing easy, so will it be Upwork or Fiverr? This article fully explores the peculiar features of both platforms to help you make a choice.
Upwork or Fiverr: How Do Both Platforms Work?
Upwork, like many freelance job sites, isn’t just for freelancers but for those who hire talent as well. There are over 100 freelance specializations on Upwork. Freelancers get jobs on Upwork by sending proposals to available job offers using Connect after signing up and setting up their profiles. That’s not the only way, you can also accept invitations from clients who might have found you from a talent shortlist. Quite simple or maybe not!
Signing up on Upwork is not as simple as it is with Fiverr, it requires a little more dedication and intentionality. To sign up, you would need to:
- Create an account.
- Fill the profile with details about yourself, your education, freelance skills, experience, and even your portfolio.
Just imagine yourself setting up your LinkedIn or Facebook profile. Tell us all that we need to know, sell yourself!
Connects is the Upwork currency for job applications and you get 10 free Upwork connects each new month. Every job requires a different number of Connects, and you can also buy extra Connects. Upwork also helps freelancers improve their skills with the many courses and certifications available on the platform.
Fiverr works differently from Upwork, it is much more open than Upwork because setting up an account is less difficult. After signing up on Fiverr, all you need to do next is to become a seller by creating a gig. A gig is a service you render as a freelancer and often includes your service title, search tags, service costs, and any other information you’d like such as images.
You can create your gig and have it in packages such as basic, standard, and premium. Each includes all the necessary details of what the packages entail. Once all these are done, your gig will appear on Fiverr’s search engine when a buyer searches for services related to yours. Fiverr now offers ads to help your gig rank and appear first when a buyer is in search.
Upwork or Fiverr; Which is Best For Me?
For African freelancers who can offer a quick product or service, like voice-over work, an illustration, or a jingle, Fiverr is the best freelancing site. But for more specialized freelance services that often require more long-term commitment to complete projects like web design work or copywriting can achieve success on Upwork.
An upwork freelance platform might be a better choice for African freelancers looking to build their network and have more long-term clientele. It is easier to get in touch with potential employers using Upwork’s messaging system, so you can get an idea of exactly what they are searching for before you even submit your proposal.
Although both of them have freelancer ratings, another feature worth noting is Upwork’s Talent Badges for freelancers. They’re awarded to show off your talent and experience and are placed next to your name on your profile to be seen by clients.
Fiverr also has its own set of ratings called Seller Levels, which are based on monthly performance. This includes New Seller, Level 1, Level 2, and Top Rated Seller, each with its own set of requirements. The higher your ranking goes, the more clients will be willing to book you.
Upwork or Fiverr: Flexibility For Freelancers
Upwork workflow ensures that the client and freelancer are on the same page before they start a project. Clients cannot start a contract without the confirmation of a freelancer. While freelancing in Project Catalog, clients and freelancers also have a 24-hour window to cancel an order without any penalty.
On Fiverr, it’s not quite simple to alter the direction of a Gig once it’s been bought. All cancellations of gigs can lead to a drop in a seller’s rating, even if the purchaser made the cancellation.
Tips for Filtering a Client on Upwork
You don’t just go about sending proposals to every job offer you find on an Upwork freelance platform. To avoid wasting your connects and getting frustrated, here are some things to filter the right job post on Upwork:
- Category of work.
- Required experience level.
- Hourly billing or fixed-price payments.
- Client budget.
- Total number of proposals received to date.
- Client payment verification status.
- Client hiring history.
- Project length.
- Project hours per week.
- Client location (U.S. or international).
- Client time zone.
- Contract-to-hire opportunity.
Tips for Buyers to Hire You on Fiverr
We’ve already established the fact that Fiverr works differently from Upwork. While you as a freelancer are more conscious of the jobs you apply for on Upwork, you try to make yourself appealing to a buyer on Fiverr. And here’s how buyers select sellers:
- Service options.
- Seller Level.
- Languages.
- Location.
- Budget.
- Delivery time.
- Fiverr Pro Gigs.
- Sellers that are actively online.
Conclusion
The common debate among African freelancers about choosing Upwork or Fiverr and knowing which remains the best freelancing site won’t go away anytime soon. Both have unique features that work for different people on both platforms. So you can check out these features and go with the one you think will work best for you. Visit our website for more answers you might seek as an African freelancer.
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Ekene Eziagulu
