Freelance Platforms
I've been using freelance websites for years, and even during my 10-year stint at Medidata, I outsourced small portions of my job to freelancers on some of these platforms.
I originally used a website called rentacoder.com, which I believe was purchased by VWorker.com, and then eventually Freelancer.com. I've also used Upwork with various levels of success. One advantage I would give them is that they allow you to form teams, which is better for collaboration.
One big disruptor in the field has been Fiverr, which started off by offering gigs for only $5 but has since evolved. However, they still structure the gigs into various plans, influenced by their initial approach. This structure probably lowers the barrier for first-time users compared to the aforementioned traditional freelancer sites.
Recently, I had an exceptional experience using Toptal, which stands out from other platforms due to its rigorous vetting process. Toptal thoroughly screens their freelancers, resulting in a much higher success rate for projects. I’ve found that this has led to significantly more reliable outcomes compared to other freelance platforms. Their emphasis on quality and top-tier talent offers a different experience from platforms like Upwork or Freelancer, where the range of skills and reliability can be more varied.
I'm not sure about Fiverr, but the other platforms tend to have very strict rules about communication, trying to force you to only communicate through their platform. However, with the advent of popular cloud-based source code repositories like GitHub, Gitlab, and Bitbucket, they had to acknowledge that a lot of communication and file exchanges would no longer go through their systems. Despite this, even communication outside their platform, such as via WhatsApp or Signal, is generally advised against according to their updated terms.
One of the key features of these platforms is payment escrow, where they hold the payment until the service has been delivered. Another is arbitration, which helps resolve disputes if the deliverable does not meet expectations. One reason for insisting on communication through their platform is to review interactions to help determine fault in arbitration cases. However, I believe they have simplified this process over time and no longer conduct the same level of forensic investigation they originally aspired to when these services were first conceived.
The following is an interesting Facebook reel from The Open Source Hub about their experience in creating a full-fledged application with a collection of different Fiverr freelancers:
Can I Build An Entire Software Engineering Team With Freelancers? #softwareengineer #webdesign #fiverr