Introduction
Upwork and Fiverr get all the attention when people talk about making money as a writer online. But they’re also the most crowded platforms out there. Below are five lesser-known options — four solid, legitimate choices, and one you should approach carefully.
1. Textbroker
Textbroker is a pay-per-word content marketplace. When you join, you get assigned a quality level from 2 to 5 stars based on a writing sample, and that level determines which paid orders you can pick up. You get paid automatically the moment a client accepts your article — no pitching, no negotiating.
- Pay: roughly $0.011 to $0.055 per word, depending on your level
- Entry barrier: low — just a sample test to get started
- Payout: immediate, once your article is accepted
- Best for: beginners who want steady work without back-and-forth negotiation
2. ProBlogger Job Board
This isn’t a marketplace where you bid against other freelancers — it’s a curated job board. Blogs, publications, and companies post writing roles directly, ranging from one-off articles to long-term retainer contracts. Since you apply straight to the client, there’s no platform commission at all.
- Pay: set individually by each client
- Fee: $0 — it’s just a job board
- Best for: writers who want longer-term contracts instead of one-off gigs
3. WriterAccess
WriterAccess matches vetted writers with brands and agencies that need ongoing content — blog posts, product copy, email campaigns, and more. It feels more professional than Textbroker: you build a public portfolio, set your rates within tiers, and can be invited directly into bigger projects.
- Pay: based on your star level
- Entry barrier: application plus writing samples
- Best for: writers who already have a portfolio and want brand or agency clients
4. Contra
Contra’s whole pitch is “independent” — it charges 0% commission on what you earn. You build a portfolio-style profile, clients find and message you directly, and payments run through Contra’s own tool without any cut taken from your rate.
- Commission: 0%
- Entry barrier: free signup
- Best for: established writers who want a clean portfolio and to keep all their earnings
5. Writers Labs — Use With Caution ⚠️
Writers Labs (writerslabs.com) offers part-time writing work with international clients and has been around since 2015 with steady traffic. I’m including it because it comes up often in “writing jobs” searches, but it doesn’t have the same transparency as the four platforms above.
Before you sign up: the site doesn’t publish who owns or founded it, there’s no listed address or official contact information, and user reviews online are mixed. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s a scam, but it does mean you can’t verify who you’re dealing with the way you can with the other platforms here. As a rule, never pay an upfront “registration” or “membership” fee to join a writing site, and check recent reviews before handing over personal details.
Website No 5- Pay structure: not publicly listed
- Transparency: low
- Best for: nobody, until you’ve done your own research — try the other four first
A quick tip: don’t spread yourself thin across all five at once. Pick the one or two that fit your niche and experience level, build a track record, then expand from there. And for any platform — even the well-established ones — always double-check current fees and terms before signing up, since these details change over time.
