Is Fiverr Legit? – My 2019 Review

As you surf the internet looking for authentic and realistic ways to make some online income from home, you may have come across this platform.

Is Fiverr legit? My 2019 review here will delve deeper into what this company is all about and whether it might be a good opportunity for you for creating online income from home.

What is Fiverr?

Fiverr is a worldwide, online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers for all kinds of freelance tasks and services.  The tasks and services begin at a cost of $5.00, hence the name.  It first launched on February 1, 2010, and has since become a major player in the online jobs market. Its headquarters are in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Fiverr is available in several languages including English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch.

Who is it For?

Fiverr is for absolutely anyone, anywhere in the world that has internet.

It is a good place to start if you would like to make some online income from home because it is free to join so this makes it attractive to those who are on a budget or simply don’t want to have to pay to join a freelance platform.

According to Wikipedia, the rate of sellers on the Fiverr platform in the 55 to 65 age bracket grew 375% at the end of the second quarter of 2015 when compared to the previous year.

So, those of us in the ‘evergreen’ generation are using this platform.

The Basics

Name	Fiverr
Website	fiverr.com
Owner	Fiverr International Limited
Price	Membership is free
What you get	Online access to a database of individuals or companies either looking for a service or task to be performed for them or offering to perform specified tasks or services for others
Guarantee	None
CRIO rating (0-10)	8.7

Review of Fiverr

Essentially, Fiverr is an online marketplace that connects buyers to sellers through a ‘gig’, or service, that the freelancer is selling.  The platform is global and purports to have a very fast turn-around time from a seller to a buyer. There are many categories available.

First, you must sign up to join and this is free.  Once you have confirmed your registration via email, you are ready to go.

For Sellers

As a seller, you will need to create your profile.  This is how you will display yourself to potential clients and the community so it needs to be professional and there are videos with lots of tips to help you do this.

You will then create your “gig” which is the service that you are selling on the Fiverr platform. The gig is the opportunity for you to showcase your talent and provide buyers with the information they need to help them decide if they want to do business with you.

You will be guided with a step-by-step process on how to set up your gig.  This will include the details you need to put in such as:

• Gig title
• Category
• Delivery time (how long it takes you to complete a gig)
• A detailed description of your gig
• Photos of your work
• Video (required for Video and Animation category)
• Price for your service (this range is from $5.00 to $995.00)

It is suggested that you create a video for yourself because, as a seller, this is considered the best way to attract a buyer.  If your gig is in the “Video and Animation” category, it is required that you create a video.  It is optional for all other categories.

Seller Levels

When you first join, you are considered to be a ‘New Seller’. Fiverr will monitor your progress monthly as a seller and you have the opportunity to achieve a higher seller level status.  In order to do this, you must meet certain criteria in terms of the number of orders you have completed,  your earning level, delivery time and the quality of your work.

Once you have met these criteria you will be entitled to receive benefits such as being able to offer additional services on top of your regular gig at a price that you set and getting assistance from one of Fiverr’s ‘Success Managers’ to help you grow your business.  Once you reach the highest Seller level, of which there are 3, you will be promoted in Fiverr’s emails, ads, and other marketing strategies.

Fiverr Pro

This feature is open to both freelance professionals who are new to the Fiverr platform, or for those who are long-time, successful sellers already in the program.

Fiverr Pro connects the top freelancers with high-level customers and allows them to gain entry to premium business design projects.

The procedure requires that you fill out an application and go through a vetting process and Fiverr will determine if you are at this elite seller level.  If you are accepted you will have access to more opportunities and new business channels with the help of dedicated ‘Success Managers’ at Fiverr.

There is no additional fee to become a Fiverr Pro.

For Buyers

If you are a buyer, you will use the search and side filters to locate a suitable freelancer for your project.  Choosing the right freelancer is quite easy to do with the available features on the platform such as:

• You can check out work samples of the freelancer
• Read feedback from other buyers
• Choose a package that suits your needs
• Connect with the freelancer yourself with any questions you may have

An additional feature is that if you don’t have the time to browse for services, you just ask what you need to have done, set your budget and delivery time for your project and you will receive custom offers directly to your inbox.

How Can I Make Money?

Fiverr makes its money by charging commissions to both the buyer and the seller.

The payment policy is transparent and straightforward and there are no hidden fees. Everything is clearly stated in their ‘Terms of Service’ which was updated on January 2019.

Sellers: Buyers who purchase your gig pay Fiverr in advance.  When your order as the seller is completed and successfully delivered, you will receive 80% of the total value of that order.  So, for example, if your service is $10.00, you would receive $8.00 from Fiverr.

Buyers: Buyers also pay a commission to Fiverr.  Once a buyer has agreed to a price with a seller, the buyer is charged a service fee by Fiverr to cover administrative costs.  As of May 2018, this service fee is $2.00 on purchases of up to $40.00 and 5% on purchases above $40.00.

Online Courses:

Fiverr offers a selection of online courses in the two areas of “Creative” and “Digital Marketing” in a section they call “Learn from Fiverr”.  Here you will find subjects such as:

• Adobe Photoshop
• Data Storytelling-Deliver Insights Via Compelling Stories
• Google Analytics
• Instagram Ad Fundamentals
• Facebook Ads Targeting

You must pay if you would like to do any of these courses and they range in the $25-$35  price bracket and some may be bundled together for a special price such as a bundle of 3 for $75.  Once you have successfully completed a course, you will receive a ‘badge’ that will appear on your seller’s page which may gain you more visibility in the marketplace.

You can even suggest a course and become an instructor yourself.

And CO by Fiverr-Invoice Software:

And Co is a software program for freelancers that is essentially an administrative platform to help the freelancer keep track of invoicing and payments, contracts, proposals, and expenses.

The basic package is free and the Pro version with more features is $18 a month or $72 yearly.  It has a live chat feature so that you can contact a real person at any time if you need help.

User experience:

The platform is well organized and easy to use and this is important because there are over 3,000,000 services offered.

Fiverr focuses on getting jobs done quickly, unlike some other platforms out there where the freelancer must go through an interview process or take a test.

I found it very easy to navigate even though there is a lot of information.

Help and Support

I found it almost impossible to locate an email address, direct telephone number or mailing address on the site.  However, I finally found that at the bottom of every informational page you will see “Do you still have questions” at which point you will have the “Contact Us” button option.  You can then submit a question but they say it will take 24 to 48 hours for them to respond.

I think that is too long and I wish there was a live chat option.  You may be right in the middle of something and need an immediate answer.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Free to join
• Very user-friendly
• Quick buy and sell platform

Cons:

• Slow response time from support
• Low rate when starting as a seller
• May take time to become established

Final Thoughts on Fiverr

I recommend Fiverr as a viable option for anyone thinking of freelancing and I believe it is legit. It is a good platform for people just starting out and also for those seasoned professionals who want to connect with a global community.

It is easy to navigate, even though there is a lot of information, and I love the fact that there is no fee to join.

There are so many categories to choose from to sell yourself as a freelancer and I like the various features to help you get started.  You are given step-by-step guidelines in setting up your profile and attracting potential buyers to your service.

As a buyer, there are also many attractive features such as being able to read feedback from other buyers when searching for a freelancer and being able to check out samples of their work without having to ask or wait.

However, I do believe there is the potential, as a buyer, to receive some poor quality services due to the very low starting price of $5.00.  The old adage of getting what you pay for comes to my mind so it would be wise to consider carefully what you are prepared to pay if you are looking for a quality freelancer.  This is where that feedback feature from other buyers is a true bonus.

As a seller, you may not be making much money, at least to begin with, as it may take some time to establish yourself and gain credibility and trust in the marketplace.

I am not thrilled by the fact that you have to wait 24-48 hours to get a response to a question. I think that a live chat feature would be a beneficial addition to the platform because the platform is fast-paced and you may need an answer quickly.  Time is money.

I thank you for taking the time to read this review and I welcome any comments or feedback you may have. 

Do you have any experience with Fiverr?  If so, I would love for you to share it with us.

Fiverr is just one of the options available to you as a freelancer.  If you would like to read about some more please see my article on Freelance Writing from Home.  

If you enjoy writing, you may be interested in the platform we use to make an online income and which is our number 1 recommendation for online work from home. 

For even more ways to create some online income for yourself, I suggest you read Money Making Ideas for Retirees.

Wishing you success!

Colette