25 Best Freelance Writing Websites for 2020
By: Courtney Danyel
Tags: Freelancers, Writing Tips, Freelance, Freelance Writing, Remote Working

It isn’t always easy finding jobs for writers online. You have to know the right places to look while avoiding content mills and other low paying freelance writing websites. Luckily, there are plenty of reputable platforms out there that can help you find clients for your freelance writing business.

To help you get started, I created a list of the best freelance websites for beginners. I will update it regularly with new opportunities as I find them.

Here are the top freelance writing websites in alphabetical order:

25 Best Freelance Writing Websites for 2020

1. Behance Jobs

Behance is a platform designed to help people find creative jobs. Freelance writing is just one of many job categories listed on the site — it includes digital art, editing, fashion, UX design, illustration, and more.

Many of the jobs listed are actually full time or internship positions. But you can use site filters to narrow down results to freelance positions only. You can also search worldwide, or only show results in a specific geographic area.

2. BloggingPro

The BloggingPro job board is a great place specifically for freelance writers to find blogging gigs. It’s one of the many freelance writing websites I used to check when I first started looking for writing gigs. It also sometimes includes gigs in editing or journalism.

Jobs posted on the board are not vetted. There’s no sign up process, and when you apply, you’re working directly with the client. So it’s good to do your own investigation into whether the client is legitimate before starting to work. That said, BloggingPro does charge businesses a fee to display jobs on the site. So that weeds out a lot of low quality or scam jobs.

3. ClearVoice

ClearVoice is a content marketing platform and freelance writing website that connects brands and agencies with freelancers to create content. You upload your CV and detail your specialities when you sign up. Then you can share your CV with potential clients on the platform, apply for individual jobs, or participate in group pitches. You can browse jobs and/or set up alerts so you only see potential gigs that match your expertise and expected pay rate.

4. Constant Content

Constant Content is one of the quality writer websites that helps businesses find freelancers. You start by creating a profile on the site, indicating your relevant skills. You have to take a short quiz, and once your account is approved you can start writing for clients. The platform has more than 50,000 clients and 100,000 writers to work with them. You can apply to work on gigs that match your skill set, and work with your favorite clients long-term. Whether you’re writing blog posts, articles, ebooks, or other content, you can find work at Constant Content.

5. Craigslist

Craigslist is a well known platform for job listings, including freelance gigs. Its listings include lots of scams and low-quality gigs, so you have to be extra careful. But plenty of legitimate businesses post freelance jobs on the platform all the time. Just make sure you never work for a client you found on Craigslist without first receiving some kind of downpayment for your services.

Craigslist results are limited by your geographic location. So it’s a unique opportunity to find writing gigs for businesses in your area.

6. FlexJobs

FlexJobs is a generalized job board that helps people find remote and location-based work. You could spend hours browsing the listings that are constantly updated, or use custom search parameters to narrow down results. It offers 55 career categories, including several that pertain to writing. All listed jobs are pre-screened, so you don’t have to worry about scams like on Craigslist. In order to view the details of a job listing, you need to join the site and sign up for a subscription.

7. Fiverr

Fiverr is a freelancing site based on the idea that you can hire freelance services for only $5. Those rates were not at all appealing to me when I first started freelancing, but the site has changed a lot over the years. Now they have a “$5 and up” system, so you can charge $100 or more for your writing services.

The great thing about Fiverr is that you don’t have to actively search for and apply for work. You just hang up your shingle and clients will come to you with projects.

8. Freelancer.com

Freelancer.com is a platform that connects businesses with freelancers for all sorts of projects, writing among them. You sign up, create a profile, then start browsing jobs that are relevant to your skills. What’s unique about Freelancer.com is that freelancers bid on a job, then clients select a freelancer with the best skills and bid. You can charge per word, per blog post, or per project, etc. Some jobs on the platform are just one-time gigs, but you could also land ongoing projects that earn you more money online.

9. FreelanceWriting.com

FreelanceWriting.com has probably the most comprehensive aggregation of writing gigs of all the freelance writing websites out there. It pulls jobs from sites like Indeed and Craigslist, so you don’t have to go to a bunch of different platforms to find work. If you want to avoid certain platforms, you can easily exclude them from results to save time.

There’s no need to create an account with FreeelanceWriting.com. You just click on the job listing and it will direct you back to the original platform to apply.

10. Genuine Jobs

Genuine Jobs is a platform that helps people find telecommuting jobs. It includes listings for all sorts of positions. But you can search their database for writing-specific gigs. Their listings include various work from home, telecommute, freelance and contract jobs. So no matter what gigs you apply for, there’s no need to come into the office to work.

11. Guru

Guru was one of my favorite platforms during my first couple years freelancing. It’s less crowded than platforms like Upwork or Freelancer, so it’s easier to get your proposals noticed. To start you create a freelance profile illustrating your skills and experience, including your standard rate. This makes it easier to start a job agreement with clients through the platform. When potential clients search for freelancers on the platform, your profile can also show up in results for the relevant skills you list.

12. Indeed

Indeed is one of the best sites for freelance writing jobs because it hosts a large number of listings. It includes jobs in all sorts of niches, such as customer service, accounting, retail, marketing, etc. It also shows full-time location-based jobs. So you’ll want to filter down results and find jobs for remote freelance writers.

You need to create an account and upload your resume to use Indeed. You can apply for freelance writer jobs right from their platform.

13. iWriter

iWriter is one of the best freelance writing websites for beginners who want to find their first clients. You have to apply to join by filling out a form and completing two writing prompts. If accepted, you can start selecting writing gigs and work for clients on the platform. Your pay rate is pre-determined based on your rating as a Standard or Elite Plus writer. Deliver quality content long-term and you can upgrade your ratings and pay.

While iWriter is great when you’re first starting out, pay is low and it limits your potential earnings. Eventually it’s better to get off the platform and find your own clients so you can grow your income.

14. JournalismJobs.com

Some of the most successful freelance writers find work on freelance writing websites like JournalismJobs.com. This platform is specific to gigs in journalism, but there are lots of other part-time and freelance jobs posted on the site. You can easily filter results by industry, position, location, job type, and salary. Most listings are newspaper jobs, but there’s also magazines, digital media, academia, public relations, and others.

15. LinkedIn Jobs

Lots of freelancers overlook LinkedIn Jobs as an opportunity to find gigs because most of the listings are location-based. But that shouldn’t stop you from approaching the employer and proposing they outsource the role to a freelancer instead. Many businesses are open to the idea of hiring freelancers because then they don’t have to fill a full salaried role. Your LinkedIn profile in general is a great place to network with potential clients. You can also sign up for alerts from the jobs section to keep up on potential freelancing opportunities.

16. Media Bistro

Media Bistro is a lot more than just a freelance writing website. It’s a collection of tools and resources to help you build your media career, including online courses, freelance pitching resources, a portfolio showcase, and more.

Businesses have to pay to list jobs on their job board, so you can rest assured you’re only applying for jobs from legitimate employers. Their listings include all sorts of freelance jobs, but you can filter results down to writing gigs only.

17. Morning Coffee Newsletter

Morning Coffee Newsletter is an email newsletter that compiles freelance writing and editing jobs listed on numerous freelance writing websites around the web. I used to scour this newsletter for relevant gigs all the time when I first started out freelancing. Signing up for a newsletter like this saves you time looking for gigs on a bunch of different sites.

18. Online Writing Jobs

This is one of the best freelance writing websites for new freelancers looking to find quick work. It’s actually a freelancing platform, so you sign up and they’ll provide you with writing assignments. Pay is low, but it’s a great place to get an idea of what freelance writing is like and client expectations. You have to apply to become a writer on their site, but once they approve you, it’s easy to get work.

19. PeoplePerHour

PeoplePerHour is a freelancing site trusted by thousands of businesses globally. It was originally designed to serve clients and freelancers in the United Kingdom, but has since expanded globally. That said, most of the job listings are still from people in the UK. If you’re a freelance writer who can specialized writing with British English, this is a great platform to check out.

Like other freelance platforms, PeoplePerHour hosts job listings for all sorts of freelance niches. Just sign up, create a profile as a freelance writer, then filter results to include writing gigs in your specialty.

20. ProBlogger Job Board

The ProBlogger Job Board is another one of the freelance writing websites I frequented when I first started out. It’s a high authority resource for aspiring bloggers that also has a job board. There’s no need to sign up or create a profile. None of the jobs are pre-screened, so you have to be careful about working for anyone without some upfront payment. That said, there are lots of postings from high profile blogs on the platform, so you could get the chance to land a really good gig.

21. Textbroker

Textbroker is a great place to find freelance writing jobs online for beginners. To sign up, you have to submit registration and a writing sample to the agency. They will give you a writer rating, then you can create your author profile.

Textbroker not only provides you with clients, but also project management tools for free. You get to choose how and when you work with clients on the platform.

22. Upwork

Upwork is by far the most popular freelance site out there. It was born from the merger of eLance and Odesk, two competing platforms that existed back when I first started freelancing. Upwork serves as a broker, ensuring that clients get the services they pay for and freelancers get paid what they deserve.

There are way too many writing job postings on Upwork than you have time to sift through on a daily basis. But luckily Upwork has really good filtering options so you can narrow down your options, including things like project budget, duration, category, payment verified, etc.

23. Who Pays Writers?

Who Pays Writers? isn’t a job board; it’s a curated list of freelance writing websites that will pay freelance writers for their articles. A lot of these opportunities are in journalism, but there are some blogging options as well. You can spend a lot of time with this resource as it lists hundreds of publications to look into. It’s updated monthly so you’ll want to check back regularly for new opportunities.

24. Writer Access

Writer Access is a platform that connects businesses with freelance writers, editors, and translators. They have an AI-powered discovery engine that helps people find the best writers for their needs.

It’s free to apply and join Writer Access. You need to be a resident of the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland or New Zealand to qualify. They not only provide you with clients, but Writer Access also offers tools and resources for career advancement. Pay is not great, but freelance writing websites like this are a good option if you’re just starting out.

25. Writerbay

Writerbay is another freelance writing website that connects writers with clients. They have a lot of benefits, including no registration fee, competitive salary, the right to manage your workload on your own, and a writer support team.

As of this writing, their top writer earned $14,000+ in the past 30 days. They offer a flexible work schedule, user friendly interface, and confidentiality guarantee as well.

The Best Freelance Websites for Beginners

If you’re looking to get paid freelance writing, the websites in this post can help. Just make sure you know what you’re getting into with each platform. Some of them vet potential clients for you, facilitate payments, and more. Others simply connect you with businesses who need writers. Make sure you protect yourself and never write for someone without guaranteed payment.

Start exploring these websites to learn about the growing number of writing opportunities out there today.