In a freelance marketplace landscape dominated by Upwork and Fiverr, Guru flies under the radar. Founded in 1998, it’s actually one of the oldest freelance platforms in existence — predating both of its more famous competitors by years.
Guru connects freelancers with clients across categories like web development, design, writing, marketing, engineering, legal, and administrative work. The platform has over 3 million registered freelancers and has facilitated over $250 million in projects.
So why doesn’t anyone talk about it?
Partly because Guru’s smaller size means less traffic and fewer projects than Upwork or Fiverr. But here’s the flip side: less traffic also means less competition. For freelancers who know how to position themselves, Guru can be a more accessible entry point than the overcrowded giants.
I’ve spent 15+ years evaluating online income methods, and Guru occupies an interesting niche: a viable freelance platform for people who’d get buried on Fiverr or outbid on Freelancer.com.
First This Is Important
Hey, my name is Mark.
After 15+ years testing online income methods, I’ve learned that freelance platforms — even smaller ones like Guru — still keep you on a bidding treadmill. You build reputation on someone else’s platform, compete for every project, and give a cut on every dollar.
The best method I’ve found for building income you own is local lead generation. Simple websites that rank in Google and generate customer leads for businesses. Each site pays $500–$1,200 monthly, recurring, with 92–97% margins. No proposals. No platform fees.
Go here to see the exact system I use to do this.
My business partner James built a system for people targeting their first $3,000–$5,000 monthly. But first — the full breakdown on Guru.
What Guru Is and How It Works
Guru is a freelance marketplace where clients post jobs and freelancers submit quotes (proposals). The platform covers virtually every digital service: web and software development, graphic design, writing and translation, marketing, data entry, engineering, architecture, legal, and administrative work.
What differentiates Guru from competitors is its WorkRoom system. When you’re hired for a project, you and the client collaborate within a dedicated WorkRoom — a project management space where you track milestones, share files, communicate, and manage payments. It’s more structured than Fiverr’s message-based system and simpler than Upwork’s time-tracking tools.
Guru also offers multiple payment methods within projects: fixed-price, hourly, task-based, and recurring. This flexibility makes it suitable for everything from one-off logo designs to ongoing retainer relationships.
How Proposals Work on Guru
When a client posts a job, freelancers submit quotes. Each quote includes your proposed price, timeline, a cover message explaining your fit, and optionally, portfolio samples.
Competition levels are lower than Fiverr or Upwork. A typical Guru job posting receives 5–20 quotes, compared to 20–50+ on Freelancer.com or Upwork. This dramatically improves your odds of getting noticed.
Guru uses a bid system with credits. Free accounts receive a limited number of bids per month (typically 10). Paid memberships provide more bids and additional features. Unlike Freelancer.com’s Connect system, Guru’s bid allocation is simpler and less expensive.
Employers can also find and invite you. If your profile is strong and your skills match, clients can send you direct invitations — bypassing the bidding process entirely. Building a complete, keyword-rich profile increases the frequency of these invitations.
Guru’s Fee Structure
Guru has one of the more favorable fee structures among major freelance platforms.
| Membership Tier | Monthly Cost | Transaction Fee | Bids/Month | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic (free) | $0 | 8.95% | 10 | Testing the platform |
| Basic+ | $11.95/month | 7.95% | 20 | Casual freelancers |
| Professional | $21.95/month | 5.95% | 40 | Active freelancers |
| Business | $29.95/month | 4.95% | 70 | Full-time freelancers |
| Executive | $39.95/month | 4.95% | 100+ | Agencies/teams |
At the Professional tier ($21.95/month, 5.95% fee), Guru takes less per transaction than Fiverr (20%) or Upwork (10%). On a $1,000 project, you’d keep $940.50 on Guru Professional versus $900 on Upwork or $800 on Fiverr. Over a year of consistent work, this fee difference adds up to hundreds or thousands of dollars.
How to Win Your First Client on Guru
The cold-start problem exists on every freelance platform, and Guru is no exception. Here’s the approach that works.
Complete your profile meticulously. Guru’s search algorithm weights profile completeness. Fill every field: skills, experience, portfolio samples, education, and availability. Upload a professional headshot. Write a detailed bio that targets your ideal client.
Start with competitive (not bottom-barrel) pricing. Since competition is lower on Guru, you don’t need to race to the bottom the way you would on Fiverr. Price your services at 80–90% of your target rate for the first 3–5 projects, then raise to full rate once you have reviews.
Write quotes that demonstrate understanding. Don’t send generic “I am interested in your project” messages. Reference specific details from the job posting. Explain your approach in 2–3 sentences. Ask one smart clarifying question that shows you’ve read the brief carefully.
Respond fast. Quotes submitted within the first hour of a job posting get significantly more attention than those submitted 24 hours later. Set up email notifications for your target categories.
Leverage the WorkRoom to build trust. Once hired, use the WorkRoom’s milestone system proactively. Set clear milestones, deliver consistently, and communicate regularly. Clients who have good WorkRoom experiences become repeat clients — and repeat clients are where the real money is.
Take skill tests. Guru offers skill assessments that add verification badges to your profile. These don’t guarantee work, but they provide credibility signals for clients browsing your profile.
Income Math Example: Guru Earning Trajectory
Month 1–2 (Getting established): Quotes submitted: 30–40. Projects won: 2–3. Average project: $200. Gross: $400–$600. After fees (Professional tier): $362–$544. Effective hourly rate: $12–$25/hr depending on project type and efficiency.
Months 3–6 (Building momentum): Win rate improves. Repeat clients emerge. Projects won: 5–8/month. Average project: $350. Gross: $1,750–$2,800. After fees: $1,646–$2,633. Effective hourly rate: $20–$40/hr for skilled, efficient freelancers.
Months 6–12 (Established): Direct invitations supplement bidding. Repeat clients provide base income. Average project: $500+. Monthly gross: $3,000–$6,000+. After fees: $2,822–$5,643. Effective hourly rate: $30–$75/hr for specialists in high-demand niches.
This trajectory assumes a marketable skill (development, design, specialized writing) and consistent effort. Generalist services (data entry, basic VA work) will see lower numbers across all phases.
For context across the freelance landscape, how much freelancers actually earn varies enormously based on skill, niche, and platform choice.
Guru’s Unique Advantages
Lower competition. The most significant benefit. With fewer freelancers competing per project, your proposals get more attention and your win rate is naturally higher.
More favorable fees. At the Professional tier, Guru’s 5.95% fee is among the lowest in the industry. Over time, the fee savings versus Fiverr (20%) or Upwork (10%) are substantial.
WorkRoom project management. The built-in project management system reduces miscommunication, tracks milestones, and creates accountability. It’s particularly useful for complex or long-term projects.
Multiple payment structures. Fixed-price, hourly, task-based, and recurring options let you structure engagements in whatever way works best for you and your client.
SafePay escrow system. Client funds are held in escrow until you deliver and the client approves. This protects freelancers from non-payment — a genuine concern on platforms without escrow.
The WorkRoom System — Guru’s Secret Weapon
The WorkRoom is Guru’s most distinctive feature, and it deserves a detailed look because it genuinely improves the freelancing experience for both sides.
When a client hires you, a dedicated WorkRoom is created for that project. Inside, you’ll find: a milestone tracker showing deliverables and their corresponding payments, a messaging system for project communication, file sharing for deliverables and reference materials, time tracking for hourly projects, and an invoice management system.
What makes this better than Fiverr’s message thread or Upwork’s generic workspace: everything is organized by project phase. Instead of scrolling through a long chat history to find a specific instruction or file, you can jump to the relevant milestone.
For complex projects with multiple deliverables — say, building a website with separate milestones for wireframes, homepage design, inner pages, and development — the WorkRoom keeps both you and the client aligned on what’s been delivered, what’s pending, and what’s been paid.
The milestone-based payment system is particularly important for protecting your income. Clients fund milestones in advance through SafePay escrow. When you deliver a milestone, the client approves and the escrowed funds release to you. This prevents the nightmare scenario of completing an entire project before discovering the client won’t pay.
Best Categories for Making Money on Guru
Not all service categories perform equally on Guru. Based on job posting volume and average project values, here’s where the best opportunities concentrate.
Web development is consistently Guru’s strongest category. WordPress, custom PHP, React/Angular, and Shopify projects make up a large share of postings. Average project values: $300–$2,000 for typical projects, $5,000–$20,000+ for complex builds. Competition exists but is manageable for experienced developers.
Graphic design has steady demand — logos, brand identity, marketing collateral, and social media graphics. Average project values: $100–$500. Competition is moderate. Strong portfolio presentation is essential.
Content writing and copywriting attracts consistent projects, particularly SEO content, product descriptions, and website copy. Average project values: $50–$500. Competition is higher in this category because the skill barrier is lower.
Mobile app development commands the highest per-project rates ($2,000–$15,000+) but has fewer postings than web development.
Marketing and SEO work appears regularly — particularly technical SEO audits, PPC management, and email marketing campaigns. Clients in this category often seek ongoing relationships, making it one of the better categories for building recurring income.
Administrative and data work has the lowest barriers and lowest rates. Data entry, virtual assistance, and basic administrative tasks are available but command $5–$15/hour — the lowest tier on the platform.
If you’re choosing where to focus your Guru strategy, specialize in web development, app development, or technical marketing. These categories have the best combination of project volume, rates, and potential for repeat client relationships.
Guru vs. Upwork: The Detailed Comparison
Since many freelancers choose between these two, here’s a granular comparison.
Fees: Guru charges 4.95–8.95% depending on membership. Upwork charges a flat 10%. On a $1,000 project, you keep $905–$951 on Guru versus $900 on Upwork. The fee advantage increases with Guru’s paid membership tiers.
Job volume: Upwork has significantly more job postings across all categories. If you’re in a niche category, Guru may not have enough work to sustain you.
Competition per job: Guru averages 5–20 proposals per posting. Upwork averages 20–50+. Your win rate on Guru is naturally higher.
Client quality: Both platforms have a mix of excellent and problematic clients. Upwork’s larger scale attracts more enterprise clients with bigger budgets. Guru’s client base skews toward small-to-medium businesses.
Payment protection: Both offer escrow systems. Guru’s SafePay and Upwork’s escrow are functionally equivalent for fixed-price work. Upwork’s time-tracking protection for hourly work is more robust.
Platform tools: Upwork’s time tracker and work diary system is more developed for hourly work. Guru’s WorkRoom is better for milestone-based project management.
The smart play for most freelancers: use both platforms. Guru for lower-competition bidding and milestone-based work. Upwork for access to larger projects and enterprise clients. Over time, you’ll naturally gravitate toward whichever platform generates better returns for your specific skill set.
Payment Methods and Cash Flow
Understanding Guru’s payment timeline helps you manage cash flow — particularly important if you’re relying on freelance income.
SafePay escrow: Client funds are held in escrow until milestones are approved. After approval, funds transfer to your Guru balance.
Withdrawal options: PayPal (fastest — typically 1–2 business days), wire transfer (3–5 business days, $25 fee for amounts under $500), check (7–14 business days), and ACH transfer in the U.S.
Processing times vary by withdrawal method and amount. Small PayPal withdrawals are nearly instant. Large wire transfers may take a full week.
Guru’s holding period: After a milestone is approved, there may be a brief security hold before funds become withdrawable — typically 3–5 business days. This is shorter than Fiverr’s 14-day clearing period but longer than instant-pay platforms.
Tax considerations: Guru issues 1099-K forms for U.S. freelancers earning above the reporting threshold. You’re responsible for self-employment tax (~15.3%) plus income tax on all earnings. Set aside 25–30% of every payment for taxes.
For freelancers used to biweekly paychecks, the irregular cash flow of project-based income requires budget adjustment. Build a one-month expense buffer before going full-time on any freelance platform.
Building Repeat Client Relationships
The difference between struggling and thriving on Guru — or any freelance platform — comes down to one thing: repeat clients.
Winning a new project through bidding takes significant effort: browsing listings, writing proposals, waiting for responses, and accepting a hit rate of 10–20%. Serving an existing client who sends you a direct project takes zero bidding effort and zero platform competition.
To build repeat relationships on Guru: Over-deliver on first projects. Slightly exceed expectations on quality, speed, or scope. The investment of 30 extra minutes on a first project can generate months of repeat work. Communicate like a professional. Regular updates, clear timelines, and proactive problem-solving build trust faster than anything else. Suggest follow-up work organically. After completing a website, mention that you also handle ongoing maintenance, content updates, or SEO optimization. Plant the seed without hard-selling. Be responsive. Reply to client messages within a few hours — not days. Speed of communication is a trust signal.
Top Guru freelancers generate 60–80% of their income from repeat clients. The bidding system gets you started. Client retention is what makes the platform viable long-term.
Common Mistakes New Guru Freelancers Make
Avoiding these errors accelerates your path to consistent earnings.
Bidding on everything. With only 10–40 bids per month (depending on membership), wasting bids on projects that don’t match your skills or desired rate is costly. Be selective — bid on projects where you have a genuine competitive advantage.
Generic quotes. “I am interested in your project and I am qualified to do it” gets deleted immediately. Every quote should reference specific project details, demonstrate understanding of the client’s needs, and outline your approach in 2–3 sentences.
Underpricing to win. While competitive pricing makes sense for your first few projects, pricing at $5/hour to win bids attracts the worst clients and sets expectations you can’t sustain. Price at 80–90% of your target rate initially, not 20%.
Ignoring profile optimization. Your profile is your storefront. An incomplete profile with no portfolio, no bio, and a generic photo tells clients you’re not serious. Complete every section, upload relevant work samples, and write a bio that speaks to your ideal client.
Not pursuing direct invitations. Many Guru freelancers only bid reactively. A strong profile with optimized keywords in your skills and description attracts direct invitations from clients — which bypass competition entirely. Invest time in making your profile discoverable.
Overcommitting on deadlines. New freelancers eager for reviews accept tight deadlines, then miss them. Late delivery tanks your reputation faster than anything else. Set realistic timelines and deliver early rather than promising fast and delivering late.
Pros and Cons
What works: Lower competition than Fiverr/Upwork. Lower fees (4.95–8.95% vs 10–20%). WorkRoom simplifies project management. SafePay escrow protects freelancer payment. Multiple payment structures. Direct client invitations for strong profiles.
What doesn’t: Lower overall job volume than Upwork or Fiverr. Smaller platform means less brand recognition with clients. Free tier is very limited (10 bids/month). Some categories have minimal job postings. The platform’s interface feels dated compared to competitors.
Reality Check: The Freelancing Ceiling
Guru is a better freelance platform than most people realize — but it’s still a freelance platform. The fundamental limitations remain.
You’re building reputation on someone else’s platform. Your income requires actively winning and completing projects. Every dollar is earned through direct effort with no residual or passive component. Platform changes (fees, policies, algorithm) affect your business without your consent.
Whether freelancing is worth it depends on your goals. As a way to monetize skills and build portfolio? Absolutely. As a long-term wealth-building strategy? The ceiling limits you.
Comparing freelancing vs. a 9-5 job reveals trade-offs that matter: freelancing offers flexibility and potentially higher hourly rates, but sacrifices stability, benefits, and retirement contributions.
And exploring agency vs. freelancing shows where the real growth potential lies — in building systems beyond your individual billing capacity.
Who Guru Is NOT For
If you’re looking for massive project volume, Upwork or Fiverr will have more opportunities. Guru’s smaller marketplace means fewer jobs in some categories.
If you have no digital skill to sell, there’s nothing to bid on. Guru, like all freelance platforms, requires demonstrable expertise.
If you need immediate income, the bidding cycle means days or weeks before your first project and payment. Gig delivery apps pay faster if cash urgency is the priority.
If you want to own your income, platform freelancing always carries dependency risk. The best online business to start is one where you control the client relationship, the pricing, and the platform.
Best Alternatives to Guru
| Platform | Fee | Competition | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upwork | 10% | High | Higher-value contracts |
| Fiverr | 20% | Very High | Quick, defined services |
| Freelancer.com | 10% | Very High | High job volume |
| Toptal | 0% (client pays) | Low (exclusive) | Elite developers/designers |
| Local lead gen | $0 | Low | Owned recurring income |
For realistic online income expectations across different freelance platforms and beyond, understanding where Guru fits helps you allocate your time wisely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can you earn on Guru per month? New freelancers: $200–$600. Established: $1,500–$4,000. Top performers: $5,000–$10,000+. Most new users earn modestly while building reputation.
Is Guru legitimate? Yes. Founded in 1998, Guru has facilitated $250M+ in projects. SafePay escrow protects freelancer payments.
What does Guru charge freelancers? 4.95–8.95% per transaction depending on membership tier, plus optional membership fees ($0–$39.95/month).
How does Guru compare to Upwork? Guru has lower fees and less competition. Upwork has more job volume and higher-value contracts. Many freelancers use both.
How many bids do you get for free? 10 bids per month on the free Basic tier. Paid plans offer 20–100+ bids monthly.
What is the WorkRoom? Guru’s project management system where freelancers and clients collaborate, track milestones, share files, and manage payments.
Can you build a full-time income on Guru? Yes, for skilled freelancers in active categories. It typically requires 3–6 months of consistent effort to build enough clients and reviews for reliable full-time income.
What skills are most in demand on Guru? Web development (WordPress, PHP, React), graphic design, content writing, SEO, and mobile app development consistently have the most job postings.
How fast do you get paid? After work is approved and the SafePay hold period ends, funds are available for withdrawal. Withdrawal methods include PayPal, wire transfer, and check. Total time from project completion to bank: typically 7–14 days.
Is Guru better for beginners than Fiverr? In many ways, yes. Lower competition means higher win rates for new freelancers. Guru’s fee structure is also more favorable. However, Fiverr’s larger buyer base means more total opportunities.
Even on a better platform like Guru, freelancing keeps you on a treadmill — winning projects, delivering work, competing for the next one. Local lead generation builds assets that pay $500–$1,200/site monthly without bidding or client proposals.
My business partner James built a system for people building to $3,000–$5,000 monthly using their digital skills to create owned income assets — not platform-dependent gigs.
Click here to see how it works.
The Bottom Line
Guru is the freelance platform people overlook — and that’s exactly why it might work for you. Lower competition, lower fees, and a solid project management system make it a stronger starting point than Fiverr or Freelancer.com for many freelancers.
But it’s still a platform. Build your skills there. Build your reputation. Then build something you own.
The best freelancers don’t stay on platforms forever. Neither should you.
Mark is the founder of MarksInsights and has spent 15+ years testing online business programs and tools. He focuses on honest, experience-based reviews that help people avoid scams and find real, sustainable ways to make money online.