Checked 29 Oct 2026

Idealist 4.3 Silver 35 pts

idealist.org · Nonprofit job board

A social-impact job board listing nonprofit jobs, internships and volunteer roles, including a dedicated section for remote jobs.

Remote job boards like We Work Remotely Remote Jobs

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Platform's cut0%No job-seeker fee listed

Open worldwideWorldwide
Work from homeOnline, from anywhere

Since: 1995 31 yrs
Based in: New York, United States

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Idealist lists jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities at nonprofits and other social-impact organizations, with a separate remote jobs section that showed 421 remote listings. Listings show job type (full time, part time, contract) and often salary ranges, and searches can be saved. No job-seeker fee is shown, and posting costs apply only to organizations. Idealist says it has posted more than 1.2 million jobs since it launched in 1995 and connects 15 million people a year with organizations in 180 countries.

Last updated October 29, 2026

nonprofit social impact internships volunteering

Getting paid

What the platform takes, when you get your money and how

FeesiNo job-seeker fee listed

Not verified yet: Payment protection · Minimum payout · Payout speed · Withdraw via Know the answer? Tell us

Of every $100 you earnYou keep $100

YouIdealist takes $0

From the published fees above, before payment-processing, currency or withdrawal charges.

What people actually earn on Idealist

Sourced figures from the platform, filings and independent studies

We haven't found a verified figure for what people earn on Idealist yet. We add one here when Idealist or an independent study publishes numbers. See what people earn on other platforms →

40%

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How complete is this profile?

We have 6 of the 17 things we track for every platform. Fees, payouts, join rules, countries and real earnings count most.

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Minimum payout
How fast you get paid
Withdrawal methods
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Wikipedia or reference page
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What we have

Plain-English overview
What kind of platform it is
Year founded
Headquarters
Fees
Countries it accepts

Every fact is checked against the platform's own pages. How we check →

Our rating

Worked out from the facts on this page, the same way for every platform

4.3out of 5

Strong on fees and access.

Fees5.0
Getting paidNot enough facts yet
Access4.0
Track record4.0
Proof of earningsNot enough facts yet

Not a review of service quality: a score from verified fees, payouts, access, track record and earnings data. How the rating works

Achievements

35 of 100 points from 5 of 14 achievements, Silver tier. Earned from verified facts, never paid for

35/100 pts20 points to Gold

Open worldwideAccepts people from almost every country+10
Why it matters Most earning platforms only take people from a handful of countries. This one lets almost anyone join.
How we check The platform's own terms or sign-up pages say it accepts people worldwide, with no more than eight countries left out.
Idealist Worldwide
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Clear feesPublishes its cut as a percentage+5
Why it matters You can work out what you keep before you start.
How we check The platform publishes its cut as a percentage on its pricing or help pages, which we record as a range when it is tiered.
Idealist 0%
Every platform with this badge →
Low cutTakes 10% or less of what you earn+10
Why it matters More of every payment reaches you. Many marketplaces take 20% or more.
How we check The highest percentage the platform names in its published fees is 10% or less.
Idealist 0%
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10 years runningFounded at least 10 years ago+5
Why it matters Platforms that have lasted a decade are less likely to vanish with your balance.
How we check Its founding year, checked against company records, is at least 10 years ago.
Idealist Founded 1995
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20 years runningFounded at least 20 years ago+5
Why it matters Two decades of paying people is a strong track record.
How we check Its founding year, checked against company records, is at least 20 years ago.
Idealist Founded 1995
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Verified earningsA sourced figure for what people earn or are paid there10
Why it matters You can judge the pay from a real number instead of the platform's own promises.
How we check We need a figure for what earners are paid, earn typically, or how many people earn, with a link to the filing, pay page or study it came from.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Idealist.
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Free to joinNo fee to sign up5
Why it matters Paying to join is a red flag on many work sites. This one costs nothing to start.
How we check The platform's sign-up and pricing pages show no fee to register as an earner.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Idealist.
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Low payout barLets you cash out $10 or less5
Why it matters Small earnings are not left stuck in your account waiting for a high threshold.
How we check The platform's published minimum withdrawal is $10 or less, or it has no minimum.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Idealist.
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Fast payoutsPays out instantly, daily or on demand5
Why it matters Money arrives when you need it, not weeks later.
How we check The platform says payouts are instant, same-day, daily or on demand.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Idealist.
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Payment protectionHolds or guarantees payment before you work10
Why it matters Something stops you working for nothing, such as client money held before the work starts.
How we check The platform publishes how it protects earners' payments: escrow, guaranteed pay or a dispute process.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Idealist.
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Loved appA mobile app rated 4.5 or higher5
Why it matters A well-rated app usually means smooth day-to-day work and fewer payout problems.
How we check The platform's app is rated 4.5 or higher on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Idealist.
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Top 10K websiteAmong the world's 10,000 most visited sites (Tranco)5
Why it matters Big platforms have more clients and buyers, and a lot to lose from treating earners badly.
How we check The site ranks in the world's 10,000 most visited on the Tranco list, a research-grade ranking.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Idealist.
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Public companyListed on a stock exchange, with audited filings5
Why it matters Listed companies publish audited accounts, so their finances and risks are public.
How we check The company has a stock ticker on a public exchange, with filings we can read.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Idealist.
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Fully documentedFees, payouts, countries and company details all verified15
Why it matters Everything you need to decide is verified here, not left as guesswork.
How we check Fees, payouts, minimum payout, who can join and the company details are all recorded from official pages.
Not earned yet: we have not verified this for Idealist.
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How achievements and tiers work · Open any badge for the details

Can I join Idealist?

Age, countries, equipment and how sign-up works

We haven't verified Idealist's sign-up requirements (age, countries, ID and equipment) yet. Anyone can register. See which platforms you can join with your details →

How Idealist compares

Against similar platforms in our directory

Founded in 1995, Idealist has been running for about 31 years — longer than 47 of the 48 remote job boards we track with a known launch year.

Compared with the remote job boards in our directory. See them all →

Is Idealist legit?

What we could verify about the company

Idealist is a real, operating platform. What we could verify:

Operating since 1995 (31 years)
Headquartered in New York, United States

Listing last updated October 2026 · how we verify platforms · Missing or out of date? Tell us

Idealist timeline

Founding, funding, milestones and news

1995
Founded
Idealist founded

Headquarters today: New York, United States
Oct 2026
On FreelanceSites
Added to the FreelanceSites.net directory

Checked against its official pages before listing.

From the platform's own reports and press coverage we checked, plus company records on Wikidata. Know a milestone we're missing? Tell us

Guides

Step-by-step help for this platform

No step-by-step guide for Idealist yet. Browse all guides or find the right way to earn for you.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Idealist

How much does Idealist charge?

Idealist fees: No job-seeker fee listed.

Which countries is Idealist available in?

Worldwide.

Is Idealist legit?

Yes, Idealist is a real, operating platform: operating since 1995 (31 years) and headquartered in New York, United States. As with any platform, check its current terms before relying on it for income.

What are the best Idealist alternatives?

Similar platforms include Wellfound, Himalayas, JustRemote and 80,000 Hours Job Board. Compare their fees and payouts in the alternatives section below.

Visit Idealist idealist.org