While Toptal has built a reputation as an exclusive freelance marketplace, their rigid vetting process and high fees have many freelancers looking elsewhere. If you’re tired of jumping through endless hoops just to land clients, you’re not alone.
After working with thousands of freelancers over the past decade and building my own six-figure solo business, I’ve seen firsthand which platforms actually deliver consistent work. In this guide, I’ll share the best Toptal alternatives that offer real opportunities without the frustrating barriers to entry.
Let’s explore platforms where you can showcase your skills, connect with quality clients, and build sustainable income—without the headaches.
What to Look for in Toptal Alternatives
Before diving into specific platforms, let’s identify what makes a great alternative to Toptal. The ideal freelance marketplace should offer:
Accessible Entry Process
Toptal famously rejects about 97% of applicants through their multi-stage screening process. While quality control matters, most freelancers need platforms with more reasonable barriers to entry while still attracting legitimate clients.
Transparent Fee Structure
Understanding exactly what percentage the platform takes from your earnings is crucial. Some platforms advertise low fees but hide additional costs in payment processing or withdrawals.
Client Quality
The best platforms attract clients who understand the value of professional work and have reasonable budgets. You want clients who respect your expertise and time.
Project Variety
Whether you’re looking for quick gigs, long-term contracts, or specialized projects in your niche, the platform should offer diverse opportunities matching your skills and goals.
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Payment Protection
Secure payment systems with escrow features or milestone-based payments help ensure you actually get paid for completed work.
Now, let’s look at the 12 best alternatives to Toptal that balance accessibility with quality opportunities.
1. SolidGigs – Premium Job Leads Delivered to Your Inbox
Unlike traditional freelance marketplaces, SolidGigs takes a different approach by hand-picking the best freelance opportunities from dozens of job boards and delivering them directly to your inbox. This saves you countless hours of searching and sifting through low-quality postings.
Key Features:
- Curated Opportunities: Only the top 1-2% of freelance jobs are sent to you, ensuring high-quality leads.
- Time-Saving: Receive a weekly digest of the best opportunities in your field without endless scrolling through job boards.
- Direct Applications: Apply directly to clients without platform fees taking a cut of your earnings.
- Skill Development: Access training resources from successful freelancers to improve your pitching and client acquisition skills.
Best For:
Freelancers who want to bypass the platform middleman and build direct client relationships while saving time on job hunting. Particularly valuable for writers, designers, developers, and marketers who want higher-paying opportunities.
2. Upwork – The Established Marketplace With Endless Opportunities
Upwork remains the largest freelance marketplace globally, connecting millions of freelancers with clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. With its massive scale comes both advantages and challenges.
If you’re wondering whether Upwork is a legitimate platform for making money, the answer is definitely yes—though success requires strategy.
Key Features:
- Vast Client Pool: Access to thousands of new projects posted daily across virtually every skill category.
- Flexible Work Arrangements: Options for hourly or fixed-price projects, short-term gigs, or long-term contracts.
- Payment Protection: Secure payment system with hourly protection and milestone-based payments for fixed-price work.
- Work Diary: Automatic time tracking for hourly projects with screenshot verification.
Best For:
Freelancers in almost any field looking for a platform with high volume and variety. Particularly good for those willing to invest time in profile optimization and strategic bidding to overcome the initial competition.
3. Fiverr – Service-Based Marketplace With Global Reach
Fiverr flips the traditional freelance model by having freelancers create specific service packages (called “gigs”) that clients can purchase. This approach gives you more control over your offerings and pricing.
For those wondering if Fiverr is legitimate and how to avoid scams, it absolutely is—with the right precautions.
To maximize success, check out our guide on how to land more jobs on Fiverr consistently.
Key Features:
- Package-Based Services: Create Basic, Standard, and Premium tiers for your services with clear deliverables and turnaround times.
- Seller Levels: Progression system that offers increased visibility and features as you complete more orders successfully.
- Custom Offers: Ability to create personalized packages for clients with specific needs outside your standard offerings.
- Passive Inbound Leads: Once your gigs are established, clients come to you rather than you bidding on projects.
Best For:
Freelancers with clearly defined, productized services who want to eliminate the proposal process. Excellent for graphic designers, writers, voice actors, video editors, and programmers who can package their services into specific deliverables.
4. Freelancer – Competitive Bidding Platform With Global Reach
Freelancer.com offers a massive marketplace with millions of projects across hundreds of categories. The platform’s contest feature also provides unique opportunities for creative professionals to showcase their skills.
Key Features:
- Project Bidding: Submit proposals on thousands of available projects across diverse categories.
- Design Contests: Participate in competitions where clients choose their favorite submission from multiple freelancers.
- Milestone Payments: Secure funding at project stages to ensure fair compensation for completed work.
- Skills Testing: Verify your abilities through platform-specific exams to boost profile credibility.
Best For:
Freelancers comfortable with competitive bidding who want access to a global client base. The contest feature makes it particularly suitable for designers and creatives who can produce speculative work to win new clients.
5. PeoplePerHour – UK-Based Platform With European Client Focus
PeoplePerHour offers a strong presence in European markets while maintaining global reach. The platform combines project bidding with Fiverr-style service packages (“Hourlies”) for maximum flexibility.
Key Features:
- Dual Approach: Both respond to client job postings and create pre-packaged services clients can purchase directly.
- Strong European Presence: Access to UK and EU-based clients who may have higher budgets than global average.
- Workstream: Built-in project management tools to track milestones, share files, and communicate with clients.
- Certification Program: Verify skills through testing to enhance profile credibility.
Best For:
Freelancers targeting European clients or those who want the flexibility of both bidding on projects and offering packaged services. Particularly strong for creative, marketing, and development professionals.
6. Guru – Freelance Marketplace With Lower Competition
While not as massive as Upwork or Freelancer, Guru’s smaller size can actually be advantageous, offering less competition for available projects while maintaining solid client quality.
Key Features:
- Work Rooms: Dedicated spaces for project collaboration, file sharing, and milestone tracking.
- SafePay: Secure escrow payment system that ensures you get paid for completed work.
- Recurring Payments: Easy setup for ongoing client relationships with regular billing.
- Lower Platform Fees: More competitive commission rates compared to larger platforms.
Best For:
Experienced freelancers looking for a platform with less saturation than the market leaders. Particularly good for technical writers, web developers, designers, and business consultants seeking quality over quantity.
7. Twine – Creative Industry Focused Marketplace
Twine specializes in connecting creative professionals—particularly in music, film, design, and animation—with clients needing creative services. Their focus on creative industries helps attract relevant clients.
Key Features:
- Creative Focus: Platform specifically designed for creative professionals with relevant clients seeking these services.
- Portfolio Showcase: Visual-first presentation of your work to attract potential clients.
- Project Matching: Intelligent system that suggests relevant projects based on your skills and experience.
- Fixed Project Fee: Transparent single fee rather than ongoing commission structure.
Best For:
Visual artists, musicians, filmmakers, animators, and other creative professionals who want a platform that understands and values their specific skills. Ideal for those tired of competing against general freelancers on broader platforms.
8. Gun.io – Premium Platform for Software Developers
Gun.io focuses exclusively on connecting skilled developers with high-quality clients. Their vetting process is rigorous but less extreme than Toptal’s, and they emphasize long-term placements.
Key Features:
- Developer-Specific: Platform exclusively focused on software development talent across numerous specialties.
- Higher Rates: Focus on premium clients willing to pay for quality development work.
- Talent Advocates: Platform representatives who help match you with appropriate projects.
- Technical Interview: Professional vetting that validates your skills to clients.
Best For:
Experienced software developers and engineers looking for higher-paying opportunities and longer-term engagements without Toptal’s extreme exclusivity. Particularly good for those with specific technical specialties.
9. Codementor – Development Mentorship and Freelance Platform
Codementor uniquely combines freelance opportunities with paid mentorship sessions, allowing developers to earn through both project work and sharing their expertise via consultation.
Key Features:
- Dual Revenue Streams: Earn through both traditional freelance projects and paid mentoring sessions.
- Live Help: Provide real-time assistance to clients through screen sharing and video calls.
- Community Recognition: Build reputation through helping others, leading to more project opportunities.
- Technical Content Publication: Opportunity to publish articles that showcase your expertise.
Best For:
Experienced developers who enjoy teaching and mentoring others while also taking on development projects. Great for those who want varied work beyond just coding.
10. LinkedIn Services Marketplace – Professional Network-Based Freelancing
LinkedIn has evolved their freelance offering into the LinkedIn Services Marketplace, which leverages your existing professional network to connect you with potential clients. This approach often leads to higher-quality opportunities with better alignment to your experience.
Key Features:
- Network Leverage: Utilize your professional connections for credibility and referrals.
- Limited Competition: Receive requests from clients looking specifically for your skills within your geographic area.
- Direct Client Relationships: Work with clients without ongoing platform fees after initial connection.
- Professional Reputation: Benefit from recommendations and endorsements on your LinkedIn profile.
- Service Page: Grow your business with a free Service Page highlighting your offerings.
- Proposal System: Describe your needs and receive up to 5 proposals from trusted providers.
Best For:
Experienced professionals with established LinkedIn networks who want to find local or industry-specific opportunities. Particularly valuable for consultants, business service providers, and creatives with professional portfolios. The platform features top-rated providers with strong reviews in career coaching, personal branding, and social media marketing.
11. LHH – Comprehensive Career and Workforce Solutions
Formerly known as Hired, LHH has expanded beyond its original focus to become a comprehensive career and workforce transformation platform. As part of The Adecco Group, LHH offers solutions for individuals seeking career advancement and organizations looking for talent.
Key Features:
- Global Reach: Operations in 66 countries worldwide with local market insights.
- Career Support: Personalized guidance from experienced recruiters and career advisors.
- Talent Matching: Sophisticated system connecting qualified professionals with appropriate opportunities.
- Leadership Development: Programs specifically designed to develop transformative leaders.
- Career Mobility: Solutions to help professionals transition and advance their careers.
- Extensive Network: Access to 15,000+ client companies for diverse job opportunities.
Best For:
Tech professionals, particularly developers, designers, product managers, and data scientists looking for career advancement and job transition support. Best for those seeking structured career guidance and access to a global network of employers. With 50+ years of experience and 250,000+ success stories, LHH offers robust support for professionals at all career stages.
12. Gigster – Enterprise Project Marketplace
Gigster focuses on connecting freelancers with enterprise-level projects, often assembling teams of freelancers to handle larger initiatives. Their approach emphasizes quality and reliability for bigger clients.
Key Features:
- Team Collaboration: Work on larger projects as part of assembled freelance teams.
- Enterprise Clients: Access to larger companies with bigger budgets and more substantial projects.
- Project Management: Platform handles client communication and project oversight, letting you focus on execution.
- Selective Vetting: Quality-focused screening that’s rigorous but less extreme than Toptal.
Best For:
Experienced freelancers in development, design, and product management who want to work on larger enterprise projects without handling all aspects of client management. Ideal for those who enjoy collaborative environments while maintaining freelance flexibility.
Tips for Success on Any Freelance Platform
Regardless of which Toptal alternative you choose, these strategies will improve your results:
Complete Your Profile Thoroughly
Take time to fill out every relevant section of your profile with specific examples of your experience, key accomplishments, and specialized skills. A complete profile signals professionalism and helps with platform algorithms.
Showcase Your Best Work
Quality over quantity applies to portfolio samples. Feature only your strongest, most relevant work examples that demonstrate your capabilities to potential clients.
Start With Competitive Rates
While you shouldn’t undervalue your services long-term, starting with slightly more competitive rates can help you gather initial reviews and platform credibility before gradually increasing your pricing.
Respond Promptly
Quick, professional responses to inquiries significantly increase your chances of landing projects. Many clients hire the first qualified freelancer who engages meaningfully with their project needs.
Over-Deliver Initially
Your first few clients on any platform are your most important. Go above and beyond to deliver exceptional work that earns 5-star reviews and builds your platform reputation.
Finding Your Perfect Toptal Alternative
The best platform for you depends on your specific skills, experience level, and freelance goals. While Toptal’s exclusive approach works for some, the alternatives listed here offer more accessible paths to quality clients and sustainable freelance income.
Remember: no single platform is a magic bullet. Many successful freelancers maintain profiles on 2-3 complementary platforms while also developing direct client relationships outside of marketplaces.
By combining the right platforms with consistent high-quality work, proactive communication, and gradual rate increases, you can build a freelance business that provides both financial stability and professional satisfaction—without jumping through unnecessary hoops.
Which Toptal alternative has worked best for you? Share your experiences in the comments below!
One more thing...
You didn't start freelancing to spend hours every week searching through job boards. You started freelancing to do more work you enjoy! Here at SolidGigs, we want to help you spend less time hunting and more time doing work you love.
Our team of "Gig Hunters"—together with the power of A.I.—sends you high-quality leads every weekday on autopilot. You can learn more or sign up here. Happy Freelancing!
