We have no paid links for either. Both are compared on the same criteria and dates.

Compare · Freelance marketplaces & talent networks · updated 13 Oct 2026

Fiverr vs Upwork

Quick take

Upwork pays more per hour in practice: about $83/h at the middle of its realistic range, against $55/h on Fiverr.
Both report first money from 7 days.
Where they're open: Fiverr, worldwide, except Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria; Upwork, worldwide, except Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria.
Neither costs anything to start.
Fiverr is open with grade B (reliable source); Upwork is open with grade A (official source).

Side by side

Fiverr and Upwork compared on the same fields and dates
	Fiverr Grade B: Reliable source Grade B means: Reliable source. The grade says how well-sourced this page is, not how good Fiverr is. More in the glossary Open status, as of 13 Oct 2026 Checked 4 days ago	Upwork Grade A: Official source Grade A means: Official source. The grade says how well-sourced this page is, not how good Upwork is. More in the glossary Open status, as of 13 Oct 2026 Checked 4 days ago
Realistic pay	≈ $10–100/h Realistic hourly equivalent	≈ $15–150/h Realistic hourly equivalent
At 10 h/week	≈ $430–4,300/mo our estimate	≈ $645–6,450/mo our estimate
First money	7–60 days	7–60 days First reviews are the bottleneck
Fees	20% seller commission on every order (ToS)	Service fee 0–15% (shown upfront); direct contracts 5% (Basic) / 0% (Plus)
Cost to start	$0	$0–240
Hours	no minimum async	no minimum async + client calls
Where it's open	Worldwide, except Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria	Worldwide, except Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria
Status	Open as of 13 Oct 2026	Open as of 13 Oct 2026
Grade	B · Reliable source 2 sourced facts	A · Official source 4 sourced facts
Checked	13 Oct 2026	13 Oct 2026
The catch	20% commission on every order	Clients who want to move chat or payment off-platform before a contract: a classic scam pattern (and against Upwork rules)

Pay figures are what platforms advertise or what workers report, each with its date. They are not typical or guaranteed earnings: yours depend on your skills, hours, location and how much work is available. Each figure has its source on the entry's page.