Your work, their rules. Platforms take significant fees, control your client relationships, and can terminate accounts without warning. I analyze the terms that affect your freelance business.
Side-by-side comparison of consumer fairness scores across major freelance platforms.
| Platform | Score | Grade | Key Gotcha | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
F
Freelancer
Best in Category
|
65 | B- | Opaque dispute resolution, hidden fees | View Review → |
|
T
Toptal
|
58 | C+ | Exclusive talent pool restrictions | View Review → |
|
F
Fiverr
|
52 | C | 20% fee, aggressive seller terms | View Review → |
|
U
Upwork
Lowest in Category
|
45 | C- | Non-circumvention, heavy fees (5-20%) | View Review → |
All platforms prohibit working directly with clients found on the platform. Violations can result in permanent bans and financial penalties.
Fees range from 5-20% of earnings. Most platforms take money from both freelancers and clients, compounding total platform costs.
Platforms can terminate accounts with limited appeal options. Years of built-up reputation and reviews can be lost instantly.
Work product ownership varies. Some platforms retain broad licenses to your portfolio work and client deliverables.
Click through for complete analysis of each platform's terms of service.
If you've been unfairly banned, had payments withheld, or are dealing with client disputes, we have resources to help you understand your rights.
Need help understanding your rights or resolving a platform dispute?