How to Find a Cryptocurrency Freelancer?
We have constructed this quick guide on how to find cryptocurrency freelancer for your projects. The article goes over pros and cons of employing a cryptocurrency freelancer over more traditionally paid ones. Then we investigate platforms where you can post your work and evaluate them in terms of fees, privacy, security and service availability.
It is important to mention that this article looks at the topic from employer’s perspective. Results from the investigation and discussion itself provide answers for investors and companies that wish to employ freelancers. The platforms that we shall go over are XBT Freelancer, Cryptogrind, and Coinality.
Pros and Cons of Crypto Freelancers
Before you enter the crypto freelance arena, you should understand differences between crypto and fiat off-site employment. Pros and cons need to be considered, especially since the said industry is still trying to push itself off.
Pros
- most of the online entrepreneurs would provide rate discounts if paid in cryptocurrencies
- platforms usually offer entrance bonuses and low fees for employers
- possibility to operate completely anonymously, especially since blockchain technology does not record personal information in its ledger
Cons
- numbers of freelancers smaller than on fiat-based platforms, such as Upwork, eLance, and Freelancer.com
- highly fluctuating value of the cryptocoin, which could lead towards additional cost being generated in a short time if the value goes up
- the industry is still relatively small, with very limited choice of platforms available
Overall, we can say that crypto freelance is an exciting new marketplace, where you can get cheaper prices for projects that need to be done. You have privacy and platforms do offer discounts and low fees for their services. However, keep in mind that industry is still relatively new. It means that employee pool and platforms offering the service are smaller in number than those that with regular money.
XBT Freelancer
The interesting thing about XBT Freelancer, apart from being one of the pioneers of the crypto freelance sector, is that owners are not known. We tried detecting the company behind the platform or its headquarters and have found no data. There is no background information about starting the year, though, at Facebook, the very first activity was recorded in 2015.
Their platform itself functions much like Freelancer.com, since you, as an employer, create a profile and post a project online. Freelancers would then bid on their offers and experience and you get to choose the best available option. You can check out the project ads in the picture below.
The design is simple, nothing flashy compared to Cryptogrind. Currently, there are about 100 active projects going on while a number of freelancers are said to be 59.000. We do have to say that most of them are not regularly active, as numbers of bids made can attest.
Freelancers have profiles that offer details about projects that they have finalized, ratings they have got and professional experience. You can list them by skills, date joined, and reviews as seen below.
As an employer, you do not need to verify your account with scanned ID. The service is available globally, with no limitations set on specific countries. As for the jobs, the platform is filled mostly by IT and writing-related jobs, with few marketing/sales positions available. Most of the projects offered are short-term oriented even though you do have an option to post part, full, hour and fixed-price projects.
Posting a project and funds deposits do not carry a cost while withdrawals carry 0.0005 BTC expense. Milestones released also do not carry any costs as well but you should keep in mind that freelancers pay 10% of the value. In many cases, employees would include the said fee in their project worth.
Cryptogrind
Unlike XBT Freelancer, Cryptogrind’s owner is known. He is Richard Macarthy, a professional developer based in the United Kingdom who constructed and maintains the website. Cryptogrind offers payments expressed in BTC and USD, with multisig escrow service available for both employers and freelancers.
Posting projects do not cost a thing while escrow money releases carry a 4% fees for freelancers only. Much like inn XBT Freelancer, project creators have favored in costs though again, we would say that most employees would include the said costs in the project’s value.
As with other platforms, you do not need to verify your identity and payment methods to partake in the market. Freelancers would trust you more if you do complete identity check but you can also easily operate unverified.
The platform offers space for marketing and programming professionals mostly, with around 25 projects being active at the time. Cryptogrind is a lot less popular option than XBT Freelancer while the number of freelancers stands at around 1.400. You can check out ads for employers below.
Coinality
Coinality, much like XBT Freelancer and Cryptogrind, offers a single marketplace where freelancers and employers could connect. The company, Coinality LLC, offers three distinctive platforms that you should be aware of.
Coinality.com offers completely free service for both freelancers and employers though at the cost of security tools. The platform is filled usually by programming and writing projects, mostly related to cryptocurrency, as seen below. The design is very simple, with no verification of identity required by employers.
Coinality.io is still in development and is meant for best freelancers to compete in developing projects. The last platform is the BitcoinJobFair.com, which serves more as an event presentation. The fairs would be organized across the US, as seen below.
Conclusion
When putting everything on one page, nothing really extinguishes these platforms when employers are in question There are no fees and nor are you required to provide personal documents if you do not wish so. The supply is growing steadily, with many freelancers now offering marketing, writing and developing skills for you to use.
XBT Freelancer is probably the most popular option right now in terms of freelancer numbers and projects posted. Others do offer same services but are smaller in employee numbers. Read full freelancing reviews of each platform at Cryptocoinzone XBT Freelancer, Cryptogrind, and Coinality.