10 Marketplaces for Hiring Product Designers and UX Researchers Who Actually Get Your Vision
Finding the right product designer or UX researcher can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. You need someone who understands your goals, communicates well, and delivers work that moves your product forward. Thankfully, specialized marketplaces exist to connect you with talented professionals who focus specifically on design and user research. This list covers ten platforms where you can find skilled designers and researchers, each with its own strengths and ideal use cases. Whether you’re building an app from scratch or improving an existing product, these marketplaces can help you find the right match.
- Legiit
Legiit started as a marketplace for digital marketing services but has grown into a reliable platform for hiring product designers and UX researchers at accessible price points. The platform attracts freelancers who offer fixed-price packages, which means you know exactly what you’re paying before you commit. This structure works well for startups and small businesses that need clear budgets and deliverables.
What sets Legiit apart is its focus on practical, results-driven work rather than high-concept agency presentations. You’ll find designers who can create wireframes, build prototypes, and conduct user interviews without the overhead of traditional design firms. The review system helps you vet candidates quickly, and many sellers offer tiered packages so you can start small and scale up as needed. If you want straightforward pricing and a no-nonsense approach to hiring design talent, Legiit deserves a close look.
- Toptal
Toptal positions itself as a marketplace for the top three percent of freelance talent, and their screening process backs up that claim. Every designer and researcher on the platform goes through multiple rounds of vetting, including skills tests and live screenings. This means you’re working with people who have demonstrated expertise, not just impressive portfolios.
The trade-off for this quality is price. Toptal freelancers command premium rates, often comparable to what you’d pay at a design agency. However, if your project is complex or high-stakes, the investment can pay off. You’ll work with a dedicated matcher who helps pair you with candidates based on your specific needs. The platform handles contracts and payments, which simplifies the administrative side of hiring. Toptal works best when you need senior-level talent and have the budget to match.
- Contra
Contra takes a different approach by eliminating commission fees for freelancers, which attracts a community of designers and researchers who appreciate keeping more of what they earn. The platform feels more like a professional network than a traditional marketplace. Profiles are rich with work samples, testimonials, and detailed descriptions of what each professional offers.
Browsing Contra feels less transactional and more collaborative. You can reach out directly to designers whose work resonates with you, and many professionals on the platform are open to discussing projects before committing. The lack of fees means pricing can be more flexible, and you might find talented mid-career professionals who charge less than they would on commission-based platforms. Contra suits teams that value relationship-building and want to connect with designers who are invested in their craft beyond just earning fees.
- Dribbble
Dribbble began as a portfolio platform for designers but has evolved into a hiring marketplace where you can browse work and connect with creators directly. The visual nature of the platform means you can see exactly what a designer is capable of before you even send a message. This makes it particularly useful for product design work where aesthetics and interaction patterns matter.
The hiring tools on Dribbble let you post job listings or reach out to designers whose portfolios match your needs. Many product designers use Dribbble as their primary showcase, so you’re accessing a large pool of active professionals. The downside is that not every designer on Dribbble is available for hire, and the platform doesn’t handle project management or payments. You’ll need to manage those details yourself. Dribbble works well when you want to handpick a designer based on their visual style and are comfortable handling the business side independently.
- Gun.io
Gun.io originally focused on software developers but has expanded to include product designers and UX researchers who work closely with technical teams. The platform vets every freelancer through interviews and portfolio reviews, ensuring a baseline level of quality. This makes it a solid option when your design work needs to integrate tightly with engineering.
What makes Gun.io stand out is its emphasis on long-term engagements rather than one-off projects. Many freelancers on the platform are looking for ongoing relationships with teams that need consistent design support. The platform also provides contracts and handles invoicing, which reduces administrative friction. If you’re building a product that requires close collaboration between design and development, Gun.io offers professionals who understand both sides of the equation.
- Behance
Behance is Adobe’s portfolio platform, and it hosts millions of creative projects from designers around the world. While it’s primarily a showcase space, the platform includes job board features that let you post opportunities and search for available designers. The sheer volume of work on display gives you a comprehensive view of what’s possible and helps you identify styles that match your vision.
Hiring through Behance requires more legwork than using a managed marketplace. You’ll need to review portfolios, reach out to designers individually, and negotiate terms without platform support. However, this direct approach can lead to finding hidden gems who might not be active on traditional freelance sites. Behance is best for teams that have the time to do their own sourcing and want access to a global community of designers at various experience levels and price points.
- Working Not Working
Working Not Working operates as a private network for creative professionals, including product designers and UX researchers. The platform curates its membership, so you won’t find everyone here, but the professionals who do join tend to be experienced and selective about their projects. This creates a marketplace of quality over quantity.
The platform uses a matching system where you post your project needs and receive applications from interested professionals. You can also browse member profiles and reach out directly if someone’s background fits your requirements. Working Not Working charges a membership fee for access, which filters out casual browsers and ensures both sides are serious about finding the right fit. This platform works well for companies that want a curated pool of senior designers and are willing to invest in a membership to access them.
- Coroflot
Coroflot has been connecting designers with companies for years, and it remains a reliable resource for hiring product designers and UX researchers. The platform combines a job board with a portfolio hosting service, which means designers maintain active profiles with their latest work. You can post detailed job listings and receive applications, or you can search the portfolio database to find candidates proactively.
What sets Coroflot apart is its focus on industrial and product design alongside digital design. If your product has both physical and digital components, you might find designers here who understand both domains. The platform doesn’t handle payments or contracts, so you’ll need to manage those aspects yourself. Coroflot suits companies that prefer a traditional job board approach with the added benefit of browsing portfolios before reaching out.
- Wellfound (formerly AngelList Talent)
Wellfound specializes in connecting startups with talent, and its design section includes many product designers and UX researchers who are specifically interested in early-stage companies. The platform lets you create a company profile that showcases your mission, team, and funding status, which helps designers decide if your project aligns with their interests.
Many designers on Wellfound are open to both contract work and full-time roles, giving you flexibility in how you structure the relationship. The platform doesn’t charge fees for posting jobs or browsing candidates, which makes it accessible for bootstrapped startups. The candidate pool skews younger and more startup-focused, so if you need someone comfortable with ambiguity and rapid iteration, Wellfound can connect you with designers who thrive in that environment.
- Upwork
Upwork is one of the largest freelance marketplaces, and its size means you’ll find product designers and UX researchers at every experience level and price point. The platform offers extensive filtering options so you can search by skills, rates, location, and past client ratings. This breadth of choice is both an advantage and a challenge, as you’ll need to spend time evaluating candidates.
The platform handles contracts, time tracking, and payments through its system, which provides security for both parties. You can hire freelancers for hourly or fixed-price projects, and the built-in messaging and file-sharing tools keep communication centralized. Upwork works best when you have clear project requirements and can evaluate proposals effectively. The quality varies widely, so reading reviews and conducting interviews becomes essential. For teams that want maximum choice and don’t mind doing thorough vetting, Upwork offers access to a massive talent pool.
- Authentic Jobs
Authentic Jobs caters specifically to web and digital professionals, including product designers and UX researchers who focus on digital products. The platform has built a reputation for quality job listings and a community of designers who care about craft. Job posts on Authentic Jobs tend to be detailed and transparent about expectations, which attracts candidates who want to understand the full picture before applying.
The platform charges companies to post listings, which filters out low-quality opportunities and keeps the job board focused. You won’t find as many listings here as on larger platforms, but the ones that do appear tend to be from reputable companies with real budgets. Authentic Jobs works well for teams that want to reach designers who are serious about their work and prefer working with companies that invest in proper hiring processes. The platform also supports both full-time and freelance opportunities, giving you flexibility in how you structure the engagement.
Each of these marketplaces offers different advantages depending on your budget, timeline, and project needs. Some platforms focus on vetting and quality, while others prioritize access and volume. The right choice depends on whether you value hands-on curation or prefer to evaluate candidates yourself. Start by identifying your project requirements and budget constraints, then choose a platform that aligns with those priorities. With the right marketplace and a clear brief, you’ll be able to find a product designer or UX researcher who can help bring your vision to life.