7 Fast Upwork & Fiverr Alternatives CEOs Pick in 2025

Over 99% of employers plan to hire freelancers in 2025, yet only 47% of high-growth organizations, per Deloitte’s CEO survey, are adjusting talent strategies to attract freelancers and other non-traditional talent. With the global freelance platforms market expected to reach $14.39 billion by 2030, choosing the right platform has never been more critical.

Traditional platforms like Upwork and Fiverr are popular. They can end up presenting some challenges for executive teams who need consistent results without the overhead of traditional hiring processes. 

Another finding from the CEO survey is that 42% of CEOs say they’re planning to cut costs in 2025, and 55% mention that talent engagement is their main priority. With rising uncertainty and pessimism, this creates an unprecedented opportunity for companies that can effectively access a high-quality talent pool with a predictable cost. 

Should CEOs use subscription-based alternatives?

A MarketerHire report revealed that over 94% of companies experienced a reduction in time-to-hire when using specialized platforms with properly vetted talent. Additionally, the WEF (World Economic Forum) Jobs Report 2025 revealed that upskilling is the most significant barrier for current employers, and approximately 59% of the workforce will require upskilling between 2025 and 2030. 

This major shift suggests that talent marketplaces and subscription-based hiring platforms with already vetted talent for the most in-demand skills can become a fundamental product in talent acquisition for companies of all sizes.  It change in how executives approach talent acquisition.

Forward-thinking CEOs prefer platforms that offer consistent access to pre-vetted professionals, complete with built-in project management and unlimited revisions. This approach saves time compared to managing individual freelancer relationships or a hiring hunt that may take longer than expected.

7 Alternatives to traditional platforms

1. Awesomic - The Subscription Leader

Awesomic revolutionizes executive hiring by offering a subscription-based talent marketplace that matches companies with vetted designers, developers, and marketers in as few as 24 hours. Unlike traditional bidding platforms, Awesomic provides access to vetted professionals across 30+ services through a flat monthly subscription model.

Why CEOs choose Awesomic:

• 24-hour talent matching with zero hiring overhead
• Subscription model eliminates per-project negotiations
• Unlimited revisions included in every plan
• Pre-vetted talent across design, development, and marketing
• Daily progress updates through a dedicated platform

Since everything is built into the Awesomic app, you can expect consistent quality with only the top 0.82% of applicants making it to the end, and faster turnaround times than traditional hiring or task-based freelancing.

2. Toptal - elite professional network

Toptal, LLC is one of the biggest players in the talent matching industry with an established army of freelancers. They maintain a rigorous screening process, which appeals to executives requiring the highest caliber professionals for mission-critical projects. As mentioned on their website, only the top 3% of workers make it. 

Toptal features:

• Network of elite freelancers
• Trial periods with proven success rates
• Enterprise-grade security and compliance

3. PeoplePerHour - AI-Powered Talent Matching

PeoplePerHour, a UK-based talent matching company, leverages advanced AI algorithms to match executives with pre-vetted freelancers across 10+ categories. They significantly reduce hiring overhead for busy executives by providing access to their AI assistant, which suggests the best project fits, and by offering a project management tool designed for effective communication and task management. 

PeoplePerHour features:

• Pre-vetted talent across 10+ professional categories
• Top-grade project management tools
• Flexible pricing models (hourly, project, or retainer)

4. Gigster - Enterprise Development

Gigster specializes in complex technical builds with enterprise-grade project management, but they also offer the same possibility for startups, as they put it on their FAQ for “projects that matter”. The platform leverages AI tools and accelerators to deliver comprehensive development solutions that appeal to more technology-focused executives.

Gigster Features:

• 50,000+ rigorously vetted technical professionals
• End-to-end development services
• Proven track record with Fortune 500 companies

5. 99designs by Vista - fesign specialists

For companies requiring specialized design expertise, 99designs offers both contest-based and direct hiring options with a focus on creative talent. The platform's design-centric approach is most likely to appeal to executives with branding and visual design needs.

99Designs features:

• Design contests for multiple concepts
• 1-to-1 project options
• Money-back guarantee under the terms of use

6. Wripple - Marketing Expertise

Wripple focuses specifically on marketing talent with real-time matching algorithms. The company’s website mentions that employers can find and hire within 24 hours while achieving cost savings.

Wripple features:

• Pre-vetted marketing specialists
• Real-time talent matching
• Flexible project and role-based hiring

7. Guru - Professional Services Platform

Guru emphasizes professional business services with features designed around enterprise needs. The platform's WorkRoom feature and SafePay system provide the structure that appeals to executive decision-makers.

Guru features:

• Dedicated project collaboration spaces
• Secure payment protection
• Business-focused talent pool

Market data supporting the executive shift

The movement toward specialized platforms is backed by compelling market data:

• The number of freelancers in the United States is expected to grow to 79.6 million by 2025.
• Freelancers in areas like web development, marketing, legal, and accounting can earn about $28 per hour on average, which is higher than 70% of hourly wages in the U.S.
• Leaders at SMBs estimate they save over $71K per campaign for hiring freelancers, while enterprise leaders estimate contract hires save them an average of $124K per campaign

Strategic considerations for executive teams

Quality assurance

As top talent continues to go freelance and the workforce is increasingly made up of freelancers, you need active strategies in place to create a great experience for your external workforce and manage them effectively. Subscription-based platforms like Awesomic solve this by providing built-in vetting and project management.

Time efficiency

Most organizations are taking steps to address their talent needs, often through a mix of actions such as hiring contract or freelance workers. However, only 28 percent say their organizations make effective decisions on how to close skill gaps. Specialized platforms streamline this decision-making process.

Cost predictability

Traditional hourly or project-based pricing creates budget unpredictability. Subscription models provide executives with clear monthly costs while eliminating the overhead associated with vetting and managing individual freelancer relationships.

Implementation recommendations

For executives ready to move beyond traditional platforms, consider these factors:

• Your project needs: timeline, budget, technical skills, frequency of updates, etc.
• Your business needs: include 24/7 customer support, payment options, and other essential services.
• Your current stage: some companies are better specialized than others in your industry, business size, and other crucial aspects. They’ll most likely be the best match for you. 

The shift from traditional freelance platforms to specialized, subscription-based alternatives and vetted talent networks can represent a maturation of the executive hiring process. Executives have the option to choose platforms and prioritize quality, consistency, and efficiency. This way, business leaders position their companies to access top-tier talent while maintaining operational excellence.

Ready to transform your talent acquisition strategy? Explore Awesomic's talent marketplace and discover how subscription-based hiring can eliminate the complexities of traditional freelancing while delivering consistent, high-quality results in marketing, development, product, and design.