Toptal vs Upwork which one is the best? Finding out the best freelancing marketplace has become an important issue for newbie freelancers and clients. Topal and Upwork both are the most popular freelancing platforms in the world. But which one is the best between Toptal vs Upwork?
This best comparison of Toptal vs Upwork will make you determined where you should go for. These are two different platforms performing the same kind of work. Both of them have some strong and weak sides but the fact is that you do not know those strong and weak points.
Let’s see the comparison of Toptal and Upwork because it is good to compare the available platforms before going for the best one. You may also like Upwork vs Freelancer
Toptal vs Upwork: Foundation
| Topal | Upwork |
| The name Toptal is an outcome of “Top Talent”. Toptal is a private company of America founded by Tsa Du Val (CEO) and Breanden Beneschott in 2010. It is actually founded in Silicon Valley, California, U.S. Even though it was started as a platform of freelancing for software Engineers, at present it works as an Industry of Freelance Marketplace, Online Outsourcing, and Employment Website. The company of Toptal is funded by Andreessen Horowitz, Adam D’Angelo, and Ryan Rockefeller. | On the other hand, Upwork was established in the year of 2015. Its full name is Upwork Global Inc. But it is actually merged with the former Elance- Odesk from 18 December 2013. You must know that Elance was founded in 1999 with the consequence that Upwork can be taken as the oldest industry among the freelance marketplace. It is founded in Mountain View, California, and dedicated to serving worldwide. |
Let’s see the overall comparison between Toptal and Upwork in a tabulated form. It will help you better understand the major factors.
Let’s see: World’s top 10 Freelancing Marketplaces
Toptal vs Upwork: At a Glance
| Subjects | Upwork | Toptal |
| 1. Founded Year | 2015 | 2010 |
| 2. Founded in | Mountain View, California | Silicon Valley, Californiaa, U.S |
| 3. Founded by | merged form of Odesk and Elance | Taso Du Val, Breanden Beneschot |
| 4. Client Satisfaction | 100% | 100% |
| 5. Rating Score | 9.7 | 9.3 |
| 6. Pricing | $500 | $60 |
| 7. Scheme of Price | Quote Based and free | Quote Based and one time payment |
| 8. Approve to | all freelancers of any skill | only the talented freelancer |
| 9. Well-known Clients | AirBnb, Instapage, Dropbox | Boulder, CSR Limited University of Colorado, Bridgestone |
| 10. Applicable Devices | Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Web-based | Windows, Mac, Web-based |
| 11. Language | English | English |
| 12. Test of freelancer | None | Compulsory |
Okay, if you now want to know about the overall score and user satisfaction then we should say it’s “Rating: 9.7” of Upwork score, while the overall score of Toptal is “Rating: 9.3“. But both of their user satisfaction is 100%.
Getting Profile Approval
| Toptal | Upwork |
| Toptal hires only the best talents like elite software Engineers, designers, etc. They do not allow everyone who just applies for freelancing with them. Rather they accept only the 3% of them. So, as a hiring manger if you want to avoid a large marketplace and choose among a few then Toptal will be appropriate for you. And as a new freelancer if you want to join Toptal you will have to pass four important stages to get approval in Toptal. These stages are- 1. Vocal interview for testing language 2. Skill reviews to check skills and knowledge learnt 3. Live tests to prove ones skills and 4. Finally practice project to analyze the work at overall. | On the contrary, being a merged company of former Odesk and Elance, Upwork covers a large platform. It includes a large number of freelancers of all qualities and of all rates. As a result you get a chance to choose from a large group. It is not for limited developers rather it is open to all sorts of skills and thus making a large platform of freelancing. It makes an arrangement of connecting millions of freelancers to millions of clients with their single profile each. |
So, if you are not a skillful expertise, you won’t be able to get approval in the Toptal. It will be just a waste of your time. Rather you should go for Upwork or Freelancer.
Cost of Joining
It is an important comparison between any freelancing platforms. However, Upwork is totally free to join. You can join anytime here without any joining payment. But Toptal does not provide full opportunity as a free sign up. You must have to pay the joining fees to enter into Toptal.
Toptal vs Upwork: About the Vendors
| Toptal | Upwork |
| As we have already said that Toptal limits its clients and freelancers with various conditions. However, there are over 2000 clients working with Toptal. Also thousands of Designers and Developers are working here from 93+ countries. Toptal has arranged serious and compulsory tests for the applicants to include only the skilled and perfect freelancers. These tests include communication skills, technical skills, experience level, test project, etc. | On the other hand, Upwork arranges a huge marketplace in order to establish the world’s largest freelance talent marketplace. It works fast and growing fast expanding fast in the whole world. It is open to all with any kind of skill and free to join. Freelancers earn approximately $1.5 billion USD annually via upwork. |
Upwork vs Toptal: Prominent Clients:
The prominent clients of Toptal are Bridgestone, University of Colorado, Boulder, CSR Limited. While Upwork includes the prominent clients – Instapage, AieBnB, Dropbox.
Upwork & Toptal: Pricing
To compare the pricing of the two companies, Toptal is for $60 with the score 9.3 and Upwork is for $500 price with the score of 9.7.
Upwork and Toptal: Available Devices
For being a kind of internet based application the freelancing sites are not applicable for all devices. Toptal is available only for Windows, Mac, Web-based. On the other hand, Upwork is supported by Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Web-based etc.
Upwork vs Toptal: Cost Details
| Toptal | Upwork |
| To be hired by the company Toptal one must deposit $500 to the company. But it does not mean that the applicant lose the money rather you must know that company returns the full amount in case company does not want to work with you anymore. The clients are supposed to pay the freelancers also. The freelancers are generally paid here in the range from $50 – $60 per hour to more than even $6400 per week. It surely depends on the freelancers’ performance. | In contrast, Upwork is free to join and it costs 20% – 5% fees on the transaction amount. It is built in collaboration feature to ensure easy payment. Upwork matches the right freelancers instantly and it adopts a Payment Protection Plan which verifies freelancers’ work history. |
Choose Your Best One
So, now you see that both the Upwork and Toptal services have some good and problematic sides. You must bear in mind that these are not suitable to everybody. It depends on your project; interests and skills that you want to provide or get using these software.
So, select the best one between Toptal and Upwork which one will suit you more and give you more advantages.
Hopefully, our research will help you a lot to take your decision.
Best of luck!