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What's the difference between a freelancer and an agency on Upwork?

Compare hiring freelancers vs. agencies for your project and learn the key differences.



Whether your project is simple or complex, we offer two flexible ways to get it done: hire an individual freelancer or work with an agency. Here’s how they compare:


Freelancers: Independent professionals you hire directly

  • Work one-on-one. You communicate directly with the freelancer and manage the contract yourself

  • Pay them directly. The freelancer sets their own rate, and your payments go straight to them

  • Flexible for solo tasks. Perfect for projects that only need one expert — though you can hire multiple freelancers if needed


Agencies: Teams of freelancers under one profile

  • Hire the agency, not just a person. You may work with the agency owner, a project manager, or other team members — depending on how the agency is structured

  • Payments go to the agency. They handle paying their team members based on their internal agreements

  • Great for team-based work. Ideal if your project needs multiple skill sets or contributors working together


Which one’s right for you?

If you need just one person to handle a task, hiring a freelancer may be all you need. If your project requires a team — designers, developers, marketers, and more — an agency can help you get it all in one place.

 

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