# ErdiBuilds vs Freelancer.com: fees compared (2026) > ErdiBuilds charges clients nothing. Freelancer.com states an employer fee of 3% or $3, whichever is greater, on fixed price projects, according to its fees page checked on 6 November 2026. Canonical: https://erdibuilds.app/compare/erdibuilds-vs-freelancer Last updated: 2026-11-06 (November 6, 2026) Freelancer.com works with bids that freelancers place on a posted project. ErdiBuilds works with proposals from developers who match the project, each split into milestones. The table shows the numbers we could read on the official fees page. ## At a glance **ErdiBuilds and Freelancer.com compared** | | ErdiBuilds | Freelancer.com | Source | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Fee for clients | Free for clients. | 3% of the awarded bid or $3, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects, and 3% of each payment on hourly projects | [Freelancer Fees and Charges](https://www.freelancer.com/feesandcharges), checked 2026-11-06 | | Cost to apply | Applying is free, with no paid bids. | Placing a standard bid is free. Free members receive 6 bids per month initially, and a minimum balance of $20 is required | [Freelancer Fees and Charges](https://www.freelancer.com/feesandcharges), checked 2026-11-06 | | How payment works | Each milestone is funded before work starts and runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. | Fixed-price and hourly projects | [Freelancer Fees and Charges](https://www.freelancer.com/feesandcharges), checked 2026-11-06 | For the freelancer side, Freelancer.com states 10% or $5, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects, and 10% on hourly projects. On ErdiBuilds the fee works like this: Developers pay 8 percent plus payment processing. ## What you get with ErdiBuilds - Free for clients. - Milestones are from 50 to 2,000 each in your project currency. - Each milestone is funded before work starts and runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. - Developers come from the 27 EU countries. Clients can join from anywhere in the world. - Unless both sides agree otherwise in writing on the platform, the rights to the result of a milestone pass to the client once that milestone is paid in full. - Developers are independent professionals, not our employees. ## Proposals compared by fit On ErdiBuilds a developer needs a match score of at least 40 to apply, and proposals with 80 or more get a Top match badge. You see the reasons behind each score, so you compare fit and not only price. ## How it works on ErdiBuilds 1. Describe your project: the kind of project, the kind of help and your goals. You can start without an account. 2. Review proposals: independent developers who match your project send proposals with fixed price milestones, sorted by match score with plain reasons. 3. Fund one milestone at a time. Each milestone is funded before work starts and runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. You approve the delivery, then the developer is paid. ## Sources and notes > Freelancer.com is a brand of Freelancer International Pty Limited, the operator named in its own terms or legal pages. ErdiBuilds is not affiliated with Freelancer.com. Information checked on 2026-11-06, see sources. - [Freelancer User Terms](https://www.freelancer.com/about/terms), checked on 2026-11-06 - [Freelancer Fees and Charges](https://www.freelancer.com/feesandcharges), checked on 2026-11-06 ## Frequently asked questions ### Is ErdiBuilds free for clients? Free for clients. The milestone price is all you pay. ### Can developers apply for free on ErdiBuilds? Applying is free, with no paid bids. The developer fee is paid only when they get paid. ### How are proposals ranked on ErdiBuilds? By match score (A number from 0 to 100 that shows how well a developer fits your project, with plain reasons.), highest first. Proposals with a score of 80 or more get a Top match badge. ### How large can a milestone be? Milestones are from 50 to 2,000 each in your project currency. Each milestone is funded before work starts and runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. ## Related - [Upwork alternatives for app and SaaS builds](https://erdibuilds.app/compare/upwork-alternatives): Upwork alternatives for app, SaaS, website and game projects: ErdiBuilds, Fiverr, Toptal, Malt, Freelancer.com and Contra, with sourced facts. - [ErdiBuilds vs Upwork: fees and how it works](https://erdibuilds.app/compare/erdibuilds-vs-upwork): A factual look at fees, applying and payment on ErdiBuilds and Upwork, with sources and check dates, for people hiring an app or SaaS developer. - [Upwork alternatives for developers](https://erdibuilds.app/compare/upwork-alternatives-for-developers): ErdiBuilds for developers: apply to app, SaaS, website and game projects for free, with every milestone funded before you start. Open to the EU. - [Pricing](https://erdibuilds.app/pricing): What ErdiBuilds costs for clients and developers. - [How it works](https://erdibuilds.app/how-it-works): From idea to finished project, step by step.