Every freelancer should be keeping their ears to the ground, constantly in search of the newest opportunities. Of course, not every opportunity pans out the way we hoped and so that is why it is very important to always have backup plans if something does not go as intended. Many freelancers have been curious about Elance, which has been around for several years and is a pretty standard freelancing platform that offers a variety of services. Could Elance be right for your freelancing skills? We will review the main tenets of this service to help you determine if it is worth your time.

The Gist

Elance is a limited freelancing platform in which users can apply for gigs using job proposals. The free version of Elance allows anybody to bid or create up to 10 proposals per month; if you wish to do more than that, then you will need to pay ($10 per month for 25 proposals and $20 per month for 40 proposals). If all goes well, then your proposals will be pinging servers on Elance and be seen by those who are either interested in hiring you for your advertised work or who may wish to utilize your services for a slightly different type of gig.

Possible Advantages

Elance gives users the ability to directly compete with other freelancers on any given project. By placing a bid for your work, you can demonstrate what price you are willing to complete the tasks for – along with the amount of time needed to complete. This makes Elance highly competitive and can give those who are seeking services a great bang for their buck. Freelancers may find that some niches are not fully saturated, giving them the ability to compete without having to drastically lower their prices.

Possible Disadvantages

Unfortunately, this platform does have its drawbacks as well. Many “freelancers” on Elance are actually individuals working for large, overseas firms that can compete directly with true freelancers and offer insanely low bids on projects. This may be frustrating to the average first-world freelancer, as he or she simply cannot offer a 1,000 word article for $2-3. The freelancer is also restricted in listing offerings and can only bid on them unless he or she pays for a premium account – and even then, you can only buy services, not sell them. This combination of flaws may turn many off to the concept of Elance.

Conclusion

If you are new to freelancing and are pinging servers in order to get as many feelers out there for work as possible, then Elance may be right for you. For seasoned freelancers who are used to higher wages and a more intimate way of doing business, this platform may be a waste of time and not an efficient form of revenue. While it never hurts to apply for as many reasonably priced projects and gigs as possible, many will walk away from Elance feeling that the platform just is not what they need in a day-to-day source of consistent revenue.