99designs vs Upwork
99designs and Upwork are both freelance sites. On a $1,000 payment you keep about $850–$950 on 99designs and $850–$1,000 on Upwork, before withdrawal or currency-conversion costs.
Updated · from each platform’s published fees and payout terms · how we verify
Key differences
- On a $1,000 payment you keep about $850–$950 on 99designs and $850–$1,000 on Upwork, before withdrawal or currency-conversion costs.
- Upwork has the lower minimum payout ($5 vs $25).
- Both pay out via Bank transfer and PayPal. Only 99designs offers prepaid card and more). Only Upwork offers Payoneer, M-Pesa and Instant Pay.
- 99designs is the older platform — founded in 2008, 5 years before Upwork (2013).
- 99designs is based in Australia, Upwork in United States.
Which should you choose?
Choose 99designs if…
- You want to withdraw via prepaid card and more).
- You prefer a long track record (since 2008).
Choose Upwork if…
- Keeping more of each payment matters most — its fee is lower.
- You want to cash out small amounts.
- You want to withdraw via Payoneer and M-Pesa.
Side by side
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99designs
A design marketplace where clients launch contests that many designers enter, or hire a designer directly. Str…
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Upwork
One of the largest freelance marketplaces in the world, covering everything from development and design to wri…
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|---|---|---|
| Type | Freelance sites like Upwork | Freelance sites like Upwork |
| Category | Design & Creative | General Marketplace |
| Vetted | No | No |
| Work from home | Yes | Yes |
| Fees | Platform fee from 5% to 15% | 0-15% variable service fee per contract (5% on Direct Contracts, 0% with Freelancer Plus) |
| Minimum payout | $25 | Varies by method, from $5 via Direct to Local Bank |
| Payout speed | Automatic, about 6-10+ business days after client releases payment | Hourly: 10 days after the billing week ends (5 days sooner for Top Rated), fixed-price: 5 days after the client approves (clients have up to 14 days to review) |
| Payment protection | Money-back guarantee on contests | Fixed-price: client funds are deposited before work starts. Hourly: protected when you log time with the Upwork time tracker |
| Withdraw via | Hyperwallet only (bank transfer, PayPal, prepaid card and more) | Direct to Local Bank, PayPal, Payoneer, Direct to U.S. Bank, Wire transfer, M-Pesa, Instant Pay (US) |
| Availability | Worldwide | Worldwide (180+ countries) except Cuba, Iran, North Korea and the Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, suspended in Russia and Belarus |
| Founded | 2008 | 2013 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia | Palo Alto, California, United States |
| Stock ticker | — | NASDAQ: UPWK |
| iOS app | — | App ★ 4.6 |
| Android app | — | App ★ 3.6 |
| Popularity | 47 views · 0 likes | 125 views · 0 likes |
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, 99designs or Upwork?
On a $1,000 payment you keep about $850–$950 on 99designs and $850–$1,000 on Upwork, before withdrawal or currency-conversion costs.
How fast do 99designs and Upwork pay out?
99designs: Automatic, about 6-10+ business days after client releases payment. Upwork: Hourly: 10 days after the billing week ends (5 days sooner for Top Rated), fixed-price: 5 days after the client approves (clients have up to 14 days to review).
Where are 99designs and Upwork available?
99designs: Worldwide. Upwork: Worldwide (180+ countries) except Cuba, Iran, North Korea and the Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, suspended in Russia and Belarus.