Latest / The Side Hustle Career Podcast with Fexingo: Second Income, Freelancing While Employed / How to Find the Right Freelance Platform for You
Transcript
- Lucas: One thing that comes up a lot in the side hustle community is the frustration of picking the wrong platform. You hear people say 'Upwork is dead' or 'Fiverr is just a race to the bottom' — and for some people that's true. But for others, those same platforms are how they built a full-time income. Luna: Right, and I think the mistake is thinking one platform works for everyone. It really depends on your skills, your pricing, and how you like to work. Lucas: Exactly. So today I want to walk through a framework for choosing the right platform — or deciding to skip platforms altogether. And I'll start with a real example. A listener named Sarah reached out. She's a former retail manager who wanted to transition into freelance project management. She started on Upwork, spent three months sending proposals, landed exactly two small projects. Then she tried Fiverr — similar story. She was about to give up when she found a niche platform called Contra. Within six weeks, she had a $3,500 monthly retainer with a tech startup. Luna: That's a huge shift. What made Contra different for her? Lucas: Contra is a platform that positions itself as commission-free. Clients pay a flat membership fee, freelancers keep 100% of what they earn. For Sarah, that meant she could charge higher rates without the platform taking a cut. But more importantly, Contra's client base skews toward startups and tech companies that are used to paying for project management expertise. On Upwork, she was competing against people charging $15 an hour. On Contra, the expectation was $50 to $75 an hour. Luna: So it's not just about fees — it's about the client pool. Which is something people don't always think about. Lucas: Exactly. So let me lay out a simple framework. I think there are three freelance types. First, the 'price-taker' — you're good at a common skill, you're fast, and you're willing to compete on price. Upwork and Fiverr can work fine for that if you optimize your profile and proposals. Second, the 'relationship-builder' — you want long-term clients, repeat work, and you're comfortable with direct outreach. Platforms like Contra or Toptal might be better. Third, the 'high-ticket specialist' — you have a rare skill or niche expertise, and you're better off going direct through LinkedIn or your network. Luna: I'd add a fourth category — the 'portfolio-builder.' Someone who's just starting out and needs to build samples fast. For that, even low-paying gigs on a big platform can be strategic. Lucas: Good point. But the key is being honest about which type you are. Sarah thought she was a price-taker, but she was really a relationship-builder. She wanted to work with one or two clients long-term, not juggle dozens of small projects. That's why Contra clicked. Luna: And that's a lesson in itself — sometimes you have to try a couple platforms before you find the right fit. But you can save time by asking yourself: what kind of client do I want? How much do I need to earn per hour? Do I want to bid on projects or have clients come to me? Lucas: Right. And let's talk about going direct, because that's a whole other option. If you have a strong professional network, you can skip platforms entirely. I know a freelance copywriter who gets all her work through referrals and LinkedIn DMs. She never uses a platform. But that took years to build. Luna: So there's a time trade-off. Platforms give you access to clients quickly, but you pay a fee and deal with competition. Going direct takes longer to build, but you keep more money and have more control. Lucas: Exactly. And there's a middle ground too — using platforms to find your first few clients, then moving them off-platform once you have a relationship. That's actually common, though you have to check the platform's terms. Upwork, for example, charges a fee for off-platform payments if you met the client on their site. Luna: Yeah, that's a trap people fall into. They think they're saving money by going direct, but they risk getting banned from the platform. Lucas: Right. So to summarize: know your freelance type, research the platform's client base and fee structure, and have a plan for how you'll transition to direct relationships if that's your goal. And don't be afraid to try a platform for a month and then bail if it's not working. Luna: I think that's really practical. A lot of people get stuck because they think they have to commit to one platform forever. Lucas: Yeah. And one more thing — look for platforms that serve your specific industry. There are niche platforms for everything: Toptal for developers, 99designs for designers, Voice123 for voice actors. If you're in a creative field, those can be much better than the generalist sites. Luna: I've heard of a few for writers too — like Contently and ClearVoice. They're more curated, so the pay is usually higher. Lucas: Exactly. So before you spend hours setting up a profile on Upwork, spend an hour researching what platforms exist for your specific skill. It can make a huge difference. Luna: And if we've helped you think through that choice — maybe you're considering a platform we talked about — honestly, if today was worth a coffee to you, that's the link. It's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just a way to keep the show ad-free and focused on practical advice. Lucas: Yeah, listener support really is what keeps this going. We don't run ads, so every little bit helps us keep making episodes like this. But okay — back to the framework. Let's talk about how to evaluate a platform's fee structure, because that's where people often get tripped up. Luna: Good. Because a 20% fee on your first $500 with a client — like Upwork's old model — that's a lot. Lucas: Right. Upwork now uses a sliding scale. It's 20% for the first $500 with a client, then 5% for lifetime earnings between $500 and $10,000, and then 5% after that. But still, on a $50 project, you're giving up $10. Fiverr takes 20% flat. So if you're doing a lot of small projects, those fees add up fast. Luna: And that's why a platform like Contra, which takes zero commission but charges clients a membership fee, can be more attractive for higher-ticket work. But you have to be okay with fewer clients. Lucas: Exactly. So the math is simple: if your average project is under $100, a 20% fee might be worth it for the volume of clients. If you're charging $500 or more per project, you want to minimize fees. That's where niche or commission-free platforms shine. Luna: I'd also add: look at the platform's payment protection. Upwork offers hourly protection with their time tracker, which is huge if you're worried about getting scammed. Lucas: Great point. So to wrap up this section: fee structure, client quality, payment protection, and your own freelance type — those are the four factors. If you map those out, you'll land on the right platform. Luna: And if you're still not sure, start with a generalist platform like Upwork, test it for two months, and if it's not working, pivot to a niche one. The worst thing you can do is nothing. Lucas: Yeah. And remember Sarah's story — she spent a year bouncing around, but once she found the right fit, it turned into a steady income. So don't get discouraged if the first platform doesn't work. Luna: I think that's a good note to end on. Next episode, we'll talk about how to write proposals that actually get responses — because that's the other big piece of the puzzle. Lucas: Exactly. See you next time.