Do you want to start freelancing as a graphic designer? I have listed the 20 best freelance graphic design websites to help you get started.
You can get a high-paying 9-5 job with a knack for graphic design. However, not every graphic designer gets inspiration from sitting behind the same desk daily.
We understand that, professional or not, graphic designers need the flexibility to get their creative juices flowing. That’s why freelance graphic design jobs are in high demand.
As artists, who wouldn’t want to work whenever they feel like it and handpick every project to work for? If you think the same way, you should sign up for freelance graphic design websites today. Here’s a list of the best graphic design freelance websites where you can land your first client right away.
Flexjobs is one of the best freelance graphic design websites for designers aspiring to work from home. As the name suggests, the platform lets you find flexible jobs, including part-time freelance work and permanent remote jobs.
Besides graphic design jobs, FlexJobs offers job listings for over 50 career options. What sets this site apart from other freelance platforms is that it allows you to promote your skills.
They hand-screen each candidate before letting them find work on their site. Not only does that attract reliable clients, but it also reduces the clutter and makes way for talented designers. All you have to do is become a member and start getting work on FlexJobs right away.
If you’re new to the freelance world, SolidGigs is the ultimate platform that helps you find profitable freelance graphic design jobs. Unlike other freelance graphic design websites, this platform does not display hundreds of job offers to its users.
Instead, the site gives you a weekly gig list of the jobs. This means you don’t have to scrounge through hundreds of options to find a reliable one. According to your profession, the site claims to display only 1% of the best job options available online.
However, you’ll have to pay a monthly or yearly premium for SolidGigs‘ full services.
Most importantly, the site offers productive educational resources to help you establish yourself as a freelancer. This makes it one of the best freelance graphic design websites for beginners.
Regarding freelance graphic design websites, we cannot overlook 99designs. It is the ultimate job hub for graphic designers, including advertisers, illustrators, merchandisers, and animators.
No matter what kind of design you’re good at, you can find a job on this platform. What makes 99designs unique is that it has competition. For example, when a client needs a job done, he will post it on 99designs, and all the designers can view the brief and send in their bids.
Usually, only one designer is selected to do the job. You might not be chosen for multiple positions, but sometimes, just connecting with one client is enough.
After that, the client can hire or refer you to other prospective clients. The bottom line is that it is a great site to build your portfolio and connect with other graphic design freelancers. You can access useful tools and information to improve your design skills further.
See Related: How to be a Freelance Illustrator [Step-By-Step Guide]
Fiverr is a go-to platform if you’re wondering how to get started on a freelance graphic design website. The site is easy to use and gives beginners the exposure they need.
Fiverr is mainly a site where employers can connect with freelancers and build healthy working relationships.
As a graphic design freelancer, you can set your work rates and post a Fiverr gig. After that, you’ll be approached by clients who like your portfolio and are interested in hiring you.
Once you land your first client, you can continue producing good work and maintaining your rating to secure consistent projects in the future.
In return, Fiverr charges a small percentage of every payment you receive through its platform. However, signing up and posting your first gig is entirely free.
Regarding graphic design freelance websites, Freelancer is one of the pioneering platforms in the genre. Employers post their jobs here, and freelancers can bid on them, providing their work duration and rates.
The employer will then choose the best bid and hire a freelancer to complete the job. Freelancer advertises millions of projects in about 50 different categories.
As a designer, you can search for graphic design jobs and get a list of jobs in seconds.
While it does take some time to get your first project, you can generate a steady workflow once you build your reputation on the site. The best part is that you can sign up and get started on the site for free and start paying only after you get a consistent workflow.
Upwork is a popular freelance platform with 10 million members. Around 4 million registered employers provide open projects from various fields every day.
By joining Upwork as a graphic design freelancer, you can set your own rates and working hours and build your own portfolio for potential clients to check out.
We love this site because it allows freelancers and employers to communicate with each other effectively. This ensures work efficiency and saves time for both sides.
Upwork keeps a small percentage of the commissions you receive through the site as service charges.
See Related: Best Freelance Websites for Logo Design
Designhill is one of the most popular freelance graphic design websites. Here, freelancers can find design jobs in various ways, including design contests, manual searches, and advertisements in their online shop.
As a freelancer, you can start by building your profile with a basic design portfolio so clients can easily refer to your work.
Besides that, you can further develop your portfolio and connect with the community by participating in design contests.
While clients usually choose only one candidate, you can gain extensive exposure and experience working on multiple projects.
Similarly, you can showcase your expertise by designing merchandise such as T-shirts and other accessories and selling them on Designhill. You can earn from this venture and gain popularity while polishing your skills simultaneously.
Toptal is a well-known freelance graphic design website where talented designers can market their work and land high-paying jobs.
However, not everyone can join Toptal. The website has a comprehensive screening system, and every aspiring freelancer must submit his work to be selected.
This might sound like a rigorous process, but it benefits talented designers in the long run. Firstly, it doesn’t get overcrowded, so your art can easily stand out. Secondly, it has a good reputation among clients, making it their go-to choice.
Believe it or not, online platforms like Airbnb and Thumbtack hired their designers from Toptal. Don’t get intimidated; take the first step to get a big project.
Behance is nothing short of a social media platform for graphic design freelancers. When you fill out your profile on the app, you’ll also have to provide some design samples. The platform posts these samples for a community of designers and employers to view and gain inspiration.
This not only helps your work get more positive exposure and appreciation but also enables you to get hired as a freelancer. However, Behance doesn’t provide many design jobs, unlike other freelance graphic design websites.
Instead, their job section only has a few projects at one time. Freelancers and employers on Behance rely on the community to find work or hire talented designers for their projects.
See Related: Reasons to Hire a Graphic Designer for a Logo
Dribbble is more or less a community for graphic design freelancers, just like Behance. You cannot expect to sign up and look for work or post gigs as you would on Fiverr or Upwork.
It is a closed network where you can advertise your design portfolio and build a reputation in the design community.
Additionally, you can access creative work from other designers to get the inspiration and guidance you need as a beginner.
But it’s not easy to join Dribbble. You’ll need an invitation from someone already a site member to upload work to the platform.
Nevertheless, the task isn’t too tricky if you have the right contacts. Moreover, the platform has a job board where you can find potential clients and projects, but the list is limited. So it would be best to focus mainly on building your portfolio and becoming popular on Dribbble.
See Related: Freelance Photography 101: How to Make Your Side Hustle Full-Time
PeoplePerHour is a freelance graphic design website that uses a unique system to match clients with the right designers.
Employers must post all the details of their project, skills, and other specifics they need in their design on this site.
After that, the platform analyzes the data and handpicks the correct designer for the job. This ensures designers get tailor-made projects according to their skill set.
The sign-up process is similar to that of other freelance sites like Upwork or Fiverr. However, the recruitment process is more streamlined and specific than other platforms in its league.
See Related: Best Fiverr Logo Design Gigs
Guru is a well-known freelance platform where beginners in graphic design can easily land their first projects.
This site stands out from other platforms because of its transparency and useful communication tools.
To start, you must create your profile, define your talents, and work samples to prove your word. Potential clients can view your portfolio and details on the platform and communicate with you further.
Similarly, looking through their job listings, you will find all the project details mapped out for you. This way, you can be sure you won’t have to take up any hidden tasks or extra work apart from the project defined on the platform.
Guru is a reliable place to get started if you’re skeptical about meeting clients online.
See Related: Envato Studio Reviews
AngelList is a freelance platform that focuses on hiring for startups. Instead of finding high-end clients like on other freelance graphic design websites, you’re more likely to find low-profile clients here.
However, that’s an excellent prospect if you’re a beginner. You can land some of your first projects easily on the platform to build your portfolio before you reach out to high-profile clients.
Remember, in the case of low-profile clients, there’s more room for learning through trial and error.
Besides, the startups you design for can become highly established online businesses in a few years and generate a steady workflow. You can always hope for the best!
Currently, AngelList boasts a list of 100,000 startups on its websites, ready-to-hire freelancers.
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DesignCrowd is a worldwide graphic design hub that can be the perfect career starter for freelance designers.
This platform’s highlight is its extensive job lists where freelancers can find projects according to their design skills. Whether you’re an animator, illustrator, or web designer, you can easily find the right job.
While freelancers can pitch clients for the projects they wish to work on, clients can also handpick designers on the platform.
Moreover, employers can even hire multiple designers or crowdsource their designs. Participating in crowdsourcing programs can create a diverse work portfolio and gain popularity on DesignCrowd.
See Related: Truelancer Reviews
SimplyHired is an accessible and versatile freelance graphic design app. Although the platform is more inclined towards full-time hiring, you can find part-time and work-from-home opportunities in their job listings.
The best part is that while clients have to pay to list their jobs on most platforms, SimplyHired is free for employers and freelancers.
Additionally, their website has useful job search tools ideal for freelancing beginners, which get you tailor-made search results according to your skill set and expectations.
You can also access the resources you need to improve your client-pitching technique on the site by referring to their educational portal.
What we love about this platform is its user-friendly app through which you can get job updates and notifications.
Price – free sign-up
Availability – for US citizens only
Mobile app support – is not available
Customer service – support page provided on the website
See Related: Crowded Reviews
As the name suggests, We Work Remotely doesn’t restrict freelancers to jobs according to their demographic locations. Instead, the platform widens the horizons for aspiring graphic designers to reach further and land clients from all over the world.
You need only make a personal profile and work examples. If a client finds your profile attractive, he can contact you.
Even if you don’t get projects immediately on We Work Remotely, you can get worldwide exposure for your talent. Get inspiration from designers and projects worldwide!
Working Not Working is the ideal platform for graphic design freelancers hoping to turn their hobby into a full-time job. The site works for budding advertising freelancers, empowering them to reach out to audiences who appreciate their art.
Besides showcasing their talents, freelance designers can find high-paying projects on the website’s job board. They can look for projects that fit their skills and pitch the clients here.
Furthermore, freelancers can connect with other designers on the platform to improve their portfolios and enhance their design skills. Many serious graphic designers are on the site, so you can surely get your inspiration as a beginner through their work.
AwesomeWeb is a freelance graphic design website that offers high-end work to established designers. While it may not be the best option for beginners, they can still sign up and gain exposure to the design community.
The site mainly has professional programmers, web developers, and graphic designers as permanent members. This makes it a go-to platform for high-end clients who pay good bucks to get their job done.
To sign up for AwesomeWeb, you must post your work and go through manual scrutiny before becoming a member. You can easily land high-paying clients on the site if you already have an impressive resume paired with a diverse portfolio.
The best part is that the platform does not charge you a percentage of your project fee. Instead, you only have to pay a small monthly premium and get access to their job lists immediately.
Like Fiverr and Upwork, LinkedIn ProFinder is a platform where freelancers can find jobs easily.
First, you have to fill out your personal profile. The platform then uses the information to list you on ProFinder so that employers and clients can hire you if they like your profile.
The best part about using LinkedIn Profinder is that it’s already a significant professional communication hub. Once you establish yourself as a graphic designer, you’ll get good exposure and create transparent working relationships with potential clients.
Currently, the platform is only available in San Francisco and a few other metropolitan cities in the US.
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Craigslist is a well-known online platform for just about anything. If you’re a graphic designer, you can showcase your work to a vast marketplace through this platform and get lucrative projects to work for.
However, you’ll have to find and pitch clients solely on your own merit with Craigslist. The site won’t do anything to boost your profile or post any relevant job lists for you.
This also means you won’t have to pay a hefty premium or sacrifice a percentage of your earnings.
You must maintain consistency and transparency to ensure effective communication with clients through Craigslist. Ensure you do your due diligence before completing a commissioned project to ensure a safe working relationship.
See Related: Best Freelance Websites for Artists
That concludes our reviews for the best freelance graphic design websites available online. Designing is a job that requires concentration and inspiration simultaneously, and you can’t always get both in a formal workplace.
Besides that, with visuals and online presence becoming more important, almost all businesses need designers at some point and choose to hire remotely. Both of these factors contribute to the growth of the freelance graphic design industry.
While the long list of options is great for freelancers, you should scrutinize the platform you pick correctly to save your time and money.
Graphic design is a lucrative career field. Professional graphic designers can earn thousands of dollars monthly while working a 9-5 job.
Regarding freelance graphic design, a typical project can pay you anywhere from $5-$50. It mostly depends on the expertise and time required for its completion.
Besides project-based payments, freelance graphic designers can also demand hourly payments from their clients, increasing their remuneration to hundreds of dollars per project.
The first step to becoming a freelance graphic designer is advertising yourself to the design community. You can do this by posting your design samples on social media and extending your reach toward popular design platforms.
Besides that, you can join design competitions on platforms like 99designs to gain exposure to clients and peers. Many sites let you post your entire portfolio and make it accessible to employers. Research and diversify your portfolio to gain more popularity in your niche.
You can deliver the work they’re after by understanding your client’s needs and demands. Along with the details about the project, try to find out as much as possible about the company, its overall brand image, and the aims it intends to fulfill through the design. This way, you can create a design keeping all these factors in mind.
While providing a design quote on a freelance graphic design website, you must mention the number of revisions you will provide within the rate. If the client still wants you to revise the design further, you can charge extra for your work.
These charges depend on the nature of the request and the time it will take you to complete the task. However, if you’ve already established the conditions in your quote, you can also deny further revisions.
Last updated: November 27, 2024
