Fiverr and Upwork both let Canadians freelance for clients worldwide, but they charge differently. Fiverr keeps a flat 20%, so you earn 80% of each order including extras and tips, and buyers come to your listed “gigs”. Upwork charges a freelancer service fee of 0% to 15% per contract, shown before you propose and locked for that contract, and you pay for Connects (0.15 USD each) to send proposals unless your free monthly allotment covers it. Both price in U.S. dollars. Pick Fiverr if you can package a repeatable service at a fixed price; pick Upwork if you sell custom, hourly, or longer projects and are comfortable writing proposals.
The craft side of freelancing is in freelance writing in Canada, graphic design, and virtual assistant work. Landing the first client is in your first freelance writing client.
How do Fiverr and Upwork fees compare for Canadian freelancers?
Fiverr takes 20% of every order, while Upwork’s fee varies from 0% to 15% by contract and adds the cost of Connects. Amounts are in USD from each company’s pages on October 3, 2026, converted at the Bank of Canada daily rate of 1.4246 CAD per USD for October 2, 2026; conversions are approximate.
| Factor | Fiverr | Upwork |
|---|---|---|
| Fee on earnings | 20%; you earn 80% of the purchase amount, including extras and tips (earnings page) | 0% to 15% per contract, shown before you propose and locked (service fee) |
| Cost to apply for work | None; buyers order your gig | Connects at 0.15 USD (about $0.21 CAD) each; the free Basic plan may include 10 a month (Is Upwork free?) |
| Paid plan | Not required | Freelancer Plus at 19.99 USD (about $28.48 CAD) a month with 100 Connects |
| Direct contracts | Not applicable | 5% on Basic; 0% on Freelancer Plus |
| Faster payout | Early Payout fee of 1% | Check withdrawal options in your account |
| Withdrawal fees | PayPal 0 USD (1 USD minimum); bank transfer via Payoneer 1 USD (about $1.42 CAD, 20 USD minimum); Payoneer account 3 USD (about $4.27 CAD, 10 USD minimum); up to 5,000 USD per withdrawal (withdrawals) | Varies by method; confirm in your account |
| Canadian paperwork | Tax compliance forms required for Canadian freelancers | Confirm in your account |
How do Fiverr and Upwork differ in how you find work?
On Fiverr, buyers search and order the packages you list, so the work is in designing gigs and earning reviews. On Upwork, you mostly browse job posts and send proposals, so the work is in choosing jobs and writing pitches, and each pitch spends Connects.
| Factor | Fiverr | Upwork |
|---|---|---|
| Model | You list fixed packages; buyers order | Clients post jobs; you propose, or clients invite you |
| Pricing | Fixed price per package, plus extras | Fixed price or hourly |
| Best for | Repeatable, well-defined tasks | Custom, larger, or ongoing projects |
| Effort before income | Building gig pages and reviews | Writing proposals and spending Connects |
How much do you keep on a project on Fiverr versus Upwork?
On a single project, you keep 80% on Fiverr and 85% to 100% on Upwork before Connects. The labelled example shows the arithmetic.
Illustrative example
Assume a 500 USD project. The price and the Upwork fee rate are assumptions; Upwork shows your actual rate before you propose.
- Fiverr: 20% × 500 USD = 100 USD fee, so you keep 400 USD (about $569.84 CAD).
- Upwork at a 10% contract fee: you keep 450 USD (about $641.07 CAD).
- Upwork at a 15% contract fee: you keep 425 USD (about $605.46 CAD).
- Upwork Connects: if you buy 60 Connects to send proposals before landing the project, 60 × 0.15 USD = 9 USD (about $12.82 CAD).
At a 15% fee with 9 USD of Connects, Upwork leaves 416 USD, still a little more than Fiverr’s 400 USD, but proposals that do not win cost Connects and time. Your bank or payout provider may also apply its own USD-to-CAD conversion rate.
Who should pick Fiverr or Upwork in Canada?
Pick Fiverr for packaged services and Upwork for custom projects. This is a decision rule from the fee and work structures, not a ranking.
| If you… | Lean toward | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sell a repeatable task, such as a logo, a resume edit, or a short video edit | Fiverr | Buyers order fixed packages |
| Prefer not to write proposals | Fiverr | No Connects or pitching |
| Sell hourly or multi-week work | Upwork | Hourly contracts and long engagements |
| Bring your own clients to a platform for payments | Upwork | Direct contracts are 0% on Freelancer Plus and 5% on Basic |
| Want to test both | Both | Fiverr gigs and Upwork proposals can run side by side |
What mistakes do Canadian freelancers make on Fiverr and Upwork?
Canadian freelancers most often price in CAD by accident, ignore the cost of Connects, or forget the platforms report income.
- Forgetting prices are in USD. Set prices in USD and convert your target hourly rate first.
- Burning Connects on poor-fit jobs. Each proposal spends paid Connects.
- Pricing without the fee. On Fiverr, a 100 USD gig pays 80 USD.
- Skipping the tax forms. Fiverr requires tax compliance forms for Canadian freelancers.
- Losing track of USD income. Record the CAD value of each payout for your tax return.
Which tax rules apply to Fiverr and Upwork freelancers in Canada?
Freelance income from Fiverr or Upwork is generally business income reported on Form T2125, converted to Canadian dollars, and the platforms’ fees and Connects are generally deductible business expenses. Platforms can report seller and freelancer earnings to the CRA, as covered in tax on reselling and gig apps. Invoicing and expense tracking software such as FreshBooks TODO-AFFILIATE can help, and how much tax to set aside covers saving for the bill. Services to clients outside Canada may be treated differently for GST/HST; see GST/HST registration.
This is not tax or legal advice.
Which guides sit next to Fiverr vs Upwork?
This comparison sits beside the freelancing guides. Read freelance writing, graphic design, and virtual assistant work. If you would rather sell files than hours, see Teachable vs Gumroad vs Payhip. Browse more in online freelancing.
What are the common questions?
How much does Fiverr take from Canadian freelancers?
Fiverr's help centre says you earn 80% of the purchase amount, including extras and tips, so Fiverr keeps 20%. Withdrawal fees depend on the payout method, such as 1 USD for a bank transfer via Payoneer.
What is Upwork's fee for freelancers?
Upwork's help centre says the freelancer service fee ranges from 0% to 15% per contract, is shown before you submit a proposal, and is locked for that contract. Sending proposals also uses Connects, which cost 0.15 USD each.
Is Fiverr or Upwork better for beginners in Canada?
Fiverr suits beginners who can package a clear, repeatable service at a fixed price, because buyers order directly and there is no proposal cost. Upwork suits people comfortable writing proposals for custom or hourly work.
Do Fiverr and Upwork pay in Canadian dollars?
Both platforms price work in U.S. dollars. Your payout provider or bank converts to Canadian dollars, and you report the CAD value of your income on your tax return.
Do I have to pay tax on Fiverr or Upwork income in Canada?
Generally yes. Freelance income is usually business income reported on Form T2125, and platform fees and Connects are generally deductible expenses. This is not tax advice.
Which sources support this guide?
The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.
- Your earnings page — Fiverr
- Withdrawing your earnings and managing payout methods — Fiverr
- Learn about the Freelancer Service Fee — Upwork
- Is Upwork free? — Upwork
- Daily exchange rates — Bank of Canada
- Form T2125, Statement of Business or Professional Activities — Canada Revenue Agency