How Does Fiverr Work? A Beginner’s Guide
Since its launch in 2010, Fiverr has become one of the biggest platforms for freelancers and those looking to buy a freelance service.
For those searching for some extra cash as a side hustle, or to start a freelance career, Fiverr is one of the easiest ways to find clients and connect with other remote workers.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- How Fiverr works for beginners to the platform
- How Fiverr works for sellers and buyers, including payment
- The pros and cons of using Fiverr
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What is Fiverr and How Does It work?
Fiverr is an online marketplace where freelancers offer their services to customers worldwide.
You can offer a wide range of services, such as graphic design, writing and translation, digital marketing, video and animation, music and audio, programming and technology, and more.
Buyers can browse through the various services, place an order, and communicate directly with the seller to get the exact thing that they’re looking for.
While the name “Fiverr” refers to the fact that many services were originally offered for $5, you can provide a service at any price.
How Fiverr Works for Sellers
How do you actually work on Fiverr and is Fiverr good for beginners? Let’s find out.
If you’re planning on selling your services on Fiverr, here’s a step-by-step guide.
Create an account
To become a seller on Fiverr, create an account and set up your profile. You’ll need to provide some basic information about yourself and your skills, as well as create a portfolio to showcase your work and skills.
Create your gigs
A gig is a service that you want to sell, such as a 500-word blog post or image background removal. You can create as many gigs as you like and tailor the description of each one to highlight your skills and experience.
Set your pricing
When creating a gig, you’ll need to set the price for it. Fiverr allows you to set a base price, and you can also offer additional services for an additional fee. Knowing what pricing to set can be confusing at first – I recommend looking at what your competitors are offering and using that as an initial baseline to work from.
Get discovered
Fiverr uses an algorithm to match buyers with sellers based on the keywords used in the gig title, description, and tags. You can also use Fiverr ads to promote your gig too.
Receive orders
When a customer places an order for your gig, you’ll receive a notification and can start working on the project asap. You’ll communicate with the customer through Fiverr’s web messaging system to get details of what they need and when.
Get paid
Once you’ve completed the work and sent it to your customer, they will release the payment to you. Fiverr will transfer the funds to your account, minus its commission.
How does Fiverr pay freelancers?
Does Fiverr pay right away, and how much does Fiverr take from your money? Here’s what you need to know.
The commission fee that Fiverr takes is 20% of your earnings. So, let’s say that you have a gig charging $10. Once the buyer has marked the order as complete, you’ll receive $8.
Fiverr payment works by allowing you to withdraw your earnings into a bank or PayPal account. However, Fiverr doesn’t pay sellers right away.
There is a 14-day clearing period before funds are cleared for withdrawal. Top-rated and pro sellers have a 7-day clearing period.
This gives buyers time to raise any disputes or issues they may have with the completed work.
How Fiverr Works for Buyers
For buyers, it’s a different process. Here’s what you need to do if you’re planning on purchasing a Fiverr gig.
Create an account and search for a gig
Buyers can create a free Fiverr account and search for a gig or service by using keywords, categories, or filters.
Place an order
Once you’ve found the perfect gig that you need, place an order by clicking the “Order” button and communicate with the seller to discuss expectations and deadlines.
Make payment
Fiverr requires buyers to pay for work upfront, but don’t worry! This money is held in escrow (which essentially means that it’s held in between the buyer and seller). The seller only gets paid when you’re happy with the work provided.
Review the deliverables and release payment
Once the project is completed, review the work to check you’re happy with it. If it’s not to your liking, speak to the seller to discuss how it can be improved. If you’re happy with what you receive, release payment.
What is the minimum order on Fiverr?
The good news for buyers (and sellers) is that there’s no minimum order so you simply purchase what you need.
Most gigs have a minimum price with extra add-ons. For instance, some sellers offer faster delivery for an extra fee.
How to pay for your order
If you’re buying a service on Fiverr, you can pay via most credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay or your Fiverr balance (if you have one).
Some countries may only have certain payment methods so you may need to double-check.
Pros and Cons of Fiverr
What are the pros and cons of using Fiverr for both buyers and sellers? Let’s look at some of the main advantages and disadvantages.
- Vast range of gigs – Sellers can offer everything from graphic design and writing to the more unusual gigs like drawing a tattoo design and being a rented friend. This makes it easy for buyers to find anything they want.
- Convenient and easy to use – Fiverr’s user-friendly platform makes it straightforward for buyers and sellers to create or buy a gig.
- Money – While buyers access high-quality services at a relatively lower cost, sellers can make extra cash by selling a range of gigs and add-ons.
- Secure – Fiverr holds payments in escrow until a project is completed. By doing this, both buyers and sellers have confidence in the process. Plus, it’s less likely that you’re going to deal with scammers.
- Flexibility – Buyers can place an order for any size, making it easy for sellers to offer upsells or extra add-ons for more money.
- Time-saving – Using Fiverr saves buyers and sellers time and effort. Buyers can find what they need fast, while sellers don’t have to spend time looking for clients.
While Fiverr provides many benefits for, there are also some drawbacks.
- Quality variability – As with any online marketplace, the quality of clients and freelancers varies, learning to mixed experiences.
- Competition – There’s no denying that Fiverr is crowded so it’s often difficult for freelancers to sell their services. Likewise, some popular freelancers may have limited availability, resulting in longer wait times for buyers.
- Extra costs – Fiverr takes 20% commission from sellers and adds on a 5.5% service charge to buyers so you end up paying more or earning less than you think.
- Lack of control – Unless you’re working with someone familiar, the project experience can be like a rollercoaster. The best way for buyers and sellers to work together is to communicate with each other as much as possible on timelines, expectations, and deliverables.
Overall, Fiverr is a handy platform for both buyers and sellers, but it’s important to know the drawbacks as well as the benefits.
Top Tips for Using Fiverr
Here are some top tips for using Fiverr effectively – these tips are both for sellers and buyers.
Clearly define project requirements
Before placing an order on Fiverr, make sure you have a clear understanding of what you want and communicate this to the seller in detail. If you’re a seller, make sure you get as many details as possible as this is more likely to lead to a glowing review.
Communicate throughout
If you’re a seller having problems with an order, get in touch with your buyer. Even if it’s just to double-check something – getting clarification when you need it isn’t a bad thing. In the long run, your buyer will thank you for it.
Be aware of Fiverr’s revision policy
If you’re not happy with the initial delivery of a project, you can request revisions within the timeframe specified by the seller. If you’re a seller, be aware that revisions can be requested and take this into account when managing multiple projects.
Review
If you’re a buyer and you’re happy with the work delivered, leave a good review! Reviews help to cultivate a trustworthy community, and help sellers to get found more easily.
If you’re a seller, don’t be afraid to encourage buyers to leave reviews for you – this feedback helps other buyers to make informed decisions and boosts your profile.
FAQs
How does Fiverr Workspace work?
Fiverr Workspace is a paid-for subscription project management and collaboration platform, designed to help freelancers and businesses communicate and collaborate on projects.
When creating a new project in Fiverr Workspace, you can invite your team members, clients or freelancers to join. Inside, you can add tasks, assign them to team members, and set due dates, as well as tracking progress.
It’s also easy to communicate with team members, and send and receive files. Set project deadlines and budgets, and receive alerts when deadlines are approaching. Real-time monitoring of progress gives a clear picture of what’s been done on your project.
Fiverr vs Fiverr workspace
Fiverr is best for connecting freelancers with clients for individual services, rather than managing projects.
If you’re managing multiple projects and working with several freelancers at a time, Fiverr Workspace is probably your best bet since the project management process is more streamlined.
Get Started on Fiverr Today
Now you know how Fiverr works, start using the platform to buy or sell services.
