PeoplePerHour Review

Freelancing no longer means chasing local opportunities or relying only on word of mouth. Today, platforms like PeoplePerHour let freelancers pitch for projects, build client relationships, and work with businesses across the globe from one online marketplace.

In this guide, we've broken down how PeoplePerHour works for freelancers, including its fees, payment process, advantages, drawbacks, and key alternatives to consider before signing up.

We've also explained how Wise Business can help freelancers manage international client payments after they win work.

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Key takeaways

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What is PeoplePerHour?

PeoplePerHour is currently a freelancing marketplace connecting small businesses, known as "Buyers", with a pool of freelancers offering business services.¹ Companies can post projects, review freelancer profiles, and hire talent directly through the platform.

It works as both a job board and a digital storefront. Freelancers can send proposals for posted projects or create fixed-price service listings, currently known as "Offers", that clients can browse and purchase directly.¹

The platform currently supports a range of freelance categories. These include AI services, technology and programming, writing and translation, design, digital marketing, video, photo and image, business, music and audio, marketing, branding and sales, and social media.⁵

How does PeoplePerHour work?

PeoplePerHour currently makes it fairly straightforward to set up a freelance profile and start bidding for work or selling services. Here's how the process typically works:

How do PeoplePerHour payments work?

PeoplePerHour currently uses WorkStream and escrow to structure communication and payments between buyers and freelancers.^1,6 This helps ensure that funds are held until work is completed and payment is released through the platform.

Step 1: Escrow protection before work starts

When a buyer purchases an Offer or accepts a custom project proposal, they pay funds into escrow. For an Offer, the full purchase price is paid into escrow. For a custom project, the money paid into escrow is the agreed deposit amount.¹

Step 2: Delivery, invoicing, and approval

After the work or an agreed milestone is completed, the freelancer submits the deliverables and raises an invoice in WorkStream. The buyer can then approve the invoice, reject it with feedback, or let the relevant review window pass.⁴

• For Offers: If the buyer does not leave feedback or reject the invoice, prepaid fees are automatically released after 7 days.⁴
• For custom projects: Buyers must pay or reject the invoice within 7 days. If the invoice remains unpaid after 15 days, a final 24-hour notification is issued. If the buyer still has not responded, the prepaid fees, up to the unpaid invoice amount, may be automatically processed and remain at PeoplePerHour's discretion for approval.⁴

Step 3: Handling non-responsive clients

If a buyer doesn't respond within the payment window, PeoplePerHour may help chase payment. If there is insufficient money held in escrow, PeoplePerHour says there are no guarantees it will be able to recover the full payment, although it will do its best.¹

Step 4: Freelancer fees and commission

PeoplePerHour currently charges a tiered service fee based on total lifetime billing with each buyer:²

• 20% below £250
• 7.5% between £250 and £5,000
• 3.5% over £5,000

A minimum service fee per invoice may apply.

Step 5: Withdrawals and processing time

Next, payments go through security checks before reaching your PeoplePerHour User Account. Funds then become available for withdrawal after the clearing period, which can vary depending on recent earnings.^3,4

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💡 With Wise Business, freelancers working with direct clients can keep international payments, balances, invoices, and outgoing business payments organised in one account. This can be helpful when you use PeoplePerHour alongside your own client pipeline.

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Register for Wise Business ✍️

Withdrawal timelines

Once funds clear into your PeoplePerHour account, the clearing period currently depends on your earnings in the previous two calendar months: 3 days for freelancers with total earnings over £6,000, 7 days for freelancers with total earnings over £2,000, and 14 days for freelancers with less than £2,000.^1,4 Following the clearing period, withdrawal requests are processed internally within 2 working days.¹

After platform approval, delivery speeds depend on the method:

• PayPal and Payoneer: Usually a few minutes. PayPal withdrawals currently incur a 1.9% fee.^1,4
• UK Bank Transfers: Usually completed within 24 hours.¹
• SEPA Bank Transfers: 1 to 3 working days.¹
• International Bank Transfers: 3 to 7 working days. If your country is included in PeoplePerHour's "slow-to-pay" countries list, it can take a week to a month for the payment to reach your account. These are also subject to intermediary bank fees.^1,4

Before starting any work, verify these details in the WorkStream:

• Escrow Funding: Is the agreed deposit or current milestone funded?
• Contract Type: Is it a fixed-price project or an hourly contract?
• Revisions and Evidence: What counts as a revision, and what exact deliverables are required for approval?
• Currency Exchange: Are you being paid in a foreign currency that will trigger conversion fees?
• Payout Method: Which withdrawal method offers the best balance of speed and low fees for your location?

PeoplePerHour fees

As discussed above, PeoplePerHour currently charges freelancers a service fee on earnings. According to the platform's freelancer commission support page, the fee structure is tiered by lifetime billing per buyer:²

Besides these, there are currently no registration or sign-up fees, nor any fees to search for projects or post an offer. The minimum payment made using AutoPay or per hour contracts is £6 excluding VAT, and the minimum service fee per invoice is £1 excluding VAT.²

This pricing structure can reduce the service fee percentage as your lifetime earnings with the same buyer increase.

Example PeoplePerHour fee calculation

These examples are illustrative only. Fees, thresholds, and terms may change over time, so it's important to check the latest information on PeoplePerHour's fee page before setting your rates.

Withdrawal fees

PeoplePerHour currently applies different withdrawal fees depending on the currency and payout method you choose.⁴ Even though some local bank transfers are free, international transfers and third-party payment providers can carry noticeably higher charges.

PeoplePerHour also currently notes that intermediary bank fees may apply to international transfers, and incorrect bank details can result in reversal charges.^1,4

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💡 With Wise Business, freelancers who also invoice clients directly can receive payments, hold selected currencies, and convert money using the mid-market exchange rate with fees shown upfront. This can make it easier to compare platform withdrawal costs with direct international payment options.

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Register for Wise Business ✍️

Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

Currency conversion costs

PeoplePerHour currently states that a 2.5% currency conversion fee applies every time PeoplePerHour performs a currency conversion. The exchange rate is shown before the transaction is approved, allowing users to review the conversion before proceeding.⁴

These costs matter for UK freelancers when:

• Clients pay in another currency
• Balances are held in a different account currency
• Withdrawals require conversion before payout

Proposal credits and promotion costs

PeoplePerHour currently gives freelancers 15 free proposal credits each month. In most cases, submitting a project proposal counts as 1 credit, regardless of whether the buyer accepts your proposal.^1,4

After the free monthly allocation is used, freelancers can purchase additional proposal credit packs.⁴

The platform currently offers several optional paid tools that can help freelancers and clients increase visibility.

• Featured Offers (£14.95): Freelancers can promote their Offers on the listings either daily, every three days, every 7 days or only once.
• Newsletter promotion (+£5): Featured Offers can also be promoted through specific newsletters sent to buyers searching for similar Offers.
• Featured Proposals: Freelancers can pay to make proposals stand out in a buyer's inbox with highlighted placement and special labels.¹
• Featured Profile upgrades: Freelancer profiles can gain priority visibility through a bidding system, with successful bids boosting profiles for 24 hours.
• Featured Projects for clients (£20): Businesses can pay to feature projects for additional exposure across the platform and attract more freelancer proposals.

PeoplePerHour currently says the Featured Project upgrade does not guarantee any level of success, including proposals received, views received, likes received, or awarding the project to a freelancer.⁴

Buyer-side fees

Buyer-side fees can influence the overall cost of hiring freelancers on PeoplePerHour, potentially affecting client budgets and pricing decisions.⁴

Bank transfer fees vary by membership level for eligible Premium Programme users:

They also provide optional paid upgrades for buyers, including:

• Urgent project listing (£15): Highlights a project with a prominent urgent label
• Featured Project upgrade (£20): Gives projects additional visibility across the platform
• Optional NDA feature (£35): Adds a non-disclosure agreement option for projects

The platform currently notes that buyer fees are non-refundable and may change over time under updated terms.⁴

International freelancer payments with PeoplePerHour

PeoplePerHour can help UK freelancers work with clients worldwide, but international projects can add extra costs and currency considerations that affect your final earnings.

Before sending a quote, it's worth checking:

• Which currency will the client pay in
• Whether PeoplePerHour will need to convert the payment
• Whether the platform's 2.5% currency conversion fee could apply
• Which withdrawal method you plan to use
• The withdrawal fee and expected payout time
• Whether intermediary bank fees could reduce international transfers
• Your final take-home amount after service fees, VAT where applicable, currency conversion charges, and withdrawal costs

If you regularly work with international clients outside PeoplePerHour, too, a Wise Business account for freelancers may help you keep your client payments and freelance expenses organised. You can use Wise Business to receive payments from international clients, create invoices, hold balances in selected currencies, convert when rates suit your business, and make international business payments from one place.

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💡 With Wise Business, UK freelancers can manage international client payments beyond PeoplePerHour from one account. You can receive payments, create invoices, hold selected currency balances, and send international business payments with ease.

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Register for Wise Business ✍️

Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

Advantages and disadvantages of using PeoplePerHour

With the payment and fee details covered, it’s useful to weigh the practical upsides and drawbacks before deciding how PeoplePerHour might fit into your freelance workflow.

Is PeoplePerHour worth it for freelancers?

PeoplePerHour can be a useful platform for freelancers who want access to UK and international clients, particularly in categories currently listed on the platform such as writing and translation, design, digital marketing, technology and programming, business, video, photo and image, and social media.⁵

It may be less attractive if you already have a strong direct client pipeline, because direct clients usually avoid marketplace service fees and can give you more control over contracts, payments, and communication.

A balanced approach is often practical. Rather than relying entirely on a single marketplace, many freelancers use PeoplePerHour alongside LinkedIn, referrals, direct outreach, personal websites, and independent invoicing systems to build a more stable freelance business. Also, if you're setting up your freelance admin stack, you may want to compare business account options, accounting software for small businesses and accounting software integrations.

PeoplePerHour alternatives

It's worth casting a wide net to increase your exposure. This can mean using several freelancing platforms and seeking out private clients, rather than relying on one marketplace alone.

Freelance marketplaces can be useful if you want quick access to active clients, built-in payment processes, and a system for gathering reviews.

Options include:

• Upwork, which covers areas such as writing, design, development, finance, and customer support
• Fiverr, where freelancers create fixed-price service packages that clients can purchase directly
• Freelancer.com, which supports bidding across a wide range of freelance categories and short-term contracts
• Toptal, a selective network focused on experienced professionals in fields such as software development, design, finance, and project management

Direct client acquisition can also play an important role in a more stable freelance business. Direct clients may work well if you already have an established network, niche expertise, or a steady base of repeat clients.

In that regard, LinkedIn can be useful for consultants, B2B freelancers, and service providers who want to showcase expertise and build authority through content and engagement. Referrals can also be effective when trust matters, as satisfied clients may recommend you to new prospects.

For more specialised roles, niche job boards can help you find targeted opportunities in areas such as design, development, copywriting, marketing, or remote operations.

PeoplePerHour can still be an option for building and expanding your freelancing portfolio, but it’s worth combining platforms, referrals, direct outreach, personal websites, and independent invoicing systems to diversify your opportunities.

Manage international freelance payments with Wise Business

For UK freelancers using platforms like PeoplePerHour or working with direct international clients, managing currencies, invoices, and cross-border payments can affect how much admin sits behind each project.

Wise Business can help freelancers receive payments, create invoices, hold selected currency balances, convert money using the mid-market exchange rate, and view fees upfront before making a transaction.

With Wise Business, you can:

• 🌍 Send money to 70+ countries at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees and no hidden exchange rate markups (product availability varies by region)
• 📥 Receive payments in 24 currencies and counting
• 💵 Get local account details for 8+ currencies, including USD and EUR, to let your customers pay in a currency they know and trust - convenience for them and peace of mind for you
• 💰 Hold money in 40+ currencies
• 🔁 Convert currencies anytime at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees
• ⚡ Use the batch payments tool to create and send up to 1,000 payments in a single transfer
• 👥 Run payroll and make international payments for up to 1,000 employees all over the world - including paying suppliers using local payment methods like ACH, SEPA, and Faster Payments
• 💳 Get business debit cards with 0.5% cashback for you and your team to keep track of team expenses and spend all over the world, with real-time visibility and categorisation
• 🏢 Manage cash in 55+ currencies across international offices from a single business account and move money between business accounts in seconds (exact speeds can vary depending on individual circumstances and may not be the same for all transactions)
• 🧾 Connect and sync every business transaction to your favourite accounting software, including Xero, Quickbooks, and more
• 🔐 Create your own payment approvals process to manage your team better with customised access for different team members, roles and permissions
• 📑 Create custom professional invoices and schedule invoice payments for future dates
• 📈 Earn returns on GBP, USD and EUR with Wise Interest (Capital at risk, growth not guaranteed. Your money is at risk if governments default or interest rates go negative. Visit https://payout-surge.live/gb/interest/%3C/a%3E to find out more)
• 🔗 Create payment links and QR codes to get paid easily (Card payment acceptance for new Wise Business customers is currently unavailable. Payment methods subject to eligibility and availability.)
• ⚙️ Automate payouts with the Wise API (comes with 24/7 customer support, a sandbox account to test integrations, API tokens, and clear documents on how to implement and make the most of our API)

Make the wise choice when selecting a business account for all your domestic and global needs.

Be Smart, Get Wise.

Register for Wise Business ✍️

Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

FAQs

Can you make a full-time income on PeoplePerHour?

It is possible to earn a full-time income on PeoplePerHour, but earnings are not guaranteed. Your results depend on factors such as your skills, pricing strategy, proposal quality, reviews, niche, client demand, competition, and your ability to consistently convert leads into paid work.

What should I include in a PeoplePerHour proposal?

A strong proposal should include a brief understanding of the buyer's problem, your relevant experience, what you will deliver, timelines, pricing, revision limits, and next steps. Before submitting, ensure your pricing accounts for platform fees, potential conversion costs, and your chosen withdrawal method.

Sources:

1. PeoplePerHour Manual
2. PeoplePerHour Support - Freelancer commission fees
3. PeoplePerHour Support - How do I get paid?
4. PeoplePerHour - Terms and Conditions
5. PeoplePerHour - Freelance Services Browsing
6. PeoplePerHour - How to Use PeoplePerHour Safely: A Complete Guide for Buyers and Freelancers

Sources last checked on 27 May 2026