The best freelance writing websites fall into six groups: marketplaces and job boards (Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com.
Guru, Contra, ProBlogger Jobs), content platforms (Textbroker, Verblio, WriterAccess), publications that pay for articles (DigitalOcean, Smashing Magazine), reader-paid platforms (Medium, Vocal), newsletter and membership tools (Substack, beehiiv.
Ghost, Patreon, Ko-fi, Gumroad), and book and contest sites (Amazon KDP, Kobo Writing Life, Reedsy Prompts, Writers of the Future).
Pay ranges from a few dollars per assignment to $400 for a published tutorial, and some platforms pay nothing up front and take a cut of what readers pay you.
This guide lists 23 sites, explains how each one pays, and flags where a site doesn't publish its rates.
Facts come from each site's own pages and a few dated third-party sources checked between October 16 and October 21, 2026, and each source is named where it appears.
Pay rates and fees change often, so confirm every figure on the site before you sign up. Where a page was old, undated, or unreachable, the entry says so.
How Much Can Freelance Writers Earn?
Start with realistic numbers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a median pay of 76,910ayear(36.98 an hour) for writers and authors in May 2025.
It projects no growth for 2025 to 2035, with about 11,900 openings a year, mostly from workers who leave the field. About 65% of writers and authors are self-employed (BLS, page modified August 27, 2026).
Rates for freelancers vary widely. A May 2026 roundup on BestWriting.com, citing an EarnifyHub survey of 500 writers.
Lists typical per-word rates of $0.15 for beginners, $0.50 for intermediate writers with 2 to 5 years of experience, $1.25 for experts, and $2.50 or more for those with 10 or more years.
These are survey figures from third parties, so treat them as rough benchmarks and not guarantees.
Quick Comparison
Group | Sites | How you get paid |
Marketplaces and job boards | Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com, Guru, Contra, ProBlogger Jobs | Clients pay you, and platforms take a fee |
Content platforms | Textbroker, Verblio, WriterAccess | Per assignment or per word |
Publications | DigitalOcean, Smashing Magazine | Fee per published piece |
Reader-paid platforms | Medium, Vocal | Share of reader engagement |
Newsletters and memberships | Substack, beehiiv, Ghost, Patreon, Ko-fi, Gumroad | Readers pay you, and platforms take a cut |
Books and contests | Amazon KDP, Kobo Writing Life, Reedsy Prompts, Writers of the Future | Royalties or prizes |
Group 1: Freelance Marketplaces and Job Boards
1. Upwork
Upwork connects writers with clients through proposals and contracts. Its "Is Upwork free?" page lists a freelancer service fee of 0% to 15% depending on contract type and demand, shown before you submit a proposal and fixed once the contract starts.
Connects, which you spend to send proposals, cost $0.15 each with a minimum purchase of 10, and Basic freelancers get 10 a month. Freelancer Plus is $19.99 a month.
For ideas on how new writers start, this guide to Upwork jobs for beginners in 2026 is an outside reference.
It's a third-party page that could not be loaded for review, so verify its claims against Upwork's own pages.
Best for: Writers who want a steady flow of client work and are willing to pitch.
2. Fiverr
Fiverr lets you list gigs with set prices, such as blog posts or product descriptions, so buyers can order without a job post.
Fiverr's own fee pages didn't load during research. A fintech blog (page dated October 17, 2026) lists a 20% seller commission, so confirm the current rate in Fiverr's help center before you price your gigs.
Best for: Writers who can package a clear, repeatable service.
3. Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com lets you bid on projects and enter contests. Its Australian fee page lists a freelancer fee of 11% or $5.50 AUD, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects, and 11% on hourly projects.
The same page's FAQ says 10% or $5.00 USD and doesn't explain the difference. Withdrawals cost $1.50 AUD for Express and PayPal and $25.00 AUD for an international wire, with a $50 USD minimum.
Best for: Writers who are comfortable bidding against many others.
4. Guru
Guru's pricing page lists freelancer job fees of 9%, 9%, 7%, 6%, and 5% by membership plan.
The page doesn't cleanly map each percentage to a plan, and it says employers can contribute up to 5% toward your job fee. Check Guru's current plan table before you join.
Best for: Writers who want a lower fee and are willing to pay for a higher membership level.
5. Contra
Contra's pricing page says it is commission-free for all creatives. The Free plan lists client payment fees of $15 or $29 per payment, and the Pro plan, at $29 a month or $199 a year, lists none.
Digital product sales carry a 5% fee on Free, with a $3 minimum and a $29 maximum. The page's wording is unclear in places, so read the table before you invoice a client.
Best for: Writers building a portfolio and finding direct clients.
6. ProBlogger Jobs
ProBlogger Jobs is a job board. The page lets visitors filter listings by contract, freelance, full-time, and part-time, with categories such as "Blog / Article Writing" and "Ghostwriting."
It listed no pay rates and didn't say whether it's free for writers. The listings shown ran from August 17 to September 8 with no year, so check the board for current posts.
Best for: Writers who want to scan many openings and pitch directly.
Group 2: Content Writing Platforms
7. Textbroker
Textbroker's own pages were unreachable during research. Niche Pursuits, a third-party site that discloses affiliate links (updated August 11, 2023), lists per-word pay of about $0.05 for 5-star authors, $0.014 for 4-star, $0.01 for 3-star, and $0.007 for 2-star, with payout requests up to twice a week once earnings pass $10.
That data is dated, so verify current rates on Textbroker before you apply.
Best for: Beginners who want volume work and can accept low per-word rates.
8. Verblio
Verblio's writer FAQ says pay starts at $11.50 for a 300 to 400 word post and rises with word count.
Writers are paid by direct deposit every Monday after the customer buys the content and the writer submits an invoice.
Applicants need to be 18, legally authorized to work in the U.S., and have a U.S. Social Security number and a W-9.
They must pass a grammar test and plagiarism training and complete a sample. That page was published January 3, 2022 and last modified January 19, 2023, so check the current terms.
Best for: Writers who want regular assignments and meet the U.S. paperwork rules.
9. WriterAccess
WriterAccess says applying is free. The pages checked didn't show pay rates by star level or payout timing, so check its Talent Help Center before you apply.
Best for: Writers who want a managed platform and don't mind verifying rates first.
Group 3: Publications That Pay for Articles
10. DigitalOcean (Write for DOnations)
DigitalOcean's page says authors receive $400 per new tutorial on publication, about $100 for updates to existing tutorials, and a $25 donation to a charity the author picks.
Its FAQ gives a "typical payout" of $300, which conflicts with the $400 figure. Authors are paid by PayPal or DigitalOcean credit.
Applicants submit a proposal with an outline and a writing sample, and tutorials focus on open-source software and Linux.
The page said the program was "paused for new topics until 2025," so confirm whether it's accepting proposals.
Best for: Technical writers who can produce tested, step-by-step guides.
11. Smashing Magazine
Smashing Magazine's guidelines say authors receive an honorarium and full credit, paid promptly on publication, and they don't state an amount.
You pitch with an outline of 200 to 300 words and a note on your audience, takeaways, and expertise. The guidelines were last updated January 4, 2021.
Best for: Web design and development writers with real expertise.
Group 4: Reader-Paid Platforms
12. Medium Partner Program
Medium's page says members-only stories earn money when a member reads for 30 seconds or more, and that earnings rise with longer reading, claps, highlights, replies, and follows.
The page doesn't state eligibility rules or a payout minimum, so check the current terms before you count on income.
Best for: Writers who can build an audience from scratch.
13. Vocal Media
An article on Vocal's own site, published about five years earlier, says free members are paid about a third of a cent per read.
It also mentions Vocal+ at $5 a month for the first three months and later $10 a month, plus challenge prizes without amounts.
Because that source is old and unclear, check Vocal's current pay terms before you write for it.
Best for: Writers who want to experiment with challenges and don't need steady pay.
Group 5: Newsletter and Membership Platforms
On these sites, readers pay you directly and the platform takes a fee or charges a plan price.
14. Substack
Substack's page says writers keep 90% of their revenue minus credit card fees, so the platform takes 10% of paid subscriptions.
15. beehiiv
beehiiv's pricing page lists a free plan with up to 2,500 subscribers and one publication, Lite at $49 a month on yearly billing, and Pro at $95 a month on yearly billing.
It charges 0% on paid subscriptions and digital products, but Stripe's standard fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction still applies.
16. Ghost
Ghost(Pro) lists Starter at $18 a month, Publisher at $29 a month, and Business at $199 a month, billed yearly.
It charges no transaction fee on paid subscriptions for the Publisher, Business, and Custom plans, though payment processor fees apply. Starter doesn't include paid subscriptions.
17. Patreon
Patreon's pricing page says it's free to start, with a platform fee of 10% of your income for new creators.
Payment processing, currency conversion, and payout fees apply on top, and the page doesn't list those rates.
18. Ko-fi
Ko-fi's page lists 0% on tips and 5% on memberships, shop sales, and commissions on its free plan.
Its Gold plan is $12 a month with 0% on tips and commissions. The page doesn't show a membership or shop rate for Gold and uses plan names inconsistently, and normal payment processor fees apply.
19. Gumroad
Gumroad's page lists 10% plus $0.50 per transaction on direct sales and 30% on sales through its Discover marketplace. It's useful for selling guides, templates, and e-books.
Best for this group: Writers with an existing audience or a clear niche who want to sell directly.
Group 6: Books and Contests
20. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
KDP offers a 35% royalty option for any eBook and a 70% option for in-copyright works sold in eligible territories, calculated on the list price without VAT and minus delivery costs.
Delivery costs average $0.06 per unit sold, varying by file size. Public domain works get only the 35% option.
The page doesn't give an effective date or price ranges, so check the pricing page before you set a price.
21. Kobo Writing Life
Kobo Writing Life says authors can earn up to 70% in royalties, set their own prices, and publish for free. The page didn't state price conditions for each royalty rate, so check the help center.
22. Reedsy Prompts
Reedsy's weekly contest pays a $250 prize through PayPal, plus publication on Reedsy Prompts and a newsletter spotlight, and shortlisted entries get a $25 Marketplace credit.
Five new prompts go out every Friday. Entries run 1,000 to 3,000 words, must be original and unpublished, and can't use AI assistance, and writers must be over 18.
Each contest entry costs $5, so it's a paid contest and not a job. Posting a story to your profile for free doesn't enter the contest.
23. Writers of the Future
This contest for new and amateur science fiction and fantasy writers pays $1,000, $750, and $500 for first, second, and third place each quarter, plus an additional $5,000 for the annual Grand Prize winner.
No entry fee is required. Writers are ineligible if they've professionally published a novel, more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, where professional publication means payment of at least 8 cents per word and at least 5,000 copies or hits.
The rules page was last modified May 5, 2025, and the contest year runs October 1 to September 30.
Best for this group: Fiction writers and authors with finished work.
How to Choose the Right Site
Match the site to your goal. Marketplaces suit steady client work, publications suit expertise, and newsletters suit audience building.
Check the full fee, not just the headline. Platform fees, processing fees, and withdrawal fees all reduce what you keep.
Verify the date. Several rate pages were old or undated, so confirm current terms.
Start with one or two sites. You'll learn them faster than ten.
Compared to your time. Low per-word platforms can be useful practice but hard to live on.
For a client-side view of where small businesses hire writers and other freelancers, this list of websites to hire freelancers for small businesses compares eight platforms.
It has no named publisher and no date, and it gives conflicting Upwork fee figures itself, so use it for ideas and check each platform's fees directly.
How to Earn More Per Word
Build a niche. Specific topics such as finance, health tech, or software command higher rates.
Create a portfolio. Three strong samples beat a long list of weak ones.
Pitch publications and clients directly. Direct work avoids platform fees.
Raise your rates as you gain reviews. Don't stay at the entry rate forever.
Learn which skills are in demand. This list of the most profitable skills on Upwork is one outside reference.
It's a GitHub page that could not be opened for review, so check any rate it lists against Upwork's own data.
Taxes and Scam Warnings
Taxes. The IRS says the self-employment tax rate is 15.3%, made up of 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare, and you must pay it and file Schedule SE if your net self-employment earnings are $400 or more (IRS, page updated June 27, 2026).
Set aside part of every payment, and ask a tax professional about your situation, especially outside the U.S.
Scams. The FTC says honest employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job (FTC, page modified August 13, 2026).
Be careful with any site that charges an application fee, and keep contests separate from jobs. Contests such as Reedsy Prompts openly charge an entry fee, so enter only if you accept that cost.
Also Read: A Beginner’s Guide to Freelancing With No Experience
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Chasing every site at once. Pick a few and do them well.
Ignoring fees. A 20% cut changes your real rate.
Trusting old rate pages. Several pages above were dated, so verify.
Writing for free "exposure." Look for clear pay terms.
Skipping contracts. Confirm scope, price, and deadline in writing.
Forgetting taxes. Plan for them from your first payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best freelance writing websites for beginners?
Upwork, Fiverr, Contra, Textbroker, and Verblio are common starting points, though pay and requirements vary. Reedsy Prompts and Writers of the Future suit fiction writers.
Which sites pay the most?
Publication fees such as DigitalOcean's $400 per new tutorial, direct clients, and newsletter income can pay more than low per-word platforms. Contest prizes can be larger but are not guaranteed.
Can I get paid to write without experience?
Yes. Marketplaces, content platforms, and contests accept beginners, though competition is real and rates start low.
Are there sites that pay upfront?
Verblio and publications such as DigitalOcean pay per accepted piece, according to their pages. Reader-paid platforms such as Medium pay based on engagement.
How much do platforms take?
Fees in this guide range from 0% (beehiiv, Ghost, and Contra, plus processing fees) to 30% on Gumroad's Discover marketplace. Read each site's terms.
Do I need an LLC to freelance?
Not necessarily. Check your local rules and ask a tax professional.
How do I avoid scams?
Never pay to get a job, keep payments on the platform, and read each site's terms.
The Bottom Line
The sites above offer six different ways to earn: client marketplaces, content platforms, paid publications, reader-paid sites, direct audience tools, and royalties or contests.
Start with one or two that match your skills, compare the full fees, and verify every rate on the site before you commit.
Build a portfolio, raise your rates as you grow, and keep records for taxes.
Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Writers and authors. Modified August 27, 2026.
IRS, Self-employment tax. Updated June 27, 2026.
FTC, Job scams. Modified August 13, 2026.
BestWriting.com, Content writing rates. May 2, 2026. Third-party survey roundup.
