FlexTal vs. UpWork


Overview

Each of these sites offers an extensive list of reliable freelance Talent. Each aims to provide companies with the best marketers, developers, designers, and more, regardless of scale.

There are, however, critical differences between each site. So the question remains: when it comes to choosing the right one for your business, which one is the best?

To help you decide, we’ll look at these sites to see how they work, their features, and their pros and cons. Let’s dive in.

FlexTal.com

hire freelance marketers, developers, and designers on demand

FlexTal.com is known for removing 100% of the friction when hiring freelance talent. We also offer Expert vetted Talent and unlimited rematches, and companies can cancel at any time if their needs change or they finish jobs early. Lastly, you can easily convert to FTE if that becomes the goal.

How FlexTal  Works

FlexTal hires their freelancers by putting them through a complex vetting process that starts with a language and personality test and ends with various test projects. This allows for only the best talent to make it into the platform.

FlexTal clients start by talking with one of FlexTal’s industry experts to discuss goals, pricing, timing, expectations, and needs. You are then matched with freelance talent based on that discussion within 7-10 days.

You can then work with your assigned freelancer and pay them full-time, part-time, or hourly. If they’re not the right fit, we offer unlimited rematches, and you can cancel anytime.

FlexTal Features

FlexTal has a large pool of qualified freelancers experienced in the following disciplines:

  • Marketers
  • Developers
  • Designers
  • Executives
  • Consultants
  • Finance
  • Web
  • Sales

FlexTal connects you with a freelancer within 7-10 days after your initial consultation with one of our industry experts. You can quickly scale your needs based on your business goals and choose to pay your freelancers full-time, part-time, or hourly.

FlexTal Pros

  • Streamlined Hiring Process: You’ll be matched with a freelancer with zero friction and work on your part.
  • Quick Matching: Clients are matched with freelancers in 7-10 days. Guaranteed.
  • No-Risk Trial: You only pay once you’ve been matched with Talent.
  • Top Talent: You can’t go wrong with Expert vetted talent and unlimited rematches.

FlexTal Cons

  • Higher Rates: The talented workforce usually comes with slightly higher hourly rates.
  • Initial Fee: You must pay a refundable $500 matching services deposit payment before we can begin our matching process.
  • Smaller Pool: There isn’t as much of a talent pool as other services because of the heavy vetting process.

Upwork

 

Upwork, is a popular freelancing site for marketers and developers, among many other types of freelancing services. You can either look through Upwork’s list of freelancers or submit a project and receive proposals from candidates.

How Upwork Works

You can find a freelancer on Upwork in a few different ways.

The first is through a bidding process. You post a project on their engine and allow different freelancers to send in their samples as proposals. You can choose among these candidates to make a hire.

Alternatively, you can look through Upwork’s list of pre-scoped projects and buy ones that fit your goals. Upwork also has a talent scout option that finds talent based on your needs.

Upwork Features

You can find a variety of different works and talents on Upwork. Different freelancing services include:

  • Development and IT
  • Design and Creative
  • Marketing
  • Writing and Translation
  • Finance and Accounting
  • Administrative Support

Upwork lets you view each freelancer’s candidate profiles to view their portfolio and make more detailed decisions. You can manage all your projects on their dedicated portals.

Upwork Pros

  • Big Marketplace: Upwork has a larger talent pool than other options, meaning you won’t be lacking any choices when it comes to choosing freelancers.
  • Small Starting Fees: Posting jobs on Upwork is free, and you only pay a 3% user fee. You must upgrade your account and pay a monthly fee if you want detailed hiring tools.
  • Dedicated Dashboard: Upwork has an intuitive user interface for finding, hiring, and managing freelancers. You can post a job and have applicants in minutes.
  • Wide Pricing Range: The bidding system and other features allow for greater pricing flexibility.

Upwork Cons

  • Zero Vetting: The larger talent pool comes with unreliable candidates since the hiring manager’s vetting process falls mainly on the hiring manager. This can be time-consuming and risky, especially if you don’t know what to look for.
  • Big Freelancer Fees: Freelancers have to pay a hefty revenue fee, meaning some top candidates might skip Upwork altogether.
  • Paywalls: Features like email support and no-risk trials are locked behind paywalls.
  • Wide Pricing Range: Although this is a pro to some, it can be challenging for new hiring managers that aren’t familiar with industry pay averages.
  • It can feel like the “Wild, Wild West”, vulnerable to scams.

FlexTal vs Upwork

Price Comparison

On the surface, Upwork is the cheapest option. They have a 3% service fee, unlike FlexTal, which makes our money on hourly margins.

FlexTal is the most expensive option but has the highest quality and least friction.

Talent Comparison

FlexTal has many freelancers from enterprise-level backgrounds and has worked with leading companies like Microsoft, IBM, Toyota, McDonald’s, and more.

You truly get what you pay for, meaning our talent is the best because of our strict vetting process. If you’re looking for high-quality talent, you should choose FlexTal.

Job Category Comparison

FlexTal and Upwork both have a variety in terms of categories of work.

Upwork has the advantage if you’re looking for very specific skills. For example, if you need someone with experience working with a specific plugin or software, you can add that as a requirement in your post or drill down to the best candidates with that specification in search.

FlexTal has the edge regarding marketers and developers because that is their bread and butter. But that’s not to say that you can’t find a good quality developer on Upwork; it might just take a little more research and time to get in front of the best possible person.

Which One is the Best?

We’ve outlined each of these three platforms and their pros and cons – now it’s time to decide which is the right one for you

If You’re Looking for the Most Cost-Effective Option…

Upwork will be your best bet if you’re looking to save on upfront costs.

You compromise some quality for better pricing with Upwork, but that doesn’t mean their freelancers are incompetent. You can get plenty of great work out of their candidates. Just know that getting the right person is a bit of a process. Carefully screen freelancers on Upwork, and, if possible, delegate 1-2 small tasks before opening up the floodgates.

One caveat to consider, however, is the cost of your time. How many hours are you going to need to put into reviewing proposals? Do you know what the average hourly rate is for the type of freelancer you’re looking to hire? Will you be able to hop on multiple Zoom calls to interview freelancers? What happens if the freelancer flakes out and disappears off the face of the earth after 1-week of working with them?

These are types of questions that you’ll need to take into consideration. While Upwork on the front is more cost-effective, it can get expensive from a management perspective. FlexTal takes a lot of the legwork and guesswork out of the freelance hiring process. And this ends up saving a lot of time and money in the long run.

If You’re Looking for the Best Possible Talent…

Companies looking for the best freelancing talent money can buy should consider FlexTal. Our vetting process, combined with our excellent customer success track record, puts us at the top of the list.

If You’re Looking for Diverse Skill Sets…

Upwork and FlexTal both have the most diverse skills and jobs to choose from.

If you have a tighter budget but need a diverse talent pool experienced in all kinds of business needs, UpWork might be the move. FlexTal gives you a wide range of available talent across dozens of disciplines if you’re willing to spend a little more.

Leverage Top Freelancing Platforms Today

Companies can find reliable freelance talent if they know where to look. FlexTal, and UpWork are two of the best sites out there. Use this article to find the best option for your business and reap the benefits of reliable freelance talent today.

Frequently Asked Questions

So which is better?

Which is better FlexTal or Upwork?

While FlexTal and Upwork are technically freelance websites, they work very differently. FlexTal is much more suited for finding top talent and is more vigorous with our screening process, especially for marketers and developers. Upwork is more of a general free for all, open marketplace. Upwork has more freelancers on its platform, but because a lot of the screening falls on the shoulders of hiring managers, it is more susceptible to bad experiences and scams. Both websites are legit and serve their unique purpose.

drawing of a toolkit to represent the essential skills for thriving. It is a line drawing depicting a hammer, wrench, and screwdriver standing in a shallow bucket.The Future of Work
December 5, 2023

The Freelancer’s Toolkit: Essential Skills for Thriving

For many freelancers, the decision to become an independent contractor happens at one of two of life's most common crossroads: graduating from college or after spending some time working in…
line drawing of space ship similar to the craft seen in "2001: A Space Odyssey"LeadershipLifestyleStrategy & BusinessThe Future of Work
October 17, 2023

2023: A WorkSpace Odyssey

In a world where technology has rewritten the rules of our daily lives… Okay, now, go ahead and re-read that first line in your best movie-trailer-announcer voice. Technology is a…
Line drawing of a dog's leash. Leash is light blue with an orange clasp. Background is dark blue.LeadershipStrategy & BusinessThe Future of Work
August 8, 2023

Freelancers Unleashed: Uncovering The Power Of The On-Demand Workforce

Today's rapidly evolving business landscape has redefined the traditional notions of how employees think about work and employment. The rise of the on-demand economy has ushered in a new era…
Graphic representing a cell phone with text bubbles on it. The text bubbles contain marketing images including a speaker and a sale-tag.LeadershipMarketing & BrandingStrategy & BusinessThe Future of Work
July 11, 2023

Marketing in the Digital Age of Business

For over a decade, people have been tossing around the term "The Digital Age of Business." Today, everyone has access to countless versions of software and augmented-reality options to perform…