11 Upwork Alternatives That Speed Up Your Hiring Process
Upwork has long been the go-to platform for hiring freelancers, but it’s not always the fastest option. Between lengthy proposal reviews, drawn-out negotiations, and crowded talent pools, finding the right person can take longer than you’d like. If you need to fill positions quickly without sacrificing quality, there are several alternatives worth considering. This list covers platforms that streamline the hiring process through pre-vetted talent, faster matching systems, or specialized features that cut through the usual delays. Whether you’re hiring for a one-off project or building a long-term team, these options can help you move from search to hire in record time.
- Legiit
Legiit takes a different approach by focusing on done-for-you services rather than traditional freelance bidding. Instead of posting a job and waiting for proposals, you browse through pre-packaged services with clear deliverables and fixed prices. This means you can see exactly what you’re getting before you buy, which eliminates most of the back-and-forth negotiation that slows down hiring on other platforms.
The platform specializes in digital marketing services, including SEO, content creation, social media management, and web development. Each seller lists their services like products in a store, complete with descriptions, turnaround times, and customer reviews. You can place an order immediately and start working with someone within hours rather than days. For businesses that need specific marketing tasks completed quickly, this model removes much of the friction from the hiring process.
- Toptal
Toptal screens freelancers through a rigorous vetting process before they ever appear on the platform. Only about three percent of applicants make it through, which means you’re choosing from a pre-qualified pool of high-level talent. This saves you the time of reviewing dozens of mediocre applications.
The platform matches you with candidates based on your specific requirements, and you can typically interview someone within 24 to 48 hours of submitting your request. Toptal focuses on developers, designers, finance experts, and project managers. While the rates tend to be higher than average, the speed and quality of matches make it worthwhile for companies that need senior-level expertise without the usual hiring delays.
- Guru
Guru offers a streamlined interface that makes it easy to post jobs and start receiving proposals quickly. The platform includes a SafePay feature that holds funds in escrow, which gives both parties confidence and speeds up the agreement process. You can filter freelancers by specific skills, work history, and availability, which helps narrow down candidates faster.
One helpful feature is the ability to create a WorkRoom for each project, where all communication, files, and payments happen in one place. This centralized approach reduces the administrative overhead that often slows down projects on other platforms. Guru covers a wide range of categories, from programming and design to writing and administrative support.
- Gun.io
Gun.io focuses specifically on software developers and takes care of most of the screening work for you. The platform vets developers through technical interviews and code reviews before they join the network. When you submit a project request, Gun.io’s team matches you with qualified developers based on the skills and timeline you need.
This concierge-style approach means you spend less time sorting through applications and more time actually interviewing candidates who fit your requirements. Gun.io handles contracts and payments as well, which removes additional administrative steps. The platform works best for companies that need development talent quickly and don’t want to manage the entire vetting process themselves.
- PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour structures its platform around pre-defined service packages called Hourlies, similar to how some other platforms handle fixed-price offerings. Freelancers list specific services with clear deliverables and turnaround times, which lets you browse and purchase without lengthy negotiations. This approach works well when you have a defined task and want to get started immediately.
The platform also supports traditional hourly projects if you need more flexibility. PeoplePerHour includes a project management workspace where you can track progress, share files, and communicate with your freelancer. The interface is straightforward, and the approval process for new freelancers helps maintain quality standards across the platform.
- Working Not Working
Working Not Working functions as a curated community of creative professionals rather than a traditional freelance marketplace. The platform hand-selects members, so you’re viewing portfolios from designers, art directors, copywriters, and other creatives who have already passed a screening process. This curation significantly reduces the time you’d normally spend filtering through applications.
Instead of posting jobs and waiting for bids, you can browse member profiles and reach out directly to people whose work matches your vision. The platform emphasizes quality over quantity, which means smaller talent pools but faster decisions. Working Not Working suits companies that need high-caliber creative work and prefer a more direct hiring approach.
- Speedlancer
Speedlancer lives up to its name by focusing on quick turnaround projects. The platform is designed for tasks that can be completed in a few hours or days rather than weeks or months. You post a project with a fixed budget and deadline, and freelancers who can meet those requirements submit proposals.
The short timeframes built into the platform naturally attract freelancers who work fast and are available immediately. This makes Speedlancer particularly useful for urgent tasks like graphic design updates, quick content edits, or small development fixes. The streamlined project posting process and focus on speed mean you can often have work completed within 24 to 48 hours of posting.
- CloudPeeps
CloudPeeps specializes in marketing, content, and community management roles, with a carefully vetted community of freelancers. The platform reviews each applicant’s experience and portfolio before approval, which means you’re selecting from pre-screened professionals rather than sorting through open applications.
The matching process is relatively quick because the talent pool is focused and quality-controlled. You can post a project or browse profiles directly, and the platform includes tools for managing contracts and payments. CloudPeeps works well for marketing teams that need to scale quickly without spending weeks on recruitment. The community aspect also means many freelancers are actively engaged and responsive.
- Contra
Contra differentiates itself by charging no fees to either clients or freelancers, which can speed up negotiations since both parties keep their full earnings. The platform focuses on independent professionals across various fields, including design, development, writing, and consulting. Freelancers create detailed profiles showcasing their work, and you can reach out directly to anyone who fits your needs.
The absence of bidding systems and proposal reviews means you can move straight to conversations with potential hires. Contra includes built-in contracts and invoicing tools, which streamline the administrative side of hiring. The platform attracts professionals who value transparency and direct communication, which often translates to faster project starts.
- Gigster
Gigster assembles entire development teams for you rather than connecting you with individual freelancers. When you submit a project, Gigster’s team reviews your requirements and puts together a group of developers, designers, and project managers suited to your needs. This managed approach removes the burden of building and coordinating a team yourself.
Projects typically start within a week or two of approval, and Gigster handles all the project management and quality assurance. This full-service model costs more than hiring freelancers individually, but it dramatically reduces the time and effort required on your end. Gigster works best for companies that need complete development projects delivered quickly without managing multiple contractors.
- 99designs
99designs specializes in design work and offers multiple ways to hire, including design contests and direct freelancer hiring. The contest model can be particularly fast for certain projects. You describe what you need, set a prize amount, and designers submit their interpretations. You then choose your favorite design from dozens of submissions, often within a week.
This approach works well when you want to see multiple design directions quickly without committing to a single designer upfront. For more traditional hiring, 99designs also maintains a directory of vetted designers you can hire directly. The platform covers logos, websites, packaging, book covers, and other visual design needs. The contest format and large designer community mean you can often complete design projects faster than on general freelance platforms.
Finding the right talent doesn’t have to mean endless searching and waiting. These alternatives to Upwork each offer different approaches to speeding up the hiring process, whether through pre-vetted talent pools, fixed-price services, or specialized matching systems. The best choice depends on what you’re hiring for and how much involvement you want in the selection process. Some platforms handle most of the screening for you, while others give you direct access to curated talent communities. Try a few options that align with your specific needs, and you’ll likely find one that gets you from job posting to project kickoff much faster than you’re used to.