Guru

Guru is a freelance marketplace where people can offer professional services to clients around the world.

The platform covers a wide range of work, including writing, design, programming, marketing, data entry, virtual assistance, translation, engineering, and business services.

You create a freelancer profile that shows your skills, experience, portfolio, and past work. Clients can then find your profile or post projects that freelancers can apply for.

Guru uses a bidding system for many projects. You review a job, submit a quote, explain how you can handle the work, and set your proposed price.

The platform also has WorkRooms where freelancers and clients can manage project details, files, communication, and payments. This keeps the main parts of a project in one place.

Guru supports different payment arrangements. Freelancers can work on fixed-price projects, hourly contracts, recurring payments, or task-based agreements depending on what the client offers.

One useful feature is SafePay. A client can fund a project before work begins, with the money held until the agreed work is completed and approved. This can give freelancers more protection than accepting payment entirely outside the platform.

Freelancers can join Guru for free, but free membership comes with limits on quotes and other account features. Paid membership plans provide additional quote capacity and other benefits.

Guru also charges freelancers a job fee on earnings. The current fee can range from 5% to 9%, depending on the freelancer’s membership plan.

That fee matters when setting your rates. A freelancer should account for the platform fee before agreeing to a project price.

Payments can be withdrawn through PayPal, Payoneer, wire transfer, or a Guru Cash Account, depending on eligibility and location.

Guru can work well for freelancers who want access to many types of clients and prefer bidding for specific projects. The main challenge is competition, since you are competing with other freelancers for many of the same jobs.