7 Upwork Alternatives for Finding Reliable SEO Experts
Upwork has long been a go-to platform for hiring freelancers, but it’s not your only option when you need a skilled SEO expert. Whether you’re frustrated with high fees, endless bidding wars, or simply want to explore other marketplaces, plenty of alternatives offer different approaches to connecting you with quality SEO professionals. This list covers seven platforms that make finding and hiring SEO talent straightforward, each with its own strengths and style. You’ll learn what makes each option worth considering and how to decide which one fits your needs best.
- Legiit
Legiit positions itself as a marketplace built specifically for digital marketing services, which means you’ll find SEO experts who specialize in exactly what you need. Unlike general freelance platforms where you might wade through unrelated proposals, Legiit focuses on marketing niches like link building, content optimization, local SEO, and technical audits. Sellers create fixed-price service packages, so you know what you’re paying upfront without negotiating or waiting for custom quotes.
The platform attracts experienced marketers who understand the nuances of search engine optimization, and many sellers offer tiered packages that let you start small and scale up as you see results. You can browse detailed service descriptions, check verified reviews from other buyers, and compare options without feeling pressured. The checkout process works like an online store, making it simple to purchase the services you need and get started quickly.
Legiit also includes a rating system that highlights top performers, helping you identify reliable experts based on their track record. If you want a straightforward way to hire SEO help without the typical freelance platform hassles, this marketplace delivers a focused, efficient experience tailored to marketing services.
- Fiverr Pro
Fiverr Pro takes the standard Fiverr model and adds a layer of vetting to ensure you’re working with experienced professionals rather than beginners. Pro sellers go through an application and review process that checks their skills, portfolio, and professional background. For SEO services, this means you can find experts who have proven their abilities and often bring years of industry experience.
The platform still uses the gig-based system where sellers list their services at set prices, but Pro gigs typically cost more because you’re paying for verified quality. You’ll see clear service descriptions, delivery times, and pricing tiers that make it easy to compare options. Many Pro sellers offer comprehensive SEO packages that include keyword research, on-page optimization, technical fixes, and ongoing support.
If you’ve been burned by low-quality work on other platforms, Fiverr Pro provides more confidence that you’re hiring someone who knows what they’re doing. The trade-off is higher prices, but that investment often pays off in better results and less time wasted on revisions.
- Toptal
Toptal markets itself as an exclusive network of the top 3% of freelance talent, and their screening process backs up that claim. Applicants go through multiple rounds of testing that evaluate technical skills, problem-solving ability, and communication style. For SEO experts, this means you’re choosing from professionals who have demonstrated both strategic thinking and execution skills.
The platform works best for businesses that need high-level SEO consulting or want to hire an expert for a longer engagement rather than a quick one-off project. Toptal matches you with candidates based on your specific requirements, and you can interview them before making a commitment. Prices reflect the premium nature of the talent pool, so expect to pay significantly more than you would on general freelance marketplaces.
Toptal handles the vetting and matching process, which saves you time but also means less direct control over browsing and selecting candidates yourself. If you need an SEO expert who can handle complex technical challenges or lead a comprehensive optimization strategy, and budget is less of a concern than quality, Toptal delivers access to highly skilled professionals.
- PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour operates primarily in the European market but serves clients worldwide, offering a freelance marketplace that sits somewhere between Upwork’s bidding system and Fiverr’s fixed-price model. Sellers can create both hourly rate profiles and packaged services called Hourlies, giving you flexibility in how you hire and pay for SEO work.
The platform includes a project posting feature where you describe what you need and freelancers send proposals, similar to Upwork. However, you can also browse seller profiles and Hourlies to find pre-packaged SEO services like technical audits, content optimization, or backlink analysis. This dual approach means you can choose the method that feels most comfortable.
PeoplePerHour uses a rating system and showcases top-performing freelancers, making it easier to identify reliable SEO experts quickly. The fee structure takes a percentage from both clients and freelancers, but rates tend to be competitive. If you want a platform that combines the best aspects of different hiring models and gives you multiple ways to connect with SEO professionals, PeoplePerHour offers a balanced approach worth exploring.
- Codeable
Codeable focuses specifically on WordPress development, which might seem narrow until you realize how much SEO work involves WordPress sites. Many SEO experts on Codeable specialize in the technical side of optimization, including site speed improvements, schema markup implementation, mobile responsiveness, and fixing crawl errors that hurt search rankings.
The platform vets all its developers through an application process that accepts only a small percentage of applicants. When you post a project, Codeable matches you with suitable experts rather than opening your request to everyone. This curated approach means you’re not sorting through dozens of proposals or trying to evaluate who actually knows what they’re doing.
If your SEO needs involve WordPress-specific technical work, Codeable connects you with developers who understand both the platform and search optimization. Prices reflect the specialized expertise, but you avoid the common problem of hiring someone who promises SEO results but lacks the technical skills to implement them properly. The platform works particularly well for site migrations, performance optimization, and fixing technical SEO issues that require development knowledge.
- Guru
Guru has been around for years as a freelance marketplace that emphasizes long-term working relationships over quick transactions. The platform includes tools for managing projects, tracking work, and processing payments that make ongoing collaborations smoother. For SEO work, which often requires consistent effort over months rather than a single deliverable, this relationship focus can be valuable.
You can post projects and receive proposals from interested freelancers, or you can search through profiles to find SEO experts whose skills match your needs. Guru includes a WorkRoom feature for each project where you can share files, communicate, and track progress in one place. The platform offers multiple payment options including hourly, fixed-price, task-based, and recurring payments.
Guru’s fee structure gives you options too, with different membership levels that affect how much you pay in service fees. If you’re planning to work with an SEO expert for several months or want a platform that supports ongoing collaboration rather than one-off purchases, Guru provides the tools and structure to make that relationship productive. The trade-off is a slightly less modern interface compared to newer platforms, but the functionality remains solid.
- 99designs by Vista
While 99designs built its reputation on graphic design contests, the platform has expanded to include other creative and marketing services, including content and SEO work. The contest model still exists where you can describe your project and have multiple freelancers compete with proposals or samples, but you can also hire experts directly for fixed-price projects.
For SEO services, this means you might post a project describing your optimization needs and review proposals from several experts before choosing one. The competitive element can work in your favor by giving you options and letting you compare approaches before committing. However, the platform still leans more heavily toward design and creative work, so the SEO expert pool is smaller than on general freelance marketplaces.
99designs works best if you need SEO services that overlap with content creation or if you’re already using the platform for design work and want to consolidate vendors. The quality of SEO experts varies, so you’ll need to review portfolios and past client feedback carefully. Think of it as a secondary option that might surprise you with good finds, especially if your SEO needs include content strategy or user experience improvements that bridge marketing and design.
Finding the right SEO expert doesn’t mean you’re stuck with Upwork’s model of bidding wars and percentage fees. Each of these seven alternatives offers a different approach, whether you prefer fixed-price packages, vetted professionals, specialized marketplaces, or platforms built for long-term collaboration. The best choice depends on your budget, the type of SEO work you need, and how much time you want to spend evaluating candidates. Try exploring two or three options that match your priorities, and you’ll likely find an SEO expert who delivers better results than you’d get from sticking with the same old platform everyone else uses.