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.
Fiverr Coupon: Special Discount
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.
