TextBroker Review – Scam or Legit? Truth Exposed!

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

I’ve been told that now is the best time in history to be a writer. Although every story has its two sides, it’s undeniable that platforms like Textbroker make it easier to get started.

However, many of these “writer” sites are actually scammy. How reliable is Textbroker? If you’re reading this post, you probably want to make a living as a writer. That makes sense, and I understand that too. 

Even though this isn’t the way I envisioned making a living as a writer, the idea for this site came from my desire to do so, and now I can do good by helping others realize their own potential as writers.

As a disclaimer, I’m not affiliated with TextBroker. 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 TextBroker that has enabled me to make a full-time passive income online.

What Is Textbroker?

Product descriptions, press releases, online copy, blog posts, technical articles, white papers, social media posts, and news stories are just some of the types of content that can be commissioned through Textbroker, a content marketplace that matches clients with freelance writers.

Textbroker’s services are used by a wide range of clients, from independent bloggers to major publishers.

Although working as an independent freelancer can be more lucrative, content mills like Textbroker still have a place in the expanding online freelance market.

One of the most well-known content mills, Textbroker, was founded in 2007 by Jan Becker-Fochler of Germany. Currently, the company is based in the city of sin.

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Is Textbroker a Scam?

People who are interested in freelancing but have doubts about whether Textbroker is a scam or not sometimes hesitate to sign up.

The concern about their authenticity is natural, but it is unfounded. If you can help clients who make requests to create content on the platform and do a good job, you can get paid for it.

Textbroker was originally included in the Inc. 5000 after an evaluation was conducted that same year. They continued to receive this award for the following two years, so you can be sure that this is a reputable company.

Textbroker is accredited with the BBB with the highest possible A+ rating.

Who Is Textbroker For?

Textbroker is an opportunity for the ambitious freelancer. Those who enjoy writing are happy to be paid for it.

Although experienced bloggers may earn $1000 or more per article, we all have to start somewhere, right?

Even if your earnings are significantly lower at Textbroker, one of the main benefits of freelancing is that you can increase your income through other revenue streams.

Online surveys on sites like surveyjunkie.com are one way, while inboxdollars.com pays you for activities like video streaming, keyword research, and website visits.

Of course, this can only help you supplement your pocket money, but if you’re a freelancer, every little bit counts and can make the difference between being able to quit your regular job or having to keep working for a while.

An internet company could be the best alternative for those who want to work from home and build a true work-at-home lifestyle.

In other cases, you may need the ability to earn money without leaving the comfort of your own home because you’ve health concerns, young children, or simply don’t want to go to the office every day. Textbroker is just one of the many options available to people today.

However, if you want to build an online business, you need some sort of launch pad to get things rolling.

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How to Sign Up With TextBroker?

1. Registration

Textbroker seems to expect a lot from us for some reason. Maybe it’s too much. But since it’s their site, they can make the rules.

You will be asked for the usual suspects such as name and email, but also more specific information such as address, contact number, occupation, age and gender. They will also ask for a ID selfie taken with a computer or cell phone camera that proves your residency in the US.

2. Submit a Writing Sample

After registering, you will be asked to submit an example on a topic of your choice or upload an example from an existing portfolio. The text must be at least 200 words and the topic should be familiar to you.

3. Rating Assignment

Textbroker editors will give you a rating between 2 and 5 stars after reviewing your sample, which can take up to a week or two. What you get paid for and what kind of tasks you can work on depends on your status.

4. Setting Up Your Profile

Now that you have been given access, you can create your author page. This is the part that the customer actually sees, so it’s worth spending time on.

Tabs indicate the most important sections that will be displayed.

• General Information – Include your resume, salary (if direct hire), and availability (how many words you can write per week) here.
• Skills – In this section, you will be asked to describe yourself in terms of your background, expertise, and focus as a writer (e.g., interviews, speeches, press releases)
• Writing Samples – A client should look primarily at your writing skills. Include up to three samples of your own writing here so the client can assess whether or not your style meets their needs.
• Languages – In order to accept projects in other languages, please indicate any additional languages you are proficient in. You can also attach examples of your texts here.
• Interests – You like to write about these types of things. Many clients use the “Subject” field to narrow down their search for writers. So, if you include relevant information here, your profile will become even more popular.
• Travel – A list of your holiday destinations can help clients get to know you better, assess your level of experience, and potentially select you for projects that require regional expertise.

After this is done (which may be a few weeks after your application), you can start writing.

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How Does TextBroker Work?

Finding Projects

Searching is the most important way to discover opportunities when you’re just starting out. It’s true that there are no guaranteed entry-level positions at Textbroker, but as you gain experience, you’ll find additional opportunities.

Choose a Project

That’s the way to get your foot in the door when you are starting out. Clients post jobs and demand a certain level of quality from their writers. They are added to a public job queue where you can search for specific jobs based on keywords and writer ratings.

Direct Order

To the extent that you build lasting relationships with your clients, they may specifically ask for your services. For direct assignments, regardless of your classification, you can set your own fee per word.

Remember that the client is not paying the price you set. When determining a reasonable fee, you should take into account Textbroker’s 30% markup.

Team Orders

Neither how team orders work nor the requirements for joining a team are completely clear to me. Some team members have said that teamwork is more profitable and opens up more opportunities, but others have disagreed.

The price per word for a team project is set when the client submits the order.

Textbroker Pay

Although Textbroker has received excellent feedback for the most part, this is one area where the company does not measure up. It is unlikely that a full-time job at Textbroker will pay well.

It has already been mentioned that your earnings are based on your star rating (2-5), which is determined by the Textbroker editorial team. Below is an example of the remuneration you can expect for writing an article of 500 words, depending on your author rank.

• 2-Star – .7 cents/word (500 words pays $3.50)
• 3-Star – 1 cent/word (500 words pays $5.00)
• 4-Star – 1.4 cents/word (500 words pays $7.00)
• 5-Star – 5 cents/word (500 words pays $25.00)

Even if you think you are a great writer, the type of tasks you take on can have a big impact on your overall score.

You may excel at writing in the first-person perspective, but you may have trouble writing objectively in the third person, such as press releases and sales copy.

If you pick the wrong projects, you risk clients rejecting your work, which lowers your rating and can even lead to your account being closed.

Although I do not know the specific requirements for 5-star writers, I think it’s safe to assume they can handle a variety of writing styles.

But everyone has to make their debut at some point.

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Textbroker Fee

If you have ever bought content, you know that your cost per word is different than theirs. Even Textbroker takes a cut.

For example, if I paid $20 or $30 for an article, I had to be aware that the writer would not receive the full amount.

Also, I have found that many complaints are based on the writer believing the client is paying him a lesser amount than he’s actually receiving.

“The customer is only paying me xxx for this… what do they expect?”

When everyone involved is on the same page and has a common understanding, it’s much easier to build client relationships and launch long-term projects.

For this reason, below is our current pricing structure for our valued customers…

• 2-Star – 1.3 cents/word (500 words cost is $6.50)
• 3-Star – 1.8 cent/word (500 words cost is $9.00)
• 4-Star – 2.4 cents/word (500 words cost is $12.00)
• 5-Star – 7.2 cents/word (500 words cost is $36.00)

The client’s payment is significantly higher than what Textbroker spends.

If you’re a 5-star writer and are paid $25 for 500 words, the client is actually paying $36, and they expect, fairly or not, text worth $36.

Textbroker’s commission is definitely one of the highest in the industry and varies from 30% to 47% depending on the star rating.

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Textbroker Pay Method and Frequency

All withdrawal requests, regardless of size, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday. On Friday night, your paycheck will be sent to your PayPal account.

You can request a withdrawal by clicking on the “Account – Withdrawal” button, which is highlighted in green.

Textbroker Reviews On Reddit

TextBroker authors have made several posts on Reddit to talk about their time there. In general, the writers tend to focus on the negative. Communication with clients is dysfunctional and they feel underpaid. Some customers are also unreasonable in their demands for change.

However, if you need high-quality writing, you can hire writers of the highest caliber by placing a team order. However, be prepared to pay a reasonable price, otherwise you might get inferior results.

The truth is that TextBroker’s low prices are the reason why. Writers are encouraged to get their work done quickly and with as little study as possible. If they don’t, they waste their time trying. If you want to use TextBroker, be prepared to communicate with the freelance writers you hire to set clear goals and guidelines for the project.

Textbroker Reviews On Sitejabber

Textbroker has received 3.33 ratings out of 5 on SiteJabber. Once they find a reliable writer, customers who commission articles through the site are usually satisfied with the results. The problem is that there are several cases of low-quality results.

TextBroker is a reliable and easy-to-use service. TextBroker hosts a variety of freelance writers, some of whom are highly qualified, while others are better avoided. Your experience will improve if you take the time to weed out the writers who do not meet your expectations and work with those who do.

Although SiteJabber claims to only hire native English speakers, users have complained about receiving content that was clearly not written by one. In addition, some users have complained about poor customer service and interface issues.

Many customers and reviewers have complained that the support team is slow to respond or downright rude. The poor customer service has prevented numerous customers from getting their problems fixed.

Also, it is notoriously difficult to make a living as a writer. The low rate of return makes it difficult for anyone, even those just starting out, to devote the time, energy, and resources necessary to complete a project. It’s difficult to maintain your status, and it’s easy to have your account suspended, even if you are an experienced writer with good reviews working on the site.

There is a general lack of praise on SiteJabber’s review pages. Even though some customers are happy with the results, it seems that even the best writers employed by the site produce adequate material at best. And you have to think twice about working for a company that pays its writers so poorly.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

TextBroker Reviews on TrustPilot

The average rating for TextBroker on TrustPilot is 4.1 stars. This is an interesting result, as it is due to broad praise from foreign investors. Many satisfied German-speaking clients of TextBroker continue to use the platform for their freelance copywriting needs.

The vast majority of reviews published online were written by writers who feel they have been treated unfairly. They complain about the low pay and the demanding environment of the job. They try to spread the word that it is a bad place to work as a writer, and many of them are successful in doing so. Poor service to customers was also mentioned.

So it would appear that many companies are succeeding when they use TextBroker to source content. The flip side of the coin is that apparently many writers are dissatisfied, even though some customers have complained that they received inferior content.

Overall, it seems like TextBroker is quite a mess. In all likelihood, your experience will be positive if you are able to find and work with one of the site’s competent writers. Unfortunately, there also seems to be a large number of clients and writers with low qualifications using the service. So be careful.

Pros of TextBroker

Flexible Work Schedule

The flexibility for freelance writers to work from anywhere is one of the few benefits of working for a content company.

Textbroker might be a good fit for you if you’re tired of sitting at a desk from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and want to invest more time in the hours when you’re most productive.

Cons of TextBroker

Waiting For Approval

Textbroker’s approval time and initial rating seem open to interpretation.

Several freelance writers claim that they waited months after submitting text samples before receiving feedback about their status on the platform. Others report that they were notified of their text’s acceptance within hours of submitting it.

Low Payment Rates

Textbroker’s prices may not be the cheapest, but they are close. It seems unlikely that you can make a living with this content creation service.

There is a significant discrepancy between the salaries of writers and the prices charged to customers.

Customers pay 9 cents per word for a top-notch article. However, the author receives only 5.5 cents per word.

According to the data, almost half of all companies plan to increase their budgets for content production in the next year.

This shows that there is a high demand for people with skills in content creation and freelance writing. If you have relevant experience, you may be able to charge higher rates.

Compared to Textbroker’s proposed business model, even FlexJobs, which matches employers with independent contractors, may result in higher compensation.

Requires Personal Information For Payment

This is where you might feel some initial discomfort. In order to prove your right to work in the United States, you must present a plethora of documents.

However, there is a valid reason for doing so. According to IRS ‘s guidelines, Textbroker must issue 1099 certificates to all independent contractors who earned more than $600 in a given tax year. This is done to ensure that the company is operating legally, but it may deter some clients.

Only Allows For Writing Jobs

This Textbroker post was written specifically for you if you’re interested in freelance writing. Unlike some other major platforms, you can also get into similar service areas such as editing or translation.

This is also possible on a number of other popular freelance marketplaces and also applies to a number of common fields.

• Graphic design and other creative pursuits
• Software development
• Administrative work
• Data entry
• Voiceover work

Note that if you want to offer services other than freelance writing through Textbroker, you need to register with several marketplaces.

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Alternatives To Textbroker

While this Textbroker review has some positives and negatives, it is important to remember that there are other options.

If you have a solid side hustle, you may be able to make more money on these other sites and find jobs in other fields.

Upwork

Annual client spend on Upwork is around $2.52 billion, making Upwork one of the most lucrative platforms for freelancers. More than 145.4k active clients spend more than $5,000 annually on freelance services.

Job openings are abundant on this platform.

Freelancers’ freedom to set their own rates is one of Upwork’s main advantages over competitors like Textbroker. Here’s how it works:

• A client advertises a job on the website.
• A freelancer finds the job posting, writes a cover letter, and negotiates the price.
• The client has the opportunity to interview the freelancer and negotiate a price.
• Draw up the contract and the work can begin.

There is a service fee for the orders you execute through Upwork. The prices for the transactions are graduated according to the total value of the work performed.

• Up to $500: 20%
• Orders over $500.01 – $10,000: 10%
• Orders over $10,000.01: 5%

However, it is free to sign up on the site and bid on available tasks in areas such as writing, translation, design, voiceover, software development and more.

Fiverr

You can also offer your services on Fiverr, another well-known website for freelancers. Freelance writers advertise their services, and clients choose a job that best fits their needs and budget.

Keep in mind that while setting up an account on Fiverr is free, there is a service fee that is deducted from your earnings, similar to Upwork.

Use this information to adjust your pricing accordingly. Eighty percent of the fee goes to the freelancer.

It’s not just writers who can use this site. It can be used for pretty much any type of artistic endeavor.

Flexjobs

There are other sites like Fiverr and Upwork, but FlexJobs is ideal for anyone looking to freelance or work remotely.

With its powerful search engine, you can search all the jobs it offers.

The fact that FlexJobs is useful for freelancers outside the writing industry is one reason why it is similar to other text broker substitutes.

The searchable listings are available in more than 50 different groups, such as:

• Customer service
• Computer services
• Marketing
• Administrative work
• Health and medical

However, it is OK for you to check the listings. This will ensure that you find at least some interesting job offers before you decide to become a paid member.

TextBroker Review: Final Verdict

Textbroker is among the most reputable content mills. You can not expect a living wage from it.

It is possible to make a living as a writer, but you need to do more than just write. To make money as a writer, you have to know your audience and write with purpose.

Although websites like these can be helpful learning environments, ultimately you’ll need a more comprehensive plan if you want to make a living as a freelancer from home.

However, if you’re serious about making money from home, you’ll need a plan to build your own online business and develop numerous revenue streams.

Let me tell you the best way to make money online in the next section.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Best Alternative of TextBroker 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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