Guru

Guru is a long-running freelance marketplace covering programming, design, writing, admin, engineering, and even legal work. Its appeal is flexibility: milestone, hourly, task-based, and recurring payments are all supported, protected by the SafePay escrow system. With a 9% standard fee — lower on paid plans — it attracts cost-conscious freelancers worldwide who value keeping more of each invoice.

How Jobs and SafePay Escrow Work

Clients post jobs and you quote on them, or they find you through your profile and workroom. Once hired, SafePay holds the client's funds before work starts; you deliver, the client approves, and money is released. Recurring payments suit retainer arrangements — unusual among marketplaces. The built-in WorkRoom handles files, messages, agreements, and invoices without needing external tools, which keeps everything auditable if disputes arise.

Fees, Memberships, and Cash-Out

The standard freelancer fee is 9% of each invoice, and paid memberships cut it further while adding bids and visibility. Compared with Fiverr's 20% or Upwork's 10%, Guru is among the cheaper mainstream options. Withdrawals run through bank transfer, PayPal, Payoneer, or wire. The trade-off: job volume is smaller than the biggest marketplaces, so quotes must count. Treat each application like a mini-proposal.

Tips for getting hired on Guru

• Enable SafePay on every job before starting any billable work.
• Offer recurring payment terms to convert projects into retainers.
• A paid membership can pay for itself through the fee discount.