Upwork is undoubtedly a platform that we all know about. It is an international freelancing platform where buyers and sellers from all over the world interact with each other. Being in the market for decades, Upwork has developed and streamlined its operations significantly, providing the best services to all the stakeholders involved.
But there’s a relatively new Pakistani initiative by the name of WorkChest that you might have heard of. As it has recently been launched it is still in its growth stage. Also, as it is created by a Pakistani company, it is still considered a local platform and you might not find international clients and freelancers here.
Let me compare Upwork with Workchest here in this article to give you an overview of both these platforms and which one is better for you.
Comparison of Upwork vs Workchest
Here’s a comparison of Upwork vs Workchest:
Working of Upwork and Workchest
Upwork
Upwork requires the client to post their projects mentioning all their requirements on the platform. The freelancers who consider themselves a good fit for the job will apply for it. The buyer will have the access to the proposals submitted by all the sellers; they can select the right one for the job after interviewing.
Workchest
Workchest works similarly to Upwork. The buyer needs to post the requirements on the forum, which are visible to the sellers. The sellers submit bids on the project that they think is capable of doing. Just like Upwork, the buyer selects a particular seller after an interview and hires them for the performance of the particular job.
Upwork vs Workchest cost
Upwork
The platform has recently changed its pricing policy. Upwork charged freelancers based on different tiers. For the clients with which the freelancers had the billed amount up to $500, the fee was 20%. Once the billed amount reached $501 to $10,000, the fee was charged at 10% of the total billed amount. Lastly, when the amount exceeded $10,000, the fee was charged at 5%.
But now the payment structure for freelancers has changed. Now you have to pay 10% of the billed amount as the fee irrespective of the amount spent by the client.
You also have to pay for the connects if you want to spend more than 10 free connects.
Workchest
The fee charged by Workchest is 7% of the completed project. It involves all the costs associated including the transaction fee. So, you don’t have to pay anything extra than the 7%.
Difference between the types of jobs
Upwork
Upwork is an established platform that provides you with different categories of jobs, which includes nearly everything from writing to graphic designing and administrative assistant to digital marketing. You can choose the category that you want to serve in and you’ll find a dedicated list of sub-categories within each main category.
So, it is easier for freelancers to decide and dedicate their services to a particular category.
Workchest
Workchest is a relatively new platform so it isn’t as developed as Upwork. However, you can find the main categories on the platform to register yourself as a freelancer. Also, you can apply for different jobs posted by employers depending on your skill set.
So, being a new platform doesn’t hinder your ability to find the right kind of job for you. You can explore the platform a bit and you’ll find all the required jobs and categories.
Security and verification standards on Upwork and Workchest
Upwork
Upwork is an international platform where buyers and sellers from all over the world interact. So, the security and verification standards associated with the platform are high. You need to verify your personal information via a call with the Upwork representatives.
Similarly, there are different badges that you get as a freelancer. These badges depend on the number of earnings on the platform so you always have a chance of improving your ranking by earning more on the platform.
Also, the security of the transactions and the stakeholders working on the platform are fully ensured to safeguard everyone’s interest.
Workchest
Workchest isn’t as sophisticated when it comes to the verification process and assigning badges to freelancers. However, we can expect this functionality in the future.
As far as the transactions are concerned, they are secured. Just like any other platform, the amount deposited by the buyer is kept in Escrow once the buyer is satisfied with the seller’s service, the payment is released.
Upwork vs Workchest – Difficulty in getting a job
Upwork
It is surely a competitive platform, which makes it difficult for newbies to get a job there. However, a good proposal can increase your chances of being noticed even if you don’t have prior experience in your field.
But you’ll have to keep the thing in mind that buyers on this platform usually have the mindset that they’ll find a professional and they are willing to pay higher prices for the services. So, convince your buyer that you’re a great fit for the job.
Workchest
On Workchest, I wouldn’t regard finding the job as easier despite low competition. It is because the number of projects on Workchest is also limited so no matter how low the competition is securing a successful project on the platform will be difficult.
Also considering the lower pay rates offered by the local clients, you can’t expect to have high-paying jobs from the platform.
Summing up
Upwork is undoubtedly a great platform from where you can expect to get high-paying clients if you work on skill acquisition consistently. On the other hand, WorkChest is a nice platform to try your luck if you are a newbie. You might find some long-term local clients from the platform, but you must not keep your expectations exceptionally high.
What I recommend you is to create a profile on Workchest as well while you are looking for clients on Upwork. It will increase your chances of getting more clients and experience. However, if you can focus on one, then it should definitely be Upwork.
If you want to learn digital marketing, you should join Aamir Ahmer Academy today!
