Comparisons · Hub
Freelance platform comparisons
Fee-focused comparisons
Upwork vs Fiverr fees for clients
Client-side fee math with worked examples. Re-check Upwork’s live pricing page — Basic now leads with 5% in the hero (see conflict note on new pages).
Open →Upwork vs Freelancer.com
Client and freelancer fee shape, bid mechanics, and escrow style differences.
Open →Upwork vs Contra
Open marketplace percentage fees versus Contra’s 0% Independent commission + flat client platform fees.
Open →Toptal vs Upwork
Screened network (subscription + quoted rates) versus open marketplace fees and milestones.
Open →Fiverr vs Freelancer.com
Buyer 5.5%+$3.50 under $200 versus employer 3%/$3, with worked examples.
Open →Fiverr vs Contra
Gig marketplace percentages versus 0% Independent commission and flat client fees.
Open →Upwork Business Plus vs Basic
5% vs 10% service fees, initiation fees, and when the higher plan can pay off.
Open →Buyer-fit comparisons on Hiring Hub
Workflow and sourcing-fit angles (packages vs proposals, curated vs marketplace). Use our pages here for fee math.
Open Hub compare →Also useful before you compare
- Multi-platform fee comparison — the master fee table
- Escrow and milestones — what “payment protection” covers
- Tools hub — payout rails and calculators
FAQ
Do you rank platforms?
No. Comparisons explain fee math, protection rules, and fitting use-cases from official sources. We do not publish overall rankings or star ratings.
Why do some Upwork pages still say 7.99%?
Upwork’s public client pricing page (checked Nov 5, 2026) leads with a 5% Basic service fee and 10% Business Plus, with 3%/8% bank discounts for eligible U.S. checking-account payers. Some FAQ/schema blocks on the same page, and Upwork Help’s Client Marketplace Fee article (re-checked Nov 9, 2026), still say “up to 7.99%”. New comparisons use the hero/schema 5%/10% figures and flag the leftover 7.99% text as a conflict to re-check at checkout.
Sources
- Upwork — Client pricing: www.upwork.com/pricing/client (checked Nov 5, 2026)
- Freelancer.com — Fees and Charges: www.freelancer.com/feesandcharges (checked Nov 5, 2026)
- Contra Help — Fees overview: help.contra.com/en/articles/9322934-fees-overview (checked Nov 5, 2026)
No affiliate links on this page. Figures change; re-check the official page before you rely on them.