Many companies now prefer hiring freelance workers to full-time employees to meet their work demands. On the other hand, workers are slowly abandoning their traditional jobs in favor of freelancing, thanks to its flexibility and more freedom to work from any location.

Whether you are a business owner planning to hire a freelancer or a freelancer looking for opportunities, you’ll agree with this work arrangement’s many benefits, from easy access to specialized expertise to self-management and cost-effectiveness.

Last year, it was reported that freelancers in the US contributed $1.3 trillion to the country’s economy.

As the total contributions continue to grow, the biggest question remains, where do freelancers find work? Toptal and Upwork are some of the most popular work marketplaces for freelancers.

The platforms aim to provide consistent and high-quality results, but a better understanding of how they stand out against each other would help you make better freelancing decisions.

In this post, we are going to put them next to each other. Let’s see who wins.

Toptal vs Upwork – What Are They?

Toptal

Toptal is one of the leading work marketplaces with an exclusive network of freelance designers, software developers, finance experts, and project and product managers. Toptal is an elite talent agency that connects companies and freelancers in more than 100 countries.

The platform features unique solutions for hiring elite freelancers; top organizations trust Toptal for top talent for their most important projects. The platform emphasizes quality over quantity. Hence, they only work with 3% of freelancers.

Toptal was founded in 2010 by Breanden Beneschott and Taso Du Val. The two created Toptal to make highly-qualified freelancers accessible to organizations worldwide. To this effect, freelancers on Toptal undergo pre-screening, and only the best get approved.

Apart from its emphasis on quality, Toptal is also known for its best customer service. Toptal has a dedicated help team that assists freelancers and businesses with everything. The team helps businesses find the right talent and manage freelancers to ensure that projects run smoothly.

Toptal allows freelancers to set their rates, browse and apply to projects, accept project matches, and customize their profiles.

On the other hand, clients using Toptal create projects and job descriptions worth Toptal to find suitable freelancers and review freelancer profiles.

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Upwork

Upwork is one of the leading work marketplaces that allows businesses and individuals to connect and collaborate. It is an excellent platform for finding short and long-term projects and will enable companies to hire freelancers for a one-time project.

Upwork was founded in 2013 by Beerud Sheth in New Jersey. Initially, the company was called Elance-oDesk after a merger between Elance Inc. and oDesk. In 2015, Elance-oDesk rebranded to Upwork.

As an employer (client), you can find freelancers by advertising a job and inviting candidates to apply. Once you find the right candidate for the job, you can collaborate with them through Upwork till the project is completed.

Upwork helps freelancers to find work and advance their careers. Start by creating a unique profile highlighting your experiences and skills. Once the profile is up, start applying for relevant jobs and get paid for completing work assigned through Upwork.

The site also allows agencies to find and manage freelancers for their clients. Upwork supports a network of enthusiastic freelancers in more than 180 countries, and the platform has something to offer everyone, from top-notch talent to businesses of all sizes.

Toptal vs Upwork – Getting Started

Toptal

To access top jobs that match your skills on Toptal, visit toptal.com. Once you create your profile and set its status to “currently available,” matches will contact you with opportunities within your area of expertise.

If you are a freelance designer, developer, project manager, or finance expert with two to three years of experience, apply through toptal.com/talent/apply. A better way to understand how Toptal works is to identify the qualifications employers look for.

A typical freelancer on Toptal should have two to three years of experience, excellent communication skills, and the ability to complete projects quickly. Toptal’s screening process takes a few weeks to complete and measures professionalism, adaptability, and reliability.

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Upwork

To get started with Upwork, visit upwork.com and apply to join Upwork. Once your application is accepted, submit proposals to the jobs that match your skillset or create a project from the word go.

While it’s easier to get hired on Upwork, it’s vital to take a few steps to get started on the right foot.

• Make sure you complete your getting started journey by ticking the checklist on the Find Job page.
• Gain more knowledge on how to succeed on the platform through online courses for freelancers.
• Complete your profile, including your skills, certifications, and portfolio. This information is what serves as your resume on Upwork.
• Download free eBooks to sharpen your skills and increase your chances of getting hired.

Toptal vs Upwork – Features

Toptal

Utilities and tools

Toptal features a hub of essential and effective digital tools for freelancers. Developers, finance experts, designers, and product and project managers can easily use these tools to do quality projects.

These tools include versatile word-merging tools for marketers, HTML arrows, and subtle patterns for designers. Developers can also benefit from Toptal’s Gitignore tool, which makes it easy for them to generate patterns for files and directories.

Gitignore also offers an animated guide and tool for effective data sorting using various algorithms. Other tools for developers are Web Developer Checklists and JSON Formatter.

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Research and analysis center

Toptal’s Research and Analysis Center offers expert guidance and actionable insights for freelancers. The tool is made of eBooks, reports, whitepapers, and webinars to guide you in accessing tools and technologies for collaboration.

Toptal’s analysis center offers insights into the role of talents in driving innovation and new ways of working that organizations need to adapt to stay competitive.

Community

The Toptal community brings together the world’s influential business, design, and technology workforce. Through Toptal’s global community, you can interact with experts in over 100 countries through networking events or volunteering.

The Toptal community has organized 207 online events over the past year. You can also connect with Toptal leaders representing the platform in over 50 regional hubs through the community. The leaders also host valuable conferences, events, and skill development workshops.

The community also offers opportunities for speaking. It features a network of speakers, where you can get a chance to talk on matters of business, design, and technology. As a Toptal speaker, you’ll speak in one of the 150 yearly events or get individual guidance and coaching.

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Integrations

Toptal integrates with essential remote work tools to make your work easier, including video conferencing tools, collaboration tools, management suites, and all essential tools you may find helpful.

For remote collaboration and communication, Toptal integrates with Slack, an established collaborative tool available on major operating systems, Microsoft Teams, and Facebook Workplace, with comprehensive communication solutions for small users.

For video conferencing, Toptal integrates with tools such as Zoom, a top video conferencing tool that can accommodate all meetings with hundreds of participants. Other tools for video conferencing include Jitsi Meet, with similar functionality as Zoom, Google Hangouts Meet, and Skype.

Customer support

One good thing that Toptal is known for is its outstanding customer support. From a collection of customer testimonials, video reviews, and client stories, it’s no doubt that Toptal provides excellent customer service.

Toptal offers customer support through email, web contact form, and phone. Toptal shares their recent updates through the press center, while freelancers can get further help through the frequently asked questions segment.

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Upwork

Resource Center

Upwork’s resource center is made of insights, tools, and inspirations about how freelance work operates. Businesses and organizations can benefit from these resources by accessing essential guides to gaining an edge in their area of practice and growth.

Upwork guides are in-depth tips for gaining freelance success in remote team management, project management, customer service, web development, and social media.

As a business owner looking for talent, you can learn to hire on Upwork by reading through interview questions and job description templates and exploring Upwork’s hourly rate guide. The guide articles ensure that freelancers are well-equipped to deliver quality projects to clients.

Invoicing and reporting

Upwork reports feature simple ways to track a freelancer logged for a project and how many payments a client makes. Reports also help clients see what freelancers are currently working on, and when used with work diaries, they help you see the bigger picture of your contracts.

The platform strives to simplify record keeping to allow you to focus on getting projects done. It prepares invoices and reports on all your transactions that you can easily download or print and keep for future reference.

Upwork’s finance system automatically charges your billing method whenever a client has due balances. Your invoices include your company name, your name, and your company’s contact details. If you have a VAT number, it’ll also be included in the invoice.

Upwork invoices are created for all freelance contracts. The platform charges a standard fee of 5%, and you can make a one-time payment or multiple invoices per week as a client.

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Integrations

Upwork integrates with essential apps to save you time and effort by giving you direct access to Citrix Workspace. Citrix Workspace is an app that lets you access multiple files, apps, computers, and services from a unified interface.

Citrix Workplace integrates with micro apps that offer a streamlined work experience to deliver relevant and actionable notifications.

You can link up your Upwork account with Jira to help organize and track various project tasks. Using Jira’s activities feature, you can tag your freelancer’s time to multiple works on hourly contracts.

Community

Upwork Community features a network of professionals where you can participate, attend, contribute, learn Upwork’s best practices, and become a successful freelancer. Through active participation, you can make valuable friends and gain experience.

Like any other forum, the Upwork community is regulated. Community guidelines dictate that the posts you make through the platform are public and permanent. You are also required to ensure that you only post helpful, constructive, and encouraging information.

Upwork Community has moderators who will quickly take action to keep the community organized and valuable to all users, as the platform reserves the right to remove any inappropriate information on the platform.

Customer support

Upwork offers customer support through email, phone, or the help center page. You can also visit the Upwork Community center to see some of the resolved issues or check out Upwork Academy to access an interactive suite of tools and courses to help you succeed on the platform.

The resource center is home to valuable blogs and articles to guide you through your freelancing journey.

If you need help through Upwork Chatbot, you can file and submit a ticket using an email address associated with your Upwork account. Be detailed in your description for swift and efficient assistance.

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Toptal versus Upwork – Pricing

Toptal

Toptal allows freelancers to set their rates based on their expertise and location. On average, hourly rates for designers and developers are $80-$150 and $90-$170, respectively.

For employers, Toptal requires an upfront deposit of $500, which is applied as an initial invoice whenever a company hires. If you decide not to move forward with a candidate, Toptal will refund you the deposit in full.

Toptal only charges clients, while freelancers use the platform for free. The best part is that they also get total payments against the hourly rate they charge.

Upwork

Upwork charges every freelancer a sliding fee based on their total lifetime billings with clients. For $0- $500 earnings, Upwork charges a service fee of 20%. A 10% service fee applies to earnings between $500.01 to $10,000, and a 5% fee for earnings over $10,000.

The platform uses the same service structure as agencies. The percentage applies to the total agency billings with clients across contracts. Freelancers hired for featured jobs pay less, especially if they are top-rated or rising talents.

Upwork is free to join and use. You can create an account, search for work, and create projects with a free account. But if you wish to effectively market your services, submit more proposals, and stand out, you can upgrade to Freelancer Plus for $14.99 per month.

Upwork Freelancer Plus keeps your profile active even if you are away. It gives insight into your competitors’ bids and gives you a customized profile URL for clients to find you. With Freelancer Plus, you can also keep your earnings private.

Toptal vs Upwork – Similarities and Differences

Similarities

Both Toptal and Upwork are excellent platforms for businesses looking for talent and individuals looking for opportunities. They both feature high-quality selection processes so that companies can rely on them for skilled professionals for their projects.

The two platforms encourage long-term projects. Upwork rewards freelancers who get longer projects and repeat work by lowering service fees once they hit a particular earning milestone.

Similarly, Toptal encourages freelancers to take on four-month-long projects on average, which is a lucrative appeal to freelancers since they are also looking for stability. Freelancers also believe that long-term contracts provide comfort and confidence in their income.

Both platforms prioritize flexibility and skills over physical presence. Upwork allows you to work on a mix of one-time and ongoing projects, and it’s entirely up to you to structure your client relationship against workloads.

Similarly, Toptal allows you to set your weekly availability between zero and 50 hours. The platform also encourages developers to have part-time and full-time availability for 20 to 40 hours per week.

Differences

Toptal is a good place if you are looking for something complex or specific, as it offers more experienced freelancers than Upwork. On the other hand, Upwork offers something more general, less complicated, and usually cheaper.

Upwork is a better choice if you want work done quickly or if you are working with projects whose scope is limited. On the contrary, Toptal is a great choice if you plan to work on longer projects whose processes are aligned with current tasks.

Upwork is more user-friendly than Toptal. Upwork attracts a larger pool of freelancers, meaning it is easier to find someone to work on a project from Upwork. On the other hand, Toptal features a strict selection process, meaning finding the right talent might take time.

Toptal features top-level designers, finance experts, developers, project managers, and product managers. On the other hand, Upwork features any niche from low to high quality. Toptal only picks on the top 3%, while Upwork’s decision lies with the recruiter.

Toptal’s vetting process takes five weeks. The onboarding process is personal and smooth, as the tool assigns a personal account manager for each freelancer. Upwork operates differently, with a massive pool of freelancers and more flexible pricing.

Upwork prioritizes user security. Aside from offering secure contracts, Upwork encrypts user data, uses multi-factor authentication to protect accounts, verifies freelancers’ identities, scans messages for viruses and malware, and conducts Know Your Customer (KYC) checks.

On the other hand, Toptal does not reveal much information about its security practices. So far, the platform has only revealed that it is GDPR compliant and takes time to verify all users’ identities.

Toptal vs Upwork – Pros and Cons

Toptal Pros

• Freelancers on Toptal must undergo a rigorous screening process to evaluate their skills and competence. Therefore, if you post a job on Toptal, you will receive applications from highly-qualified candidates.
• Toptal guarantees satisfaction. As an employer, if you are not happy with the freelancer you hired, you can ask for a refund on your deposit and be paired with a different freelancer.
• It is an excellent platform that allows recruiters to manage and oversee the entire hiring process.
• Toptal features a flexible work arrangement that allows creatives to set their working hours and location. Such arrangements can benefit individuals who are engaged in pursuits other than work.
• In addition to helping freelancers connect with clients, the tool has robust features to help freelancers find work and manage their projects.
• Toptal is a simple and efficient platform that allows you to post a job, receive applications from freelancers, and hire the best talent.

Toptal Cons

• Toptal is best suited for large projects that need highly-skilled talents.
• The platform does not guarantee freelancers any benefits or job security like other freelance marketplaces.

Upwork Pros 

• Upwork makes it easy to find freelance work and connect with potential clients. Most clients on Upwork are ready to hire immediately. Therefore, if a client likes your proposal and you ace that interview, you can be sure to start working the next day.
• Upwork will do all the paperwork for you. The platform handles billing, invoicing, contracts, and mediation. If a dispute may arise between a freelancer and a client, Upwork’s customer support team will reach out to the client on behalf of the freelancer.
• The platform is highly profitable. While it might be hard to land your first job on Upwork, with consistency, the efforts eventually pay off.
• It has an escrow system that protects sellers and buyers and also has an excellent dispute resolution system.
• It has an easy-to-use interface with an intuitive messaging platform that allows for excellent client-freelancer collaboration.
• It has an API feature that lets you automate contracts and receive messages from Slack or Teams.

Upwork Cons

• A lot of competition on Upwork makes it hard for you to land your first client.
• The quality of freelancers on Upwork varies. Hence, it takes time to carefully review and scrutinize several portfolios before hiring a freelancer.

Final Words: Toptal vs Upwork – Which is Better?

While these two platforms have different characteristics, they emphasize flexibility and making an extra dollar.

As you choose, consider whether you are looking for short-term or long-term projects or want to save time and money. While it’s easy to find work on Upwork, it’s best suited for short-term projects.

Ultimately Toptal takes the day as the best freelance platform. It might be more costly than Upwork, but it promises stability and quality. Toptal also saves you time and gives you a better chance of connecting with a good freelancer.