For those who work from home, on the road or abroad, earning income while having a computer is one of the biggest lifelines and knowing where to look for sustainable work is a definite prerequisite to being successful. There are hundreds of freelance sites on the internet that allow clients and freelancers to work with one another, but not all sites are created equally. If you want to expand your portfolio, build a steady client base and have guaranteed work for the long-run, then you must review the following five sites in an effort to build your repertoire.

Fiverr

Fiverr makes the list due to its ease of access and simplicity in using the platform. If you have a PayPal account and an internet connection, you can begin posting ‘gigs’ and earning income for any number of tasks. Whether you are into content creation, graphic design or any other form of digital content creation/editing, Fiverr has a market that will allow you to earn income and meet new potential long-term clients. With an Alexa rating of 193, Fiverr is booming with business (Check your Alexa, PageHeat and PageRank with Pingler’s Site Rank Checker). Beware, however, each $5 gig only earns you $4, and after PayPal fees, that can quickly drop to around $3.50-$3.75 per gig.

oDesk

oDesk is the largest freelance site currently on the web, playing host to over one million freelancers and customers. This platform differs from sites such as Fiverr in that there is no set amount on most tasks; a freelancer can bid on each task and the task creator will then choose which freelancer – out of all of the bids – he or she wants to complete the task. While it is advised to bid a low price, many task creators will compare a number of variables to determine who they pick: location, experience, feedback and price all factor into it.

Guru

Guru features over 200 categories where freelancers and project heads can collaborate and create excellent outcomes. Project creators have to pay “up-front” for their tasks; the money is placed into an escrow-style account and once completed, it is released to the freelancer. This helps prevent people from listing projects and then not being able to pay for them. Individuals in web design will especially appreciate the diversity of jobs available here.

Freelancer

Easily the oldest freelance site in operation, Freelancer has a high amount of reputation and is a main stop for anyone serious about expanding their freelance workload. Whether its data entry, web editing or survey taking, Freelancer is a great place to start. Unfortunately, regular users may only bid on up to 10 projects per month (Freelancer’s premium package allows for unlimited bids @ $20/month).

vWorker

vWorker features over 400,000 active members and is a great hub for those who wish to work from the comfort of their home. Their platform works similarly to Guru in terms of transactions; both clients and freelancers have ample protection to ensure that they are not hoodwinked. Working on vWorker is as simple as registering for a free account.