You’re hungry, you’re tired. You need clothes, you want shoes, your parents want you to stop asking for money. Tale as old as time. You’re a university student looking to make some extra cash online (because let’s be real, your pocket money isn’t cutting it, and your parents have mastered the art of ignoring your “urgent” requests for funds). You’ve heard about freelancing and now you’re stuck between Upwork and Fiverr, trying to figure out which one won’t have you working for peanuts or pulling your hair out in frustration. Well, my dear broke bestie, let’s break it down.

Upwork: The Corporate Sugar Daddy of Freelancing

Strengths:

1. Bigger Projects = Bigger Paychecks

Upwork is where serious businesses and high-paying clients hang out. If you get things right, you can secure long-term contracts that bring in the dough. You’ll be surprised to find Fortune 500 companies and their affiliates looking for freelancers on Upwork. If you do well and rank high on the platform, Upwork will move you to their Expert Vetted category, where you get a talent manager who helps you navigate your job applications and manage client relationships (kind of like you’re an Upwork celebrity) and you get exclusive access to work directly with the top companies on the platform and get paid a stable five or six-figure salary.

2. Less Competition (Kinda) 

Unlike Fiverr, where you’re thrown into a jungle of sellers, Upwork allows you to apply for jobs instead. That means you’re competing, but not in the same cutthroat way. They also have Fiverr-like features (projects and consultations) where you can create gigs and wait for clients to see them and come to you instead of having to apply for jobs.

3. Professional Growth 

Upwork forces you to think like a business owner. You learn how to pitch yourself, negotiate rates, and communicate professionally—skills that will serve you even outside freelancing. In my opinion, it’s also a chance to stand out from the competition. Unlike Fiverr where you just write a general description for your gig and hope the right client finds your gig and likes it, with Upwork, you have the opportunity to customize your application for each job so that every word is exactly what the client wants to hear. This way you can land clients faster and grow quickly on the platform.

Weaknesses:

1. Getting Started Is Like Climbing Mount Everest… Sometimes 

Upwork doesn’t just let anybody in. You have to apply and hope they approve your account. Although, in my personal experience, the application process was pretty straightforward, apparently, some people have had to jump through hoops to get their accounts approved. After getting in, you have to hustle HARD for those first few clients. 

2. Connects Cost Money 

You need something called “connects”(basically Upwork money) to apply for jobs, and they aren’t always free (you will get 60 free connects when you first open your account, and 10 free connects every month, but applying to jobs costs around 16 connects on average). This means if you’re broke, you’ll need to be strategic with your applications and budget your free connects or invest a little in buying connects.

3. Clients Can Be Picky 

Since Upwork is more professional, clients expect top-tier work. They’ll ghost you if your profile and proposals aren’t giving “expert vibes.” But once you learn how to present your services correctly, you’ll find it easy to catch a client’s eye. 

Fiverr: The Hustle & Grind Marketplace

Strengths:

1. No Applications, No Stress 

Unlike Upwork, Fiverr lets you create a gig and start selling instantly. No application rejections, no “we are not currently accepting new freelancers in your category” nonsense. 

But again from my personal experience, the Upwork application process was better. I’ve tried two different times with two different email accounts to create a seller profile on Fiverr. Both times, my profile got rejected for no reason at all. And the annoying part was that they said my profile was approved, let me spend hours creating a profile page and setting up gigs, and then when it was time to publish the gigs, they told me I couldn’t. Time wasted, just like that! 

But still, my personal experience isn’t a universal experience. I know a lot of people have had no problems at all with setting up a Fiverr account. 

So technically both platforms (Upwork and Fiverr) are a hit or miss regarding creating an account.

2. Great for Beginners 

Fiverr is perfect if you’re just starting out and have no work experience. You can build a solid portfolio without waiting for someone to “approve” you. You can set your gigs up immediately and if a client finds you the same day, you can start making money from day one. Big plus. 

3. Freedom to Set Your Prices 

You set your gig prices and can increase them as you gain reviews and reputation. Upwork also gives you the freedom to set your own prices, but with Upwork, the client sets a budget for what they’re willing to pay and you have to offer a rate within their budget. With Fiverr, you’re the one setting the price for your gigs and if a client doesn’t like your prices, they can move on to the next gig or hire their family members to work for them for free. 

Weaknesses:

1. Fiverr SEO = Survival of the Fittest 

If your gig doesn’t rank, you’re practically invisible. That means you’ll need to research keywords and update your profile regularly. And even then, you’re still a sitting duck, waiting and hoping that a client finds your gig in the sea of thousands of gigs from other more established freelancers. You’ll end up worrying if you have to give Thanos a call just to reduce the competition.

2. Cutthroat Competition 

Fiverr is like an open market in a busy city—crowded, noisy, and full of people offering the same thing at dirt-cheap prices. Standing out is HARD. Kind of the same as number one, but here’s the difference: even if your gig ranks on Fiverr’s algorithm and you get seen by clients, they’re still seeing 20 to 30 other freelancers on a single page, and if 10 out of the 30 are offering dirt cheap prices compared to you, then you’re still in coming in last in terms of competition for the client’s attention. 

3. Clients Can Be… Interesting 

Let’s just say some Fiverr buyers have premium expectations on a budget of “nothing.” You will meet clients who expect a whole website for $5. Like?? How would that work? Still, because there are people who are willing to work for prices that low, clients feel entitled to have you bend over backward to satisfy them. You’ll find clients with the same mentality on Upwork, but there are a lot more of these types on Fiverr. I mean the name literally sets the stage. FIVERR (where you find people who are willing to do a job for a fiver ($5)).

Which One Should You Choose?

➡ Go for Upwork if: 

You’re willing to invest time in building your profile, applying for jobs, and dealing with a more corporate work environment. If you want to make serious money long-term, Upwork is a better bet.

➡ Go for Fiverr if: 

You want quick, low-effort gigs without dealing with applications. Fiverr is great if you want to earn fast without worrying about “connects” or long proposal writing.

➡ Why Not Both? 

If you’re really about this money-making life, create a Fiverr gig while also applying to Upwork jobs. Just don’t let freelancing distract you from school unless you plan to explain to your parents why you’re suddenly an “ex-student.”

Final Verdict

Both platforms have their perks and pains, but it really comes down to your hustle level and patience. If you’re looking for quick wins, Fiverr might be easier to start. If you want a long-term freelance career with better pay, Upwork is worth the struggle. Either way, freelancing is a solid way to secure the bag while in school. Now, go forth and make that money—your tuition isn’t going to pay itself!

Got any freelancing experience? Share your Upwork vs. Fiverr struggles in the comments!

Wishing you peace and funds,

Dee