Hire freelancers in Australia and remotely

How hiring works here

There are two ways to find someone. You can go looking — the freelancer directory is public, so you can read profiles, portfolios and skills before you create an account. Or you can post the project and let people come to you, which works better when you are not sure exactly who you need.

• Post a project — Describe the work, the budget range and the timeframe. Freelancers whose skills match are notified.
• Review who applies — Each application comes attached to a public profile with skills, portfolio and any external platform links.
• Talk before you commit — Message candidates through the platform, ask for a quote, and agree scope in writing.
• Run the project — Milestones, tasks, approvals and invoices are built in — or work however you already do.

What to put in a project brief

The quality of the applications you receive tracks the quality of the brief almost exactly. A brief that answers these five questions gets useful replies; one that does not gets a lot of "happy to help, what is the budget?"

• The outcome — What should be true when the work is finished, described from the outside.
• What already exists — The current site, codebase, designs, accounts and anything that must not break.
• The constraints — Budget range, deadline, technology you are committed to, and any compliance requirements.
• The decision process — Who approves the work, and how quickly they can respond.
• What "done" means — The deliverables, the handover, and who owns the result.

• Read the guide to writing a project brief

What it costs a client

Creating an account, posting a project and messaging freelancers are all free. There is no commission on the work — the rate you agree with a freelancer is the amount that changes hands.

If you choose to pay an invoice through the platform, a flat $5 platform fee applies to that invoice, and it is shown before anything is sent. Paying the freelancer directly by your own arrangement costs nothing at all.

• See the full pricing breakdown

Why freelancers here are not locked in

202 Collective is deliberately not a walled garden. Freelancers can link to their Fiverr, Upwork, GitHub, LinkedIn or personal site directly from their profile, and they can take work anywhere they like.

That is a feature for you as much as for them: the profiles you read are written by people who are not trying to hide the rest of their working life, and the reviews and links you see point at the whole picture rather than a single marketplace.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything to post a project? No. Posting a project and contacting freelancers is free. A $49 one-off premium listing is available if you want a posting to stand out, and it is entirely optional.

Does 202 Collective take a commission? No. The platform charges 0% commission. The only money it takes from a project is the flat $5 fee on an invoice you choose to process through the platform.

How do I know a freelancer is real? Freelancers join by invitation rather than open signup, and public profiles only appear in search once they carry a headline, an about section, at least three skills and evidence of real work. Ratings shown on a profile come from completed projects on the platform.

Can I hire someone outside Australia? Yes. The platform is Australia-first but built for remote work. Profiles show location at a city or region level and whether the person works remotely.

Do I have to pay through the platform? No. Platform invoicing with Stripe is there if you want it, including milestone payments and receipts. Paying by your own arrangement is always free and fully supported.

What if the project does not work out? Projects have milestones and approvals so problems surface early rather than at the end. The platform is early in its life and does not offer escrow or dispute arbitration — for larger engagements, stage the work and pay in instalments.

Ready to post your project?

Create a free client account, describe the work, and talk to the people who match. No commission, no lock-in.

• Create a free client account
• Browse freelancers first