/ Honesty Index / Freelancer.com

Freelancer.com

Freelance Professional · Bid-based marketplace, 10-20% take rate + multiple fee layers
D

High Risk (D) — Side Hustle Honesty Grade

Among the lowest-quality major freelance platforms in the documented complaint database. Multiple fee layers, aggressive upselling, and a notorious project-quality floor produce sustained negative reviews. Documented patterns of scammy buyer behavior the platform has been slow to address.

42
Composite / 100
/ Subscore Breakdown · 5 Dimensions

Where this grade comes from.

Take Rate Transparency
D
Worker Protection
D
Payment Reliability
C-
Talent Vetting
D
Honest Earning
D
/ Public-Record Events

Key events & disclosures.

  • Multiple ACCC (Australian) consumer-protection inquiries
  • BBB rating: F-tier complaints volume
  • ASX-listed; quarterly disclosure available
  • Documented buyer-scam patterns in low-budget categories

/ Best for

Limited recommendation. Buyers and sellers should evaluate alternatives first.

/ Watch out for

Multiple fee layers stack to produce effective platform spreads of 25-35%. Project quality floor is materially below category peers.