21 Best Freelance Jobs in 2023 & Where to Get Them

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21 Most In-Demand Freelance Jobs

Freelance Job Average Pay
Web Developer $30 – $180 per hour
UX/UI Designer $25 – $75 per hour
Copywriter $50+ per hour
PR Manager $70 per hour
SEO Specialist $33 per hour
Video Editor $30 – $150 per hour
Graphic Designer $27 per hour
Illustrator up to $250 per illustration
Cybersecurity Specialist $200 per hour
3D Modeler $25 per hour
Digital Marketer $50 – $100 per hour
Social Media Manager $15 – $50 per hour
Consultant $100 per hour
Technical Writer $41/hour
Software Developer $42/hour
Accountant $35/hour
Data Analyst/Data Scientist $30-$55 per hour
Translator $29 per hour
Virtual Assistant (VA) $20-$15 per hour
Customer Support $10-$15 per hour
Online Tutor $20 per hour

Virtual Assistant (VA)


ZipRecruiter Summary

  • Top-rated app and job search engine
  • Simple, 1-tap job application process
  • Over 30 different job categories
  • More than 7.5 million jobs posted each day

A virtual assistant (VA) is someone who assists businesses virtually, from a remote location, such as a home.

VAs are mainly in demand by entrepreneurs and small businesses who need help in various administrative and small tasks. 

While the day-to-day tasks each VA does may differ from company to company, here’s the list of most common tasks you’ll be assigned as a virtual assistant:

  • Social media management – updating profiles, publishing posts, replying to comments and messages, and extracting data for analytics.
  • Research – sourcing web information, facts, and figures through sites like Quorra, Reddit, Yahoo Answers, and more.
  • Administrative – managing calendars and emails.
  • Personal – booking flights and hotels, making restaurant reservations.
  • Customer service – answering customer complaints and helping them solve their issues.

You can find such jobs on various job marketplaces, such as Zip Recruiter. Earnings depend on the company that hires you, but in general, you can expect to make $10–$20 per hour.

virtual assistant jobs

Web Developer


Upwork Summary

  • Earn up to $34 per hour as a freelancer
  • Get 10 free Connects every month
  • Get 40 extra Connects when you pass a test
  • Time tracker ensures you get paid

A web developer’s job is to take a web design and turn it into a functional website by writing lines of code using computer languages like HTML and CSS.

Since web development is a complex job, there are 3 different types of web developers, who usually work as a team to launch the finished project.

  • Front-End Developer’s job is to implement the design in practice. So they write a code to make the web design provided by the client or web designer live.
  • Back-End Developer has to ensure the website works smoothly on the server-side. To do so, they create the code that powers the website’s servers, database, and applications. 
  • Full-Stack Developer’s job is more complex as it unites both front and back-end developer’s jobs. Full-stack developers are usually contracted to do smaller projects or manage and oversee the development of the overall project.

Accordingly, the hourly rates for the 3 different types of web developers differ, ranging from $30/hour as a front-end developer to $180/hour as a full-stack developer. 

Best place to find freelance web developer jobs: TopTal and Upwork.

web developer jobs

UX/UI Designer


As a UX/UI designer, your job is to focus on maximizing the usability and user experience of digital products like websites, software, and apps.

A UX designer ensures that the product makes sense to the user by creating a logical flow to get from one step to another. A UI designer ensures that each page corresponds to that flow visually.

Best place to find freelance UX/UI designer jobs: Dribbble, Behance, and TopTal.

ux design jobs

Copywriter


FlexJobs Summary

  • Jobs in over 50 categories available
  • Members get exclusive deals and discounts
  • All jobs are guaranteed to be legit
  • Get access to 4 job search resources

If you’re a skilled writer and create content that captivates and persuades the audience, freelance writing jobs might be the perfect fit for you. In fact, copywriters are responsible for creating various marketing materials, including slogans, audio scripts, blogs, advertising texts, website copies, social media copies, and more.

Best place to find freelance copywriter jobs: FreelanceWriting.com, FlexJobs, Fiverr, and Upwork

remote writing jobs

PR Manager


ZipRecruiter Summary

  • Top-rated app and job search engine
  • Simple, 1-tap job application process
  • Over 30 different job categories
  • More than 7.5 million jobs posted each day

PR manager’s main duty is to maintain the public image of a certain brand, company, or individual. As a PR manager, your day-to-day job may include distributing press releases, working with media outlets, and managing social media. 

However, since a PR manager job is one of the highest paying ones and employers seek professionals, you’ll need at least 5 years of experience to get a job.

On the other hand, if you’re an established PR manager, you can easily turn your expertise into a freelance business. 

Best place to find freelance PR manager jobs: LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and Upwork.

SEO Specialist


Since every company wants to rank high on Google, SEO specialist jobs are one of the most in-demand freelance jobs in today’s world. 

As an SEO specialist, you need to be knowledgeable in how search engines work, do keyword research and optimize the website’s content so that it ranks high on search engines like Google.

The best SEO specialists know how to do both on-site and off-site optimizations. Accordingly, their average pay rates might be higher than I’ve mentioned above.

Best place to find freelance SEO professional jobs: Upwork.

upwork jobs

Video Editor


As a video editor, your job is to take raw video clips and edit them so that they make an interesting and engaging story to watch.

And today, video content is one of the most popular types of content out there. It’s commonly used in the advertising, movie, and entertainment industries. But that’s not all – videos are also recorded on events like weddings and corporate events.

Best place to find freelance video editor jobs: ProductionHUB, Viedit, and VideoPixie.

Graphic Designer


Fiverr Summary

  • Set your own prices for your services
  • Choose from over 500 service categories
  • 3 different options for cashing out
  • Protection from fradulent chargebacks

A graphic designer is a person who visually communicates with the audience. As a graphic designer, your job is to create visual concepts using computer software or by hand.

Graphic designers are usually in-demand for various projects and often create visual materials for websites, ads, packaging, and more.

Pro tip: Prospective clients decide to work with you based on your portfolio. So take some time to build up your portfolio, even if you haven’t worked for clients before.

Best place to find freelance graphic designer jobs: Behance, Dribbble, 99Designs, Fiverr, and Upwork.

remote graphic design jobs

Illustrator


Since creating illustrations requires a lot of creative and technical work, illustrator jobs are one of the most in-demand freelance jobs.

So if you’re skilled in creating sketches, illustrations, and cartoon characters, then becoming a freelance illustrator might be the right option for you.

Best place to find freelance illustrator jobs: Behance, 99Designs, and Dribbble.

Cybersecurity Specialist


In today’s digitally-driven world, cybersecurity is crucial. That’s why cybersecurity is becoming one of the most in-demand freelance jobs. 

Cybersecurity specialists are professionals, who are responsible for designing, testing, implementing, and monitoring network or website security measures.

Since this is a highly specialized and important field, top freelancers earn $200/hour. Moreover, you can also create one-time security set-up packages, sell them for a flat fee and even charge your clients a monthly maintenance and monitoring service fee.

Best place to find freelance cybersecurity specialist jobs: TopTal.

3D Modeler


If you have 3D modeling skills and technical education, you can as well become a freelance 3D modeler. 3D modeling is an in-demand skill that’s used in many different industries, including:

  • Video games
  • Virtual reality 
  • Marketing
  • Computer-aided design
  • Manufacturing
  • Scientific and medical imaging
  • TV and motion pictures
  • 3D printing

Best place to find freelance 3D modeler jobs: CG Trader, DesignCrowd, and Cad Crowd.

Digital Marketer 


In today’s world, more and more businesses go online. That’s why digital marketing jobs is among the most in-demand freelance jobs.

What the digital marketing manager does is create the brand’s online marketing strategy. Accordingly, they acquire team members of different professionals and make sure they keep on track of the strategy to reach their digital marketing goals.

Best place to find freelance digital marketer jobs: Upwork, Fiverr, and LinkedIn.

digital marketing jobs

Social Media Manager


Just like the digital marketing manager, professional social media managers are valuable for modern companies as well.

A social media manager is responsible for creating a social media strategy for the brand and implementing that strategy to engage with their audience via social media platforms.

Your daily duties as a social media manager may include:

  • Creating the brand’s social media strategy
  • Managing the team of copywriter and graphic designer to create content for social media (in some cases a social media manager creates copy and prepares images by him/herself)
  • Engage with your audience via comments and direct messages

Best place to find freelance social media manager jobs: Fiverr and Upwork.

If you’re really good at social media and enjoy sharing your experiences, opinions or life with a large audience, you can also become an Instagram influencer and make money out of posting on the platform.

social media manager jobs

Consultant


A consultant is a professional in any niche that can provide their professional expertise to entrepreneurs or business owners who need it.

Let’s check out some of the most in-demand consultancy industries along with the average hourly pay rates:

Industry Average Pay Rate
Accounting $96 – $106 /hour
Financial Planning $104 – $147 /hour
Business Coaching $100 – $130 /hour
HR Consulting $100 – $200 /hour
IT Consulting $68 – $115 /hour
Real Estate Consulting $107 – $160 /hour
Home Appraisal $262 – $423 /hour

Best place to find freelance consultant jobs: Upwork, Expert360, and ConsultingHeads.

how to become a consultant

Technical Writer


Textbroker Summary

  • Free to sign up
  • Convenient payout through PayPal
  • Offers feedback and tips to skill up
  • Flexible work scheduling

A technical writer is a professional writer who creates technical documentation, communicating complex information. As a technical writer, you’ll be writing instruction manuals, user manuals, journal articles, white papers, and more.

Since a technical writer is a professional who needs to take complex and relatively complicated information and put it together in an easy-to-understand way, they can typically charge higher rates.

Best place to find freelance technical writer jobs: Textbroker, Upwork.

Software Developer


Software developer job is one of the most in-demand freelance jobs. This role involves designing and developing software programs by coding, debugging, testing, and troubleshooting. 

As a software developer, you should have a strong knowledge of HTML, PHP, and XML. 

Pro tip: Having a strong portfolio will help you land jobs with higher rates than the average.

Best place to find freelance software developer jobs: TopTal & Upwork.

software testing jobs

Accountant


If you’re an accountant, you might already be working remotely. Maybe even servicing 2 or more companies at the same time. 

But if you’re still not sure what to do as an accountant, don’t worry as you can find a number of courses on Udemy that can help you become one.

As an accountant, you need to maintain financial records and keep track of financial transactions. You’re also responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the company’s financial documents and filing tax reports.

Note that to become an accountant, you’ll be required to have a bachelor’s degree and a CPA certification will help you jumpstart your career.

Best place to find freelance accountant jobs: Accountingfly, Remotive & AccountantList.

remote accounting jobs

Data Analyst / Data Scientist


Any type of data is extremely important to companies of all sizes. However, they can’t do much without a dedicated person who will analyze their data. 

A data analyst or a data scientist is a person who pulls out the data using data analysis tools and analyzes it. The data that the analyst processes helps employers or clients identify various facts and trends and make important decisions accordingly.

Best place to find freelance data analyst jobs: Upwork, LinkedIn, and AngelList.

Translator


If you’re a bilingual person, you might as well use that skill to become a freelance translator. 

As a translator, you have to convert information from one language to another in a written form. Accordingly, you must be proficient in two languages that you want to translate.

Best place to find freelance translator jobs: Translate.com, OneHour, Tethras, and more.

translator jobs

Customer Support


Do you feel comfortable communicating with customers and enjoy helping them resolve their issues? Then a freelance customer support job is probably the best option for you. 

Nowadays, customer service is the number one priority for many companies. That’s why they’re hiring customer support representatives who oftentimes work on a remote basis.

So as a freelance customer support agent, you’ll be responding to customers via phone, email, or social media.

Best place to find freelance customer support jobs: TTEC, Remote, Pink Callers, Indeed, and more.

remote customer service jobs

Online Tutor


Online tutoring make the perfect remote freelance jobs for teachers and students alike. Regardless of your age or current commitments, you can share your expertise in one subject or another.

Tutoring online involves teaching students in an interactive digital classroom. Depending on what type of online tutoring job you’ll choose, you might teach a group of students or host a one-on-one class.

Who is a Freelancer?


A freelancer is a self-employed person, offering services and providing them from a remote location. 

The company does not officially employ freelancers. Rather they are independent contractors who offer services and get paid an hourly rate or on a per-job basis.

And since freelancers aren’t employed by one specific company, they typically provide services to multiple clients at one time.

One of the most attractive things about freelancing is that you can be location independent and work from the comfort of your home or even while traveling. Plus, you have the freedom to manage your schedule and work at the time of the day when you feel the most productive.

What is a Freelance Job?


We’ve discussed who a freelancer is. Accordingly, a freelance job is any job that doesn’t employ a person, rather ordering service to them.

But what are some of the most common freelance jobs? In fact, there’s no straightforward answer to that as most of the service-based jobs can be done on a freelance basis. 

However, some of the most common freelancing jobs are considered to be within creative industries like graphic design, web development, copywriting and more.

Keep reading this article to discover the 20 most in-demand freelance jobs along with the best platforms where you can find those jobs.

Traits & Characteristics Needed as a Freelancer


There are a few qualities and characteristics you should possess to become a successful freelancer. Let’s take a look at the list of most important skills:

  • Discipline is extremely necessary to stay on track. While no boss is watching you when you spend an hour scrolling through the Facebook feed instead of working, you have to restrict yourself to those attractions and focus on work.
  • Time management and organization – you’re responsible for a lot of different tasks and have no manager to organize them for you. That’s why it’s important to have strong organization skills so you can stay on top of your deadlines.
  • Persistence is always important as it keeps you moving towards success, even on days when you lack confidence in yourself.
  • Resilience – as a freelancer, you’ll get rejected at times, especially at the beginning of your journey. But being able to resist those rejections and keep going is what will get you closer to your goals.

Is Freelance a Good Career?


Freelancing is a great career choice especially if you want to shape your workday as you wish. 

Additionally, freelancing not only gives you location and time independence but allows you to set financial goals for yourself and increase your earnings while you acquire more clients.

However, freelancing is hard work, especially in the first few months or years and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. That’s why it’s important to choose the right gig job for your preferences.

Let’s see the main pros and cons of freelancing so you can decide whether freelancing can be a good career for you.

Pros & Cons of Freelancing


Pros

  • Flexible work schedule – you can choose when to work and set your schedule that fits your lifestyle and other commitments. 
  • Location independence – you have the freedom to work from home, from coffee shops, from a shared workspace, or even while traveling.
  • More control – you can set your financial goals and move towards them by acquiring more clients, increasing your rates, or doing both.
  • Choice and variety – you can choose what projects to work on, whereas as an employee you have to work on whatever your boss assigns you for.

Cons

  • Less stability – freelancing doesn’t guarantee future work and your financial stability depends on reaching enough clients to fulfill your financial goals.
  • Fewer benefits – as a freelancer you won’t get corporate benefits like insurance, pension plans, gym membership, or others. As a freelancer, you are responsible for finding and funding your perks and benefits.

Where to Find Freelance Jobs?


There are many different platforms where you can find freelance jobs.

Some of the best freelancing platforms include:

You can also try other job search sites to find freelance jobs from home.

However, not all freelancing platforms are best for every job – some freelancing platforms are better for specific jobs, which I’ll mention below.

How Can a Beginner Start Freelancing?

The best thing about freelancing is that everyone can get freelance jobs, even with no experience.

Starting freelancing as a beginner is as simple as deciding what it is that you’ll be offering as a freelancer and the freelancing platform. After that you’ll just need to follow the easy steps below:

  1. Create your profile
  2. Look for job posts
  3. Submit your first proposal
  4. Interview with a client
  5. Accept the contract

Let’s take a look how you can start freelancing as a beginner and how can you apply online for freelance jobs on Upwork.

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