When you’re first starting as a freelance UX designer, it can be helpful to have a place to showcase your work and find gigs. That’s where freelance portals for UX designers come in. They’re an easy way to find freelance UX design jobs and learn how to work as a freelancer at the beginning of your career.
While some of these platforms don’t charge fees for membership or applying for gigs, any platform that includes a payment platform usually charges some sort of service or payment processing fee. This can be anywhere from 3 – 20% depending on the platform, type of project, currency, size of the project and payment processor.
While there are hundreds of freelance portals out there, they won’t all have opportunities for UX design gigs in particular. In this guide, we’ll cover what freelance portals are and – specifically – the best freelance portals for UX designers.
What is a freelance portal?
A freelance portal is a web platform that connects freelancers with clients. Some freelance portals have client management tools built in including contracts, payment processing and messaging. Others are simply job boards and portfolio hosts that allow freelancers to find gigs and clients to find freelancers.
Who uses freelance portals?
New freelance UX designers often turn to portals as an all-in-one solution for their freelance business. Experienced freelancers might use a freelance portal to supplement their recurring freelance commitments. Freelance portals can be convenient, especially for those who have never freelanced before.
Some freelancers prefer not to use freelance portals, though. Many portals charge fees to use them. Additionally, since freelance portals are frequently set up on a “bid” system and allow international designers to apply to their jobs, some freelancers find that they can’t charge the rates that they want to on these platforms. The way that currency value and lifestyle costs vary across the world, there can be some disparity between pricing.
Best Freelance Portals for UX designers
When it comes to UX Design gigs, not all freelance platforms are equal. We’ve handpicked this list of the best freelance portals specifically for UX designers.
Twine
Twine is a global freelance portal for quality creatives. They offer a portfolio platform that also allows you to import testimonials so that you can show social proof right off the bat. Twine vets both pitches and clients to ensure a quality experience for all parties.
Fees: free to pitch for 15 jobs per month or €7 per month for 50 jobs
Features: portfolio, testimonial importing, secure payments, messaging service, job board
Dribbble
Dribbble is a social media platform focused on building a strong community of designers. It hosts a massive job board, freelance portal, design resource library and community-focused portfolio platform. Dribbble sends potential clients to your inbox daily. They also have a pitch video feature that allows you to introduce yourself and your work via video on your profile.
Fees: €15 – €20 per month
Features: social network, portfolio platform, gigs directly to your email, pitch video on profile, job board
Behance
Behance is a social media platform owned by Adobe that is focused on showcasing creatives. It’s home to a job board that features full-time and freelance gigs for designers.
Fees: None
Features: portfolio platform, job board
PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour is an application-only UK-based freelance platform with global opportunities. Once you’re approved to join the PeoplePerHour freelancer community, you can build a profile and find jobs. Despite the name, you can offer your services on a per hour or fixed price basis.
Fees: send 15 proposals per month for free or buy credits to send more
Features: portfolio platform, job board, proposals, secure payments, messaging service, job board
TopTal
TopTal is an application-only global freelance platform that vets the clients who post jobs on their site. TopTal will match freelancers with clients and jobs that meet the preferences on both the freelancer’s and client’s profiles. Freelancers can also apply for jobs on the TopTal job board once they’re accepted into the community.
Fees: none
Features: secure payments, portfolio platform, client matching, job board
Freelancer
Freelancer is a global Australia-based freelance marketplace that allows freelancers to bid on job board listings. Freelancer allows you to create a profile that hosts your portfolio, browse their job board and bid on projects. Freelancers can offer fixed prices or hourly projects.
Fees: no fees to join but an optional bid upgrade may be purchased to promote a bid
Features: portfolio platform, job board, bid system, messaging service, job alerts, secure payments
Fiverr
Fiverr is an Israel-based freelance marketplace. What began as a marketplace of $5 gigs has expanded to include a portfolio platform, service offerings, custom projects and more. Unlike most platforms, Fiverr allows freelancers to post the jobs instead of the clients. Fiverr workspace offers a full client management system from payment to proposal for any freelancer to use as well.
Fees: free to join
Features: secure payments, portfolio platform, pitch video on profile, messaging service, testimonials, contracts
Upwork
Upwork is a US-based global freelance platform. It’s the largest freelance portal in the world. Upwork is set up as a job board where clients can post gigs and freelancers can submit a proposal and bid for those gigs. Upwork requires “connects” to submit proposals. Freelancers get some free connects each month or for accomplishing certain tasks.
Fees: none, additional connects available for purchase
Features: secure payments, contracts, portfolio platform, pitch video on profile, messaging service, testimonials, job board
LinkedIn is a US-based worldwide professional social network. Freelancers can use LinkedIn to network with potential clients, find gigs on LinkedIn Jobs, share their work experience and portfolios on their profile and optimise their profile to be discovered on search. LinkedIn will also send freelancers jobs that match their profiles.
Fees: none
Features: portfolio, messenger, job alerts, job board
