With an increasing number of people or households in Kenya having access to an affordable internet connection, Freelancing is increasingly becoming a thing for many Kenyans looking to break from the monotony of traditional 9-to-5 jobs. By the start of January 2025, a report suggested that approximately 1.9 million Kenyans work online, a rise from 638,000 in 2019. These figures represent a growth of 33% every year, influenced by factors such as the high unemployment gap and the desire to fulfill a work-life balance as early as possible.
Moreover, freelancing is suitable for the Kenyan population because of its flexibility, meaning that you can choose to work from anywhere and anytime. Additionally, compared to routine every day Jobs, depending on the projects one handle, it promises much higher pay. However, with all the advantages that it has to offer, choosing a reliable platform is what will determine your success rate.
A good freelance platform has a proven track record of offering legitimate jobs without scams. But finding these platforms can be challenging, especially for someone just wanting to get started. If you fall in this category, this guide has been made for you; it has covered all to know and what makes them stand out.
Top 10 Freelance Platforms
While we don’t advocate putting money first when it comes to working online or remotely, earning well is still the end goal for most freelancers, myself included. Therefore, if you want to succeed in any of these business models of freelancing, then the choice of platforms you work with will highly influence your growth.
There are so many platforms out there that offer various online jobs, but not all of them are totally worth your time. Before jumping to any remote site to look for work, you should analyze it based on various factors, including its fees, Job categories, client testimonials, etc., to find the right one that matches your expertise.
Below, we have gone through some of the best 10 platforms that we think you should give a try this year:
1. Upwork
Upwork is a platform that resonates with many Kenyan freelancers and is available globally. If you are just getting started with working remotely, then Upwork should be your ideal platform as it offers many Jobs, including for those without any prior experience. To apply for jobs, you must register on the platform and bid for various advertised jobs.
Why it’s great:
- Its large client base translates to many job opportunities if you have the necessary skills.
- It features a built-in messaging system, allowing you to reach clients easily.
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2. Fiverr
Fiverr is also a great and unique platform. It allows sellers or freelancers to showcase their work by creating Gigs through which Clients can find and approach you directly if your work is good enough. While it is a great platform, its turnoff is the 20% commission fee. It charges directly into one’s earnings, which can impact your profits, especially for those working on low-paying gigs.
Why it’s great:
- It allows you to Showcase your portfolio directly to the client and Market yourself
- It also allows you to set your price from as low as $5 based on your experience and demand
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3. Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com is one of the largest freelance sites globally, with an estimated freelancer base of over 50 million. Like Upwork, it features a bidding system where you submit proposals on projects that you have the skills for and wait for the client to consider your application. It’s a great platform, but many users have reported issues with its arbitration processes and funds being locked out in case of disputes.
Why it’s great:
- Many Projects to work on with more than 2,000 job categories advertised
- It has the best User interface, making it easy to search and apply for jobs
- It has an active support team that you can easily reach for assistance in case you have an issue as a freelancer
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4. PeoplePerHour
If you are a freelancer looking for hourly work or project-based tasks, PeoplePerHour champions this. It uses Artificial intelligence ( AI) to match freelancers to projects that match their expertise, saving you the hurdles of adding various projects. What makes payment protection through an Escrow system is that the client will pay for the work even before you begin working on it, and it is released after satisfaction from both sides.
Why it’s great:
- It Uses AI to match you with Projects that fit your skills, reducing competition from Bids
- Its Escrow payment system secures your earnings before you work on any Project
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5. Toptal
Established in 2010, Toptal has positioned itself as a trusted platform globally by only admitting freelancers with top talent through a vetting process. If you have the talent and are willing to undergo various tests, this platform is the best to consider as it doesn’t have competition and promises you job opportunities.
Why it’s great:
- Provides clients with high-quality professions as it only admits the top 3% of talent from its thorough screening
- It has a higher pay, with freelancers commanding up to $200 plus per hour on various projects
- It manages all billing and invoicing operations, allowing you to focus on your work entirely without any distractions
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6. FlexJobs
FlexJobs focuses on Quality to ensure that only Jobs posted on the platform are free from Scams. For this reason, the platform is a subscription-based Platform, meaning that you have to pay to access Jobs. This can be a turnoff for some but also a good thing for many, as there are at least 30,000 Jobs listed.
Why it’s great:
- The Jobs posted on the platform are vetted and free from any scams, offering peace of mind to freelances on the platform
- It allows users to benefit from Career resources such as resume reviews and webinars that will enable upskilling
- It allows you to apply directly to companies without directly undergoing the bidding system
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7. Behance
Behance is another marvelous platform only focused on design-related fields. You can showcase your previous work like Fiveer by using its portfolio system and, at the same time, search for opportunities. Also, it allows users to monetize their work by directly selling their downloadable assets and offering subscriptions to followers
Why it’s great:
- It allows users to create Piortoflios and display their services to clients
- Users can sell their downloadable setts and offer subscription plans to monetize their work and earn extra cash
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8. Guru
Guru stands out for allowing sellers on the platform to create detailed profiles showing past projects they have worked on, which can give you an edge if the client is considering an expert in the field. What makes it stand out is its Safaepay system, which holds funds for freelancers and is released when work is completed, just like Escrow works. With all the features and benefits it provides, a significant turn-off is its high fee structure, which ranges from 4.95% to 8.95%, depending on your membership plan.
Why it’s great:
- It has many payment structures that you can choose from hourly rates to fixed price contracts
- The SafePay System allows you to focus on your work without worrying about potential scams
- It provides collaboration tools such as Workroom, which allows you to communicate with your clients as you work on the project, ensuring you meet their needs
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9. Truelancer
Truelancer stands out from the other platforms above because it is made specifically for freelancers in developing countries like ours (Kenya). It has many job opportunities that you can apply for, including writing, design, programming, digital marketing, and many more. It has the Safepay System, just like Guru, giving you peace of mind while working without worrying about your earnings. However, while considering the platform, you should be aware that it has a comparison tool that allows clients to compare freelancers on the platform and select only the best talent.
Why it’s great:
- It uses the SafePay system to ensure secure transactions by holding your payments until you complete the project and there is satisfaction
- Clients can compare many freelancers based on their skills and projects and select only the best
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10. LinkedIn ProFinder
LinkedIn ProFinder, as its name suggests, is built on top of the LinkedIn network. It allows you to directly reach out to businesses and professionals and submit your proposals to them. To get started, you will need to create a Profile on ProFinder and reach out to clients that you want to work with.
Why it’s great:
- It allows you to tap into your existing LinkedIn network to find opportunities
How Can You Maximize Your Earnings?
Even after you have joined these various platforms, your end goal should be to provide very high-quality work based on the different projects or roles assigned to you. This is the only way that you can quickly boost your earnings, among other factors such as:
- Build a Strong Profile that highlights all your skills and the past projects you have worked on to win more clients.
- Strong Communication skills will always help you communicate effectively with your clients, understand their needs, and come up with what they want. Also, this will help you maintain professionalism and perhaps win even more clients through referrals.
- Ask your client for feedback after every project you complete. Reviews and testimonials are what many clients on these platforms consider, and having a positive one will most likely increase your chances of being considered by the next client.
Conclusion
Well, if you are hoping to get started with Freelancing in Kenya, the time to get started is not tomorrow but rather right now. As we have covered in the article, several Platforms offer online and remote Jobs, even for Kenyan freelancers, that you can apply for and get paid handsomely. Some of these platforms include Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com, etc. Therefore, this marks the end of the article, but remember, if you have any questions that you need clarification on, let us interact in the comment section below.