Upwork, Toptal, or Direct Clients? What Our Students Choose

Upwork, Toptal, or Direct Clients? What Our Students Choose

💼 Upwork, Toptal, or Direct Clients? What Our Students Choose When it comes to freelancing, the platform you pick shapes your experience, earnings, and growth.
So where do real beginners—and rising pros—find success? Here’s what we’ve seen our students choose (and why) 👇

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🟢 1. Upwork: Good for Early Experience ✅ Pros:

• Easy to create a profile
• Variety of gigs across tech, design, and writing
• Good for first 5–10 projects

⚠️ Cons:

• High competition → low rates at the start
• Takes time to build a reputation

🎯 Best for practicing communication, learning client flow, and getting early testimonials.

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🔵 2. Toptal: Great for Pros (Later Stage) ✅ Pros:

• High-quality clients and long-term gigs
• Great payouts, fewer time-wasters
• Resume boost (if you get in)

⚠️ Cons:

• Tough vetting process
• Not beginner-friendly

🎯 Our advanced students apply here after building 6+ strong projects and client feedback.

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🟡 3. Direct Clients: High Reward, High Trust ✅ Pros:

• Better rates, direct communication
• You set the terms
• Builds your personal brand & long-term growth

⚠️ Cons:

• Harder to find at first
• Requires confidence + professional communication

🎯 We train students to pitch local businesses, post builds on LinkedIn, and convert cold DMs into projects.

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🧠 What We Recommend ✅ Start on Upwork or small job boards to get your first 2–3 projects
✅ Use those as case studies to build a personal site or LinkedIn portfolio
✅ Start pitching to direct clients (local businesses, startups, creators)
✅ Apply to Toptal once you're confident in your dev + client skills

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✅ Final Thought No matter where you start, the goal is the same:
Control, confidence, and career freedom. Our students don’t just chase gigs—they build freelance careers with skill, proof, and trust.