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Fiverr is a global online marketplace where freelancers offer fixed price services called "gigs" across several categories such as graphic design…
Fiverr is a global online marketplace where freelancers offer fixed price services called "gigs" across several categories such as graphic design, writing, programming, video editing, and digital marketing. The site was founded in 2010 by Micha Kaufman and Shai Wininger and got its name from gigs that originally cost only five dollars, even though today the price can be much higher. While conventional freelance platforms operate on the principle of posting jobs and bidding, Fiverr works the other way round – the sellers create offers and buyers just select one that fits, thus hiring for small well-defined tasks in a few clicks.
The registration process can be completed in a couple of minutes with email account, Google login or Apple ID. One account at Fiverr can be used as a buyer and as a seller, so you don't have to register twice to do two different things on one day. After the registration the buyers can immediately browse the gigs, while those who are going to sell should complete the short seller profile.
The search option on Fiverr enables filtering gigs by categories, budget, delivery date and seller's level, thus narrowing thousands of offers to a few suitable choices in seconds. On each gig page you will find samples of the work, pricing tiers and feedbacks of previous buyers. Reading some recent reviews and checking a seller's response time is two of the quickest ways to avoid a bad match.
The gigs on Fiverr are usually structured into Basic, Standard and Premium packages with different number of deliverables or faster delivery for additional money. After you select the desired package, you will fill in a small requirements form so that the seller knows everything he or she needs to do the job. Then you will make the payment to complete the purchase. You can also contact a seller before making the order if your task needs some explanation.
When the work begins, all communications take place in the built-in Fiverr's messaging system, leaving an easily accessible record related to the order if something needs to be clarified later. When the seller delivers, you either accept his/her work or request a revision (if your package allows it). By accepting the delivery you will finalize the order and the money will be paid to the seller. That's why you should check the delivery before accepting it.
If you want to become a seller at Fiverr, you need to build a gig first – it's a title, description, pricing tiers and samples of the work you are going to offer. New sellers start with no badge, then go through Level One and Level Two, and finally become Top Rated Sellers by completing orders, receiving good ratings and answering the messages fast. There is also a special Fiverr Pro tier for elite professionals selected by invitation only. Higher levels usually provide more visibility and quicker payments.
As a buyer you pay Fiverr gig price and service fee (about 5.5%), as well as small additional fee for lower value orders. As a seller, you receive 20% commission for each order, including tips, no matter how many gigs you sell or how long you've been registered on the platform. That's a very straightforward payment scheme, but you may want to consider it when setting prices for your gigs.
The earnings from the orders become available to withdraw in about 14 days after the order is completed. The time is needed in case the buyer wants to raise any issues with the delivered work. The orders of Top Rated Sellers and some higher tiers are processed faster and earnings become available to withdraw in about 7 days. From there, the money can be withdrawn via PayPal, bank transfer and Payoneer, the exact options depend on your country.
The easiest rule on Fiverr is to conduct all conversations, payments and delivery of orders on the platform because that's the condition for buyer and seller protection offered by Fiverr if something goes wrong. The Resolution Center manages revisions, cancellation and dispute resolution for unfinished orders before anything needs to be escalated. Be careful about anyone, buyer or seller, who tries to move conversation and payments to off-platform channel because this is the way people usually lose Fiverr's protection.