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Fiverr alternatives for beginners

The best places to start freelancing outside Fiverr — what it costs to start, how you find your first client, and when you are paid.

  • Figures checked on
  • Platforms compared: 12
  • Sourced figures: 23
zinnhub.com · legiit.com · peopleperhour.com ·

Your first sales are the hardest. What helps a beginner most is a platform that is free to join, does not charge you to apply for work, and does not take a large share of your first earnings.

Starting costs and how work is found

Starting costs and how work is found
PlatformSeller feeHow it works
Fiverr20% of every order, including extras and tips[1]Fixed-price services (Gigs) with packages and add-ons[2]
Zinn Hub®0% on your first $500 of sales, then 20% falling in steps to 8% as your lifetime sales grow; a flat 8% on Pro ($25/month) or 7% on Agency ($50/month)[3]Fixed-price services (Zinn®s), small Micro Zinn®s and projects that freelancers bid on[4]
Legiit15% of each sale[5]Fixed-price services and products listed by sellers[5]
PeoplePerHour20% on the first £250 billed with each buyer, 7.5% from £250 to £5,000, and 3.5% above £5,000 (excluding VAT); at least £1 per invoice[6]Fixed-price Offers, plus projects that freelancers send proposals to[7]
Upwork0% to 15% per contract — shown before you send a proposal and fixed once the contract starts[8]Job posts that freelancers apply to using Connects, which cost $0.15 each[9]
Freelancer.com10% or $5, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects; 10% on hourly projects[10]Projects that freelancers bid on (bidding is free), plus contests[10]
GuruA 9% job fee on the free Basic membership, falling to 5% on the Executive membership[11]Not stated on the pages we checked[12]
Workana20% with a new client, 10% once that client has paid you over $300, and 5% over $3,000[13]Projects that clients publish and freelancers send proposals to[14]
ContraNo commission on earnings; payout processors' own fees are passed on to the independent[15]Commission-free profiles for independents, with job listings and digital product sales; Pro costs $29 a month[16]
Malt10% for a first mission, 5% after six months with the same client, 2% for clients you invite (excluding VAT)[17]Freelance missions booked through three client plans: Starter, Advanced and Enterprise[17]
99designsA designer platform fee of 15%, 10% or 5% by level, plus a client introduction fee of 20% of the first $500 with each new client[18]Design contests and 1-to-1 design projects[19]
ToptalNo cut — talent sets its own rate and Toptal does not take a share of it[20]A screened network — fewer than 3% of applicants are accepted — matched to your role[21]

Figures checked on

Where each figure comes from

  1. Fiverr Help Center — your earnings page (edited 16 June 2026)
  2. Fiverr Help Center — creating a Gig
  3. Zinn Hub® — pricing and commission tiers
  4. Zinn Hub® — home page
  5. Legiit — terms of service (last updated 25 September 2025)
  6. PeoplePerHour Support — freelancer commission fees
  7. PeoplePerHour Support — Offers policies
  8. Upwork Help Center — the Freelancer Service Fee
  9. Upwork Help Center — understanding and using Connects
  10. Freelancer.com — fees and charges
  11. Guru Help — job fee (guru.com blocks automated reads from our network; read from the search-engine index of this page)
  12. Guru Help — employer fees (guru.com blocks automated reads from our network; read from the search-engine index of this page)
  13. Workana Help — how the commission is calculated
  14. Workana Help — how projects work
  15. Contra Help Center — fees overview (independents)
  16. Contra — pricing
  17. Malt Help — service fees and offers
  18. 99designs Help — what a platform fee is
  19. 99designs Help — the 100% money-back guarantee
  20. Toptal — talent frequently asked questions
  21. Toptal — frequently asked questions (clients)

Each number links to the platform's own page. Fees change — check the platform before you buy or sell.

Start with two or three focused services rather than ten, price your first orders to win reviews, deliver early, and ask every satisfied buyer for a review. On Zinn Hub® your first $500 of sales carries no commission, and bidding on its projects is free.

Zinn Hub® vs Fiverr: fees, payouts and buyer protection compared
Sites like Fiverr for sellers: where freelancers keep moreThe best Fiverr alternatives for freelancers and sellers, compared on commission, when you are paid and how you are paid — every figure sourced.Sites like Fiverr for buyers: pay less on top, stay protectedThe best Fiverr alternatives for buyers, compared on the fee added to your order, how your payment is protected and how you can pay — every figure sourced.Fiverr alternatives with lower feesFreelance marketplaces with lower fees than Fiverr — seller commission and buyer fees side by side, with sources and the date we checked.Freelance marketplaces that accept cryptoWhich Fiverr alternatives let buyers pay in crypto and sellers withdraw in crypto — checked on each platform's own pages.Fiverr alternatives in the UK and EuropeFreelance marketplaces for UK and European buyers and sellers — fees in pounds and euros, SEPA and UK bank payouts, and country-based pricing.

Keep reading

How we compare the platforms, the questions people ask most, and practical guides for buyers and sellers.