Outside of direct pitching and networking, most freelance work comes through writing job sites. While there are so many out there, this article will be a summary of the best freelance writing sites so you don’t waste your time.
While there are a lot more than will be mentioned in the article, just know these are four of the best to start with if you’re looking to become a freelance writer.
What to Look for in A Freelance Writing Site
Finding a good site as a freelancer is often key to getting your career rolling.
It’s a great way to find your first few jobs, build some portfolio pieces, and officially become a freelancer. You might even find some clients who stay as your clients for a long time.
When it comes to freelance writing sites, there are hundreds, if not thousands, to choose from. The problem is that most of them sound great, but when you get into the finer details they either offer terrible pay or they barely have any work to offer.
As you hunt for freelance writing sites, you will want to figure out things such as:
- Do you need to create a profile?
- Is there an application process?
- What fees do they take out of your pay, if any?
- What type of writing do they offer?
- When do they pay?
- Is it a legitimate site?
Pros and Cons of Freelance Writing Sites
When it comes to starting out as a freelance writer, you can either go to writing sites or you can directly pitch to companies. Most people choose to start out with freelance sites because it’s less intimidating than the alternative.
Depending on the type of writing you like to do, there are a lot of pros and cons of using freelance writing sites.
Pros of freelance writing sites:
- Tons of freelance writing jobs in one place
- Able to find specific jobs based on your preferred types of jobs
- You don’t need to hunt for the work or do any cold-pitching, the jobs are already available for you to choose from
- Take as much or as little work as you want
- Earn money on the side if you have a full-time or part-time job
Cons of freelance writing sites
- They’re often incredibly competitive as they’re usually open to people from all around the world
- Rates can be on the lower end due to the competition
- Takes time to hunt through job postings to find a good fit
- Can take a while to get your first few jobs and build your reputation (depending on if the site gives reviews for the freelancer or not)
Now that you know what you should look for and the pros and cons of these types of sites, let’s dive into the actual recommended sites.
Best Freelance Writing Sites
Let’s dive into some of the best freelance writing sites and go over what you need to know about each one.
#1 – LinkedIn
Now, LinkedIn is not technically a job site because it’s also a social network, but it would not be possible to mention the best freelance writing sites without naming LinkedIn.
People will often mention needing writers in status’ or recruiters might reach out to you if you make your profile specific enough using keywords. Tons of freelance writers like LinkedIn because it also allows you to connect to business owners so you can get your foot in the door for dream clients and industries.
Even though you’re a freelancer, LinkedIn also lets you keep an eye on actual job postings from companies, if you ever decide to submit your resume and find some full-time or part-time work.
Pros of LinkedIn:
- Great for networking and growing your career as a freelancer
- Able to connect with editors at dream publications
- Freelance work of all kinds and in all industries are able to be found on LinkedIn
Cons of LinkedIn:
- Focused more on jobs than specifically freelance work
- Need to spend a bit of time setting up your profile to make it stand out
Pricing:
- LinkedIn lets you create a free account, but there are some advanced paid features if you choose to extend your reach
#2 – Upwork
The good aspect of Upwork is that there are thousands upon thousands of jobs posted at any given time for writers to hunt through. You will need to set your filters so you can find the jobs that are a better fit for you, but there are more jobs there than on almost any other freelancing site.
Now, Upwork does not have the best reputation for freelance writers due to the (often) low rates on jobs.
However, with a little bit of digging and persistence, writers can make a decent rate through Upwork. It might take a while to build your reputation on that site and increase your referrals, but that’s how you can increase your rate through that site.
Pros of Upwork:
- Tons of jobs to sort through at any given point in time
- One central place to find freelance writing work
Cons of Upwork:
- Need to hunt through a lot of jobs to find good rates
- Lots of competition when it comes to finding freelance writing jobs
Pricing:
- Upwork is free to use, but you only get so many credits with the free plan
- Keep in mind, they take a percentage of your earnings (20% for your first $500, then 10% of your first $10,000, then 5% from there)
#3 – BloggingPro
BloggingPro is focused specifically on blogging and related types of writing opportunities. Instead of working inside the platform, it’s more of a running list of the current full-time, part-time, and freelance writing opportunities available.
Pros of BloggingPro:
- Tons of freelance writing jobs from all over the internet
- You can also sign up for their email list and get the new jobs sent to you regularly
Cons of BloggingPro:
- No central base to apply for jobs, you still often need to write your pitches, send your portfolio, and more
- They don’t interact with the clients to make sure the jobs are legitimate
Pricing:
- It’s free to scroll through their site and apply to the jobs
#4 – Constant Content
Constant Content is mostly focused on content for businesses. So, imagine a lot of SEO articles, blog posts, product descriptions, and so on.
They have a variety of writing jobs to choose from, whether you choose to sell articles you write in the marketplace or take on specific gigs for clients, you have a variety of ways to grow with their site.
They have over 100,000 websites that buy content from them, so there are endless opportunities and postings to choose from. According to their website, the top writers make $90,000+ a year (but there’s no details on how much they’re working or how many writers this includes).
Pros of Constant Content:
- Tons of freelance writing jobs available
- 85% of articles written are purchased
- There are clear guidelines with pieces so you’re not writing in the dark
- You’re able to write articles for topics you’re passionate about and try to sell them
Cons of Constant Content:
- Lots of competition
- The fee they take off of your pay is high
- “Good” pay on the site is generally considered around $0.10 per word
Pricing:
- While it’s free to join, they do take a staggering 35% cut
- There is an application process that you must pass before you’re allowed to join
Next Steps
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