Fiverr

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What: Fiverr allows you to advertise your services for just about anything –write, edit, design logos, do voice-over work, provide digital marketing, animation, advice. 

Expected pay: you set it

Husl$core: $$$$

Commissions & Fees: 20% 

Where: Nationwide

Requirements: Be over the age of 13; have an email address and a computer

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Fiverr Review:

Fiverr is a freelance marketplace that allows you to offer pretty much any service. There are web designers; graphic designers; actors; animators and editors — not to mention people willing to endorse your product or make silly videos. Freelancers who list their services here set their own rates and terms. They pay a 20% commission to the site to compensate it for providing marketing and collection services. 

The challenge for side hustlers who list here is that the site started out with the concept that any job would be done for $5. And, for a long time, most of the gigs listed here were priced at $5 to $25. Some still are. So if you charge more, be aware that you’re competing with some people who are willing to work for peanuts.

Stars and pros

However, if you have experience providing the service you’re offering on Fiverr, you can stand out from the crowd — even when you charge considerably more. In fact, we are increasingly hearing from people who make five- and six-figure incomes from this site. (For details, see our blog post: $5 platform delivers six-figure incomes.) You can also click here to sign up today.

What are the changes? Among other things, Fiverr created “rising star” and “pro” designations. These signal to clients that the freelancer is highly skilled and charges more. (Pros, in fact, cannot charge less than $100 for their basic service.)

Fiverr suggests that freelancers post three levels of service — a cheap “basic” package; a more expensive and comprehensive “standard” package; and a premium package. In most cases, premium packages are priced at rates that compensate freelancers well for their time.

The site also boosted its customer service staff and got rid of its money transfer fees. Now Fiverr takes a straight commission amounting to 20% of what you make. And you can reach customer service when you need to.

Smart strategies

That said, it remains important to frame your offer clearly with what is and isn’t included. For instance, one voice-over artist offers 100 words for $10. But, if you want worldwide rights to that recording, she charges another $40. Need more words? Buy multiple “gigs” to accommodate the number of words you want. For 500 words, you’d buy 5 gigs. This is the kind of strategy that allows you to make good money, while still making your service sound cheap.

Biggest complaints

While you set your rates and terms here, some customers expect free services and will try to manipulate the algorithm to blackmail you if you refuse.

Specifically, the site’s algorithm emphasizes the number of jobs you’ve completed on time, reviews, and your acceptance rate. If you cancel a job that’s been booked, that goes against you. Bad reviews do too. So clients sometimes book your services, knowing that they need more than what they’re paying for. Refuse and you get nicked for cancelling the job. Deliver what they paid for and no more, and you can get a bad review. 

But the site’s beefed-up customer service service team is aware of the cheaters. If you keep all communication with clients on the platform and in writing, you can show them evidence of the client blackmail. Customer service will remove bad reviews, if you can prove the client was manipulating the system to get something they didn’t pay for. 

Want to try Fiverr?

Click here to sign up today. 

What their users say: (from Indeed

“Its a good place to start your freelancing career, whether you are a writer, programmer, designer or just anything. You always have a place in the fiverr community. You can make multiple gigs and offer numerous services at your own rates.”

“Although I had some great, friendly clients who gave me great reviews, I also had one instance where a client with solely bad intentions and paid me for a job just to give me a negative review. However, if you are looking to gain experience in negotiating with clients and working in a highly competitive environment, and need a side job, freelancing and looking for gigs on Fiverr is for you.

“I started getting gigs on Fiverr when I was 14 years old. And I am glad I pursued voice acting on this website in the first place, even though I don’t think I’ll go back.”

Updated 3/28/2022