If you’ve ever wondered whether platforms like Fiverr and Upwork are still worth your time in 2025, you’re not alone. Many freelancers hesitate to dive in because these platforms seem to have gained so much bad reputation over the years, so much so that when people speak of these platforms, they associate them with things like “cheap”, “race to the bottom”, “Limited control over your business”, “saturation”, “High fees” and “unreliable clients”.

Coming from someone who has earned over $120,000 on Fiverr, I want to share three solid reasons why I believe open marketplace platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and others remain a great place to start freelancing in 2025 and beyond.

1. Established Markets with Massive Buyer Traffic

Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork attract millions of active buyers and sellers every month. This makes them established marketplaces with a constant exchange of value. Dismissing these platforms is like telling a trader not to set up shop in a busy market just because the good spots might already be taken.

That logic doesn’t make sense. Why try to reinvent the wheel?

The Myth of Saturation

Many people complain about “saturation” as an obstacle, but in reality, saturation is not a problem if you offer real value.

Almost every successful platform and industry is already “saturated.” Think about YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram—each of them is crowded, but that hasn’t stopped new creators from thriving.

The same applies to AI; the moment it became popular, it became “saturated,” yet people continue to innovate within it.

If saturation is your excuse, you might as well forget about doing anything because everything worthwhile becomes saturated as it grows.

Another very important thing to note is that most of the so-called “saturation” is nothing but low-quality services. If you come in with a high-quality service or product, you can carve out a space for yourself because you’re really only competing with a small fraction of the market.

Instead of worrying about saturation, focus on leveraging the constant value exchange that these marketplaces provide.

2. A Low-Pressure Learning Environment

Freelance marketplaces offer a low-risk way to test and validate your services without the high stakes of direct client outreach. Finding clients independently can be time-consuming, and costly, and require expertise in marketing and sales. On Fiverr, you can test your ideas, refine your offerings, and build credibility before investing heavily in building a business from scratch.

These platforms also allow you to collect valuable reviews and experience points that help you establish authority in your field. Even if you’re a top-level professional, using Fiverr as a testing ground can provide insights into how potential clients respond to your services.

I personally know people who have hit the million dollar mark on Fiverr, and countless others with a consistent $20k to $100k a year one-man freelance business without doing any marketing, running ads, owning a website, doing content marketing and all the other things typical business do to stay afloat.

Many experienced professionals, including mentors I look up to, have asked me if they should try Fiverr and open-market freelance places like it, and my answer is always yes. Even for experts, it’s a quick and easy way to see how people resonate with their service offerings.

3. It’s Free to Try—No Risk, Only Potential Gain

One of the biggest advantages of Fiverr is that it’s completely free to start. There’s no financial risk for freelancers or solopreneurs, which is especially beneficial for beginners who may not have the budget to invest in ads, build a website, or set up a full-scale business right away.

Of course, the downside of anything free is that people don’t always take it seriously because they have nothing at stake. But if you have the discipline to treat it as a real business, Fiverr can be an incredibly valuable asset. With minimal commitment, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

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Many people tend to look down on these marketplaces, but the reality is they provide a solid foundation for freelancers at any level. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out or an industry veteran looking to test a new service, platforms like Fiverr and Upwork continue to offer opportunities for success.

The key is delivering real value, standing out with quality, and making the most of the resources available.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to stay an open market freelance for long, you can simply use these marketplaces for testing ideas or generating capital to then reinvest into something more robust or even start a business completely outside freelancing

So, is Fiverr still worth it in 2025? Absolutely!