If you’re interested in gig jobs to make extra money, you’re not alone. Over 57 million Americans are members of the booming gig economy, which is expected to keep growing. If you want to supplement your income, work a flexible schedule, build a freelance business on the side, or make a career change, a gig job could be right for you. We’ll show you the best sites to find gig jobs so you can start earning on your terms fast.
Quickstart Guide To Finding A Gig Job
- Update your resume. Even if you're a freelancer, clients like to see your background and the work you have done. If you need help with your resume, check out the best resume writing services available.
- Apply for gig jobs. To land a gig job, you have to put yourself out there. Check out the gig sites in this article and explore free job posting sites.
Discover Your Dream Job Find gig jobs near you and apply with 1 click! New jobs posted daily.
The 8 Best Sites To Find Gig Jobs
- Upwork - Best Overall
- ZipRecruiter - Best For Gigs Of All Variety
- Fiverr - Best For Freelancers
- Freelancer - Best For Service Categories
- Guru - Best For Project Collaboration
- FlexJobs - Best For Remote Flexible Work Options
- TaskRabbit - Best For Manual and Skilled Labor
- Toptal - Best For Highly Experienced Professionals
Other Sites To Consider To Find Gig Jobs
- Rat Race Rebellion
- Back Door Jobs
- Cool Works
- Behance
- Simply Hired
- 99 Designs
- Aquent
- Remote.co
- Steady
- Solid Gigs
Reviews of The Best Sites To Find Gig Jobs
The gig economy is all about meeting the on-demand needs of both companies and workers, and technology helps make that happen. The best sites to find gig jobs are sophisticated platforms that link talent seeking work with clients needing help. Here are our favorites:
Upwork - Best Overall
If you’d like a little help to find the best gig jobs for your skills and preferences, Upwork could be the best platform for you. The well-known site matches freelancers of all backgrounds with clients who need their talents. To land work, you can apply for posted jobs, wait to be found based on your profile, or enlist the assistance of a recruiter to expedite the process. You can get started at no cost by creating an account and interacting with prospective customers.
As is the case with many gig job sites, the platform takes a percentage of your earnings as follows:
- First $500 billed per client: 20%
- $500-$10,000 billed per client: 10%
- More than $10,000 billed per client: 5%
However, Upwork also takes your getting paid seriously. For fixed-rate projects, you’ll receive payment at pre-established milestones. If you earn by the hour, you can expect a weekly payout.
Find Gigs On Upwork Browse jobs posted on Upwork, or jump right in and create a free profile to find the work that you love to do.
ZipRecruiter - Best For Gigs Of All Variety
Though ZipRecruiter may not be the first site that comes to mind for gig work, there are countless opportunities available. ZipRecruiter allows you to search for one-time gigs, part-time gigs, online gigs, remote gigs, and more.
Unlike some of the other sites included in this article, ZipRecruiter is not a site to offer your freelance skills. Instead, you can find and apply to gig jobs. In our research, we found rideshare gigs, babysitting gigs, general labor gigs, food delivery gigs, and more.
It’s free to register and apply for gig work on ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter does not take any percentage of your earnings, however, if you apply for a gig with a third-party site via ZipRecruiter, that site may take a percentage of your earnings. For example, if you apply for DoorDash via ZipRecruiter, when you get going with DoorDash, there may be associated fees.
If you are unsure what type of gig work you are looking for, ZipRecruiter is a great place to look through a wide variety of gig jobs and find the best choice for you.
Discover Your Dream Job Find gig jobs near you and apply with 1 click! New jobs posted daily.
Fiverr - Best For Freelancers
If you’d like to offer different service packages with multiple price points, you may want to check out Fiverr. You can charge as little as $5 for your work (hence the website name), as much as $10,000, and all points in between. Fiverr lets you offer freelance services under more than 300 categories. You could earn a full-time living or just make some extra cash.
It’s free to set up an account, create a profile, and offer your services. Like many job gig sites, you’ll search for jobs, communicate with clients, and manage projects directly on the platform. Fiverr will take a 20% cut of your earnings as a fee for using the site when you complete a gig.
Freelancer - Best For Service Categories
If you’re a freelancer with many (or obscure) talents, Freelancer could be the gig job site you need. Over 50 million independent contractors already use the platform and list their services under more than 1,800 categories. You can offer pretty much any service imaginable on the website.
It doesn’t cost anything to get started on Freelancer, and the free membership plan includes six job bids per month. But, if you want additional bids and features, you’ll need to purchase one of these subscriptions:
The number of perks increases with each membership level and includes project extensions, external invoicing, eligibility for rewards, the ability to make daily earnings withdrawals, and more. Like many freelancing platforms, Freelancer takes a cut of what you make (10% on projects and 20% on services).
Guru - Best For Project Collaboration
If you’re looking for a site that lets you collaborate with clients directly on the platform and offers 24/7 customer support, Guru is a solid option. Currently, the company lists more than 2,600 gig jobs relevant to a wide variety of professional skill sets. Select job categories include, but aren’t limited to, design, translation, administration, sales, legal, education, and architecture.
You can join and get started for free. Simply create a profile, search for and bid on jobs, complete your work, and get paid. Guru offers a virtual office environment to work with your clients throughout every stage of a project and helps you track your progress.
The site has five membership options to suit different needs and budgets:
Each membership level also unlocks additional capabilities such as sending sales messages, adding a link to your website to your profile, rolling over unused bids to the following year, and more.
Start Collaborating With Clients On Guru Work with your clients throughout every stage of a project.
FlexJobs - Best For Remote Flexible Work Options
If you’re looking for work that’s remote, offers a flexible schedule, or both, FlexJobs may be able to help. The site carefully vets and lists various jobs for both freelancers and employees at all experience and career levels. As of this writing, the site boasts more than 28,000 opportunities, so there’s a good chance you can find a gig job that’s right for you.
To use the site, you’ll need to purchase a subscription:
- 1 week: $6.95
- 1 month: $14.95
- 3 months: $29.95
- 1 year: $49.95
Your subscription includes unlimited access to job listings, a customizable profile, skills testing to demonstrate your expertise, email alerts about gigs, job search tips, discounts on resume reviews and career coaching, and more.
Find A Better Way To Work Get help finding remote, freelance, part-time, or flextime jobs!
TaskRabbit - Best For Manual and Skilled Labor
If you’d prefer to get out of the house and work with your hands, TaskRabbit is worth a look. The website matches people with long to-do lists with available workers, or taskers, nearby. As a tasker, you can offer any combination of more than 50 services, but popular services include cleaning, moving, assembling furniture, running errands, making minor home repairs, and doing yard work.
It’s easy to get started. Sign up online, download the app, create a profile, and start working. Depending on where you live, you may have to pay a one-time $25 registration fee. But, after that, the platform is free to use, and you get to keep 100% of what you make, including tips. TaskRabbit makes money by collecting a 15% service fee from customers.
Toptal - Best For Highly Experienced Professionals
If you’re a highly skilled and well-regarded software developer, designer, finance expert, project manager, or product manager, Toptal could be a good fit for you. The site partners with top companies from around the world and helps them find premier talent. To become a Toptal freelancer, you’ll need to apply and undergo a thorough screening process. The process can take up to five weeks and includes interviews and a careful review of your knowledge, skills, and personality.
Toptal is an exclusive gig job platform, accepting less than 3% of applicants. However, if your application gets approved, the company will match you to incoming gig opportunities. You can set your work schedule and rates and work as much or as little as you want. Toptal earns money from client fees, so you can keep every cent you earn.
Join The Top 3% Of Freelance Talent Design your full-time freelance career with Toptal!
What Are Gig Jobs?
Before we share our top picks, let’s dive a little deeper into how gig jobs work. Gig jobs are positions or projects intended for freelancers or independent contractors rather than full-time employees. Jobs are generally part-time or short-term, and assignments can often get done remotely and on a flexible schedule.
Gig jobs benefit both clients and workers. Clients with sporadic needs can keep their business moving forward without incurring the cost of hiring a full-time employee. Workers with competing priorities can earn money in a way that fits into their busy lives. It’s a win-win.
For more information and resources on how to become a freelancer or gig worker, check out our guide to the best freelancing courses.
If you’ve been getting interviews but no job offers, check out Michael Gardon’s Exclusive Personal Branding & Interview Guide to supercharge your interview skills and land the job of your dreams.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are examples of gig jobs?
Some examples of gig jobs include but aren’t limited to babysitting, tutoring, cleaning, rideshare driving, freelancing, dropshipping goods, renting out property, etc.
Which gig jobs pay the best?
Usually, the gig jobs that pay the best require highly specialized professional backgrounds, such as writing, design, accounting, and more. However, rideshare drivers, food deliverers, and skilled laborers can earn a decent rate, too.
Do gig workers pay more taxes?
You may have to pay more taxes as a gig worker. If you’re an independent contractor, you’ll have to pay both the employee and employer portions of the Social Security and Medicare tax, known as the self-employment tax.
What are the best freelance job sites?
The best freelance job sites are platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, FlexJobs, TaskRabbit, and Toptal.
The Bottom Line
Even though you’re ready to earn money on your own terms, it can be overwhelming to get started. The online platforms we’ve introduced here are the best sites to find gig jobs and can make the process easier. Go check them out and make your goals a reality!
