1. Upwork
Upwork may be one of the best freelance websites for finding work no matter what type of freelancer you are. Many freelance jobs are posted on Upwork, but there’s a hungry audience competing for them. Unless you’re an Upwork superstar, bidding on a project that already has 30 proposals usually isn’t worth it.
Those in web development, graphic design, and even freelance writing will find that Upwork has much to offer. The seemingly unending feed of job postings is continually updated. From small businesses to huge corporations, many different types of companies are looking to hire freelance designers through Upwork.
Upwork has a bit of a learning curve when you first get up and running. You have to learn the artistry of writing effective proposals, and you may have to bid below your pay rate to build up your feedback rating.
That being said, some freelance designers secure plenty of work on Upwork and score project after project. Upwork can be worth the time — it offers the potential for great returns once you’ve established yourself on the platform.
2. Designhill
Designhill gives employers looking for freelance designers a few ways to find them. Employers can create a project contest, which will bring a slew of design entries straight to them, or they can seek out your services through a search box right at the top of the landing page. Design contests are pretty polarizing. If you’re someone who grumbles at crowdsourcing work on freelancing sites, we feel your pain. But not all design contests are a scam, and Designhill shows that they can be a legitimate enterprise.
Designhill has a lot to offer whether you’re a graphic designer, web designer, or pursuing other types of design. Designhill further courts their creatives by offering them the chance to design their own T-shirts, have them printed, and sell them in their online shop. This is a nice touch, giving freelance designers yet another way to get their work out there and to make some money off their artistry.
3. Toptal
Toptal pitches themselves as a place to find the top 3% of freelance talent. Their screening process is so rigorous that out of the thousands of submissions they get every month, they only accept a few into their ranks. This exclusivity sets them apart from so many other freelance websites out there. It may seem intimidating getting in, but if you do, you’ll get the chance to put yourself in front of some pretty big names — Airbnb, Zendesk, and Thumbtack are companies that have used Toptal to find designers.
4. LinkedIn and LinkedIn ProFinder
Whatever your field, especially if you’re creative, you should have a LinkedIn profile.
You can post examples of your work for each role you’ve had, making it more than just a resume. And by having your skills searchable on this platform, you’re bound to bring in some traffic to your profile and connect with people who may be looking for your exact design expertise.
Another smart feature that LinkedIn has rolled out is LinkedIn ProFinder, which helps businesses find qualified people to work for them. LinkedIn ProFinder also sends project leads your way via email, giving you the chance to write a proposal and bid.
And let’s not forget LinkedIn job postings — finding remote, part-time, or full-time work maybe just a few searches away. There’s a reason why LinkedIn is one of the best job sites: they continue to deliver what job seekers are looking for.
5. We Work Remotely
We Work Remotely boasts that they get around 2.5 million users a month. That’s huge. They have a multitude of job postings with many design-related offerings. We Work Remotely may feel a bit less personal than more design-centric websites, but the volume of job postings makes up for this.
People or companies seeking designers have to spend a fixed price of $299 to list on We Work Remotely, which acts as a screening process and weeds out a lot of low-quality job leads. With heavy-hitters such as Google, Amazon, and InVision all listed as companies who’ve posted on it, this is a legit platform. And what’s even better, you don’t have to create a profile — all you need to do is click on a job link and be brought straight there.
Whether you’re looking for part-time work or freelance jobs that will keep you busy full time, We Work Remotely has freelance jobs to fit your skillset.
6. Behance
When seeking creative inspiration, you’ve no doubt landed on Behance. It features so much great work to soak in, including illustrations, animations, web design, and more.
When you fill in your Behance profile with great examples of your work, your work is put in front of an audience of like-minded creatives. And if your work earns the coveted spot of featured project, you’ll get even more positive exposure. Who knows who might see it and might want to hire you. Behance also functions as a social media network to connect with other designers. Expanding your list of contacts may bring you new design opportunities.
Behance also offers jobs sections, which has quite a few leads for quality freelance work. You won’t find an endless scroll of jobs, but what’s posted falls in line with Behance’s fantastic reputation.
7. SimplyHired
SimplyHired doesn’t charge people to put up job postings, which opens a floodgate of job opportunities. And for freelance workers wanting to be seen by potential clients, SimplyHired makes it super easy to upload a resume and get your profile up and running.
Their job search functions also come in handy, letting you narrow down your searches only to what you’re interested in. Having a focused search is much more valuable than sites that display only loosely related results.
The site also offers great resources for job seekers, with guides on resume writing, cover letter writing, and other information to help you out. SimplyHired puts those looking for work at the center of their experience, and what they offer shows that they are invested in helping others succeed.
8. Dribbble
Wherever you’re at in your career as a designer, you need to have a profile set up on Dribbble, which continually amazes us with the quality and variety of killer projects that get shared and the community of supportive creatives.
Having a high-quality Dribbble profile is a great way to market yourself and to show potential clients what you’re capable of. Dribbble gets a lot of traffic, with plenty of clients looking for talented designers. All you need to do is write a stellar bio and show off the best of your portfolio.
Dribbble also gives you an easy way to update your work availability and lets you flip the switch on and off whenever you need to. And if you upgrade to the pro level, you get access to an exclusive freelance design job board.
Web developers, graphic designers, and others with related skillsets won’t only find inspiration on Dribbble but may also find their next freelance gig.
9. Fiverr
Having a presence on multiple freelancing sites gives you the most exposure.
Yes, many designers are offering their services on Fiverr, often cheaper and of questionable quality, but don’t let this discourage you. If you can create your own niche and specialization as a freelancer on Fiverr, it can be a reliable way to find new projects and earn additional revenue.
Some people may dismiss Fiverr, but it can be one of the best freelance websites if you’re willing to do the hard work it takes to be successful.
10. PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour markets itself as doing a better job of pairing clients with designers.
At the beginning of a project, a client inputs the important details of it. This data is then sent through an artificial intelligence program that analyzes it, then matches the client with designers who would be a good fit. PeoplePerHour aims for a more streamlined process, bringing together designers and clients on their freelance platforms in a more precise way.