If you’re launching a product or website and just realized you haven’t figured out a UX designer situation yet, don’t panic!
I’ve been in your position with my own site and have figured out the right (and wrong) places to find freelance UX designers. This isn’t a random list. I’ve tested these companies and giving you my personal thoughts.
Whether you're enhancing your blog's user interface or maybe you’re a UX designer looking for a place to offer your skills, we've got you covered.
Our Favorite UX Freelancer Websites
Upwork: Best for small businesses.
Fiverr: Best for smaller budgets.
Toptal: Best for hiring top UX designers.
Dribbble: Best for designers specifically.
ValueCoders: Best for enterprises.
Upstack: Best for customized matches.
Freelancer: Best for a wide variety of talent and project types.
Arc.dev: Best for accessing top-tier developer talent.
Guru: Best for flexible job terms and a broad range of expertise.
Truelancer: Best for finding diverse global talent on a budget.
People Per Hour: Best for quick hiring and per-hour projects.
Looking for work? Check out out list of the best websites to find work as a UX designer
Best for UX (User Experience)
- Get a comprehensive UX strategy
- Dedicated UX designers and researchers
- Build your visual brand identity and high-converting designs
Best for UI (User Interface)
- Mobile and website user interface design
- High-end, yet affordable graphic design
- Great for agencies and digital marketing teams who need a quick turnaround time
Table of Contents
- Our Favorite UX Freelancer Websites
- 11 Best Freelance Websites for UX Designers
- Best Freelance Websites by Category
- Where Can I Find Freelance UX Designers?
- What Do Freelance UX Designers Do?
- Is Hiring a Freelance UX Designer Worth It?
- How Much Does a Freelance UX Designer Charge?
- How to Hire a Freelance UX designer
- FAQs
We offer this website completely free to our visitors. To help pay the bills, we’ll often (but not always) set up affiliate relationships with the top providers after selecting our favorites. However, we do our best not to let this impact our choices. There are plenty of high-paying companies we’ve turned down because we didn’t like their product.
An added benefit of our relationships is that we always try to negotiate exclusive discounts for our visitors.
11 Best Freelance Websites for UX Designers
We've done the research so you can focus on picking the right UX designer for your site.
1. Upwork
Best for small businesses – 4.0/5 Rating
Upwork is trusted by Fortune 500 companies like Airbnb, DropBox, and GE. So why wouldn’t they be great at providing your small company with a seriously skilled UX designer?
With Upwork, the power of the job posting rests in your hands.
You start by posting a job with all of your desired specifications in the description. Upwork then provides you with a shortlist of Upwork’s best UX designers with the specifications you need for you to choose from.
By looking at these UX design experts’ profiles, you can view their body of work, resumes, and see their typical hourly rates. You can also see the profiles of freelance UX designers that apply specifically to your job posting, so you know they’re already interested.
A quick search for “UX designer” led me to pages upon pages of top-rated UX designers with impressive resumes, many with reasonable hourly rates. Perfect for small businesses.
Read our Upwork review.
Pros
- Large global marketplace with a diverse pool of UX designers
- Detailed profiles include portfolios and client reviews
- Flexible hiring options for both short and long-term projects
- Secure payment system with Upwork's protection policies
Cons
- Service fees can be high for both freelancers and clients
- High competition among freelancers can make it hard for new clients to identify top-talent
- The vetting process for designers can be time-consuming
2. Fiverr
Best for smaller budgets – 4.0/5 Rating
Fiverr was named for its freelancers offering services starting at just $5, so of course, it’s our pick for budget-friendly freelance UX designers.
You can filter UX design specialists based on their specialty and what markets they have experience in, like mobile app or website design, and even choose a freelancer who can provide both UX and UI services, making it perfect to find the right UX designer for the job.
There are also filters for budget, service options, and delivery time, allowing you to find a UX designer that can get your project done within a 24-hour turnaround and for a solid hourly rate, if necessary.
With Fiverr, it’s up to the client to search for the UX designer they need. You can easily see what a freelancer’s rates are and contact them to negotiate a deal that will make you both happy.
Read our Fiverr review.
Pros
- Wide range of UX design services at competitive prices
- Easy to use with a clear, structured service offering
- Freelancer ratings and reviews help gauge service quality
- Quick gig-style project turnaround is possible
Cons
- Quality may vary significantly between low and high-cost providers
- Fiverr's service fee adds to the total cost for clients
- The platform's focus on quick turnaround may affect project depth and quality
3. Toptal
Best for hiring top UX designers
Toptal only accepts the top 3% of freelance UX designers that apply to its site, making it perfect for folks relying heavily on UX design for their projects.
They’re known for their rigorous screening process when selecting UX designers with various skill tests on things like design thinking, prototyping, and basic front-end coding. This means if you choose to go with Toptal, you’ll be getting the best of the best.
Toptal works with each client personally and connects them with the right candidate or team of candidates based on the specific needs of that company.
They also have a job board feature that lets you search and contact UX design candidates based on their expertise.
Pros
- Rigorous screening process ensures high-quality UX designer talent
- Focus on matching top-tier freelancers with clients
- Dedicated support from Toptal for both clients and freelancers
Cons
- Higher rates due to the premium talent pool
- Not suitable for clients with a limited budget
- The matching process can be slower than less curated platforms
4. Dribbble
Best for designers specifically
With a focus on providing solely designing freelancers to clients, Dribbble is our pick for specialized freelance UX designers.
Not only do they provide buyers and businesses with stellar freelance UX designers, but they also have training materials for the designing freelancers who look for work on their site. Chances are, the UX designer that you hire is committed to bettering their abilities and learning new skills, and a motivated designer is a great designer.
When you search for UX designers, you can see samples of their work right from the page, without having to click through their profiles. This streamlines the process and saves you a lot of time.
Pros
- Community of creative professionals with a strong focus on design
- Portfolios showcase work directly, aiding in the vetting process
- Job board and freelance project features are specifically tailored for designers
Cons
- No integrated project management tools
- Dribbble Pro subscription required for full access to hiring features
- The platform is more of a networking site than a dedicated hiring platform
5. ValueCoders
Best for enterprises
With a massive amount of expert UX designers, ValueCoders is a great option to outsource your UX design needs.
They have experience working with over 2,500 companies across a variety of different industries and of all sizes, from small startups to large Fortune 500 companies.
In their over 17 years in business, the India-based company has maintained an impressive 97% customer satisfaction rate, so it’s clear that they provide their clients with great services.
With this option you can hire a full team of UX designers, making it great for large enterprises.
Pros
- Specializes in providing offshore development and design talent
- Offers dedicated teams for long-term projects
- Emphasizes skilled and experienced UX/UI designers
Cons
- Geared more towards development than solo UX design projects
- Time zone differences may pose challenges for communication
- Potential language barriers with offshore professionals
6. Upstack
Best for customized matches
UpStack actively seeks out talented, qualified UX designers to feature on their site.
They do this by using a rigorous 8-point hiring process to ensure the freelancers featured on their site have not only top-notch accounting tech development skills, great communication skills and personalities that will mesh with your team.
UpStack offers talent in a diverse set of fields with skills and complementary abilities that make all of their UX designers valuable, including abilities in things like design and conducting user testing.
They’ve worked for big-name brands like Microsoft and Lego, proving that the talent level of their software testing freelancers is well above average. However, UpStack has a diverse talent pool that’s both scalable and customizable depending on the size and scope of your software company.
Pros
- Access to a pre-vetted pool of professional UX designers
- Personal matching process to find suitable candidates
- Emphasis on high-quality talent with a rigorous vetting process
Cons
- More expensive than other platforms due to the quality of talent
- Not ideal for businesses looking for one-off tasks or smaller projects
- The sign-up process can be extensive compared to other platforms
Read our UpStack Review.
7. Freelancer
Freelancer is one of the OG freelancing marketplaces, and as such, has more UX designers than many other sites on this list.
Freelancer has the profiles of over 50 million freelancers– more than Upwork or Fiverr. So you’re bound to find plenty of options for UX designers within your budget and with the qualifications necessary to complete any UX design job.
They also have convenient features like a time tracker and a mobile app so that you can check on the progress of your UX design specialist in real-time, whether you have access to your computer or not.
Pros
- One of the largest freelancing platforms with a wide variety of UX designers
- Competitive bidding system can lead to lower project costs
- Milestone payment system offers security for project funds
Cons
- Varying levels of designer experience and expertise
- The platform's fee structure can add to project costs
- Finding the right match may require sifting through a large number of proposals
Read our Freelancer Review.
8. Arc.dev
With a special “Silicon-Valley Caliber Vetting” system, Arc only lets the top 1.1% of freelance UX designers on its site.
Huge companies like Spotify, HubSpot, and Hims have used Arc’s stellar, global pool of over 200 qualified UX designers to get their projects done well.
Arc’s UX designers have decades of experience in UX and UI, some skilled in JavaScript, Angular, and Adobe XD.
You also have the option to hire a freelance or permanent UX designer in an incredibly short amount of time. It takes about 72 hours to get matched with a freelancer or 14 days for a permanent addition to the team.
Pros
- Specializes in remote tech talent, including UX designers
- Pre-vetted designers ensure professional quality
- Offers a risk-free trial period for new hires
Cons
- Premium pricing for high-caliber professionals
- Limited pool of candidates compared to larger marketplaces
- Focuses on long-term hires, which may not be ideal for short-term needs
9. Guru
Guru is a freelancing site that is home to the profiles of over 72,449 freelancers capable of using various software that can either be paid for contract work or long-term positions, depending on the needs of your business. They have plenty of talented UX designers available as well.
Clients can browse through Guru’s freelancer list by first selecting “UX design” as their main category. The site lists both individual freelance accountants and agencies, so you have some versatility there. There are dozens of subcategories to choose from, allowing users to focus their search based on specific needs.
Once you find a UX designer that you’re interested in, you can contact them and come to an agreement on your own. If you’d rather let the experts come to you, you can post a job on Guru’s job board and wait for developers to reach out to you.
When you and your software tester get paired, Guru provides you with dedicated “WorkRooms” that you can use to collaborate with your UX designer.
Pros
- Lower fees compared to other platforms
- Provides a flexible range of freelancer experience levels
- SafePay payment protection for secure transactions
Cons
- Smaller pool of UX designers than larger platforms
- Quality and experience of freelancers can be inconsistent
- The interface is not as modern or user-friendly as competitors
10. Truelancer
With a large variety of talent from all around the world, Truelancer is another fantastic pick for finding a freelancing UX designer for your big idea.
You immediately see a list of top UX design freelancers with their qualifications, any relevant degrees or certifications, location, and rates. They also list their specialties so that you can find a UX design expert with knowledge in AdobeXD, JavaScript, and Angular.
Each profile features a short intro written by the freelancer that allows you to get a feel for who they are as a person and whether or not their personality could be a good fit for your team.
Pros
- Offers a variety of freelance UX design professionals
- Free job posting with competitive proposals
- Flexible hiring models, including fixed-price and hourly rates
Cons
- The platform is less known, which may affect the number of available candidates
- Quality assurance varies due to the diverse level of talents
- Service fee added to client payments
11. People Per Hour
For those times when you realize all too late that you need a UX designer and need one ASAP, turn to People Per Hour.
They have profiles for UX designers from all around the world, with options for every budget. You can browse through freelance UX designers' resumes and portfolios to find one with a body of work that fits the needs of your project.
Our favorite feature that People Per Hour offers is a quick turnaround. You are certain to find a UX designer within 24 hours.
People Per Hour has helped 100,000,000 tech businesses across the globe find folks to complete different tech projects for them, including UX design.
Pros
- Attracts a global pool of freelance professionals
- Allows clients to post projects for free and receive bids from professionals
- Workstream tool facilitates project management and communication
Cons
- Buyer fees apply to each transaction
- The quality of UX designers can vary widely
- The search and vetting process can be time-consuming
Best Freelance Websites by Category
Looking for more of the best freelance websites but need to browse by category? Check out our below freelance website reviews to either expand your portfolio or hire a freelancer for your next project.
- Freelancing Websites for Developers
- Freelancing Websites for WordPress Calculator Developers
- Freelancing Websites for AI Prompt Engineers
- Freelancing Websites for Graphic Designers
- Freelancing Websites for UX Designers
- Freelancing Websites for UI Designers
- Freelancing Websites for Illustrators
- Freelancing Websites for Writers
- Freelancing Websites for Accountants & Bookkeepers
- Freelancing Websites for Data Entry
- Freelancing Websites for Data Analysts
- Freelancing Websites for Data Scientists
- Freelancing Websites for Editors & Proofreaders
- Freelancing Websites for Digital Marketing
- Freelancing Websites for SEO Experts
- Freelancing Websites for Video Editors
- Freelancing Websites for Photographers
- Freelancing Websites for Virtual Assistants
- Freelancing Websites for Software Testers
- Freelancing Websites for Attorneys
- Freelancing Websites for Translators
- Freelancing Websites for Transcribers
- Freelancing Websites for Voice-Overs
- Freelancing Websites for College Students to Find Work
Where Can I Find Freelance UX Designers?
You can find freelance UX designers on multiple sites, like the list above.
We recommend using open marketplace sites with thousands of freelancers like Upwork and Fiverr for smaller companies with tighter budgets since they have a wider variety of talent offering services at different prices.
We recommend Toptal or Upstack for larger companies with larger budgets, as they thoroughly vet each of their freelancers to offer only the best UX designers.
What Do Freelance UX Designers Do?
Freelance UX designers work on the front end to design and implement elements that make for a great user experience.
The first thing they need to do is really get a feel for the brand and the message, conduct user research, and analyze their findings.
The UX designer then works on implementing what they have learned. This can include a variety of responsibilities, including designing wireframes and prototypes for the product, conducting user testing to see which one works best, and then presenting the final product to the client/business.
Check out our post to see what the difference between UI and UX is.
Is Hiring a Freelance UX Designer Worth It?
Hiring a freelance UX designer is absolutely worth it. The user is the reason that you stay in business and make money, so their experience is incredibly important.
A freelance UX designer is a great way to ensure the best experience possible for the user at a reasonable price within budget.
How Much Does a Freelance UX Designer Charge?
The rates for freelance UX designers can vary widely based on experience, expertise, location, and the complexity of the project.
Entry-level designers may charge as low as $25 per hour, while seasoned professionals with a robust portfolio and strong industry reputation could command rates upwards of $200 per hour.
Factors such as the length of the project and the specific deliverables required—like user research, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing—also influence the cost.
For project-based pricing, designers may quote a flat rate based on the estimated time and resources needed to complete the project.
It's important for clients to discuss the scope and expectations upfront to get an accurate estimate.
How to Hire a Freelance UX designer
The first step in hiring a freelance UX designer is to decide how much you can carve out of your budget to spend on one, keeping in mind that you will get what you pay for.
Once you have that number in mind, begin your search. If you need to find someone who can work with your tight budget or only want to hire someone for a short-term project, look to a site like Upwork or Fiverr.
If you have a larger budget and want a senior-level UX designer for a longer period, try Toptal or UpStack.
Once you find the right UX designer for the job, use the platform you found them on to draw up terms and rates that you can agree on.
Communicate regularly with your UX designer to make sure you’re on the same page.
Best for UX (User Experience)
- Get a comprehensive UX strategy
- Dedicated UX designers and researchers
- Build your visual brand identity and high-converting designs
Best for UI (User Interface)
- Mobile and website user interface design
- High-end, yet affordable graphic design
- Great for agencies and digital marketing teams who need a quick turnaround time
FAQs
Can you freelance as a UX designer?
Yes, freelancing is a popular and viable option for UX designers. Many choose to freelance to take advantage of the flexibility and variety it offers, working with different clients on diverse projects.
Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork provide a good starting point for UX designers to find freelance work. These marketplaces allow designers to create profiles, showcase their portfolios, and bid on projects that match their skills and interests.
Freelancing as a UX designer also means taking on the responsibility of managing your own business, including finding clients, setting rates, and handling administrative tasks.
It can be a rewarding career path for those who are self-motivated and enjoy the challenge of working on a freelance basis.
When should I hire a freelance UX designer?
You should consider hiring a freelance UX designer at the early stages of your project to ensure that user experience is central to the development process.
A UX designer can provide valuable insights into user needs and behaviors, help define the product strategy, and design the overall user journey.
Their expertise is crucial in creating a product that is not only functional but also intuitive and enjoyable to use.
Bringing a UX designer on board early on can help in prototyping, conducting user research, and iterating design solutions, which can save time and resources in the long run by building a solid foundation for your product's usability.
Where is the best place to find freelance UX designers for small businesses?
Upwork is indeed one of the best places for small businesses to find freelance UX designers. It offers a vast pool of talent from around the world, allowing you to find professionals with the exact skill set you need.
The platform's structure supports a range of project sizes, including smaller tasks suitable for limited budgets typical of small businesses. Upwork's review and rating system provides transparency about a freelancer's past performance, and the escrow payment system adds a layer of financial security.
Also, the ability to post a job and receive bids from interested freelancers helps ensure that you get competitive pricing for your UX design needs.
It's a user-friendly option that balances cost, convenience, and quality for small businesses looking to invest in good design.
How do I start freelance UX designing?
To start as a freelance UX designer, begin by building a strong portfolio that showcases your design skills, process, and understanding of user experience principles.
A well-crafted portfolio is crucial as it demonstrates your capabilities to potential clients. You can create profiles on freelancing platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, where you can list your services, set your rates, and apply for jobs.
Make sure your profile clearly communicates your expertise and includes case studies that highlight how you've solved design problems in the past. Networking within the design community and engaging in social media can also help you connect with potential clients.
Also, consider creating a personal website to further establish your online presence and credibility. Continuous learning and staying updated with the latest UX trends and tools will also be beneficial as you grow your freelance career.
Rashida Beal
Claire Fountain
