Top 7 Upwork Alternatives to Hire Tech Professionals in 2025

As more companies explore freelance options, they're reconsidering how they outsource work. Whether you want better pricing, carefully chosen talent, or better support for your business, several freelance platforms in 2025 offer more than Upwork does.

In this guide, we explore 7 of the most reliable and promising alternatives to Upwork, platforms that prioritise quality, compliance, and strategic partnerships, all while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

Upwork at a Glance

Upwork is one of the most well-known freelance marketplaces in the world, with over 18 million registered freelancers and 841,000 clients as of 2025. Designed for both small businesses and enterprise organizations, it offers a global talent pool in areas like software development, marketing, design, customer support, and more.

Upwork is known for features like:

• Upwork Enterprise
• Talent Marketplace
• Work Diary and Tracking
• Collaboration Tools

Upwork Enterprise is a premium offering that includes compliance tools, dedicated account managers, and talent curation services. Upwork provides instant access to a wide pool of professionals with flexible engagement models (hourly, fixed-price, and long-term). Moreover, it offers tools for time tracking, milestone management, and secure payment processing. Messaging, video calls, and file sharing are built into the platform.

Despite these advantages, most recent enterprise feedback indicates that Upwork may not be the optimal choice for all companies, particularly those with specialised requirements, strict compliance requirements, or those that are expanding quickly.

Why Businesses Explore Alternatives to Upwork

Although Upwork still supports many businesses, in 2025, many enterprise tech companies are choosing alternative freelance platforms for several reasons.

Upwork charges up to 20% commission on freelancer payments, which can add substantial overhead, especially on high-volume projects. While the platform is large, some clients report inconsistent talent vetting and quality assurance. Enterprises with complex hiring workflows often find Upwork’s system too rigid or generic for nuanced project needs.

With so many freelancers competing for jobs, finding top-tier talent quickly can be time-consuming. Despite offering compliance tools, navigating GDPR, NDA enforcement, and cross-border tax regulations can still be complex for larger companies.

A Look at Upwork Competitors

Depending on your needs, be it scalable teams, niche tech talent, white-glove service, or budget control, there’s likely a platform better suited than Upwork.

Modern freelance platforms as of today offer:

• Curated talent pools with skill verification
• Integrated project management
• Enterprise-ready onboarding and compliance
• Flexible pricing models that align with your internal budgeting

TechBehemoths

TechBehemoths is a B2B platform that connects companies with trusted IT service providers and digital agencies worldwide. Unlike traditional freelance marketplaces, TechBehemoths focuses on agency-level expertise, helping enterprises discover vetted partners for complex projects like custom software development, UX/UI design, cloud consulting, AI integration, and more.

Founded in 2021, the platform has quickly grown to include over 53,000 IT companies across 143+ countries. It offers clear information, a global presence, and detailed performance data.

✅ Pros of Using TechBehemoths

• Extensive global directory
• Free and easy to use
• Focus on quality and transparency
• Recognition and credibility
• Advanced features to find reliable service providers (filters, search, project submission and more)
• Responsive support and reputation (rated 4.6 on Google reviews)

TechBehemoths lists professional agencies and service providers, ideal for enterprise-level work where team collaboration, long-term support, and process maturity matter. Each company is scored based on client reviews, expertise, responsiveness, visibility, and engagement, giving enterprises a data-driven way to shortlist providers.

For clients who need extra support, TechBehemoths also offers a special feature that helps match their projects with the most suitable companies - Project Submission.

This option allows clients to submit their project details and receive a hand-picked list of trusted and reliable IT companies ready to take on the job. In other words, it connects specific needs, such as building an iOS app, with the best-matched service providers based on the project’s scope and goals. This makes it easier for businesses to find the right partner, especially for complex or high-value projects.

The B2B platform doesn’t charge transaction fees or commissions. Clients can contact companies and individuals directly and negotiate terms. With providers from Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa, TechBehemoths makes it easy to find regional partners or explore cost-effective offshore teams. It’s not a freelancing site, but freelancers can still use it to get noticed and attract new clients. The platform is free for everyone, whether you’re a business or an individual.

Besides listing companies, TechBehemoths organize yearly awards to top companies to show their quality and build trust. This year, TechBehemoths 2024 Awards recognized excellence in information and technology across the global B2B market.

The platform brings together over 52,000 IT companies and agencies, along with more than 1,000,000 users worldwide, to celebrate and promote digital transformation.

⛔️ Cons of Using TechBehemoths

• No built-in project management or payment tools
• Quality varies. The platform lists many providers, so clients must still research and compare carefully
• Less suitable for one-off or short-term freelance tasks

Using TechBehemoths has some downsides. While it connects users to many IT companies, it does not offer built-in tools for project management or payments. The quality of providers listed can also vary, so clients should review and compare them carefully before making a choice. Right now, the platform is better for long-term business relationships than for short-term freelance gigs. However, new paid features and promotional packages will be introduced soon. These will give companies more options to increase their visibility and attract more leads.

PeoplePerHour

PeoplePerHour is a UK-based freelance platform founded in 2007 that connects businesses with freelancers across categories such as web development, design, writing, digital marketing, and more. It offers a mix of project-based hiring and hourly contracts, making it a flexible choice for businesses of all sizes.

With over 3 million freelancers and over 1 million businesses served, PeoplePerHour is known for its “Hourlies”, pre-packaged freelance services at fixed rates, ideal for quick turnaround work.

Over 2 million projects have been completed through PeoplePerHour, which has helped freelancers earn a total of $285 million. The site now has more than 1.4 million active members around the world. Used by over 177 companies in 2025, mostly small businesses in IT and services, it continues to attract high engagement, with around 3.1 million monthly visits and an average session duration of 11 minutes and 8 seconds, according to Semrush.

✅ Pros of Using PeoplePerHour

• Easy-to-Use Platform for Quick Projects
• “Hourlies” for Predefined Tasks
• Global Talent Pool with Local Filtering
• Built-in Escrow and Payment Protection
• Affordable Rates

The platform is designed for speed and simplicity, allowing businesses to post a project, receive proposals, and hire talent quickly, often within a few hours. Enterprises can purchase pre-scoped services (like logo design, SEO audits, or landing page development) with fixed pricing and delivery times, which is useful for predictable and repeatable needs.

While it serves a global market, PeoplePerHour allows clients to filter freelancers by location, making it easier to find talent in specific regions or time zones. Payments are held in escrow until work is approved, reducing risk and offering a degree of financial security for both sides.
Additionally, many freelancers on the platform offer competitive pricing, especially for small- to mid-sized projects that don’t require team-based execution.

⛔️ Cons of Using PeoplePerHour

• Less Suitable for Large or Complex Projects
• Inconsistent Talent Vetting
• Platform Fees Add Up
• Limited Enterprise Features

The platform is geared more toward SMBs and individual entrepreneurs. Enterprises with complex needs (e.g., full-stack dev teams, AI integration, DevOps) may find the talent pool less specialized or fragmented.

While there is a review and rating system, some users report inconsistent quality control across freelancers, requiring more effort in vetting. Freelancers pay a service fee of up to 20%, which can influence pricing negotiations or reduce margins. Clients also face processing fees depending on the payment method. There’s no dedicated enterprise program with account managers, legal support, or compliance tools, factors important for larger businesses working across borders.

PeoplePerHour is Ideal For Businesses that:

• Want access to a curated pool of pre-vetted freelancers
• Need quick, fixed-price services through the “Hourlies” feature
• Are focused on hiring talent from across the European market

Fiverr

Fiverr is one of the world’s largest freelance platforms, known for offering a wide range of digital services starting at a baseline price of $5 (though most professional gigs now cost significantly more). Launched in 2010, Fiverr has grown to support over 500 categories of services across industries like graphic design, digital marketing, video editing, software development, and more.

With its user-friendly interface and “gig” model, Fiverr helps businesses to find freelancers for both short-term tasks and long-term engagements.

✅ Pros of Using Fiverr

• Wide Range of Services
• Transparent Pricing and Packages
• Fiverr Business for Teams
• Quick Turnaround for Small Tasks
• Global Talent Pool

Fiverr covers a vast array of services, such as creative and tech business support, making it suitable for diverse project needs. Each freelancer offers tiered packages (Basic, Standard, Premium), which clearly show pricing, delivery time, and included services, helping clients make informed decisions quickly. These packages allow combining the basic Gig with built-in revisions and extras to create an offer that gives clients precisely what they want.

The platform offers Fiverr Business, designed for companies seeking curated talent, team collaboration tools, and a business success manager. Fiverr is ideal for rapid delivery on tasks like logo design, blog writing, or bug fixing, often within 24 to 72 hours.

⛔️ Cons of Using Fiverr

• Varying quality due to a large freelancer pool
• Not ideal for long-term or complex projects
• Extra fees can increase the total cost
• Limited customization for enterprise needs
• No dedicated account or compliance support

With such a large pool of freelancers, there’s a wide gap in quality. While top-rated sellers deliver excellent work, less experienced freelancers may not meet expectations. The gig-based model can be limiting for long-term or large-scale projects that require strategy, iteration, or cross-functional collaboration. Fiverr adds a 5.5% service fee on purchases, and freelancers may charge extra for revisions or priority delivery, which can inflate costs quickly.

Pre-scoped packages don’t always align with unique enterprise needs, making it harder to tailor deliverables or processes without extra negotiation. While Fiverr has support channels, enterprise clients may find the lack of dedicated account managers or legal/compliance support a drawback.

Fiverr is Ideal For Businesses that:

• Need affordable, task-specific services delivered quickly
• Prefer browsing and purchasing pre-packaged offerings rather than posting jobs and reviewing proposals
• Are looking to complete small, clearly defined projects, such as bug fixes or simple scripts

Freelancer.com

Freelancer.com is one of the oldest and most globally recognized freelance platforms, launched in 2009. It connects businesses with freelancers across more than 1,800 skill categories, including software development, writing, design, data entry, engineering, and more. With over 60 million users worldwide, the platform offers flexible hiring options for both short-term gigs and large, complex projects.

Freelancer.com supports a bidding-based model, where businesses post a project and receive multiple proposals, allowing them to choose the best fit based on price, experience, and reviews.

✅ Pros of Using Freelancer.com

• Vast global talent pool across all niches
• Competitive bidding helps optimize costs
• Enterprise features for large-scale projects
• Milestone payments reduce financial risk
• Built-in tools for communication and time tracking

The platform has one of the largest communities of freelancers globally, which makes it possible to find talent across nearly any niche or technical discipline. Moreover, businesses can post projects and receive bids, allowing them to compare costs and negotiate better value for money.

Additionally, Freelancer offers an Enterprise program with features like project scoping, talent sourcing, compliance tools, and managed services, making it ideal for large organizations. Furthermore, clients can break projects into milestones, thereby ensuring structured payments based on progress and reducing financial risk. The platform includes built-in chat, file sharing, and time tracking, facilitating easier collaboration between clients and freelancers.

⛔️ Cons of Using Freelancer.com

• High volume of low-quality bids requires careful vetting
• 3% transaction fee can add up on large or ongoing projects
• Time-consuming to sift through many proposals
• The interface may feel outdated or less intuitive
• Limited advanced filtering for niche or specialized roles (outside the Enterprise plan)

Because of the open bidding system, many inexperienced freelancers may submit proposals, meaning that clients need to carefully vet candidates to ensure quality. In addition, clients pay a fee of 3% (or a minimum of $3) per transaction. So, for long-term or high-budget projects, these costs can accumulate. Moreover, popular projects can receive dozens of proposals within minutes, which can be time-consuming to filter through and may lower the signal-to-noise ratio.

In comparison to newer platforms, some users find Freelancer.com’s interface and workflows less intuitive or cluttered. Although the Enterprise plan offers tailored solutions, the standard platform lacks advanced filtering or matching features for highly specialized requirements.

Freelancer.com is Ideal For Businesses that:

• Want to leverage competitive bidding to secure cost-effective project rates
• Need access to talent across a wide range of service categories, especially in programming and technical fields
• Prefer milestone-based payments to maintain control over project progress and budget

Toptal

Toptal is a premium freelance platform founded in 2010 that specializes in connecting companies with the top 3% of freelance talent globally. Toptal focuses primarily on software developers, designers, finance experts, and project managers, offering highly vetted professionals for complex and high-stakes projects. With a strong reputation among enterprises and startups alike, Toptal is known for its rigorous screening process and personalised matching service, which delivers reliable, high-quality talent efficiently. The freelance platform has helped more and more clients over the years, reaching 25,000 clients in 2023.

✅ Pros of Using Toptal

• Access to the top 3% of global freelance talent.
• Rigorous multi-stage vetting ensures expert-level professionals.
• Ideal for complex, high-stakes projects.
• Dedicated account managers and personalized matching.
• Flexible hiring models (hourly, part-time, full-time).
• No-risk trial period to evaluate fit.

Toptal rigorously screens freelancers through multiple rounds of technical interviews and assessments, ensuring access to top-tier professionals. The platform offers specialized account managers who support team building and project management, and it can handle complex projects that call for expert-level skills.

Clients can hire freelancers on hourly, part-time, or full-time contracts with transparent terms and clear expectations. Toptal focuses on building lasting relationships between clients and freelancers, which suits enterprises needing consistent, high-quality support. Enterprises can try freelancers with a no-risk trial, making it easier to evaluate fit before committing long-term.

⛔️ Cons of Using Toptal

• Higher cost and $500 upfront deposit may discourage small businesses
• Limited options for creative roles (e.g., writing, photography, music)
• Cannot freely browse talent without submitting project details
• Risk of freelance ghosting still exists despite vetting

Toptal is positioned as a premium freelance platform, with higher rates and a $500 upfront deposit required to begin. While this ensures access to top-tier talent, it may not fit smaller budgets or short-term projects. The platform excels in technical, financial, and managerial roles but offers limited options in creative fields like writing, photography, or music.

Unlike other platforms, Toptal does not allow open browsing of freelancer profiles. Businesses must create an account and submit project details to view matches, which can lead to delays or mismatches. Although Toptal has strict screening, it doesn’t fully prevent issues like freelancer unresponsiveness. An Indeed poll found that 78% of job seekers have ghosted prospective employers.

Toptal is Ideal For Businesses that:

• Require senior-level talent for high-impact or mission-critical projects
• Prefer a fully vetted, personalized talent-matching process to save time
• Are looking to hire experienced software engineers, UX/UI designers, or finance experts

Read more: Freelancer vs. Agency – Which One to Choose for Your Next IT Project

Guru

Founded in 1998, Guru is a freelance platform that connects businesses with skilled professionals around the world. It supports long-term projects and flexible payment options, making it easy for companies to find the right talent for different needs. Guru’s standout feature is the “Work Room,” a built-in space where clients and freelancers can chat, share files, track progress, and manage tasks - all in one place. This makes Guru a practical choice for businesses looking for simple, organized collaboration.

✅ Pros of Using Guru

• Flexible Payment Options
• Collaborative Tools: WorkRooms & Secure Payments
• Wide Global Talent Pool
• High Client Satisfaction & Strong Ratings

Guru offers businesses a choice of payment methods, including hourly rates, fixed-price contracts, task-based charges, or recurring billing. This flexibility helps align payments with the type and length of each project. Freelancers benefit too, as they can work with payment structures that suit their workflow and preferences.

• WorkRooms are special spaces for projects where clients and freelancers can work together. They can share files, chat, set goals, and manage tasks all in one spot. This teamwork makes communication easier and keeps projects organized.
• Guru’s SafePay system works like an escrow service. Clients pay upfront, and the payment is released only after the work meets their expectations. This system builds trust and protects both clients and service providers.

Guru connects clients with around 1 to 2 million freelancers from various industries, including programming, design, writing, marketing, engineering, and legal services. This platform encourages long-term relationships between clients and freelancers and has a customer satisfaction rate of 99% from over 800,000 businesses. Freelancer profiles display ratings and transaction history, giving clients confidence in the quality and reliability of their choices before hiring.

⛔️ Cons of Using Guru

Guru provides useful tools for managing freelance projects, but its interface can feel a bit dated and less intuitive than some newer platforms. With a smaller user base, there may be fewer freelancer options in very specialized areas. Support is available, though some users report slower response times during disputes.

The platform’s fee structure varies by membership level, which can make pricing less straightforward. Guru places more responsibility on clients to review freelancer qualifications, as it doesn’t have a strict vetting process.

Guru is Ideal For Businesses that:

• Need integrated project management and collaboration tools
• Require flexible or recurring payment options for ongoing work
• Want access to a global network of developers and creative professionals

Turing

Turing is an AI company that works with top research labs to push the boundaries of artificial intelligence in areas like reasoning, coding, and language understanding. It also helps businesses build advanced AI systems to solve critical challenges.

At the core of Turing is its talent cloud, an AI-vetted network of over 4 million software engineers, data scientists, and STEM experts. These professionals help train models and build AI products. Supporting this is ALAN, Turing’s AI platform that matches talent, manages projects, and speeds up key AI development tasks like data generation, model training, evaluation, and fine-tuning.

✅ Pros of Using Turing

• Highly vetted technical talent
• Fast and efficient hiring
• Global talent pool with timezone alignment

Turing carefully selects its developers through tests, interviews, and skill assessments, which helps build a strong network of skilled engineers across various technologies. Many clients report they receive matched candidates within just 3 to 5 business days. There is also a risk-free trial period, allowing clients to see if the candidate is a good fit before making a long-term commitment. Additionally, Turing ensures that developers have at least four hours of overlapping work time, usually in U.S. time zones, which helps improve collaboration and communication during projects.

⛔️ Cons of Using Turing

• Higher cost structure
• Occasional vetting mismatch
• Opaque application process
• Mixed user feedback on reliability

Turing provides access to highly skilled developers, but it might not be the best choice for every business. The higher costs reflect the quality of talent, which can be tough for smaller companies or short-term projects to handle. Turing uses AI to match developers, but this might miss important team dynamics or soft skills that are usually better evaluated through personal interaction.

The platform mostly focuses on full-time or long-term positions, so there are fewer options for part-time or flexible work. Some users have also mentioned that communication during onboarding or support requests can take longer than expected, which may slow down decision-making in urgent situations.

Turing is Ideal For Businesses that:

• Need for Senior Developers, Data Scientists, AI Experts
• Complex, long-term projects require senior developers, data scientists, and AI experts
• Operates in U.S. or similar time zones for better collaboration
• Requests a risk-free trial before a long-term hiring decision

Final Thoughts: Choose What Works Best for You

In 2025, businesses don’t have to rely on just one platform like Upwork. There are many great options out there, each with different strengths. Some are better for quick jobs, others for long-term projects, and some focus on high-quality talent or lower costs.

If you're looking for a more serious and professional solution, TechBehemoths is a great place to start. It connects companies with trusted IT service providers, digital agencies and individuals from all over the world.

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