Fiverr vs Upwork Fees (2026): What a Client Pays on a Small Job
Both add a fee on top of the freelancer’s price. On small jobs, the fixed parts decide.
Fiverr adds 5.5% plus $3.50 under $200. Upwork’s Basic plan now charges a Client Marketplace Fee of up to 7.99% (3% for eligible US clients paying by bank account) plus a one-time contract initiation fee of $0.99 to $14.99. At Upwork’s maximum rate, Fiverr is usually the cheaper checkout. Choose by how you want to hire: packaged gigs on Fiverr, proposals and hourly contracts on Upwork.
The fee rules
- Fiverr: 5.5% service fee on each payment, plus $3.50 on payments under $200. Extras and tips are separate payments with their own fee.
- Upwork Basic: Client Marketplace Fee of up to 7.99% on payments to freelancers (3% for eligible US clients paying with a bank account), plus a one-time contract initiation fee from $0.99 to $14.99 that varies by contract.
What you pay on two job sizes
On a narrow screen, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Job price | Fiverr total | Upwork Basic total (at 7.99%) |
|---|---|---|
| $100 | $109.00 | $108.98 to $122.98 |
| $500 | $527.50 | $540.94 to $554.94 |
Before tax. Upwork’s range comes from the variable contract initiation fee; you see the exact amount before you confirm.
Which one to use
- A clearly defined small task (logo, thumbnail, one edit) → Fiverr’s fixed packages make the price predictable. Browse Fiverr services (affiliate link).
- Ongoing or hourly work where you want proposals and interviews → Upwork.
- Either way, add your own briefing and review time before comparing with doing it yourself: see Fiverr vs DIY.
Sources. Fiverr: Paying for orders, extras, or custom offers; Upwork: What is the Client Marketplace Fee?; Upwork: Contract Initiation Fee. Fees change; check before you hire. We have no affiliate relationship with Upwork.
Hiring on Upwork? See every Upwork fee for clients and freelancers in 2026, including the new client fee of up to 7.99%.
Try it with your own numbers: Fiverr vs Upwork fee calculator · Fiverr fee calculator.
Templates, presets, ebooks or a course: the platform you sell on takes a cut of every sale. On a $10 product you keep $7.91 on Gumroad but $8.91 on Payhip’s free plan.
Compare platform fees →Where to sell digital products