Fiverr is the latest trend in the freelancing industry. A lot of people are choosing Fiverr over Upwork as it allows them to get the work done for as low as $5.
Similarly, freelancers too are moving to Fiverr as it is considered a "Relatively Easy" option to get Freelance work.
So is Fiverr a scam? Is it worth hiring a freelancer on Fiverr? Is it worth for freelancers to dedicate their time working on Fiverr?
Having used Fiverr both as a Freelancer and Client, I would be in the best position to answer these questions. So let us find out answers to these questions and much more in this Fiverr Review.
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If you are planning to hire a freelancer from Fiverr, for a limited period of time (31st December 2022) you can get flat 10% discount on Fiverr using the coupon code FVRR10COUPON
So make sure to take advantage of this special offer to hire freelancers from Fiverr
What is Fiverr?
Fiverr is essentially a freelance marketplace, where you can buy and sell services for $5 and hence the name "Fiverr".
It started its operation in 2009 and since then it has grown exponentially. Micha Kaufman, CEO at Fiverr, in his interview to Techcrunch, had claimed that the freelancing website has completed over 25 Million transactions till date, one-third of which have come in last one year.
How To Register With Fiverr?
Unlike Upwork, Fiverr uses a single account system for both Freelancers as well as Buyers. Registration with Fiverr is simple and free. Everyone can register with Fiverr without any manual verification process.
So whether you are a freelancer (Seller) or a client (Buyer) you can click the button below and hit the Join button to register for free.
Fiverr Review 2022
So let us now get straight to Fiverr Review. We will start with working of Fiverr.
What is Fiverr?
Fiverr is essentially a freelance marketplace, where you can buy and sell services for $5 and hence the name "Fiverr".
It started its operation in 2009 and since then it has grown exponentially. Micha Kaufman, CEO at Fiverr, in his interview to Techcrunch, had claimed that the freelancing website has completed over 25 Million transactions till date, one-third of which have come in last one year.
How To Register With Fiverr?
Unlike Upwork, Fiverr uses a single account system for both Freelancers as well as Buyers. Registration with Fiverr is simple and free. Everyone can register with Fiverr without any manual verification process.
So whether you are a freelancer (Seller) or a client (Buyer) you can click the button below and hit the Join button to register for free.
How Does Fiverr Work?
At Fiverr, a freelancer can create a "Gig" which nothing but a statement that tells the client what services they are offering for $5
Update: Fiverr no longer restricts the basic gig to $5. Freelancers can create Gigs up to $995
For example, a graphics designer can create a Gig for logo designing with the below title.
I will design a magnificent logo for you.
Along with the Gig title, freelancers can also add details regarding the scope of services, the USP of services etc, in the description. A freelancer will also have to specify the time for completing the Gig.
Freelancers can also provide Gig extras for additional work or quicker delivery.
In the example above, freelancer can provide provide a $5 or say $10 Gig extra for one day delivery of the logo. They can also offer more logo designs from which the client can choose one at an additional price with these Gig extras.
This gives an option for clients to choose the exact package they need without choosing unnecessary items.
A client can then search through various such Gigs created by freelancers and shortlist the one which matches his requirement. If needed, they can request a custom quote from the freelancer.
Before buying the Gig, a client has to pay to Fiverr the amount needed to buy the Gig. For Gigs up to $20, Fiverr charges extra $1 towards service charges. For gigs over $20, the charges are 5% of the amount.
This I find it to be very high especially if you are buying a $5 gig, for which you will have to shell out $6 which is 20% more than the Gig price.
After making the payment and making the purchase, the client will have to answer the freelancer's question to give him the necessary information for completing the work.
In the above example, this information may include Name of business, type of logo, color choice etc. Once the information is provided by the client, the deal will begin and the freelancer will have to complete the work in the stipulated time.
After completing the work, the freelancer will submit the same for client's review. Depending on the term and conditions of the deal, client can ask the freelancer to make any necessary changes.
If no changes are required, client can mark the work as completed and rate the freelancer based on following parameters.
These ratings will help other clients to judge the quality of work provided by the freelancer. On the similar lines, freelancer too can rate the client.
Once the order is marked as complete, Fiverr will release the payment to the freelancer after taking out their fees. Fiverr charges 20% fees for each order. So for a $5 Gig, the freelancer will only get $4
If the client does not mark the order as complete in the next 3 days, the order will be automatically marked as complete by the system and payment will be released to the Freelancer.
What Type Of Gigs Can I Find Or Create On Fiverr?
A freelancer can create almost any type of Gig that is only limited by their creativity and of course, Fiverr's Terms of Service.
A Gig may be a purely technical job like graphics designing, animation, programming, SEO or non-technical things like making prank calls, recording funny video, advertising for someone in unique ways and other simple yet creative things.
Below is an example of a non-technical Gig.
A guy saying out a message by wearing a fruit costume. Can you imagine this Gig being sold 157 times? Also, check the order in the queue which shows the popularity of this Gig.
This shows that creative freelancers with no skills can also make good money on Fiverr. On the other hand, clients can find Gigs on Fiverr which they may not be able to find anywhere else, at least not for $5.
Fiverr Levels
Fiverr has a level system for its freelancers. Higher levels allow freelancers to create more Gigs and offer more Gig Extras and Gig Multiples with each Gig.
The level system is also helpful for buyers, as freelancers at higher levels are usually most trustworthy than freelancers at lower levels.
Fiverr Processing Fee
The processing fee is on the higher side at Fiverr. It charges 2% or $1 whichever is higher, as its fees. That means for completing a Gig, instead of $5, you will actually get $4 in your account which turns out to be 20% commission for Fiverr.
In addition to processing fees, Fiverr also charges you withdrawal fees of 2% or $1, whichever is lower.
Add to it, sellers have to pay $1 up to $20 of Gig value as service charges. For gigs over $20, the charges are 5% of gig value.
So, for a basic Gig worth of $5, Seller pays $6 while the freelancer gets only $4. This according to me is a very high commission.
Is Fiverr A Scam?
The short answer: No, Fiverr is not a scam. However, the freelancers registered on Fiverr can be scammers. That's very much the case on any freelance websites.
Every website has a dispute system which handles the disputes taken to them by the clients at their own discretion. Some of these decisions are in the favor of clients while others are in the favor of the freelancers.
It is very much natural that a decision may go wrong outraging the wronged party. In fact, there can be cases where the decision was correct, still a person may not be ready to accept it just because it was against his will.
All these leads to negative reviews related to Fiverr. However, since there are more negative Fiverr Reviews as compared to other freelancing websites, it does indicate inefficiency of Fiverr support to resolve issues to satisfy both the parties.
Also, a lot of freelancers too have complained that Fiverr bans them stating that they have violated its T&C conditions without giving any details about vioation.
Once banned, they can withdraw the earnings only after 90 days. Some freelancers even claim that they are not able to withdraw their earnings even after 90 days.
While such complaints do raise doubts over the credibility of Fiverr but you cannot ignore the fact that thousands of people are making their living out of Fiverr without any complaints. Even I have sold Gigs on Fiverr and had no issues with the payment.
So Fiverr does have problems for both clients and freelancers. It is unethical whether it is about banning freelancers without disclosing the reason or it's inability to resolve disputes, but it is certainly not a scam.
Advantages Of Fiverr For A Freelancer
Disadvantages Of Fiverr As A Freelancer
Advantages Of Fiverr As a Buyer
Disadvantages of Fiverr As A Buyer
Final Words
Every freelance website has its pros and cons and Fiverr is no exception. If you are a freelancer, you have nothing to lose by creating a Gig at Fiverr.
But if your idea is creative enough, you may just end up earning much more than you would have imagined. There are many freelancers who are earning over $100K per month at Fiverr.
However, as a buyer, you need to very careful while choosing a Gig. Though there is a risk factor involved with every freelance website or even with real-life contracts, the risk factors are more with Fiverr as it usually does not filter out fraud sellers. On the positive side, it's all about $5.
Freelancers got not much to lose for using Fiverr. As a buyer, if you can spend carefully, you can hire some good freelancers for very cheap rates. Overall for me, Fiverr is a decent place for both freelancers and clients.
Have any good or bad experiences with Fiverr as a buyer or seller? Do share with us too.
Give me a break. $5 services?! This is an insult to entrepreneurs.
It’s your perspective Jenny. A lot of people earn living out of it. Moreover some gigs take just few minutes to complete. So the pay rate turns out to be more than $5/hour.
My daughter uses Fiveer and literally makes hundreds of US$s per month! It works. like any business, it has its sortcomings, but these are far less than its upside. Thanks a lot Aquif.
Good to know, Peter. I am sure there are many others who make living out of Fiverr. It’s far from perfect, but good enough for most people.
How do I see people who are available to do a business logo?
Hello Wilhelmina,
You can find the freelancers either by navigating to the desired category or searching for the same using the search option on the website.
Nice Review Aquif Bro.
I dnt know about freelancers but i think Fiverr is best for buyers, I have Been using it fro 3 months and Its just Awesome.
And even if the task is not completed by the seller or we Are not satisfied then even we dnt have to lose $5, as we can raise dispute in Fiverr and they will return $5 back.
Thanks a lot Murtaza for your appreciation.
We are a nonprofit that paid a designer to do a logo for us. He sent over terrible quality designs that were completely different from what we asked for while our manager was coming back from vacation.
The designer didn’t respond to our requests and then deleted his account. Since it was out of the “3-day window” Fiverr washed their hands of the matter – actual response from their customer service representative “Alex”:
“Your order got completed automatically, 3 days after delivery since you didn’t reject the order or asked for a revision in that time period. Unfortunately, your seller is no longer a member of our Fiverr community so we cannot reach him to get back to you with the Logo design.”
He then goes on to literally give us tips:
“The next time you’re browsing Fiverr, here are a few suggestions to help you on your next purchase:”
What a terrible, condescending, unfriendly company. It’s been 3 months and we still have zero content we paid because Fiverr doesn’t care.
Sorry to know that you had a bad experience with Fiverr. But in my honest opinion, it was more of seller’s fault than Fiverr. Every company has its refund policy and Fiverr is no different.
As a buyer, you were required to reject the design when the buyer refused to reply to your emails. If Fiverr still refused to refund your money, it would have been a different thing altogether.
If there are fraud sellers, there are fraud buyers too. What if seller’s design was good and the buyer wanted to take advantage by not paying the seller?
Not saying that you are in the wrong. And not trying to defend Fiverr either. Just trying to share my honest opinion in this case.
Fiverr isn’t a scam, but it’s customer service is! I have tried repeatedly over the past month to contact the designer I have been working with on a website and I am constantly told I’m a robot, constantly told to change my password, which I do, constantly am tested with road signs, etc., adn yet I can NOT get into the site. I get idiotic communications from the site’s “customer idiots”, but sstill can’t get in. I WOULD DEFINTELY NEVER USE FIVERR AGAIN, AND I RECOMMEND OTHER TAKE HEED!
Hi Sean,
I do agree that a lot of people had a problem with customer support of Fiverr and I am in no way trying to defend them. But the issue that you are facing is usually triggered when the server detects a bad browser or a spam IP or an infected computer. Even my website uses security measures that filter away bad browsers and often verifies the Login page.
I suggest that you try accessing your Fiverr account from a different computer using a different internet connection and see if the problem persists.
A few weeks ago, I told Fiverr that a seller has misrepresentations in his profile.The seller advertises with certificates that do not exist. I have provided evidence to Fiverr.
But Fiverr does nothing!
How can I trust that other profiles are correct?
My experience has been good! Just choose from top rated or level 2 sellers to reduce the risks of getting ripped off. My go to designer is premiumencore and I always get high quality work for the lowest price.
I think fiver is not valuing freelancers, exploiting those in poor countries and is really undervaluing time and investment. Well you get what you pay for I guess, it depends on how serious you are about your business. Freelancers don’t be slaves, charge the worth of your work and time! Business owners, don’t skimp on your design and marketing, these are crucial elements.
Anahita, the debate of Freelancer vs Business owners is never-ending. And it’s not just on Fiverr. It’s the same on Upwork or Freelancer.com or even in offline contracts. At times the business owners exploit freelancers by not paying them what they deserve and sometimes not paying at all.
But there are also freelancers who deliver shabby work and then cry foul when they are not paid. So, there are always two sides of a coin.
The only negative with Fiverr is that unlike Upwork, you cannot filter out clients whom you find to be unworthy. Any Tom, Dick, and Harry can hire you and you cannot do anything about it. But to be fair, it’s also easier to get work on Fiverr than Upwork.
You have reason, many Bangladesh But there are also freelancers who deliver shabby work and then cry foul when they are not paid. they are not professionals but they have many stars thanks to ignorant entrepreneurs who then have to redo the job!
Hey Aquif,
Thanks For telling about Fiverr.I joined Fiverr 6 month ago but I do not get any orders, can you suggest me any tips for getting orders?
Regards,
Shopnil
Shopnil, you must use the keywords in your Fiverr Title as well as text. In addition, make sure to offer services at cheap rates to get started. This will help you get first few orders. Once you start getting orders, if you can manage good reviews, you will get many repeat orders. You can then either provide add-ons for full service or increase the base price.
Thank You Dear Aquif <3
Congratulations Mr.Aquif Sheikh,
l really enjoyed your painstakingly dissected anaylitical review with encouraging advice and suggestions,when I just lost my Rs.700/-of my hard mony as registration fees.and looking for some way out to earn some mony for my livelihood.
Now I am 71 years lonely with fully dependent on known ones with enough technical skills and writing expedience as well.
l luckily happened to read your block when I was painstakingly browsing for some on line work. Your impartial anaylitical points are really useful and helpful not only to me but also for many , many .
I thank you.
May God Bless you.
M.John Xavier.
Mr. Xavier, it’s the comments like this which encourages me to keep going and writing about legitimate ways or online without promoting scam for self-benefits. Thank you for such a lovely comment and I wish you all the very best with your project hunt.
Do let me know if you need any personalized suggestions from my end.
Mr Aquif in every purchase of the buyer, the fiverr gets commission from it?
Yes, Fiverr earns a $1 commission everytime you add money for buying a Gig. The commission goes up to 20% beyond $20. These charges, according to Fiverr include payment processing charges. However, if you have money in your Fiverr account either through sales made as a seller or previously loaded balance or refunds, you will only pay $5 for the Gig.
Thanks for the Great review. You have mentioned it all in detail, Fiverr is always the best choice for webmaster and internet marketers to get their job done with total money security.
Great article. I have been scammed on Fiverr several times. Each time the customer service was A++ – but I think they allow scammers to continue the dishonesty. If you are a seller – and reading this – be nice to your buyers – don’t get testy and rude when buyers are asking questions and be straight – if you have a team of people working with you – say it ! I had to share my personal info with a team – when I thought initially it was a one man show. I am not a big fan of that site – its a buyers be ware site.
I have used Fiverr, and they are Terrible, I tried to work with a writer, and they can not even spell, Never used spell check and a host of other things. After 2 months of trying to work with them and still do not have the finished copy write. They have no customer service to handle my issues. Never use FIVERR!!!!!