FreeUp Review: Is FreeUp Worth It For Hiring?
Jason Quey
Updated:
November 12, 2020
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It’s more challenging than ever to find quality help these days. Then there’s the time it takes to comb through hundreds of emails in the hopes of finding a dependable, qualified candidate.
Thankfully, there are other places to hire freelancers without the hassle. Fiverr Pro is great for some companies looking to hire fast. OnlineJobs sources talent from the Philippines, which means you’ll get more talent for less money. Toptal is a viable choice for getting vetted freelancers if you’re willing to pay a premium.
FreeUp claims to work with the top 1% of overseas talent. They also claim to match you with qualified freelancers within one business day. If FreeUp really delivers on their claims, it could be a game-changer for many businesses.
Looking for more information about another hiring website?
As of 2019, around 23% of start-ups failed because they couldn’t find the right team. It’s hard to believe that’s possible given the sheer number of candidates seeking employment or promotions.
FreeUp hopes to combat this failure by weeding out the unqualified applicants to match your business with viable freelancers. The company promises “fast access to top talent,” and they try to make it easy for you.
Getting started is fast and easy. Create an account for free and set the specifications for your ideal freelancer. FreeUp matches you with a freelancer within one business day.
Set up a quick interview with your freelancer match to see if they fit the bill. Once you complete a hire, you can manage every aspect of the process through your account, including deadlines, communication, and billing approvals.
With more than 28.8 million small businesses in the United States, there is heavy competition to hire high quality candidates. You have to act fast, and that means you don’t necessarily have time to mess around with traditional channels.
FreeUp understands the challenges facing businesses. Founders Nathan and Connor started an eCommerce business in 2015. Like so many other fast-growing businesses, they ran into staffing issues.
To fix the problem facing so many businesses, Nathan and Connor developed a four-part model for a new type of freelance platform.
It took some effort, but they created a system that works within these parameters to provide startups and small businesses with the support they need. FreeUp offers a selection of entry-level and skilled freelancers who have already been thoroughly vetted by a 4-step process.
That means you don’t have to read through hundreds of emails, resumes, and CVs. You can spend more time focusing on your business.
Though they use some testing, most of their vetting process involves interviews. This level of screening means that FreeUp knows more about their candidates than basic numbers.
When a freelancer matches with you, you know they already demonstrated the base level skills to perform the job. You can skip over those basic interview questions that don’t tell you enough about a person and dig deeper.
FreeUp basically created a method for eliminating your need to evaluate cursory qualifications (like typing speed) and small talk (like past jobs), so you can ask the tough questions.
If you’re worried about relinquishing that much control over your selections, here’s a glimpse at FreeUp’s screening process…
General freelancers aren’t always a good fit for some businesses. Even though talented, jack-of-all-trades candidates are valuable hires, sometimes you need somebody with specialized skills, like web design, especially if your company uses specific software.
FreeUp understands that need and delivers candidates with specialized skills in almost anything. From editing to content creation, front end development to business analysis, FreeUp breaks their candidates into specialties so that they can match the right person to your individual needs.
If you’re one of the 24 million self-employed people in America, you’re probably juggling daily business operations, clients, and your personal affairs. Even though you need reliable help now, what are the chances you can find even one strong candidate in a single day?
Since you don’t have time to spend weeks searching for the right person to hire, the quick turnaround may be FreeUp’s best quality. FreeUp claims to deliver one to three of their best matches within 24 hours.
Using FreeUp means you could start the process on a Monday and have a qualified freelancer working for you by Wednesday! The best part is, you didn’t have to comb through resumes and CVs to get there.
There are plenty of freelance horror stories floating around. Businesses lose if a freelancer quits or fails to deliver. While FreeUp can’t prevent these situations, their processes mitigate some issues, like freelancers who abruptly quit.
FreeUp offers 24/7 support to their clients, and they’re responsive. The site claims to have low turnover, but they cover replacement costs if a freelancer quits. You can also expect a new candidate match almost immediately to keep things as seamless as possible.
If you’re new to hiring or have questions about hiring a freelancer, FreeUp has an online hiring resource list. Submit your email to receive cheat sheets or eBooks or schedule a meeting for a consultation with their team. The FreeUp blog also provides plenty of valuable advice.
Oh, and if you’re not pleased with your freelancer and can’t come to an agreement with them, reach out to FreeUp’s customer service. FreeUp will send a new match your way within a few hours.
“I’m using it to hire/pay some freelancers. It’s been about 3 months and I don’t have any complaints.” (Source)
Honestly, it was difficult to find any negatives to FreeUp. The platform is easy to navigate, and the founders created a lot of buzz on podcasts and freelancing forums.
There are more than 179,000 startups in America, and FreeUp is one of them. Officially founded in 2016, FreeUp started with Amazon freelancers. They expanded into other eCommerce platforms, then added digital marketing and web development.
Though FreeUp mitigates many common complaints about freelance platforms, they are new to the industry. It’s difficult to find information about how businesses feel about FreeUp’s process.
Of course, as many startups and small businesses know, no news isn’t necessarily bad news. Though it’s challenging to gauge reaction to a newer business, FreeUp seems legit and has a plethora of positive reviews on Glassdoor. A company with happy freelancers for hire can’t be too bad, right?
Some business owners don’t feel comfortable allowing a third party to vet candidates for them. That’s understandable, especially when you don’t know the people screening for FreeUp.
You have to ask yourself if you’re comfortable allowing FreeUp’s team to make decisions about certain aspects of your hiring process.
First, they eliminate a large number of candidates who don’t meet minimum qualifications. That may sit fine with you, especially since it saves you a ton of time flipping through emails and resumes that you know lack the requisite skills for your job.
However, they narrow your results to one to three matches at a time. Some businesses may not be comfortable with missing out on pools of qualified applicants. Even if the match they provide is a good fit, could there be a better fit in their pool of freelancers? You may never know.
Allowing FreeUp to handle the bulk of your hiring process takes a certain level of trust. Not every business is comfortable with that loss of control, even with FreeUp’s customer support.
“The mention of the platform doing the vetting instead of the clients like they’re supposed to is a big red flag to me.” (Source)
“They are quite a small marketplace, which is not necessarily a bad thing. No idea how good or bad they are. But given the fact that they are fairly unknown I suspect they are probably the same as toptal etc.” (Source)
Check out our list of FreeUp alternatives.
FreeUp doesn’t charge monthly prices or membership fees for using their site. Instead, FreeUp takes a 15% commission of the freelancer’s earnings.
FreeUp divides talent into three tiers and sets their hourly or fixed rates accordingly. More experienced and specialized freelancers cost a bit more than base level operators.
Beyond the tiers, FreeUp provides general estimates based on the type of work you need. They break down the specialties and what you can expect to pay for the expertise you need.
Everything from data entry to organization, the base level staff learn fast and manage basic tasks. These freelancers are best for companies with set procedures and systems. Show the freelancer what you want them to do, and they get started.
Expect to pay between $5 and $10 per hour for basic-level duties. Common basic-level roles include:
If you’re looking for somebody who’s a little more experienced or with specialized skills, you need a second-tier freelancer. These folks specialize in certain areas, like content writing, SEO, and bookkeeping.
The expectation is that you provide guidance and detail your goals for the freelancer, but they already possess the requisite knowledge.
Hiring a mid-level freelancer costs between $10 and $30 per hour. The mid-level pool includes several specialists with experience in:
When your team needs help organizing or expanding, you need an expert. The third tier of FreeUp freelancers includes consultants, strategists, and managers with significant experience in their fields.
The third tier is unique. Since these freelancers tend to be highly experienced, the first billed hour is intended for discovery and establishing an action plan for what they hope to accomplish. The partnership only continues if you approve of their plan.
Expert level fees start at $30 and go up to $75 or more per hour.
FreeUp makes the process easy. Billing occurs weekly, and the pay periods run from Wednesday through Tuesday.
Invoices arrive via email on Thursdays when FreeUp withdraws the money from your established payment method. Note that you can check timesheets in your account on Wednesdays before the money comes out.
Acceptable payment methods include ACH or credit card. PayPal retainer is an option for international clients.
FreeUp opens the door for faster, more efficient hiring practices. Their detailed screening process eliminates hundreds of incompatible applicants, so you can focus on the few qualified candidates that meet your requirements.
If you’re willing to relinquish some control and looking to streamline your hiring process, FreeUp eliminates the time-consuming, tedious aspects. Using FreeUp could provide you with the freelancer you need in a fraction of the time it would take if you handled hiring on your own.