Textbroker vs. Fiverr | Scripted (2024)

Many businesses and brands turn to the budget-friendly content marketplaces Textbroker and Fiverr for thefreelance writing that powers their content campaigns. Let’s take a look at the differences andsimilarities in these two services.

Textbroker: A Content Pioneer

Las Vegas-based Textbroker was launched in 2007, making it the first content marketing service of its kind.This simple platform offered a place where clients could postcontent requests of all kinds to a general job board, and mostly part-time freelance writers looking for away to work from home could grab jobs for a quick turnaround at very low payouts starting at a fraction of acent per word.

In those early days, many clients turned to Textbroker for small, keyword-stuffed pieces that could be usedto boost a website’s search rankings. Today, this multinational platform still offers low-cost content on avariety of topics, but it also offers servicesin multiple languages as well as managed accounts for business customers in the United States and around the world.

Textbroker Ordering

On Textbroker, open writing assignments are posted as “Open Orders,” ranked according to a rating system oftwo to five stars, which indicate the quality level needed for the job. Open Orders also clearly state thejob price, which starts at around $0.2 per word for basic, two-star writing skills. Clients posting jobs atthis price must be willing to accept low quality writing in exchange for the low cost. A four- or five-starwriter can earn an average of $0.7 per word, with publication-worthy writing and error-free grammar and style.

Writers can also get Direct Orders from clients who select them personally or be invited to join a group ofwriters for Team Orders, which are managed by Textbroker for specific clients who have long-term contentprojects. All jobs include a $0.40 processing fee.

Textbroker for Freelancers: Open to Beginners

Textbroker’s goal is to make content available to anyone, so it gives customers the freedom to set their ownpriorities about quality and price. That also makes it easier for a new freelance writer to find work onTextbroker than on many other content creation platforms. Just about anyone can get started writing forTextbroker with a free account. Writers then provide a writing sample and take a simple grammar and spellingtest. Based on quality, a content writer is assigned a star rating that can change as work is completed andreviewed. Writers can claim any Open Orders at their current rating or below.

Completed work on Textbroker is paid out twice weekly, and freelancers can request a payout when theiraccount holds a minimum of $10. It can take time and effort to make significant money freelancing onTextbroker, but those with fluency in languages other than English also have access to specialized jobs andtranslation work as well. Writers can also make more through Direct Orders from a client who likes theirwork and sets a custom price.

Textbroker Pricing and Plans: Something for Everyone

Textbroker’s clients typically post individual jobs on their own, from their account dashboard. When a jobis completed and accepted, they place payment into the writer’s Textbroker account.

But Textbroker also offers managed options.Team Orders are coordinated by an account manager who inviteswriters to the team and handles the processing of all orders on the account. The Managed Service plan offerscustomized writing services, full-service account management and access to additional services such assearch optimization and translation into over 10 languages. Managed Service plans begin at a base priceof $2500, but each client receives a custom quote based on individual needs, so costs can run much higher,or change over time.

Fiverr: A Marketplace for Everyone

Like Textbroker, Fiverr is an online marketplacewhere clients and content producers come together toarrange services in any price range. Fiverr was originally marketed as a place where all kinds of “jobs”from freelancers ranging from logo designers to product photographers could be purchased for just $5. Now,though, Fiverr allows entrepreneurs in all kinds of industries and specialties to offer freelance servicesat any rate they choose in its open Marketplace.

In the Fiverr system, freelancers are called “sellers,” and the clients who seek their services are knownas “buyers.” Both buyers and sellers can get started on Fiverr with a free account, where they can managejobs and handle payments. Fiverr’s general platform is a true marketplace, with no vetting from the platformor entry requirements for sellers. On the marketplace, it’s up to buyer and seller to handle transactions,with general customer support from the Fiverr team. Fiverr sellers can promote themselves and their servicesby posting portfolios and samples, and featuring reviews on their seller page.

Fiverr Ordering

There’s no limit to the number of jobs a buyer can purchase, or that a seller can offer, but Fiverr takes afee from each transaction. For buyers, Fiverr claims $1 on purchases up to $20, and five percent of thepurchase price on jobs costing more than that. For sellers, Fiverr takes 20 percent of each job, plus a feeto transfer money into external accounts such as PayPal or a seller’s bank.

Among the services Fiverr offers is a managed plan for business clients with specialized needs. TheFiverr Business plan includes a dedicatedaccount manager who can find qualified freelancers on the marketplace,set up and coordinate freelance teams from a variety of specialties, and handle all other aspects of doingbusiness on the platform. Fiverr Business costs $149 per year, and the first year can be free under variousspecial deals.