Upwork is often the first stop for U.S. businesses looking for freelance talent, but it isn’t always the best fit. High fees, inconsistent quality, and overwhelming choice leave many companies searching for an Upwork alternative that’s more aligned with their needs. Whether you want specialized recruitment services, dedicated nearshore teams, or curated freelance networks, there are platforms and agencies designed to deliver.

Here are the 9 best Upwork alternatives that U.S. businesses should consider:

• Scale Army
• Fiverr
• Toptal
• Freelancer.com
• PeoplePerHour
• Guru
• Truelancer
• Arc.Dev
• Workana

In this guide, you’ll find detailed profiles of the leading platforms along with practical insights to help you decide which option fits your hiring goals best. Keep reading to see how each of these alternatives compares and when to use them.

1. Scale Army

Scale Army is a staffing partner for U.S. businesses that need long-term solutions in marketing, sales, and IT. Unlike Upwork, where you sift through profiles, Scale Army sources and vets candidates directly from Latin America and other nearby countries.

• Strengths: Employer-of-record model (compliance and payroll handled), rigorous candidate vetting for English and cultural alignment, and focus on building dedicated teams instead of one-off freelancers.
• Use Case: An Ecommerce business hiring a nearshore marketing team to expand lead generation in real time without incurring U.S.-level costs.

For businesses that are scaling teams rather than outsourcing tasks, Scale Army stands out as a top Upwork alternative.

2. Fiverr

Fiverr is best known for its vast library of on-demand freelance services, from logo design to voiceovers. It’s an effective Upwork competitor for businesses that want clear, fixed pricing and fast turnaround.

• Strengths: Transparent gig listings, review-driven credibility, and coverage of almost every service imaginable.
• Limitations: Quality varies widely, and business owners must carefully review seller history.

Fiverr works best for transactional projects rather than strategic, long-term roles.

3. Toptal

Toptal positions itself as the premium alternative to Upwork for technical staffing. Its vetting process accepts only the top 3% of developers, designers, and finance professionals.

• Strengths: Deep technical screening, curated matches, and high reliability.
• Limitations: Higher cost than other platforms, suited to enterprises or well-funded startups.

If your business needs software development or advanced financial expertise, Toptal ensures top talent with less screening work on your end.

4. Freelancer.com

Freelancer.com is one of the largest and oldest global freelance marketplaces. With millions of registered users, it’s known for breadth rather than curation.

• Strengths: Low-cost bidding system, thousands of categories, and integrated tools for communication and payment.
• Limitations: Quality inconsistency, plus businesses often face dozens of low-quality bids before finding the right match.

Freelancer.com can be a practical Upwork alternative if your priority is cost control over deep vetting.

5. PeoplePerHour

PeoplePerHour is a UK-based platform that combines the project-posting model of Upwork with gig-style listings like Fiverr.

• Strengths: Employers can post jobs or buy pre-packaged services (“hourlies”), making it flexible for both ongoing and quick projects.
• Limitations: Customer service isn’t 24/7, and many businesses report being flooded with too many applicants.

For U.S. businesses seeking European freelancers or a hybrid hiring structure, PeoplePerHour is a useful Upwork alternative.

6. Guru

Guru appeals to companies that want repeat work with trusted freelancers rather than purely transactional gigs. It supports structured work agreements that give more clarity than typical Upwork contracts.

• Strengths: Low fees, emphasis on ongoing relationships, and built-in collaboration tools.
• Limitations: Smaller pool of freelancers compared to Upwork or Fiverr.

Guru is best for companies that value consistency and long-term partnerships.

7. Truelancer

Truelancer is an India-based freelance platform offering budget-friendly access to global freelancers.

• Strengths: Very competitive rates, wide coverage in IT, marketing, and creative services.
• Limitations: Time zone gaps for U.S. companies and varying levels of English fluency.

As an Upwork alternative, Truelancer is most effective for cost-sensitive projects where real-time collaboration is less important.

8. Arc.Dev

Arc.Dev specializes in remote engineering and technical staffing. Unlike open marketplaces, Arc vets every developer, ensuring businesses connect with skilled professionals quickly.

• Strengths: Deep pool of developers, technical vetting, and long-term placement model.
• Limitations: Higher price point, focused almost entirely on technical staffing.

For CTOs and tech founders, Arc.Dev is a serious Upwork competitor focused exclusively on software development and engineering roles.

9. Workana

Workana is Latin America’s largest freelance marketplace and a strong nearshore outsourcing option for U.S. companies.

• Strengths: Talent across marketing, customer support, IT, and creative roles, with cultural alignment and time zone overlap.
• Limitations: Less known in the U.S., but rapidly expanding in visibility.

Workana is especially attractive if you want to hire from neighboring countries like Mexico, Argentina, or Colombia.

How to Choose the Right Upwork Alternative

Selecting an Upwork alternative isn’t simply about finding another website with freelancers. It’s about deciding whether you want short-term help or a partner that can integrate talent into your business for the long haul.

The platforms we’ve reviewed differ widely in structure. Some, like Fiverr or Freelancer.com, focus on speed and low entry costs. Others, like Toptal or Arc.Dev, emphasize quality and technical vetting.

And then there are global staffing solutions such as Scale Army, which operate less like marketplaces and more like dedicated recruitment partners.

The first step for any U.S. business is to define the problem they’re trying to solve. If you need a logo tomorrow, a gig platform works. But if you need to replace an underperforming sales function or add a permanent stream of developers, relying on marketplaces will likely create more turnover than stability.

This is where agencies that offer nearshore staff augmentation or full-service recruitment become the smarter play.

The Limitations of Freelance Marketplaces

Upwork, Fiverr, and other marketplaces grew popular because they gave businesses access to freelancers at the click of a button. Yet many companies realize that this model has built-in constraints.

The sheer volume of profiles means that business owners spend hours filtering candidates, only to face inconsistent work quality. Platform fees reduce cost savings, and freelancers can leave mid-project without consequence.

Another overlooked risk is compliance. Hiring individuals as contractors may seem straightforward, but U.S. companies risk misclassification if they treat freelancers like employees.

The IRS and state regulators have become stricter about this distinction, which is why agencies that provide employer-of-record services are gaining traction.

Time zones are another factor. While offshore hiring in Asia remains popular for low-cost work, the lack of overlap with U.S. business hours often results in delays and communication breakdowns.

By contrast, nearshore recruitment in neighboring countries such as Mexico, Colombia, or Argentina gives you real-time collaboration, a closer cultural fit, and significantly lower turnover.

Why Staffing Agencies Are Emerging as the Strongest Upwork Alternatives

What freelance marketplaces lack, staffing agencies provide by design: structure, vetting, and retention. A partner like Scale Army doesn’t just introduce candidates — it recruits specifically for your role, runs background checks, evaluates English fluency, and confirms cultural alignment. Payroll, benefits, and compliance are handled through a legal framework that protects your business.

This model is particularly effective if you’re not just outsourcing a project but scaling your team. Instead of juggling freelancers on different contracts, you gain a team that feels like an extension of your business.

Marketing professionals in Mexico City, SDRs in Bogotá, or developers in Buenos Aires can work U.S. hours, join your daily standups, and contribute as though they were sitting in the same office. The difference is that you access this wider talent pool at 30–70% less than U.S. hiring costs.

For companies that need stability — especially in sales, IT, and marketing — staffing services are a top Upwork alternative because they address the root causes of freelance frustration: inconsistency, lack of accountability, and weak integration.

The Smart Way Forward

The freelance platforms on this list all have their place. Fiverr remains unmatched for quick creative projects. Toptal delivers elite developers when quality matters most. Workana is valuable for tapping into Latin America’s fast-growing freelance ecosystem. But if you want a hiring solution that looks beyond transactions and actually supports growth, staffing agencies outperform every marketplace.

Scale Army, in particular, offers a global staffing model designed for U.S. businesses. By focusing on nearshore recruitment, cultural alignment, and team scalability, it allows companies to hire once and build lasting teams instead of constantly cycling through freelancers. That stability becomes the difference between chasing talent and building a workforce that compounds over time.

Rethinking Talent Acquisition in 2025

The question is no longer “which freelance site should I try after Upwork?” but rather “what model of hiring will position my business for sustained growth?” If you’re testing ideas, a marketplace works fine. If you’re ready to build teams that contribute every day, an agency like Scale Army is the more strategic choice.

Schedule a call with Scale Army today to see how you can move beyond the uncertainty of freelance platforms and build reliable marketing, sales, and IT teams across Latin America. A short conversation can clarify what role each model plays and which one is right for your growth plans.

Frequently Asked Questions About Upwork Alternatives

Who is the biggest competitor to Upwork?

The biggest competitor to Upwork is Fiverr. While Upwork focuses on long-term contracts and hourly billing, Fiverr popularized fixed-price gigs starting at $5. Other strong Upwork competitors include Freelancer.com, Toptal, and staffing services like Scale Army, which provide dedicated nearshore teams instead of one-off freelancers.

What is the #1 freelance website?

The #1 freelance website depends on your needs. Upwork has the largest marketplace, Fiverr is best for quick creative projects, and Toptal is recognized for premium software development talent. For U.S. businesses scaling teams, agencies like Scale Army are considered a stronger Upwork alternative because they offer recruitment services and compliance support rather than just a gig platform.

Why is Fiverr better than Upwork?

Fiverr can be better than Upwork for businesses that want clear, fixed pricing and fast project turnaround. You can browse ready-made services (called gigs) without posting a job or reviewing dozens of proposals. However, Fiverr is less effective for long-term roles, where nearshore staff augmentation through agencies such as Scale Army is a more sustainable solution.

What is the best Upwork alternative for U.S. businesses?

For quick freelance projects, Fiverr and Freelancer.com are solid options. For specialized technical staffing, Toptal and Arc.Dev are strong choices. But for companies that want to build dedicated teams in nearby countries with compliance handled, Scale Army is one of the best Upwork alternatives because it combines recruitment, staffing services, and long-term retention.

Are staffing agencies a better option than freelance platforms?

Yes, if your goal is to scale a team rather than hire for one-off projects. Staffing agencies such as Scale Army recruit talent, verify skills, manage payroll, and provide nearshore outsourcing services in Latin America. This makes them more reliable than marketplaces, which are better suited for transactional projects.