Freelancer.com Review – Scam or Legit? Exposed!

Are you looking for a Freelancer.com review? But you may wonder if it is a scam.

Following the COVID -19 pandemic, working from home has become a necessity for some people, reinforcing the trend that has developed in recent years of people abandoning traditional employment in favour of self-employment. 

Forbes Research recently discovered the exponentially increasing growth rate of all freelance platforms. Because of this, platforms like Freelancer.com are gaining more and more traction.

It’s easy to see why modern freelancers, like everyone else, want more freedom and autonomy. 

Social media channels like Instagram and YouTube, as well as travel bloggers’ websites, have led to the “lifestyle of freedom” being presented to the general public with increasing frequency. 

It’s hard not to envy the people who have found a way to make a living doing what they love.

As a disclaimer, I’m not affiliated with Freelancer.com. It means I’m not paid to write this review. So you can rest assured that you will get an honest and unbiased review from me.

At the end of this review, I’ll also tell you the best alternative to Freelancer.com that has enabled me to make a full-time passive income online.

What Is Freelancer.com?

You can expect to find freelance work on Freelancer.com. It is a website where companies and freelancers can find each other to do contract work. In this online meeting place freelancers can offer their services to potential employers.

In 2009, the current CEO and founder Matt Barrie launched the Freelancer.com website. The company is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, but also has offices in other cities such as Vancouver, Buenos Aires, California, Jakarta, Manila and London. 

Freelancer.com has acquired numerous other freelancer marketplaces over the years, including GetAFreelancer.com, EUFreelance.com, Freelancer.de and many more.

It is obvious and impressive how much Freelancer.com has expanded over the years. A quick look at the latest data will show you that Freelancer.com is huge, with more than 49 million registered users and more than 19 million job listings. This number is expected to grow even more.

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Is Freelancer.com a Scam or Legit?

You may be wondering if Freelander.com is a scam.

Just now we discussed that Freelancer.com is one of the leading online platforms for freelance work and outsourcing. Forty million clients and freelancers (representing more than two hundred countries, territories and areas) should give you the assurance that it is not a scam.

With so many clients, you can be sure that not all of them are satisfied with the services they received, which is why you may have come across some unfavorable reviews.

However, on the whole, they come highly recommended and have an impressive resume to show for it. There is no doubt about the legitimacy of Freelancer.com.

However, do not take my word for it. Check out their online presence to make sure it’s not a scam.

Cons are notoriously difficult to maintain, especially in terms of lifespan and features like online support. In contrast, Freelancer.com has been around for a long time and has a large online community.

Two million people or more follow their Facebook page, and over 200,000 people follow them on Twitter.

More than 14,000 people follow Freelance.com on Instagram, and another 6,000 people subscribe to the company’s YouTube channel, where users can access how-to videos, current events videos, contests, and more.

This is despite the fact that the company has been around for over a decade and has such illustrious clients as Microsoft, Boeing, Intel, GE and many others. Still, there have been many claims on the Internet that they are a scam.

I think a lot of this comes down to individual perceptions of what a scam is, and I’ll talk more about that below when I go over some of the reviews and typical concerns about Freelancer.com. 

Working for less than minimum wage can feel like a scam if you’re used to the security and stability that comes with a regular paycheck.

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How Does Freelancer.com Work?

This service basically acts as an intermediary between clients and freelancers, both in terms of work and payment. 

Freelancers compete with each other for jobs posted by clients for a wide range of remote tasks. Clients select the freelancer(s) to perform the work based on the bids. The freelancer is paid when the job is completed and approved.

For Clients:

You must create a client profile on freelancer.com in order to hire freelancers to work for you. After completing the client profile, the last step is to publish the project and wait for offers from freelancers through the “Post-Project” interface. 

When you publish your project, you need to give it a name, create a detailed description and include a rough estimate. For an extra charge, you can take the “Get the most out of your project” option and do things like:

• Receive faster responses
• Make your post more visible
• Mark your project as “urgent”
• Keep your project details to yourself
• Get expert help in finding the best freelancer for your job
• Get freelancers to sign a non-disclosure agreement

Your account must be filled with at least the total cost of your project before it can be published on the website. You can use your PayPal account, a credit card or your bank account for this purpose. Freelancer.com charges a service fee of three percent.

For Freelancers:

Be sure to create a freelancer profile if you want to use this website as a means to make money. 

You can find work by searching for suitable jobs or projects that match your talents, and then submitting bids in hopes of winning the project and starting work. You will be paid using the transaction method(s) you specified in your winning bid.

How to Register to Freelancer.com and Start Getting Jobs

Step #1 – Signing up

You must sign up for a Freelancer.com account before you can start working on the site. You can sign up either with your email address or a username and password, or by linking your Facebook account.

Unlike signing up via Facebook, which gives you instant access to the website, signing up via email requires a confirmation step on your part (you will receive a confirmation link in an email).

If you’re concerned about your privacy, this is the time to set up an email account with a secure password. Personally, I’m not a fan of linking accounts through outside services like Facebook. For example, what happens if the website you signed up with (Freelancer.com or another platform) gets hacked or if your Facebook account is compromised?

It’s best to use a different password for each of your accounts.

However… at the very least, you probably don’t want Freelancer.com or anyone else to have access to your personal information and activities on social media sites like Facebook.

Step #2 – Completing Your Profile

Complete your Freelancer.com profile so we can verify your identity and prevent fraud. It’s easier to get hired if your profile is complete. On your profile page, you can indicate which jobs you’re interested in by selecting the talents that apply to you.

Use the Freelancer.com checklist to make sure your profile is complete. To increase the likelihood that clients will hire you, I suggest that you do everything they ask (e.g. provide a photo).

Step #3 – Bidding on Projects

You can search for jobs directly on Freelancer.com. Once you’ve been accepted, you can search for employment opportunities on the platform. To get hired, you place bids for projects, and if a client selects your bid, you get the job.

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Features of Freelancer.com

Even if you don’t believe in Freelancer.com’s revolutionary features, you can’t deny that it was the company that set the standards that other online freelance marketplaces now follow. 

Freelancer.com continues to thrive, despite the abundance of spam and incompetent bidders.

Freelancer.com was the first freelance platform to introduce sophisticated XP systems, levels and badges for grading workers. However, as the industry evolved, other platforms caught up and eventually surpassed Freelancer.com. Some of Freelancer.com’s features are discussed here.

1. Contest Feature

Freelancer.com’s “contest” is one of the most interesting and novel features of the site. Clients can host a contest on Freelancer.com where freelancers compete against each other to demonstrate their skills. As a client, this adds a fun element to your online talent search.

Let’s call the contest a copywriting contest for simplicity’s sake, since the emphasis is on skills. 

Your entries are submitted in the form of ad copy, and the prize is the money you receive from the client. As a result of these contests, hundreds of freelancers submit their best work to dozens of clients. Imagine a copywriting contest where hundreds of entries are sent to the client. The client then chooses the submission they think is the best and pays for that submission only. No, not everyone.

As a freelancer, you are free to decide whether you want to participate in the Freelancer.com contest or not. These contests are entertaining and can provide valuable insight into how you compare to other competitors if you choose to enter. Everyone benefits from Freelancer.com’s implementation of this tool.

Please note that any prizes you win in a contest will be subject to a 10% (or $5) processing fee. As a freelancer, you will have to pay this cost yourself.

2. Freelancer Rewards

Freelancer.com also offers a rewards program to encourage its users to take on more freelance work. As you complete missions and tasks on the site, you earn XP (experience points). By earning XP, you gain access to additional rewards as you progress through the many levels of the rewards system.

By earning additional experience points, you become more competitive for jobs and other projects. You can spend your XP to buy competitive improvements, pay for exams, and increase your bids for jobs on Freelancer.com. 

However, Freelancer Rewards is unfortunately only accessible to those who pay for a premium membership.

3. Employer Following

Let us say you set up an email alert service that notifies you whenever one of your favorite companies announces new offers, such as contests or projects. Do not you think that’s fantastic? Your favorite companies can be tracked on Freelancer.com, so you’ll be notified whenever they post a job or contest you might be interested in.

However, the exact number of companies you can follow depends on your membership level. In addition, as an employer, you can prevent freelancers from adding you to the employer following, so you have full control over who follows you.

4. Preferred Freelancer Program

A freelancer who has received the best rating on the platform becomes part of an exclusive club by joining the Preferred Freelancer Program. Interested freelancers can apply to join the program, and Freelancer.com will randomly select the participants.

As a Preferred Freelancer, you can expect many benefits, not the least of which is access to preferred service. And a merit badge that you can display in your profile.

5. Freelancer Showcase

This feature allows freelancers to highlight their portfolio of completed projects and competitive successes on Freelancer.com. 

Companies can quickly and easily locate the most qualified freelancers for their projects. Information about the duration of the project, the total cost and a brief overview of the competition are available for you as an employer in this showcase.

Types of Freelancer.com Jobs

One of the many great features of this platform is the variety of projects it hosts. As a self-employed person, this gives you a lot of freedom. If you want to earn some extra money, you can bid on smaller jobs, for example. 

However, if you’re available for longer work, you can always bid for a contract that will keep you busy throughout the year.

On Freelancer.com, you can choose between hourly and fixed-price work when looking for a job or project.

1. Fixed Price Jobs

If you work for a company that pays by the job and not by the hour, you may be familiar with this rule. With this work, a higher salary is possible. The advantage of this arrangement is that you are paid a fixed wage for a specific job.

With fixed-price jobs, payment is often not made until all work has been completed and accepted. However, if the work is extensive and will take more than a few weeks to complete, you should negotiate partial payments that will be released at specific times.

2. Hourly Jobs

Hourly positions are also available on Freelancer.com. The hourly rate for this type of work is stated in the job posting. Jobs that pay by the hour may be temporary or permanent. 

Freelancer.com includes a time tracking tool that records your hours worked and takes pictures that you can share with clients to demonstrate your efficiency.

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Job Categories of Freelancer.com

Freelancer.com is a large online marketplace where people can offer and find work in a variety of fields. Jobs range from information technology and writing to web design, data entry, accounting, search engine optimization, and even the legal and consulting sectors. Almost any job that can be done from home can be found here.

It’s hard to imagine how long the entire list of job categories is. Websites/ IT alone has more than 687 other subdivisions. There are literally thousands of different places you can search for remote work.

It’s hard to imagine that this platform does not have something for everyone, given the thousands of possible categories. And with such a long list, it’s important to look at areas where there is little competition and learn new “in-demand” skills.

Freelancer.com Application

1. Browse Jobs on Freelancer.com Marketplace – Before you choose a job, it’s important to look closely at the skills you need to succeed (you should have the skills to do the job well). Despite the fact that tasks on Freelancer.com are won through bidding, you should be ready to work within the client’s budget before submitting your bid. Of course, the deadline is also crucial; if you cannot complete the work in the time allotted by the client, you shouldn’t work together.
2. Bid on jobs you’re interested in – When you’re bidding to a client, remember that you’re not competing on price alone. As a freelancer, you also have to compete on the skills and selling points of other freelancers in the same industry, so it’s important to read the job description carefully and explain your offer in detail to the client. Remember that your goal is to be hired for the job, so it’s in your best interest to present yourself in the best light to the client.
3. Work well when assigned – When a client assigns you a project, it is important that you meet the specified deadline.
   
   It is essential to meet deadlines, as this shows your client that you are reliable and reduces the likelihood that they will hire you again.

However, if you need additional time and have a solid working relationship with your client, you can always ask for it. Your client will likely agree to your request if it is reasonable and you provide a sound rationale.

However, the quality of your work and your demeanor also matter. If you consistently deliver substandard work while exhibiting negative behavior, missing a deadline, with or without a valid excuse, could be the end of the line.

Similarly, meeting a deadline and showing up on time does not justify substandard performance.

The ability to meet deadlines, produce quality work, have a positive attitude, and accept direction and feedback is critical for any freelancer. A perfect result is important not only for your client, but also to get more business. Treat yourself. Try to achieve great things.

For this reason, a large number of positive reviews will significantly improve your profile. You will receive more orders because your clients will trust you and prefer to hire you than those who have received a higher rating (at a higher wage). Besides Freelancer.com, other platforms are also acceptable.

How to Become a Preferred Freelancer on Freelancer.com?

Preferred freelancers have access to even more benefits on Freelancer.com. Check your profile page for updates to your scores and notifications to see if you qualify.

To apply for the program, check your profile to see if you already meet the criteria, and then contact the service’s support team.

Although it is not essential to become a preferred freelancer to apply for work on the Freelancer.com marketplace, there are many benefits to becoming one.

1. You’ll be awarded a badge that sets you apart from the other independent contractors on the platform. This lets clients know that you’ve reached the level of a “preferred” (or “elite”) member on Freelancer.com (and are therefore more qualified than regular freelancers), which naturally increases your chances of being selected for the jobs you apply for.
2. When you join the Preferred Freelancer program, you often receive invitations to apply for open positions. Freelancer.com’s recruiting team works with the platform’s top clients, so you can be sure you’ll have access to high-paying assignments. 50% of higher-paying jobs (those worth $2,000 or more) are available to preferred freelancers, according to their website.
3. The Preferred Freelancer program defers fees until the client releases the money to you once you complete a project (not upon acceptance, as with regular jobs on the platform). Note that Freelancer.com only charges an average of 10% in fees, but 15% for work completed by Preferred Freelancer members.
4. As a preferred freelancer, you can place bids for up to one hundred jobs per day. I don’t see the point in sending out 100 applications a day, but at least you’ll have a choice.

What are Freelancer.com Rewards?

The Freelancer.com rewards program serves as an incentive for those who use the site to find contract work. 

As you complete tasks and achieve goals on the platform, you earn XP points. As you advance through the different reward levels, you can earn additional reward points by using your accumulated XP.

The more experience points you have, the more competitive you are for jobs and other ventures.

You can use your rewards points to buy competitive upgrades, additional offers, and even tests that can be displayed on your profile to boost your confidence with customers.

However, I have some discouraging information to share. Freelancer.com rewards are only valid for premium accounts. If you use the free membership, you have no practical way to earn or spend experience points or incentives.

How Much Does Freelancer.com Charge?

Both freelancers and businesses using the site pay a fee based on the type of work performed. The pricing structure of the platform is complex, but you will get used to it as you use it.

Fees for Employers

On Freelancer.com, both the employer and the freelancer can create an account without spending a dime. It costs nothing to submit a job to the site, receive quotes from freelancers, communicate with them about job details, or rate and review their profiles. However, hiring a freelancer to complete a job does come with a cost.

For projects with a fixed price, the fee is 3% of the total cost, with a minimum of $3. Payments to a freelancer on an hourly basis are subject to a 3% platform fee each time they are released.

Fees for Freelancers

You can join this site without spending a dime, and as a free user you can, for example, create a profile, bid on work, enter contests, receive job alerts, and install software. With the free membership, you will have access to the main services of the website that can help you find a job.

However, you will have to pay the price once you accept the project and complete it. For this fixed-price project, your freelancer referral fee will be 10% of the contract value, with a minimum of $5. In addition, a 10% fee will be deducted from all hourly rates paid through freelancer.com.

Contest Fees

There is no cost for a company to enter a contest. If you win a contest, you must pay the same fee as for the freelancer prize. Upon completion of the contest and delivery of all entry materials to the employer, the prize will be released and at that time the fee will be collected.

Freelancers pay either $5 or 10%, whichever is greater, to enter a contest.

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Fees for The Preferred Freelancer Program

Whenever you are offered and accept a Recruiter project as a member of the Preferred Freelancer Program, you will be required to pay a 15% project fee, which will be deducted from your final payout.

Membership Plan

Freelancer.com offers a variety of membership levels, from completely free to a whopping $59.95 per year for the elite Premier membership. Each membership level offers benefits for both businesses and freelancers.

With an upgraded membership package, companies can make their projects available for bidding on the site for longer.

Freelancers who don’t have access to other freelancers’ bids are more likely to submit original, high-quality bids. That’s why the Sealed Project Upgrade feature is so useful.

Employers can protect the privacy of their bid projects by requiring freelancers to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before submitting a bid.

The benefits of membership plans for freelancers depend on the number of competitions they enter, the number of employers they follow, and the number of bids they submit for projects. 

Freelancers can save projects they’re interested in for future bidding using the bookmarking tools included in the Intro, Basic, Plus, Professional, and Premier membership levels.

Freelancers who upgrade to Plus, Professional or Premier can also submit invoices to their clients outside of the platform.

For serious freelancers and freelance companies with employees working on larger projects, the most expensive plans are suitable.

Additional Services

Employers can pay between $5 and $199 for premium services on Freelancer.com, such as Featured, Urgent and Priority, to speed up the process of finding qualified freelancers.

Freelancer.com Withdrawal Fees, Minimum Threshold, And Maximum Withdrawal

Payment processing fees incurred after a withdrawal from Freelancer.com are as follows:

• PayPal – free
• Skrill – free
• Payoneer – free
• International wire – $25

Please note that the barrier is $30 (after expenses) (if any). Also, you can withdraw a maximum of $10,000 per month.

Moreover, Freelancer.com states in its T&C that you can receive your withdrawal with a delay of 15 days. This is due to the frequency of scams and other questionable actions that take place in cyberspace. As annoying as it can be to wait for a payout, I see this as a plus.

Of course, it’s not ideal if you need your money immediately and unexpected delays occur due to the system. You shouldn’t rely on timely payments being guaranteed in any way.

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Freelancer.com Examination Fees

As mentioned earlier, you can increase your credibility and get more projects by including your certifications and test results in your Freelancer.com profile.

Please note that there are costs associated with some exams (it depends on the type of exam). There are other exams that cost money, from $5 to $10 or $15, but some are free.

Ultimately, only you can decide if these tests are really necessary. If your workload is heavy enough, you may not need to order them. However, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, they can help you stand out from your competitors. A single job offer that you might’ve turned down would cover the cost of the test (and then some). Still, there are cases where the effort is wasted.

New clients don’t know anything about you, so it’s helpful to post test results on your profile page. These can improve your profile by showing not only your skills, but also your commitment to Freelancer.com (and they most likely want to hire someone who’s serious and will stick with it).

How Does Freelancer.com Pay?

Milestone payments are the basis of Freelancer’s managed payment system.

While working on a project for a client, the freelancer has access to the milestone payment (equal to the order amount) only through the client’s (you) account. 

In other words, the Client is responsible for paying for the entire Project upfront, and Freelancer.com will only pay you under the following circumstances:

1. If both you (the freelancer) and the client agree that the payment can be claimed/released, the payment can be claimed/released.
2. If a disagreement (if any) is decided in favor of the Freelancer (you).
3. When the client instructs Freelancer.com to release the frozen payment(s) to you (the freelancer).
4. When the Client expresses satisfaction that you (the Freelancer) have completed an assignment to their satisfaction.

To clarify: Milestone payments are entirely at the discretion of the client. Freelancer.com is merely the platform that secures payment funds until the client decides to release or withhold them.

However, if a dispute arises over payment, Freelancer.com’s dispute resolution team is available as a mediator. This protects both the freelancer and the client, albeit imperfectly.

Freelancer.com Disputes and Issues

A disagreement between you (the freelancer) and your client may lead to a dispute. Common issues include compensation, quality of work, meeting deadlines, etc. Dissatisfied clients often refuse to pay freelancers for their services.

Before filing a dispute with Freelancer, I recommend communicating directly with your client (if there are issues with the project or payment). Freelancer.com is not the right place to resolve this matter, in my opinion, because no one, including your client, wants a dispute on their record.

Of course, if your client refuses to have a conversation about the problem, you need to resolve the situation at a higher level.

Users should be aware that Freelancer.com does not provide legal support (clients and freelancers). If their dispute team cannot find a solution, the next step could be costly arbitration.

Each party to the dispute must spend their own money to take legal action. The dispute resolution fee is $5 or 5% of the amount in dispute (whichever is greater), and this fee is refunded to the winning party at the conclusion of the dispute.

Ultimately, both the client and the freelancer want to avoid having a disagreement listed on their credit reports because it causes financial harm to both parties. It’s best to avoid these types of conflicts whenever possible. 

After all, you can’t determine what a client does or says, but you can guarantee the high standard of your work and remain reliable. If you fulfil everything that’s asked of you (and more), the stress involved won’t be as bad as it might otherwise be, right?

In the end, you’ll know you gave it your all, including providing the best possible service to your client, and that will give you satisfaction no matter what the outcome.

Avoiding disagreements over money is another good reason to keep the financial stakes low in your contracts. If you’re working on a large project, increase the number of milestone payments and shorten the time between them until trust is built.

For orders that take a long time, many customers (the excellent ones) are reasonable, and I am sure you can ask them to make smaller but staggered payments (partial payments).

This way, if there is a conflict, it will not cost too much to resolve it. This way, it is much easier to dismiss the conflict and call it a learning experience. It is much easier to just give up on a small dispute over a negligible amount and get back to work than it is to take a big loss and incur the time, stress and expense of a protracted dispute over a substantial amount.

Still, most customers are good people, so problems will be the exception rather than the rule.

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Freelancer.com Reviews and Complaints

In this section of my Freelancer.com review, I will address some of the criticisms and issues that other users have raised, such as the widely held belief that Freelancer.com is a scam.

TrustPilot Freelancer.com Reviews

According to TrustPilot reviews, Freelancer.com receives an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars (based on approximately 5,000 reviews). An overwhelming majority of reviewers appear to be satisfied with Freelancer.com, as this rating indicates.

The reviews that gave Freelancer.com high marks mainly said the following:

• They provide excellent customer service.
• Both clients and workers/freelancers are respected by the site.
• Freelancer.com is a fantastic way to make money online.

However, as with any business, there were some complaints. I saw the following issues in these reviews:

• Customer service at Freelancer.com is below average.
• Some reviews consider the services unprofessional.
• Some freelancers believe that Freelancer.com is a scam.

Not surprisingly, there are both positive and bad reviews that seem to contradict each other.

Each person has unique life experiences, perspectives, and coping mechanisms.

A freelancer should expect to be hit back if they engage in a verbal or written attack (e.g., an extremely angry email) in a dispute.

Conversely, a freelancer who approaches customer service with empathy and compassion can expect to be treated with the same spirit.

Please do not get me wrong; I am not claiming that Freelancer.com is error-free. However, some of their support staff might be grumpy. or a member of the support team might have experienced an unfortunate event that put them temporarily out of action.

Again. I don’t mean to sound like I’m defending Freelancer.com. I’m just trying to keep things in perspective. If a company handles hundreds or thousands of client issues every day, one or two unpleasant encounters isn’t indicative of a systemic problem.

It also doesn’t mean they’re bad at it, but your experience with Freelancer.com in this area will likely be a unique one. Although support is available 24/7, they can’t promise that you’ll be completely satisfied every time.

Now, in response to the scam comments, it’s not that Freelancer.com is a scam. It is because scammers often target online marketplaces and platforms.

Freelancer.com is not alone in this regard. Sites like Indeed and Flexjobs, which help people find jobs, have the same problem. Both Google and Facebook are struggling with this. It’s a problem for the company that hosts your email. The same is true for your bank, your phone company, and so on.

Disadvantages are ubiquitous, and they are constantly adapting and developing new techniques.

Freelancer and other similar platforms have a verification process and do their best to verify the identity of users, but they can only do so much. No one will sign up if they subject both clients and freelancers to an overly intrusive verification process.

The more thorough the vetting process is, the more complaints about privacy invasion are received.

It’s a difficult situation in which no company can win. Everyone wants there to be no more scammers, but no one wants to go too far and face accusations of suppressing freedom of speech or people’s right to privacy.

Glassdoor Freelancer.com Reviews

Glassdoor reviews of Freelancer.com have not been so positive. On Glassdoor, they have an average rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars from more than 1,000 customers. That’s not a great rating, but it’s not bad either.

The ability to work remotely was frequently cited in the good Glassdoor reviews.

Freelancer.com reviews usually highlight the positive work environment the company offers its freelancers and contractors.

The less positive reviews also highlighted that long hours are required (perhaps because the reviewer is trying to earn a full-time income with the platform).

As mentioned earlier, several platforms have problems with fraud projects (i.e., fraudulent orders).

Some of these problems may not be with Freelancer.com per se, but rather with a particular client or job.

For example, Freelancer.com doesn’t decide how much a client will pay.

The lack of security in your freelance business has less to do with Freelancer’s platform and more to do with how you’ve organized your freelance work.

The pros and cons listed on Glassdoor seem to address the most common case of telecommuting (flexible schedule, relaxed environment, etc.). What worries me, and I can’t say for sure how to solve the problem (unless you hire an internal management to take care of every client and project), are the complaints about fraud on their website.

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What I Like About Freelancer.com

• Freelancer.com offers a wealth of reputable opportunities to work from home.
• The 10% fee is quite affordable (it is standard in the industry).
• You can sign up for a free membership with Freelancer.
• The free membership package includes 8 bids.
• The platform developed for Freelancer.com includes an app that allows freelancers and clients to send messages, chat, upload and share files.
• They provide excellent customer service.

What I Don’t Like About Freelancer.com

• I have discovered many scams on Freelancer.com, and it seems that there are both fraudulent clients and fraudulent freelancers.
• Many scams may (or may not) be the result of a weak security review and verification process. Again, all platforms, including social media giants, banks, email providers, phone companies, and even law enforcement, are fighting fraudsters.
• If you are awarded a project, you will have to pay fees (even if you have not been paid yet).
• Your verification method may require you to disclose highly sensitive information.
• If you have a free membership, your bids are limited (only 8 per month)… But as mentioned above, I think it’s good to be able to place at least 8 bids for free. That does not mean I do not want more.
• You have the right to refuse service or close your account without giving any reason.
• Withdrawals are not automatically released, but remain blocked on the customer’s account.
• Withdrawals can be delayed.
• There is a withdrawal limit of $30 (zero would have been better, especially for newbies).

Freelancer.com Review: Final Verdict

I understand that you’re interested in being your own boss and working from home. I can relate to that.

The fact that freelancers have access to sites like Freelancer.com (and similar platforms) is a huge plus for the industry as a whole. Since Freelancer.com is reputable, I recommend trying there. In fact, sites like these have been a great source of information for me on the subject of online income generation.

Ultimately, the decision is up to you. Of particular concern to me are the allegations of fraud on Freelancer.com. Freelancers have complained about being scammed by their clients, and consumers have complained about freelancers scamming them.

Actually, if you want to make passive income, I have a better recommendation for you. Let me tell you more in the next section.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Best Alternative of Freelancer.com to Make Passive Income

If you want to make a stable and secure stream of passive income, I would suggest you start an affiliate marketing business online.

Affiliate Marketing is perfect for anyone who is new to online business. 

In fact, of all the online business models I’ve tried, affiliate marketing is the easiest and most rewarding so far.  

In affiliate marketing, you can actually run your business almost with zero cost and achieve a steady and sustainable passive income to pay for your bills. You don’t need any initial capital and can even do it as a side hustle.

And if you really want to learn affiliate marketing and build a business from scratch, I’d recommend you to get started with the most reputable platform for affiliate marketing: Wealthy Affiliate.

Wealthy Affiliate is an all-in-one platform for building your affiliate marketing business from scratch. It offers you a free account (including a free website) with comprehensive training on SEO (free traffic methods), which enables you to get started with affiliate marketing right away without paying a penny.

But How Much Can You Earn with Wealthy Affiliate?

A 21-year old student from Wealthy Affiliate was able to earn $7,395 in just 1 week, which means he made more than $1k a day…all while using free traffic methods.

Wealthy Affiliate has existed for 15 years and there are many success stories in the past decade.

To give you more examples, here are some of the other inspiring success stories of Wealthy Affiliate members.

Where to Join Wealthy Affiliate?

Wealthy Affiliate has a very simple pricing scheme. It has free and premium membership.

If you want to feel about Wealthy Affiliate, you can sign up for the free starter membership here (no credit card required). You can select to be a free member with no time limit.

And as a starter member, you can get instant access to the community, live chat, over 500 training modules, 2 classrooms, networking, commenting, 1 free website, access to the keyword tool.

You can enjoy all these values without paying a penny. 

So I strongly recommend you to register a free account and see it yourself.

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