Menu
Freelancing is one of the most rewarding career paths for graphic designers, offering freedom, flexibility, and the potential to work with global clients. Whether you’re looking for full-time freelance work or side gigs to supplement your income, finding the right platform is crucial.
These websites connect designers with businesses in need of everything from branding to web design, helping you build a sustainable career.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the top 10 websites for freelance graphic design work, see what unique opportunities each platform offers and I’ll share actionable tips to help you succeed—from creating an irresistible profile to pitching effectively.
Advertisment
Upwork is one of the largest freelance marketplaces, connecting designers with clients worldwide. With categories ranging from logo design to full-scale branding projects, the platform offers opportunities for all experience levels. The bidding system allows freelancers to showcase their skills through tailored proposals, making it essential to stand out with a polished profile and clear communication.
One of the keys to success on Upwork is building a strong reputation. Start by taking smaller projects to gather positive reviews, which will boost your visibility. Upwork’s global audience ensures a steady stream of work, but competition can be fierce. Crafting personalized pitches that address client needs is crucial to winning bids.
Key Characteristics:
Pricing: Upwork charges a service fee of 5-20% based on your earnings per client. The more you earn with a client, the lower the fee.
Advertisment
Behance is a dual-purpose platform designed for creative professionals as not only does it allow graphic designers to showcase their portfolios and find graphic design inspiration, but it also features a dedicated job listings section.
As a designer, keeping your portfolio on Behance visually striking and up-to-date is crucial for attracting potential clients and employers. Its intuitive search features enable clients to find designers based on style, specialization, and location. By strategically tagging your work and highlighting your best projects, you can make yourself more visible to clients browsing for talent.
What makes Behance stand out is its integration with Adobe Creative Cloud, making it easier for designers to sync their latest work directly to their profile. Many hiring managers and creative agencies frequently browse Behance, so leveraging its job listings and networking capabilities can open doors to freelance and full-time opportunities alike.
Key Characteristics:
Pricing: Behance is free to use for showcasing your portfolio, but premium job listings require employers to pay.
Toptal is a premium platform that connects top-tier freelancers with high-paying clients. The vetting process is rigorous, including skill tests and interviews, but passing ensures access to some of the best opportunities in the industry. Toptal’s clients are often large corporations or startups with significant budgets.
If you’re confident in your skills and have an impressive portfolio, Toptal is an excellent choice. Focus on preparing for the application process by showcasing advanced design techniques and demonstrating problem-solving abilities. Working on Toptal can elevate your career and position you as a leader in the graphic design field.
Key Characteristics:
Pricing: Toptal does not charge freelancers directly but takes a percentage from the client’s payment.
Advertisment
Dribbble is a thriving hub for designers to showcase their projects, connect with peers, and find freelance opportunities. A standout feature of Dribbble is its premium Pro accounts, which unlock exclusive job boards tailored for creative professionals. By uploading eye-catching designs and participating in community interactions, designers can increase their chances of being scouted by agencies or clients looking for freelancers.
One key tip for succeeding on Dribbble is to curate your portfolio around a specific niche or style as clients often search for designers specializing in a particular area, like branding, UI/UX, or illustration. Additionally, the platform offers “Hire Me” buttons on profiles, allowing potential clients to directly reach out for project discussions.
Key Characteristics:
Pricing: Free basic accounts available; Pro memberships start at $5 per month for additional features.
For designers who thrive in competitive environments, 99designs offers a unique model as clients post design contests, and freelancers submit their work to compete for the prize. This platform is ideal for creatives who want to challenge themselves and showcase their skills to a wider audience.
While contests are a significant part of 99designs, the platform also allows designers to work on one-on-one projects with clients. To succeed here, focus on submitting high-quality, original designs that stand out. Winning contests can help you build your reputation and attract direct clients.
Key Characteristics:
Pricing: 99designs charges a platform fee of 5-15% depending on your earnings and project type.
Fiverr is a great starting point for designers looking to break into freelancing. It operates on a gig-based system, allowing you to create specific service packages—for instance, logo design or social media graphics—and set your own pricing.
To maximize your earnings on Fiverr, focus on optimizing your gig descriptions and use keywords relevant to your services and highlight what makes you unique. Additionally, offer extras, like expedited delivery, to increase your overall revenue. Fiverr is perfect for beginners designers who want to target clients with smaller budgets or quick-turnaround projects.
Key Characteristics:
Pricing: Fiverr takes a 20% commission from each transaction, so price your gigs accordingly.
Advertisment
Freelancer is a vast platform offering opportunities across multiple industries, including graphic design. It operates on a bidding system, where freelancers compete for projects by submitting proposals that detail their expertise and pricing. While the competition can be intense, standing out with a well-crafted pitch and showcasing a strong portfolio can significantly improve your chances of winning bids.
One advantage of Freelancer is its variety, from logo design to full branding packages, the platform caters to a range of budgets and project sizes. Building a strong reputation through positive client reviews is critical to long-term success on Freelancer, as top-rated freelancers often receive direct invitations to projects.
Key Characteristics:
Pricing: Free to sign up; however, Freelancer takes a percentage of your earnings per project (usually 10–20%).
DesignCrowd operates as a design contest platform where clients post project briefs, and designers submit their work to compete for the job. This model is particularly appealing to beginner designers who thrive in competitive environments and are confident in their ability to produce unique, high-quality designs.
While the platform requires a significant time investment to participate in contests, it can be an excellent way to gain exposure and build a portfolio for beginner freelancers.
One tip for success on DesignCrowd is to carefully select contests that align with your expertise and design style. Submitting polished and creative designs tailored to the client’s brand can increase your chances of winning and earning repeat work.
Key Characteristics:
Pricing: Free to browse projects, but DesignCrowd charges a platform fee (15–20%) on completed projects.
PeoplePerHour is a dynamic platform that caters to designers seeking both project-based and hourly freelance work. What sets it apart is its emphasis on hourly billing, which provides graphic designers with steady, ongoing work opportunities.
You can set your hourly rate and let clients approach you, or you can actively bid on relevant projects posted by clients. This dual system makes it versatile for designers at different stages of their careers.
To succeed on PeoplePerHour, start by creating an optimized profile that highlights your key skills and past work including a well-curated portfolio and competitive rates to attract clients. The platform’s “Hourlies” feature allows you to advertise pre-packaged services (like a logo design or branding kit) at a set price, making it easy for clients to book your services quickly.
Key Characteristics:
Pricing: Signing up is free, but the platform takes a service fee (ranging from 5–20%) based on your earnings.
Guru is a well-rounded freelance platform that connects designers with clients across a variety of industries. Its unique “workroom” feature allows you to streamline communication, project management, and payment tracking in one place, making it particularly useful for managing multiple freelance gigs.
Guru caters to both short-term projects and long-term contracts, giving graphic designers the flexibility to choose the work that best suits their schedules and expertise.
The platform’s strong focus on client-freelancer relationships means delivering quality work is crucial for earning positive reviews and building your reputation and to increase your chances of landing jobs, ensure your profile is detailed and includes testimonials or references from past clients.
Key Characteristics:
Pricing: Free to join; Guru charges a commission on completed projects ranging from 5–9%, depending on your membership plan.
Advertisment
Freelancing offers incredible opportunities for graphic designers to take control of their careers, whether you’re looking for side projects or a full-time freelance lifestyle as each platform in this list provides unique features tailored to different needs.
From the global reach of Upwork and Fiverr to the niche focus of 99designs and Toptal, these platforms cater to designers at all levels. Meanwhile, Behance and Dribbble double as portfolio showcases, making them invaluable for networking and exposure.
To maximize your success, try multiple platforms, experiment with different pricing strategies, and continually refine your profiles and pitches. Bookmark this post for future reference, and don’t forget to share it with other designers who might benefit from these resources.
The freelance journey can be competitive, but with the right tools and dedication, you’ll be well on your way to building a thriving design career!
If you found this post useful you might like to read these post about Graphic Design Inspiration.
Advertisment
Written by
If you like this post share it on your social media!
Advertisment
Advertisment
Advertisment
