Review: FreeUp offers remote jobs for freelancers and web developers

What: FreeUp is a freelance marketplace for content creators, web developers, tech support, sales and marketing professionals, accounting, translation and administration work

Expected pay: $10 to $75 per hour, set by you, based on skill level

Husl $core: $$$$$ (scale of 5)

Commissions & fees: 15% (paid by the employer)

Where: Nationwide

Requirements:

• Be legally able to work
• Provide resume and background information
• Pass a screening process

Freelancers on the FreeUp marketplace joke that they’re screened like they’re going through airport security in a war zone. But if you get through this screening process, they rave that you find plenty of work and it’s well paid. Once through screening, you set up an account and view open projects from employers.

If you want to take a project, you contact the client for a brief — 10- to 15-minute — chat, during which time the client decides whether or not to hire you. You can also group chat with other freelancers on the platform.

Freelancers in this marketplace set their own rates based on their skill levels. Entry-level positions (generally reserved for people outside the U.S.) pay $5 to $10. Mid-level professionals charge $10 to $30 and experts can charge $30 and up. The site takes a 15% commission. However, the platform adds this fee to your rate to be paid by the employer. It’s not deducted from your rate. And because no one gets into this marketplace without screening, your rates are not likely to be undercut by low-wage workers hunting for any scraps.

We found plenty to like and nothing that worried us about this platform.

Recommendations: If you’re a skilled worker in any of the industries that FreeUp operates in, this site is worth a try. Also check out FlexProfessionals and SkipTheDrive.

What workers say (from Glassdoor):

Working at FreeUp has been the best decision I’ve ever made. The work culture is amazing, and the job board is full of energy. Throughout the day with team members ready to assist your every need. If you don’t get pumped up just by having Skype open and all of the daily activity and interactions, this probably isn’t the job for you.

FreeUp has provided a platform where a lot of the negatives about freelancing (constantly interviewing, updating resume, marketing yourself, negotiating rates) are taken care of so you can concentrate on the actual work. I love that I don’t have to negotiate $ — that’s done for me. The staff is fast and receptive and the CEO readily available to any contractor for discussion.

Normal people to deal with. No need to compete with all the other freelancers since everyone vetted harder than by airport security. Pay is good. Everything is guaranteed and there is actual freelancer support, unlike other freelancer websites out there.

Positive work environment. Amazing opportunities to meet clients, grow my business, and nail down long-term working relationships. Competitive compensation and opportunities to collaborate with other contract workers.

Kathy Kristof is the editor of SideHusl.com, an independent site that reviews hundreds of money-making opportunities in the gig economy.