Read the Freelancer.de FAQ

About Freelancer.de

• What is Freelancer.de?
  Freelancer.de is an online job marketplace that provides a means for Employers and Freelancers around the globe to collaborate for mutual benefit. Individuals or businesses in need of skilled help for short or long-term projects can post those projects and allow freelancers to submit bids for the completion of the work.

  
  For Employers, Freelancer.de provides immediate access to thousands of independent Freelancers with specific skills, without the need to place job ads or provide work space, insurance, etc.

  
  For Freelancers, Freelancer.de offers a constant source of part-time to full-time work opportunities, without the trouble and expense of advertising and self-promotion.

  
  You may visit this page to know more about How Freelancer.de Works.

• How do I sign up?
  To sign up, please follow the steps below:

  • Fill up the short registration form. Fill up the registration form.
    You will be asked to create a unique username that will identify you on our system. You need to provide a valid email address and confirm reading our Terms and Conditions.
  • Confirm your email address. When you submit the registration form, a message containing a link and confirmation code will be sent to the email address you provided. You must follow the instructions in the email to provide the confirmation code and activate your account.
  • Create your profile. Take a few minutes to provide some information about yourself and/or your business. This information will be stored in your profile to provide other members with an overview of your skills and/or needs. No personal or contact information is shared.
• What fees does Freelancer.de charge?
  Joining Freelancer.de is FREE. Basic members pay small commissions. You may check the complete list of fees here.

  
  GST will be added to fees as required by law.

• I am an Employer, how will Freelancer.de work for me?
  You can gain a competitive advantage over your competition by tapping into a skilled global workforce on demand.

  
  If you are a small business and can't afford to hire a full time staff, don't fret! The power of Freelancer.de is available for small to medium businesses! Whether it's a website that needs building, business cards or stationary that needs designing, a product that needs to be designed or manufactured, or research that needs to be done, this is your place!

  
  Thousands of skilled workers are ready to start working right now! All you need to do is post a project!

• I am a Freelancer, how will Freelancer.de work for me?
  With Freelancer.de, you can tap into a global network of businesses and projects, the ultimate opportunity in job flexibility!

  
  Work on what you want, when you want and where you want to! The lifestyle of a Freelancer is taking off and gives unparalleled job flexibility.

  
  By working as a Freelancer online, you can greatly increase your client base and job throughput.

  
  You can work at home and tap into a global pool of employers across a huge range of industries!

  
  To start, all you need to do is signup and start bidding. It's FREE!

• Is Freelancer.de going to provide work for me?
  Freelancer.de doesn't offer any work, but we give you a system to find work.

  
  Read the articles below on how you can use Freelancer.de to look for work.

  • Looking for work?
  • Successful Freelancing with Freelancer.com

Contest - Choosing a design

• How do I create a Poll?
  All you have to do to create a poll is select “Launch Poll” on the Contest View page, followed by “Create Poll”.
  You can then share the poll link through Email, Facebook, Twitter, your blog and any other way you like. It’s a great way to get your friends to help you by voting on up to 8 designs!
• How do I choose the contest winner(s)?
  You can select the winner(s) at any time during the contest. If the contest ends, you have 14 days to select one or multiple winners. The first design you choose wins the prize money. You can also offer to buy additional designs from other designers. When you’re ready
  

  • Go to your contest page
  • Hover over the entry you want to declare the winner
  • Click "Award Prize" on the designer's entry.
  • Follow the steps to finalise payment of your prize.
  • Congratulations, you’ve just chosen your winner!
• How long do I have to choose a winning design?
  You can choose a winner at any time when the contest is active and within 14 days after the contest ends. If you need help, create a poll and get your friends to vote on up to 8 designs!
  
  Note: If your contest was guaranteed the prize money will be automatically shared between freelancers if you do not award the prize within 30 days.
• What happens after I've chosen a winner?
  After choosing your winning designer, both of you enter the Design Handover. It’s a short process in which you and the designer agree to transfer ownership of the design from them to you. Once it’s over, you will be the owner of the design and the designer will receive their prize money!
• Can I ask for changes to the design after selecting the winner?
  Yes, you can ask Freelancers for revisions by private message or during the Design Handover.
  
  Note: We recommend that designers try and accommodate minor revisions but anything else is up to them.
• What happens if I'm selected as the winner?
  After you’re selected as the winner, we will send an email to you with instructions on how to complete the Design Handover. It’s a short process in which you and the contest holder agree to transfer ownership of the design from you to them. Once it’s over, the prize money is all yours and the contest holder becomes the proud new owner of your design!
• Why is it taking so long for the Employer to declare a winner?
  Sometimes it can be hard choosing a winner from so many quality entries, which is why the contest holder has up to 14 days after the contest closes to declare a winner. The good news is they can always choose more than one winning design!
• I was promised the prize, but it was awarded to another Freelancer. What can I do?
  Designers, it’s ultimately up to the contest holder to decide who wins their contest. The good news is they can always choose more than one winning design!
  
  However, even if someone else wins the prize, the contest holder can still purchase additional designs while the contest is still active.

Contest - Compliance

• How can I check that a designer's work is his or her own?
  Each designer is required to confirm that all work submitted is their own before they submit an entry. Every designer and contest holder can cooperate to ensure all entries are original by taking the following steps:
  

  • Read comments from other designers identifying any copyrighted material
  • Ask designers about their submission and whether any photos, fonts or clipart were used.
  • Use image search sites such as TinEye.
• What happens after I report a design or designer?
  All reports are confidential and are reviewed by Freelancer support staff. If the report is valid, we will take action against the design or designer
• How do I report a design or designer?
  To report a design, hover over it and click “Report” on the top left corner of the image.
  Only the contest holder can report a designer. Click on the design to go to the designer’s page and then click “Report Designer”.
  
  Note: You must provide a valid reason for reporting a design or designer.
• Why should I report a design or designer?
  Valid reasons for reporting a design include: copying another design, using unlicensed stock imagery or copyrighted material and including explicit content or advertising.
• What happens if I infringe copyright?
  Copyright infringement is a serious offence and will result in immediate disqualification from the contest. Further action may also be taken.
• How are my designs protected on Freelancer.de?
  Your designs are protected by the fact that employers are only able to preview a low resolution image for contest purposes and they must complete the design handover to legally own the design you created.
• What if my design is copied?
  • For designs that are partially copied or used as “inspiration”, Freelancer.de will review and provide an outcome at our discretion.
  • For designs which are substantially or entirely copied the designs, Freelancer.de will remove the design and issue the designer issued a warning.

Contest - Deadlines

• Why is my contest locked?
  If you do not select a design after 14 days of the contest closing, your contest will be locked and you must either request a refund (if eligible for the Money Guarantee) or pay an unlock fee of US$5 to access your contest and award a design.
  Note: Guaranteed contests may not be refunded as you have guaranteed the designers that a winner will be chosen.
• What is a Closed contest?
  A closed contest just means that no more entries can be submitted because the closing date for that contest has passed. Check your contest details for the exact date and, once your contest is closed, please select your winner within the next 14 days.
• Why is my contest closed?
  Your contest was closed after the contest deadline and means that no more designs can be submitted. You have 14 days, once it’s closed, to review the submitted entries and select a winner.

Contest - Entries

• Am I eligible to enter?
  To enter a contest you need to be a registered Freelancer.de user and have the specific skills required for that contest in your My Qualifications page, such as Graphic Design or Logo Design. If you’re not registered sign up now, complete your Profile, and then read the contest holder’s design brief. You’re now ready to start submitting your contest entries! Good luck!
• How will I be notified when new entries are submitted?
  We’ll let you know by posting an item on the newsfeed in your Freelancer.de Dashboard, and by email, when a designer submits their first entry to your contest.
• How do I provide comments to designers for submitted designs?
  Only the contest holder can leave private comments for designers. No one else can read them. To provide comments, click the "Message" button on a design entry or navigate to the designer’s page.
  
  To leave comments that can be viewed and responded to by everyone, use the Public Clarification Board at the bottom of the contest page.
• How do I rate a design?
  Each entry has stars in the bottom right corner that you can hover over and click to rate that design (maximum 5 stars).
  
  We recommend rating each design to let all contest participants know what you like and how they should alter their future designs. To remove a design from your contest click “Reject”. If you change your mind and want to reconsider it click “Reconsider”.
• A design I liked was withdrawn, what can I do?
  You can try sending the designer a private message and ask them to resubmit their design. Just click the designer’s name and then contact them through their design page. Ultimately though, it’s up to the designer to decide whether they resubmit that design or not.
• Why do designers withdraw entries?
  Some designers may no longer wish to be involved in a contest or feel they no longer are in the running for the prize. They may change their mind about a design idea and would like to resubmit an updated version. The best way to minimise the risk of withdrawals is by providing written Feedback for designs you like best as well as using the star ratings so designers can revise their entries accordingly.
• How do I withdraw my entry from a contest?
  To withdraw your design from a contest just hover over your entry on the contest page and click “Withdraw”. If the contest is still active you may still have time to submit another design.
• Can I contact designers?
  Yes, if you are the contest holder you can send designers private messages through their individual design pages. Click their username in the contest view page to navigate to that designer’s design page. Note: Please do not ask for private contact information prior to the end of the contest, as it is against Freelancer.de’s Terms of Service.
• How do I reject a design from my contest?
  To reject a design, hover over it and click “Reject”. If you change your mind and want to reconsider the design click “Reconsider”.
• How do I stop a designer from entering my contest?
  To prevent a designer from entering your contest, click their username on any of their designs then, click “Reject Designer” on their design page. This will prevent them from entering any of your contests, not just this one!
• How can I refer to a design in my comment?
  You can reference each design by putting the hash symbol “#” in front its entry number, located in the top left corner of the entry, e.g. #3.
  To reference multiple designs please place hash tags in front of each of them, e.g. “#4, #80 and #120”.
• How do I refer to a particular designer in the public comments?
  Use the '@' symbol followed by the designer's username, eg. @designUser.
• How do I submit my contest entry?
  Click “Submit Design” on contest view page. When you’re ready to enter the contest with your design, we’ll ask you to upload a small image of your design and agree to the Freelancer.de Terms and Conditions before clicking “Submit”.
  
  Note: You must have the relevant design skills in your My Qualifications page before the contest began in order to submit an entry. You may not be able to enter the contest if you added these skills after it began.
• Can I use stock images or clipart?
  Designers, please only use images for which you have copyright, to ensure your entry is not rejected!
• Which fonts can I use in a design?
  We recommend checking the design brief for the contest holder’s specified font. If there is none, please only use fonts which you are legally able to use to avoid your design being rejected!
• What file format should I submit my entry in?
  Entries can be submitted as JPEG, GIF or PNG images. Designers should also ensure their submissions are in an aspect ratio of 6:4.
  
  If you win a contest you need to upload the original submission in the contest holder’s requested file format, which is specified in their design brief on the contest page.
• What should I upload when submitting my design?
  The contest holder's design brief on the contest page will specify what you need to upload.
• Why was my entry rejected?
  Entries are usually rejected if the design is not what the contest holder is looking for in their design brief. There may also be constructive feedback from the contest holder to explain their decision. Remember, you can enter multiple designs while the contest is active, so don’t give up!
  
  Note: Sometimes, even if you follow the design brief, the contest holder may give it a low rating or reject it if it’s not to their liking.
• Why did my entry get a poor rating?
  A low rating indicates that your design is not what the contest holder is looking for in their design brief. There may also be constructive feedback from the contest holder to explain their decision Remember, you can enter multiple designs while the contest is active, so don’t give up!
  
  Note: Sometimes, even if you follow the design brief, the contest holder may give it a low rating or reject it if it’s not to their liking.
• Can I contact the contest holder?
  Designers, you can leave a comment for the contest holder on your private message box.
  
  Note: Please do not request any contact information as it is against Freelancer.de’s Terms of Service.
• Can the contest holder ask me for a copy of my design before the contest ends?
  No, designers, please do not comply with these kinds of requests. The contest holder should only preview your design on the contest page.
• What happens to my entry when a contest is refunded or closed or no winner is declared?
  In the unlikely event that this happens, it basically means the contest ends without a winner being selected. The contest holder is unable to use your design or any other entry, since they did not acquire it from you.

Contest - General

• Can I extend my contest?
  Yes, you can extend your Contest at any time while your Contest is active or for up to 24 hours after it closes.
  
  Please note that there is an additional fee for extending your contest. Half of this fee will be added to your contest prize to reward freelancers for the additional work they will do for your contest. The fee is proportional to the contest prize, and is calculated as follows:
  
  3 day extension - 15% of contest prize
  5 day extension - 20% of contest prize
  7 day extension - 30% of contest prize
  
  
  Please note, each contest can only be extended once.
• Why should I create a contest?
  Your best reason for creating a contest is that it’s an extremely cost effective way to receive and preview potentially thousands of original designs, from professional freelance designers, and only pay for the ones you like!
  
  By posting a design brief, and providing feedback to the designers, you give yourself the best chance to find your perfect design!
• How much does a contest cost?
  You can hold a basic contest for as little as US$90! The more prize money you offer, the more entries you’re likely to attract and if no one wins, you get the prize money back! (Excludes Guaranteed Contests). Refer to the Money Back Guarantee for more information.
• How do I create a contest?
  • Go to the Contest Page
  • Select the type of contest you would like to create
  • Write up your design brief. It’s helpful to include images and influences that show designers what you’re after.
  • Select the contest package you want.
  • You can also choose additional Upgrades to promote your contest.
  • Launch your contest
• When do I pay for the contest?
  We’ll request the funds (prize money) while you’re creating your contest and hold those funds until you receive your design. Only then will we release the prize money to the contest winning designer.
• Can I get a refund for my contest?
  Yes refunds are available for the prize money, but you must close the contest first and must be eligible for the Money back guarantee. When you’re ready, please Contact Support to organise your contest refund.
  
  Note: Refunds are not available on 'Guaranteed contests'. The refund does not include any upgrades that you may have selected. If you’ve already selected a designer and released the funds, you are not eligible for a refund.
• What is the "Money Back Guarantee"?
  The Money Back Guarantee entitles you to get your money back for up to 30 days from posting your contest. Please Contact Support for your money back.
  
  Note: Refunds are not available on 'Guaranteed contests'. The refund does not include any upgrades that you may have selected. If you’ve already selected a designer and released the funds, you are not eligible for a refund.
• What is a Design Brief?
  A design brief is a document you create to explain your business and the type of design you need. You can tell the designers exactly what you want (or don’t want) in your design, such as colours and fonts. Your information should be detailed and clear so it’s easily understood, which is why we also recommend providing supporting images, sketches or influences if you can.
• How can I write a good Design Brief?
  You can write a good design brief by thinking about what you want your design to include such as colours, fonts and images, as well as what you don’t want. Details are important! If you don’t include much information the designer will rely on their own skill and instincts. We also recommend providing sample images or sketches of designs you like.
• Can I upload images or files to support my contest?
  That would be great! We recommend uploading sketches for your contest to complement your design brief and help designers understand what you’re looking for.
  
  You can attach files when creating your contest or once it is live. Just click “Edit Brief” and attach files under ‘Do you have any images that might be helpful?’
• Can I change the details of my contest after it starts?
  Yes, you can edit the design brief and contest details at any time during the contest. Just click “Edit Brief”, make your changes and then save them.
  
  Note: You cannot make any changes after the contest closes.
• Where is my contest?
  To view your contest, go to the Projects and Contests Table on your Dashboard and check the Employer View radio button. Your contest will appear under the Open Contests tab.
  
  We want every designer to find your contest, which is why it can be accessed several ways including via the Browse Jobs page, every designer’s My Skills page and on the specific design category. We also promote your contest through our Twitter feed (Private contests are excluded).

Contest - Handover

• Can the designer email me the design?
  No, and here’s why. For your protection, and in order to release the prize money to the designer, both of you must legally transfer ownership of the design. The Design Handover enables you to do that easily.
• What should the winning designer provide?
  The design brief specifies the file types that need to be provided. Here’s a quick recap:
  

  • To use the design online on a website, as a banner or other advertising we recommend PSD and JPG file files.
  • To use the design for print as a letterhead, business card or for t-shirts we recommend AI and EPS formats.
• How does the design handover work?
  Here’s how the Design Handover works:

  • First, the designer signs the IP Transfer Agreement and uploads the designs files to Freelancer.com
  • The contest holder then has 7 days to download, review and accept the files and sign the IP Transfer Agreement. The prize money is released to the designer when the contest holder accepts the files.

  Note: If the contest holder does not review the files within 7 days of them being uploaded, the prize money will be automatically released to the designer.
• How do I sign the IP Transfer Agreement?
  To sign the IP Transfer Agreement, carefully review your details, then check the box beside ‘I agree to sign the IP Transfer Agreement’ and click “Sign Contract”.
• Should I provide revisions after my design is selected as the winner?
  Designers, we recommend trying to accommodate minor revisions requested by the contest holder, but anything else is up to you.
• Should I email the contest holder my design when chosen as the winner?
  No and here’s why. For your protection, and in order to release the prize money to you, you must legally transfer ownership of the design to the contest holder by completing the Design Handover. It’s the only way the prize money will be released to you and is easy to complete.

Contest - Payment

• Do I have to pay to enter?
  No, entry is free for designers. The contest holder has paid to organise this contest and strongly encourages you to participate!
• What currency is accepted for payment?
  Contests support all the Freelancer.de currencies including; USD, AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HKD, NZD, PHP, SGD, ZAR
• What payment methods are accepted?
  Here are Freelancer.de’s accepted payment methods.
• When do I get paid?
  Designers, the prize money is released once the contest holder accepts your design files and completes the design handover process.
• Can I choose the currency I get paid in?
  You will be paid in the currency in which the contest is listed.
• How can I be sure I'll get paid after completing the design handover?
  Designers, as soon as the contest holder downloads the design files the prize money is automatically released to you! Either party is able to Contact Support if they encounter any problems during this process.
  
  Note: If the design files are not accepted within the 7 day deadline, the prize money is released to you on the 8th day.
• What can I do if the contest holder doesn't pay me?
  If contest holder declared you the contest winner but hasn’t completed the design handover please Contact Support so we can investigate for you.

Contest - Tips

• Have you any tips for running a successful contest?
  Here are Freelancer.de's tips for a successful contest:
  

  • Write an informative design brief. Describe what you want in your design and provide sample images or sketches if you can.
  • Consider creating a Guaranteed Contest to attract more entrants.
  • Offer an attractive prize amount.
  • Log-in every day and respond to comments as often as possible.
  • Give good feedback to designs you like.
  • Provide constructive feedback for designs that aren’t what you’re looking for.
  • Treat everyone with respect.
• Have you any tips for attracting contest entries?
  Here are Freelancer.de's tips to attract contest entries:
  

  • Check that your design brief is easy to understand and contains information a designer needs. We recommend including examples of what you’re looking for such as images and sketches, if possible.
  • Ensure your contest title adequately describes and promotes your contest.
  • Consider increasing the prize money or upgrading it to a Guaranteed Contest.
  • Don’t wait for contestants! Use your social networks to spread the word and bring the competition to you! Post a short message and your contest link on your blog, Facebook and any other social networking site you use. Ask your networks to do the same!
  • Tweet about your design contest and include a short link to it. Ask your followers to retweet it.
  • You can also check out other active contests that are similar to yours and have lots of entries. Read their design briefs, contest titles and check the contest details for ideas.
• I need help with my contest!
  Please contact our friendly support team for any help with your contest. They’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Contest - Upgrades

• How do I upgrade my contest?
  Just select an upgrade feature while creating your contest or click “Edit Contest” to upgrade once it’s active:
  

  • “Guarantee” that you will select a winner and award the prize money to him, her or them.
  • “Highlight” your listing, with a blue border and bold text, to attract more attention.
  • “Feature” your contest by having it prominently displayed on the home page.
  • “Private” contests are hidden from search engines. Only logged in users can view them. Use this upgrade when confidentiality is a must.
  • “Sealed” contests mean designers can only see their own entries and no one else’s. Only you can see ALL the designs.
• What is a Guaranteed Contest?
  A Guaranteed contest attracts more designs by committing to select a winner and awarding the prize money to him or her.
  
  It’s FREE to guarantee your contest before it begins, on the “Contest Details” page, but once the contest is already underway it costs US$15 to upgrade. Just click “Upgrade Contest” and follow the prompts.
  
  Note: The Money Back Guarantee does not apply to a Guaranteed contest as you are assuring the designers that you will be awarding the prize. If you do not award a winning design by 30 days after the contest closing, the prize money will be automatically shared between freelancers.
• What is a Featured contest?
  It’s an affordable and easy way for you to attract designers by having it prominently displayed on the home page.
  
  You can upgrade to a Featured contest using the “Promote Contest” page before your contest begins or click “Upgrade Contest” once it’s underway.
• What is a Private contest?
  A Private contest is an optional upgrade you can use to prevent your contest from being found on Internet search engines. We recommend using it when confidentiality is essential.
  
  Private contests can only be viewed when you or any other user is logged in to Freelancer.de. To use it, select the Private Contest upgrade when creating your contest or click “Upgrade Contest” while it’s active.
  
  Note: A Private contest cannot be reversed once the contest is active.
• What is a Sealed Contest? Why are the other contest entries hidden?
  A Sealed contest is an optional upgrade you can use to ensure designers submit original contest entries. Whereas a normal contest enables designers to view all the submitted designs, a Sealed contest means only you, the contest holder, can see all the entries.
  
  A designer cannot see another designer’s entries, which also minimises disputes over copied entries.
  
  To use it, select the Sealed contest upgrade when creating your contest or click “Upgrade Contest” while it’s active.
  
  Note: A Sealed contest cannot be made public once the contest is live.
• Can I remove my contest from search engines?
  Yes. You can hide your contest from search engines at any time by upgrading it to a Private contest! Only users logged in to Freelancer.de can see it!
  
  Select the Private Contest upgrade when creating your contest or click "Upgrade Contest" while it's active.
  
  Note: A Private contest cannot be reversed once the contest is active.
• Can I make my Private Contest public?
  Unfortunately it’s not possible to make a Private contest public. Some designers specifically enter private contests because their designs are “protected” by being inaccessible to search engines and users who are not logged in.
• Can I increase the prize I'm offering?
  No, the prize amounts are fixed so, once you have selected your prize money amount, it cannot be increased.

Hourly Projects

• What is an Hourly Project?
  It’s a project in which you pay your Freelancer by the number of hours they work on the project. The Freelancer will invoice you for payment. Hourly projects are suitable for all types of projects, especially those which require a Freelancer to work specific hours, ongoing engagements, and projects where the scope is not clearly defined.
• How do I post an Hourly Project?
  • Click the Post Project link
  • Select “Hourly Rate” under Project Type.
  • Provide specific Hourly project details.
• How many hours can I hire a Freelancer for?
  You can hire a Freelancer for as many hours as you need. While creating your project, under "Hours of Work Required", specify the number of hours you would like to hire your Freelancer for and whether those hours are per week or month.

  
  If you are unsure how long your project will take to complete, simply select “Not Sure” and Freelancers will provide their estimates on how long it will take. You can then select the Freelancer appropriate for your project.

• Can I specify how long my Hourly Project goes for?
  Yes, you can specify your project duration in Days, Weeks and Months, or select Ongoing if it’s an indefinite work engagement.

  
  If you are unsure how long your project will go for, simply select “Not Sure” and you can negotiate the duration directly with Freelancers.

• How do I request a Milestone payment for an Hourly Project?
  • Go to your Project Details page
  • Select the Milestones tab under Awarded Bids
  • Click “Request Milestone”.
  • Create and send your request to your Employer

  
  Note: Employers do not have to accept your request. We recommend requesting Milestones so you can increase your Feedback and Reputation, and be protected in case an issue arises involving the project.

• How do I create an invoice for an Hourly Project?
  • Go to your Project Details page
  • Select the Invoices tab under Awarded Bids
  • Click “Create Invoice”

  
  Note: You can only create one Invoice at a time. If there is an unpaid invoice it must first be paid by the employer before you can create a new one.

• How do I pay an Invoice for an Hourly Project?
  • Go to your Project Details page
  • Select the Invoices tab under Awarded Bids
  • Click “Pay” next to the invoice you wish to pay for.

  
  You can pay an Invoice in 3 easy ways:

  
  1. By creating and releasing Milestones
  2. Direct Transfer
  3. A combination of Milestones and Direct Transfer
  

  
  Note: For Hourly Projects, Milestones can only be released to pay for an Invoice

• Can I request changes to my Freelancer’s Invoice?
  Yes. On your Project Page:
  

  • Click “Request Change” next to the Invoice
  • Specify the amendments you would like made to the invoice
  • Click “Request Change”

  
  The Freelancer will receive a message containing your requested changes, which they can choose to modify before reissuing the invoice.
• An employer has only paid a portion of my invoice. What can I do?
  If you are satisfied with the employer’s payment you can click “Accept Payment” in your Invoices tab. This will mark the invoice as paid and you will be able to raise further invoices.

  
  If you don’t agree with the payment made by the employer you can lodge a Dispute with Freelancer.de Support.

• How do I provide feedback for an Hourly project?
  You will be prompted to leave Feedback whenever an invoice is paid, whether you are the payer or recipient.

Design Studio

• What is Design Studio?
  It’s an integrated project management and collaboration platform to help you and your Designer work more efficiently together. Design Studio allows you to efficiently communicate, review designs and provide detailed feedback, resulting in higher quality designs and faster turnaround time.
  
  Design Studio costs just $19 USD and includes an easy to use Contract Management System for Employers to select their design(s) and transfer legal ownership fast. Learn more
• What are the benefits of a Design Studio?
  Design Studio enables Employers to:

  • Get better designs by giving designers targeted feedback and comments about specific entries
  • Receive designs faster by reducing turnaround times between leaving comments and getting updated designs
  • Quickly go from selecting design(s) to becoming a legal owner using our easy, built in Contract Management System
• How do I get my final designs and complete my project?
  Once you’ve decided which design(s) you want:
  

  • Select "Choose Design" for each design you want to assume legal ownership. Pick as many as you want!
  • Click "Finish Project". The next step is to own your design(s).
  • You will be prompted to sign the IP Transfer Agreement. Your designer will then be asked to upload the design files.
  • Download and Review the design files.
  • Accept the files when you’re happy. You now legally own the design(s)!
  • Complete your project by completing payment to your designer, if you haven’t already.
• Are Design Studios available for all projects?
  Yes

Gold Membership

• What is Gold Membership?
  Gold membership is an option available to all Freelancer.de members that allow payment of a small monthly fee in to pay either a reduced commission or no commission on projects. In addition to direct savings, this may allow providers to bid lower, increasing their chances of winning projects, and resulting in savings for Employers. Other advantages include:

  • Gold members are marked with sign.
  • As a gold member you pay a small monthly fee, but receive a large reduction on commission fees for projects completed.
  • Gold members are usually more reliable since they have a long term commitment in Freelancer.de
  • Frequent Employers will save money as gold members.
  • Gold members will get more business because of the Gold status.
  • There is a monthly fee of €20.00 EUR.
  • There is a 0% fee for projects which you post. (Normally 3%).
  • There is a 3% fee for projects where you bid, get chosen, complete, and are paid. (Normally 10%).
  • Gold members can add a portfolio to their profile.

    
    Upgrade Now!

• How much do I have to pay to be a Gold member?
  The fee for Gold Membership is €20.00 EUR
• I already deposited money on my account, why am I not yet a Gold Member?
  Please click here to upgrade your membership.
• What files can I submit on my Portfolio page?
  You may upload the following:

  
  

  Pictures

  - File type must be gif, png, jpeg or jpg.

  - Thumbnails of your pictures (Optional, otherwise our system will generate automatically.)

  
  

  Videos

  - File type flv only (maximum file size is 10 MB).

• How do I edit my Portfolio?
  Please login to your Freelancer.de account and edit your portfolio here.

User Profile

• Can I change my username?
  Your username is permanent and cannot be changed.
• The profile progress bar indicates my Profile is incomplete. How do I complete it?
  We will suggest a list of steps you can take to complete your profile:

  • Login to your Freelancer.de account.
  • Click Profile from the navigation menu.
  • Click My Address to change your full name and address details.
  • Click My Email/Password to change your email or your password.
  • Add your Profile Photo.
  • Set your Hourly Rate.
  • Add your Summary and Headline.
  • Fill in your Resume details.
  • Add items to your Portfolio
  • Edit your Settings such as time zone, currency and email notifications.
• How do I edit my Profile?
  To edit your Profile:
  

  • Log in to your Freelancer.de account
  • Click Profile on the navigation menu
  • Click View Profile
  • You can then edit any section in your Profile
  • Click Save when done

  
  Freelancer Profiles enable in-page editing, so you can edit all your information directly on your Profile page.
• How do I add a Portfolio to my Profile?
  Every Freelancer.com user gets their very own personal portfolio. To add Images, Video, Audio, Text or Code to your Portfolio:

  • Log in to your Freelancer.de account
  • Click Profile on the navigation menu
  • Click Portfolio from the menu on the left
  • Click Add Item
  • Fill in the Add Portfolio Item form
  • Click Save when done
• How do I change my display name in my Profile?
  Freelancer Profiles allow you to customize your display name in your Profile. Your default display name is your username. To change your display name:
  

  • Log in to your Freelancer.de account
  • Click Profile on the navigation menu
  • Click Edit on your display name
  • Update your display name
  • Click Save when done

  Note: Your modified display name will only appear in your Profile. Your username will still appear alongside your bids.
• Why is my account suspended?
  There are several possible reasons for suspending a Freelancer’s or Employer’s account.
  

  • Posting contact information, or links to contact information, in a project description, bid or on the message boards. This is the most common reason for project removal and account suspension. Contact information can only be posted for Full Time projects.
  • Posting invalid or improper content in a project description, bid or on the message boards: This may include advertisements and illegal or inappropriate information.
  • Posting a request to exchange funds between accounts without a valid project. Freelancer.de is not a money transfer service, and any such transactions will be reversed.
  • Creating multiple accounts. Members can only have ONE Freelancer.de account, which they can use to both hire, and bid for, jobs.
  • Your account balance has been negative for 35 days or more.
  • Violating the Freelancer.de Terms of Service. This may also result in account termination. Please read and understand our Terms of Service before using the site.

  If you believe your account has been suspended in error, please submit a ticket through our Online Help Desk.
• Why is my account closed?
  There are several possible reasons for terminating a Freelancer’s or Employer’s account, including:

  • Falsifying your identity, or impersonating someone else’s identity
  • Incurring legal liabilities (actual or potential)
  • Infringing someone else's intellectual property rights
  • Engaging in fraudulent, immoral or illegal activities, and other similar reasons
  • Violating the Freelancer.de Terms of Service. Please read and understand our Terms of Service before using the site.
• How do I close my account?
  You can close your account by submitting a ticket through our Online Help Desk.
  
  Note: If your account balance is negative, you will be required to deposit funds before your account can be closed.

Employers

• How does Freelancer.de work for Employers?
  Freelancer.de provides a convenient, safe environment for service buyers and skilled workers around the world to conduct business. Use the guidelines on this page to see just how simple outsourcing your projects can be.
• What fees will I pay?
  Joining Freelancer.com is FREE. Basic members pay small commissions. You may check the complete list of fees here.

  
  GST will be added to fees as required by law.

• How do I post a project?
  Please go to this page to post a project. You may also check this short video tutorial on how to post a project.
• What are Sealed Bids?
  You can hide all bids for a one time fee of €5 EUR. Sealed Bidding may lead to lower bids for your project!

  
  These types of project appear with the graphic appearing next to the title of the project.

• What is a Private Project?
  Private hides project details from search engines and users that are not logged in for €5 EUR. This feature is recommended for projects where confidentiality is a must.

  
  These types of project appear with the graphic appearing next to the title of the project.

• What is a Featured Project?
  Featured Projects incur a one time fee of €19 EUR. Featured Projects attract more, higher quality bids. They appear prominently on the home page.

  
  These types of project appear with the graphic appearing next to the title of the project.

• What is a Full-Time Project?
  Full Time job advertisements incur a one time fee of €150 EUR, payable by the Employer. These type of job advertisements are listed on the main page with the graphic appearing next to each Full Time project.

  
  You will save 100% on Freelancer.com commissions. There will be no charge based on the value of the work to either you or the Freelancer (Freelancers are typically charged €5 EUR or 10% of their bid, whichever is greater).

  
  No commissions’ means potential Freelancers will be able to make lower bids. Also, unlike normal projects, Freelancers are allowed to bid in any way you like, for example an hourly or weekly rate.

  
  

  Feedback will only be available to one Freelancer.

• Why is my project invalid?
  We do not allow projects whose content may create liability for Freelancer.com, harm its business operation or reputation, or cause Freelancer.com to lose the services of its suppliers. We consider the following projects as invalid and do not refund fees:

  • PVA related projects
  • eBay account creation
  • Email account creations - includes social network accounts, etc.
  • Money transfer and exchange
  • Cloning of websites
  • Captcha Projects
  • Hacking
  • Selling of end products
  • Advertising services
  • Selling of stolen scripts
  • Buying/Selling of Accounts
  • Craigslist Projects
  • eBay Scam Projects

  Please read more about our Terms of Service.

Employers - Milestone Payments

• What is a Milestone Payment?
  Freelancer.com has a special, non-compulsory feature, which allows controlled payments to be made with respect to a project to a Freelancer. At your request, Freelancer.com will accept an advance payment from an Employer for a project. We will hold such funds ("Milestone Payments") until the Employer and the Freelancer agree that the funds should be released to the Freelancer or until the Employer and the Freelancer have concluded the process of the Dispute Resolution Services. Once an Employer instructs Freelancer.com to pay a Freelancer that performed a service for him/her, the Employer acknowledges that the Freelancer has completed the service fully and satisfactory.

  
  Freelancer.com will then disburse the Milestone Payment to the Freelancer. If a Employer does not approve of the Freelancer work product, the Parties agree to be bound by the terms of the Dispute Resolution Service.

• Why use Milestone Payment?
  • It is too risky for Employers to pay outside of Freelancer.com. 
  • Freelancer.com offers protection if something goes wrong.
  • This will help build the Employers reputation and the only way to do this is to pay using our Milestone Payment System.  Reputation will entice more Freelancers to bid on your projects, and you will gain status
• Why should I create a Milestone immediately after awarding my project?
  Creating one or more Milestones up front makes your project start faster. Freelancers can start work immediately knowing they'll get paid once you're happy with their work. You can cancel Milestone(s) before your project is accepted but we don't recommend this because it will delay your project's start date.
• How do I make a Milestone Payment?
  To send money to your provider using our Milestone Payments, please follow the steps below:

  
  

  • Log in to Freelancer.com
  • Click "New Milestone Payment" on the Payments menu.
  • Choose the related project.
  • Select a Service Provider from the list. If you don't see the user in this list, ensure that you have chosen the correct project and that the project was awarded and accepted by the provider.
  • Select or enter a reason for the payment
  • Enter the amount to be transferred
  • Click the “Next” button and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Can I make an advance payment to a Freelancer?
  While it is not unusual for Freelancers to request an advance payment, particularly on large-scale projects, Employers are under no obligation to provide one and should only consider this option with well-trusted Freelancers. Freelancer.com assumes no responsibility for any loss of funds due to advance payments.

  
  If an advance payment is agreed upon, we highly recommend using our Milestone Payments system to transfer funds to the Freelancer. In addition to providing more security for both parties, this allows the use of Freelancer.com's Dispute Resolution Services if problems arise.

• How do I release a Milestone Payment?
  To release a Milestone Payment, please follow the steps below:

  
  

  • Please login to your account and follow this link: https://www.freelancer.com/users/manage-payments.php
  • You will see a drop down menu that says "Take Action". Select "Release Payment" to get it released to your provider.

  
  Once the Milestone Payment is released there's no way for us to recover the funds. Make sure that the project has been completed and you are satisfied with the results before releasing your pending Milestone Payment.

• How do I divide a Milestone Payment into parts?
  You can release a partial amount of the Milestone Payment to the provider. Please click "View Payments" on the Payments Menu and find the "Outgoing Milestone Payments" section:

  
  The section will list all the receivers of your outgoing Milestone Payment. At the drop down menu, select "Release Part or Full Payment." You will be then directed to the page where you can indicate the amount of Milestone Payment you'd like to release.

  
  Do not release the payment if you are not 100% happy with the agreed deliverables or not satisfied with the development of the project. If you decide to finish the payment before the job or milestone is complete, you will be responsible for any loss of funds.

• How do I cancel a Milestone Payment?
  For the protection of Freelancers, Milestone Payments cannot be cancelled by the Employer. If you feel a Freelancer isn't entitled to a Milestone Payment, you should first contact the Freelancer to request a refund. If an agreement cannot be reached, please consider using Freelancer.com's Dispute Resolution Services.
• I already released my Milestone Payment, is there a way for me to get my money back?
  Unfortunately, once the Milestone Payment is released there's no way for us to recover the funds. We suggest that you work with the Freelancer to resolve the situation.

Employers - Projects

• How do I edit a project after bidding starts?
  Changing your original project description after bidding starts is prohibited because Freelancers base their bids on your description. You may, however, add additional information to your description to help Freelancers better understand the project. You may want to consider this if you've received several questions via the Project Clarification Board or private messages.
• How do I put additional information after the bidding starts?
  To add an additional description to your project, please do the following:

  
  

  • Login to your account.
  • On your Freelancer.com Home Page, go to the Projects Table at the bottom of the page, and then click "Employer View."
  • Click the "Open for Bidding" tab.
  • Select the project title; on the drop down menu, choose the "Edit" option.
• How do I invite a Freelancer to bid on my project?
  To invite a Freelancer please go to his profile page and click "Invite Provider."

  
  You can use this form to search Freelancers by skills, country or rating.

• How can I ask questions before selecting a Freelancer?
  You can send a private message (PM) to discuss any detail with potential Freelancers. To send a private message:

  
  

  • Log in to Freelancer.com
  • On your Freelancer.com Home Page, go to the Projects Table at the bottom of the page, and then click "Employer View".
  • Click the "Open for Bidding" tab.
  • Click the project title to go to the project page.
  • Use the "Messages" button next to the Freelancers username to send a private message.
• How do I accept a bid from a Freelancer?
  Before selecting providers for your projects, we recommend reading our article entitled "Four Questions to Ask Yourself When Selecting a Bidder".

  
  When you're ready to select a Freelancer or Freelancers, follow these simple steps:

  
  

  • Log in to Freelancer.com
  • On your Freelancer.com Home Page, go to the Projects Table at the bottom of the page, and then click "Employer View".
  • Click the "Open for Bidding" tab.
  • Select the Project that you want to award to a Freelancer and then select "Award."
  • Pick your selected Freelancer/s and then click "Select".

  
  When the project is accepted, Freelancer.com will share the Employer's and Freelancer's respective contact information with the other member and the project is considered as closed.

• Do I have to deposit funds to select a Freelancer?
  If you do not have any Feedback, you must have at least 20% of the value of the bids that you select as winning. You will be prompted to deposit funds with the amount when you select the winner/s.
• Do I need to have sufficient funds in my account to accept a bid?
  No, you don't have to have the funds in your account before you accept a bid. However, Freelancers may require you to put up a Milestone Payment in part or in full before they will start work.

  
  Additionally, Freelancers that have been chosen with winning bids will see an icon on the final accept page of whether there are sufficient funds in your account to pay for the project in full or not before they complete acceptance.

• How do I cancel a project?

  To close or cancel a project, please do the following:

  • Login to your account.
  • On your Freelancer.com Home Page, go to the Projects Table at the bottom, click "Employer View."
  • Click the "Work-in-Progress" tab.
  • Select the project you want to close; on the drop down menu, choose the "Cancel" option.

  Please be aware that we do not refund commissions when the project has been awarded already.

  
  Our project commission is an introduction fee. Once someone's bid is selected and accepted, at that point email addresses and contact details are traded.

  
  It's our part to introduce the two parties but the project's success lies only between the Employer and the Freelancer.

• How do I delete a project?
  You may delete a project but it will cost $5. When the project is deleted, no one will be able to view the project, the attached files nor any of the bids on the project. The information will be unavailable to affiliates and the API. This should also remove it from the search engines next time they re-index our site.

  
  To delete a project, please do the following:

  • Login to your account.
  • On your Freelancer.com Home Page, go to the Projects Table at the bottom, click "Employer View."
  • Click either the "Open for Bidding", "Work-in-Progress" or "Past Projects" tab (depends on the state of your project).
  • Select the project title; on the drop down menu, choose the "Delete" option.

Employers - Feedback

• How do I rate and write a review for a Freelancer?
  After a project is completed and the Freelancer is paid the full amount of his or her winning bid (through Freelancer.com), the feedback system for that project will become available. The Notification Box will display all the completed projects that you need to leave a feedback on your Home Page. Click on the project name to leave a feedback to the Freelancer.
• What if a Freelancer fails to complete my project?
  Employers may submit an Incomplete Project Report if a Freelancer fails to complete a project after a reasonable amount of time. This report provides an option for Employers to rate a Freelancer when the option of feedback isn’t available because payment has been withheld. The Freelancer may also respond to the report.

  
  Please note that Freelancer.com recommends making every attempt to resolve any issues before submitting an Incomplete Project Report. If you find it necessary to submit a report, keep your comments at a professional level and refrain from derogatory statements.

  
  Incomplete Project Reports can be submitted on this page.

Employers - Hiring

• How do I hire a Freelancer for my project?
  Hire a Freelancer in 3 easy steps:

  • Find a Freelancer searching our database or by browsing Freelancer.com.
  • Click a username to visit their Profile page.
  • Click 'Hire Me' and complete a short form to offer them your project.

  You can also hire Freelancers who have previously worked for you. Just go to your Contact list, select the Freelancer you want and click 'Hire Me' to fill out the form.
• How much does it cost to hire a Freelancer?
  It's FREE to offer a project to a Freelancer. The minimum project budget you can offer is $30 USD. If they accept your offer you'll be charged $3 USD or 3% of the total project cost, whichever is greater. Gold members benefit with a 0% fee when posting projects.
• What are the fees for Freelancers?
  Once you accept an Employer's offer, you will be charged either $5 USD or 10% of the project cost, whichever is greater. Gold members will be charged 3% of the project cost.

Employers – Contact Lists

• Can I rehire a freelancer for a similar project?
  Yes. Select any Freelancer in your contact list to view past projects they have completed for you. Click 'Rehire' if you wish to hire them again for a similar project. This allows you to re-use details from past projects!
• What is my contact list?
  Your contact list is like an address book which automatically adds the names of Freelancers who you have awarded projects to. It helps you contact or hire them quickly for future projects you may have.
• How do I add Freelancers to my contact list?
  Freelancers will be automatically added to your contact list once you have awarded a project to them.
• How do I hire freelancers from the contact list?
  There are 2 ways to hire Freelancers from your contact list

  • Hover over the option icon next to their username and click 'Hire Me'.
  • Click their name and then 'Hire Me' in the detailed contact view on the right.

  Once you've offered them your project we'll notify them to accept or reject the offer.
• How do I add a contact to ‘My Network’ group?
  Hover over the Freelancer you want to add to 'My Network' and click the Network icon on the left hand side of the contact. The Freelancer will then be added and appear at the top of your group list.
  
  Note: You are allowed up to 3 contacts in your Network group. If you already have 3 contacts and want to add another, you will be prompted to select a Freelancer to be replaced.

Freelancers

• I received a project offer from an Employer, but didn't bid on their project. How did this happen?
  You can now get hired without bidding on a project! From October 2011, Employers are able to hire you directly using Hire Me or from the Find Freelancers directory. To confirm your offer: Log in to your Freelancer account and look for the offer in your Dashboard. You can Accept or Decline but act fast so you don't miss out!
• How does Freelancer.de work for Freelancers?
  Freelancer.de opens the global job market to freelancers in all trades and professions. Our unique platform eliminates the need for expensive advertising and lets you offer your talents and skills to the world without ever leaving your home or office.

  
  For more details on finding and obtaining work, see our article entitled “Successful Freelancing with Freelancer.com”.

• What fees will I pay as a Freelancer?
  Joining Freelancer.com is FREE. Basic members pay small commissions. You may check the complete list of fees here.

  
  GST will be added to fees as required by law.

Freelancers - Bidding

• How do I submit a bid?
  Before placing your first bid, we recommend reading “10 Tips for Writing an Effective Bid”. When you find a project you’d like to bid on, simply click on the “Bid on This Project” button at the top or bottom of the bid listing to access the bid form for the project. Enter your bid amount, the number of days for delivery, and any necessary details, then click the “Place Bid” button. Follow up with a Private Message to provide more information or upload samples.
  
  

  See also:

  • Sponsored Bid
  • Highlighted Bid
• Is there a fee for bidding?
  Bidding is free for all Freelancers, regardless of membership level. Rather than charge members for bids, we have devised a bid limit system that helps ensure quality bids. Basic members are allowed 30 bids per month plus bonus bids. Gold members are allowed 150 bids per month plus bonus bids. Though bids cannot be accumulated, the number of available bids is refilled each month.

  
  For a more detailed explanation of bid limits, click here.
  
  

  See also:

  • Sponsored Bid
  • Highlighted Bid
• What are Highlighted Bids?
  Highlighted Bids is an option for Freelancers to feature their bids, highlight it and make it stand out from all the other bids. It incurs a onetime fee of €1 EUR.

  
  When you want to highlight your bid, tick that option in the bid creation page. If you don't have funds in your account, you will get an "Insufficient Funds" error.

• Can I modify a bid I've already submitted?
  Yes. You may edit your bid on any active project. Please follow the instructions below:

  
  

  • Log in to Freelancer.com
  • Click "Projects".
  • Click the "Projects Bid On" button.
  • Click on the project name in the list
  • Locate your bid (it will be the only one with buttons)
  • Click the “Edit Bid” button
• What is my “bid limit” and how is it calculated?
  To help ensure quality bids, there is a limit to how many bids each Freelancer can submit. This limit is calculated on a monthly limit according to membership level, plus additional bids based on your length of membership, plus additional bids for Gold members based on reviews. Here’s how it works:

  
  Basic Members:

  
  

  • 30 starting bids per month (reset each month – no carryover)
  • 1 additional bid per month for each past month of membership

  
  Example: If a Basic member is starting his or her 6th month as a member:

  
  30 starting bids + 5 additional bids = 35 bids for this month.

  
  Gold Members:

  
  

  • 150 starting bids per month (reset each month – no carryover)
  • 1 additional bid per month for each past month of membership
  • 1 additional bid per month for each project review received

  
  Example: If a Gold member is starting his or her 6th month as a member and has received 12 reviews for completed projects:

  
  150 starting bids + 17 (5 months + 12 reviews) additional bids = 167 bids for this month.

• Why can't I bid on a project?
  There are a number of possible reasons a Freelancer may be unable to bid a particular project. Please see the list below to determine the cause:

  • The project may not match the selected areas of expertise in your profile.
  • If you’ve recently selected a new category in your areas of expertise, you may only bid on projects matching that category that were posted after the change to your profile.
  • If your membership level is Basic, you may be trying to bid on a project that is listed for Gold members only. You will need to upgrade your membership to bid on this project.
  • Users with at least one review may not bid on Trial projects. These projects are posted free by new Employers and may only be bid on by Freelancers with no feedback.

  If none of the reasons above apply, please submit a support ticket through our Online Help Desk.

• How do I deliver a project?
  You may deliver a project by any method agreed upon by you and the Service Buyer. Depending on the project type, options may include upload to the Buyer’s hosting account, email, and more. You may, of course, use the Freelancer.com Private Message board to deliver individual files as well. We recommend using our Milestone Payment System to ensure payment on delivery of the finished project.
• How do I abort a project?

  To abort a project, please do the following:

  • Login to your account.
  • Click "Freelancer View" from the Projects Table at the bottom of your homepage.
  • Click the "Work-in-Progress" tab.
  • Select the project you want to close and choose "Abort" from the drop down menu.

  
  Please be aware that we do not refund commissions once the project has already been awarded.

• What does it mean when a project is Frozen?
  When a project's status is Frozen it means:
  
  

  • The Employer, or bidder(s), must take action for the project to progress
  • No one else can bid on the project

  
  A project becomes Frozen when the Employer selects one or more bidders, and is waiting for them to accept the project. Once the project is accepted, the project status changes to Closed.

Freelancers - Milestone Payments

• How do I get paid?
  We recommend the use of our Milestone Payment. We also recommend Freelancers to ask for the Milestone Payment first before doing any work. Feedback is also available only if the Freelancer is paid in full using the Milestone Payment system.

  
  Please read more about Milestone Payments here.

• Why use Milestone Payment?
  • This will help Freelancers build reputation.  Reputation puts a Freelancer higher in the bid rankings. The higher you are, the more likely you will be picked and the more money you will earn.
  • This will help Freelancers with their Completion Rate.  Employers will have the security of knowing that their projects will be completed and will not be abandoned by an unreliable Freelancer.
• How do I check if the Employer sent a Milestone Payment?
  You may check your incoming Milestone Payments by doing the following:

  • Log into your account.
  • Click "View Payments" on the Payments menu.
  • Look for "Incoming Milestone Payments"
• How do I cancel a Milestone Payment?
  To cancel a Milestone Payment, please follow the instructions below:

  
  

  • Log in to Freelancer.com.
  • Click "View Payments" on the Payments menu.
  • Scroll down to “Incoming Milestone Payments”.
  • Look for the Milestone Payment that you want to cancel and choose “Cancel” under Actions.
• Can I receive payments outside of a project?
  No. Fund transfers from one Freelancer.com account to another should be in payment for services received or refunds of said payments, etc.
• Can I receive payments outside of Freelancer.de?
  It is highly advisable to transact using Freelancer.de's Milestone Payment System.

Freelancers - Feedback

• How do I rate and write a review for an Employer?
  After a project is completed and the you are paid the full amount of your winning bid through Freelancer.com, the feedback system for that project will become available. The Notification Box will display all the completed projects that you need to leave a feedback on your Home Page. Click on the project name to leave a feedback to the Employer.
• What is "Completion Rate"?

  Completion rate is a measurement based on the volume of project that have been successfully completed within the agreed time, and the extent to which payments for those projects have been made through Freelancer.com's Milestone Payment System.

  
  

  To achieve a high completion rate Freelancers should complete projects on time, and ensure they are paid in full through Freelancer.com's Milestone Payment System.Using Milestone Payment is an excellent way to ensure payments are made in full when the work has been completed, and provides the additional protection of the Freelancer.com Disputes Resolution System.

Dispute Resolution Services

• What is Freelancer.de's Dispute Resolution Service?

  The Dispute Resolution Service is offered by Freelancer.de to users who wish to contest the return or release of an existing Milestone(s). This service is offered only for users who have elected to use the Milestone Payment System.

  
  

  If an issue arises where you wish to negotiate the return or release of a Milestone, you should file a dispute.

  
  

  In all circumstances, we encourage users to resolve disputes between themselves rather than use this service; however, it is provided as an alternative of last resort should the parties are unable to reach agreement.

• How do I file a dispute against a user?

  Any Freelancer.com user can file a Dispute against another user, as long as the project has a related Milestone payment.

  
  

  To lodge a dispute over a payment, mouse over the "Disputes" link at the navigation bar on your Freelancer.com home page and click the "New Disputes" link.

  
  

  Select the project to dispute and the user; then tick the Milestone Payment you wish to dispute and type down why you want to dispute the Milestone Payment. You are allowed to contest all the Milestones related to a single project in one dispute.

  
  

  You then need to describe your issue in detail and attach any supporting evidence you may have (from Stages 1 through to 3, you are encouraged to attach any files that could support your claims).

  
  

  Finally, you should enter the amount you are prepared to pay for the project (if an Employer) or wish to receive for the project (if a Freelancer). The amount could be between 0 and the total amount of Milestone Payments in question.

  
  

  The other party has a number of days (4 if the other party is a Freelancer, 7 if the other party is an Employer) to respond to the claim made by the complainant. If the party does not respond within the given days, the Dispute closes in your favor.

  
  

  For more information, please read Section 11.4 of the Terms.

  
  
• Can I dispute work that does not relate to a project?
  No. You can only dispute a Milestone(s) related to a project. Milestone Payment sent through the "Other reason" option also cannot be disputed.
• I released the Milestone but the Freelancer did not finish the job! Is there a way to file a dispute against the Freelancer?
  No. The Dispute Resolution Service is only for pending Milestone payments related to projects. For all projects with Milestones, Employers are advised to release a Milestone payment only after the requirements of a Milestone have been fully and satisfactorily met. Freelancer.com cannot reclaim a Milestone that has already been released.
• Can I submit more evidence after the Dispute has been escalated to arbitration?
  No. You are free to submit evidence via the Dispute System from Stage 1 to Stage 3. Once the dispute has proceeded to Stage 4, further evidence will no longer be accepted.
• I accidentally clicked on the wrong button/wrote the wrong amount! Could you change it back?
  No. All actions made on the dispute system are final, binding, and irreversible. You are advised to be very careful before pressing a button or typing an amount. If you are unsure about what to do on your dispute, feel free to contact the Support Team.
• I lost the dispute! Can I file for reconsideration?
  No. All dispute verdicts are final, binding, and irreversible.

Sponsor Bid

• What is a Sponsored Bid?
  A sponsored bid allows you to compete with other Freelancers by paying the highest amount to move your bid to the top of a project’s bid list.
• How many sponsored bids can there be on one project?
  Sponsored bids are limited to the top 3 positions of the list.
• How much should I sponsor my bid for?
  You may enter any whole dollar amount. Each new sponsorship must be higher than your last. If your sponsorship ranks in the top 3, the amount will be deducted from your existing Freelancer balance. The sponsor tool displays the amount required to move your bid to the 1st position in the bid list.
• What if my sponsored bid is selected for the project?
  If your bid is selected, and you accept the project, you will be refunded the amount sponsored.
• What happens if my bid is out sponsored?
  If your bid no longer places in the top 3 positions, it will return to the bid list and you will be refunded the amount sponsored.

Feedback

• Is there a time limit to leave feedback?
  A review must be entered within 90 days after the project completion and payment. Within the 90 day period, if a member submits feedback, it becomes publicly available when one of the following occurs:

  • The other member submits feedback
  • 14 days elapse
• Why can't I find the option to rate a user?
  Users may only leave a Feedback if the following conditions are met:

  • The project is paid in full.
  • The project is paid using Freelancer.com's Milestone Payment System.

  If the full amount of the bid was not transferred through our system, the Feedback option for that project will not be activated. For this reason, we recommend that the Employer and the Freelancer mutually agree on the final bid price and make adjustments accordingly before awarding and accepting a project.

Payments and Billing

• How do I deposit money into my account?
  You can deposit funds to your Freelancer.com account from your PayPal or MoneyBookers account, by Wire Transfer or by credit card.

  
  To make a deposit:

  
  

  1. Log in to Freelancer.com
  2. Click the “Payments” button
  3. Click on “Deposit Funds”
  4. Select the funding source.
  5. Enter an amount. (Minimum is $10)
  6. Select the currency you wish to deposit funds in. (Note: Not all currencies are available for each payment method.)
  7. Click the “Next” button and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Can I use Direct Deposit to deposit funds?
  You can deposit funds to your Freelancer.com account through Direct Deposit:

  
  To make a deposit:

  
  

  1. Log in to Freelancer.com
  2. Click the “Payments” button
  3. Click on “Deposit Funds”
  4. Select "Direct Deposit" as the funding source.
  5. Enter an amount. (Minimum amount will depend on your currency)
  6. Select the currency you wish to deposit funds in. (Note: Not all currencies are available for each payment method.)
  7. Click the “Next” button.

  
  Please copy and supply your bank with the Deposit Details.
  Deposited funds will be added to your balance as soon as we receive it in our account.

  
  

  Once payment has been sent, you need to fill out the payment form to help us identify your payment. Go to this link, and at the bottom, click the "Enter Payment Details" button.

• Can I use Wire Transfer to deposit funds?
  You can deposit funds to your Freelancer.com account through Wire Transfer:

  
  To make a deposit:

  1. Log in to Freelancer.com
  2. Click the “Payments” button
  3. Click on “Deposit Funds”
  4. Select "Wire Deposit" as the funding source.
  5. Enter an amount. (Minimum is $10)
  6. Select the currency you wish to deposit funds in. (Note: Not all currencies are available for each payment method.)
  7. Click the “Next” button.

  
  Please copy and supply your bank with the Deposit Details. The BSB code of Freelancer.com is 342011.

  
  Deposited funds will be added to your balance as soon as we receive it in our account.

  
  Once payment has been sent, you need to fill out the payment form to help us identify your payment. Go to this link, and at the bottom, click the "Enter Payment Details" button.

• What is the difference between Direct Deposit and Wire Transfer?
  Wire Transfer
  

  • Wire transfer is an inter-country transfer and can necessitate the use of an intermediary or correspondent bank which further delays the transfer.
  • Available only for USD and is charged with 15 USD.
  • It takes 3-5 business days for the deposit to reflect in their accounts.

  Direct Deposit
  

  • Same currency deposit from within that country.
  • It takes 1-3 business days for the deposit to reflect in their accounts.
• How do I cancel my PayPal billing agreement?
  If you have authorised a PayPal billing agreement, you can cancel the agreement from the settings page by clicking ‘Cancel’ under ‘Cancel your existing PayPal Billing Agreements’.
• Who can opt for direct deposit? Is this option available for everyone?
  Direct Deposit is currently available for AU, NZ, HK, SG, GB, PH only. To process a direct deposit the user would normally transfer the money directly from their bank account using internet banking.  Other options may be available such as telephone banking.
• My deposit is not reflecting in my account.
  Please submit a support ticket through our Online Help Desk with the following information:

  
  

  • Transaction ID
  • Amount of deposit
  • Time
• How are payments billed to my account?
  For your convenience and ease of use, if you do not have enough funds in the currency to make a payment, we will automatically deduct the funds from your next highest currency balance. Following this, we will process the payment from your verified payment source. Otherwise, you can deposit the required funds via the deposit page.
• In what ways can you send me my earnings?
  We currently send out payments via PayPal, Wire Transfer, Moneybookers and Freelancer.com debit cards.
• How do I withdraw money from my account?
  Follow these steps to withdraw money:

  
  

  • Login to your Freelancer.com account.
  • Select "Withdraw Funds" from the "Payments" menu
  • Choose the most suitable method of withdrawal (some are not available in some countries).
  • Fill out the details of the withdrawal which will be specific to the chosen method.
  • Check the details and submit the withdrawal request.

  
  You'll receive the notification of the submitted request by email.

  
  Please note that the minimum withdrawal is $30 and that the very first withdrawal is delayed for 15 days for security reasons.

• Is there a cut-off time for submitting a withdrawal?
  Yes. Withdrawals are processed twice a week. The cut-off times are:
  

  • 5pm on Sundays EDT (New York), which is 7am on Monday AEST (Sydney), to be processed on Monday (NY)/ Tuesday (Sydney).
  • 5pm on Wednesday EDT (New York), which is 7am on Thursday AEST (Sydney) to be processed on Thursday (NY)/ Friday (Sydney).

  For your payment to be processed within those timeframes please ensure your withdrawal request is lodged before then, otherwise it will be processed at the next available opportunity.
• I’m trying to withdraw using Wire Transfer but I am being redirected to another payment method.
  If you are trying to make a withdrawal using wire transfer and you are being redirected to another payment method (i.e PayPal) this means that Freelancer.com does not have the provision to send your money from HSBC to your country. Please try to use another payment method to withdraw your funds.
• Why is my withdrawal still in the pending status?
  A withdrawal that’s Pending is waiting to be processed.
  
  

  • Withdrawal requests lodged by 5pm on Sundays EDT (New York), which is 7am on Monday AEST (Sydney) should be processed no later than Tuesday (NY)/ Wednesday (Sydney).
  • Withdrawal requests lodged by 5pm on Wednesday EDT (New York), which is 7am on Thursday AEST (Sydney). should be processed no later than Friday (NY)/ Monday (Sydney).

  When it is being processed its status will change to Locked, and you will be notified by email when payment is sent.
  
  Note: If this is your first withdrawal it could take up to 15 days, for security reasons. There will be no delay for subsequent withdrawals.
  
  Do not re-submit a Pending withdrawal request. Instead, submit a support ticket through our Online Help Desk if you believe your withdrawal has been Pending for a long time.
• Why is my withdrawal locked?
  A withdrawal is Locked while its being processed.
  
  

  • Withdrawal requests lodged by 5pm on Sundays EDT (New York), which is 7am on Monday AEST (Sydney) should be processed no later than Tuesday (NY)/ Wednesday (Sydney).
  • Withdrawal requests lodged by 5pm on Wednesday EDT (New York), which is 7am on Thursday AEST (Sydney). should be processed no later than Friday (NY)/ Monday (Sydney).

  You will be notified by email when payment is sent.
  
  Note: If this is your first withdrawal it could take up to 15 days, for security reasons. There will be no delay for subsequent withdrawals.
• When will my withdrawal be processed?
  Withdrawals are processed twice a week, as long as the requests are lodged before:
  

  • 5pm on Sundays EDT (New York), which is 7am on Monday AEST (Sydney). Processed on Monday (NY)/ Tuesday (Sydney).
  • 5pm on Wednesday EDT (New York), which is 7am on Thursday AEST (Sydney). Processed on Thursday (NY)/ Friday (Sydney).

  If you miss either cut-off your withdrawal will be processed at the next available opportunity.
  
  When you lodge a withdrawal request, its status is Pending. When it is being processed its status changes to Locked, and you will be notified by email when payment is sent.
  
  Note: If this is your first withdrawal it could take up to 15 days, for security reasons. There will be no delay for subsequent withdrawals.
  
  Do not re-submit a Pending withdrawal request. Instead, submit a support ticket through our Online Help Desk if you believe your withdrawal has been Pending for a long time.
• Can you speed up my withdrawal?
  We doubled funds withdrawals in September 2011, but cannot speed up the withdrawals beyond that. You can request a withdrawal, twice every week, until:
  
  

  • 5pm on Sundays EDT (New York), which is 7am on Monday AEST (Sydney), to be processed on Monday (NY)/ Tuesday (Sydney).
  • 5pm on Wednesday EDT (New York), which is 7am on Thursday AEST (Sydney) to be processed on Thursday (NY)/ Friday (Sydney).

  
  
  For your payment to be processed within those timeframes please ensure your withdrawal request is lodged before then.
• I entered an incorrect PayPal account when requesting a withdrawal. What should I do?
  First, check whether there is a PayPal account registered to the email address you incorrectly entered. Here's how: Visit your PayPal country site and click "Problem with Login". Next, select "I forgot the email address I used", then enter the email address and follow the prompts. PayPal will try to match the address to a PayPal account. If no match is found, you may be able to recover the funds in 2 possible ways:
  
  

  • Create the email account for yourself. This is ideal if the email address is a free webmail account (such as Yahoo!, Gmail or Hotmail). You’ll then be able to claim the money from PayPal.
  • If you don’t want to create a new email account, you can wait 30 days for PayPal’s unclaimed payment period to end. If the money is not claimed within those 30 days, it is returned to our account. Note: The funds are not automatically returned to your Freelancer.com account, so you must submit a support ticket through our Online Help Desk. We’ll then be able to return the funds to your Freelancer.com account.

  
  
  Note: If a match is found, please contact PayPal Support for assistance.
• What is Express Withdrawals?

  Express Withdrawals is the fastest method of withdrawing funds from your Freelancer.com account directly to your bank account, in selected countries. Depending on how quickly your financial institution processes withdrawals, you can get your money in 2-3* working days, with ZERO intermediary fees!
  *Note: We recommend contacting your bank or financial institution to find out how quickly withdrawals are processed. Some institutions could take longer than others.

• Why can't I use Express Withdrawals?

  You may be unable to use Express Withdrawals if:

  • You are not a Gold member
  • You do not have at least 2 reviews
  • Express Withdrawals is not available for your country yet. More countries will be added soon.

• What countries are applicable for Express Withdrawals?

  Express Withdrawals is currently available for India. More countries will be added as they become available.

• Are there any fees to use Express Withdrawals?

  A withdrawal fee of US$2.00 is charged for each Express withdrawal. There are no intermediary fees!

• How much can I withdraw through Express Withdrawals?

  The minimum withdrawal amount is US$30 (or equivalent in other currencies).

  The maximum withdrawal amount is US$10,000 (or equivalent in other currencies).

Debit Card

• How do I get a Freelancer.de Debit Card?
  To get a Freelancer.de Debit card, please do the following:

  
  

  • Login to your Account.
  • Click "Withdraw Funds" from the Payments menu.
  • Click "Freelancer.de Debit card."
  • Click on the button "Get your Freelancer.dem Debit card now!"
  • On the Payoneer page, you will see on the top left page "If you already own a Prepaid Mastercard from Payoneer Click here” click on that link and follow instructions from there.

  
  We do not allow test withdrawals using this card and you are not allowed to deposit funds and make a withdrawal using this card. All withdrawals from Freelancer.de funds must be either for closing your account or it must be related to a project.

• Where can I withdraw?
  Your Payoneer debit card works on all ATMs that process VISA or Master Card card transactions. You can check out their website at www.Payoneer.com for further inquiries regarding the countries where they allow payouts.
• Can I use my existing Payoneer debit card with my Freelancer.de account?
  Yes. If you have an existing Payoneer debit card, you can use it instead of or in addition to a Freelancer.de Payoneer card. To set up your existing Payoneer card for use with your account, please follow the instructions below:

  
  

  • Login to your Account.
  • Click "Withdraw Funds" from the Payments menu.
  • Click "Freelancer.de Debit card."
  • Click on the button "Get your Freelancer.de Debit card now!"
  • On the Payoneer page, you will see on the top left page "If you already own a Prepaid Mastercard from Payoneer Click here” click on that link and follow instructions from there.
• I am getting an error when I try to connect my existing Payoneer card with Freelancer.de
  Please contact Payoneer regarding this issue.

Exams

• What is the exam format?
  All exams are multiple choice. Users can skip questions and come back to them at the end of the exam.
• What is the pass mark for an exam?
  Each exam has different pass marks. You can check the pass mark by clicking on the exam details.
• Do I have to pay to sit an exam?
  Yes, users will be charged for each exam they attempt, except for the Freelancer Orientation Exam which is free.
• How many times can I sit an exam?
  You may attempt each exam as many times as you like. However, you may only attempt three exams per day. Except for free exams, each exam attempt has a nominal fee, depending on the type and level of the certification
• I am highly knowledgeable on a particular topic, can I skip a level?
  No, users must complete the exams in order of difficulty. You cannot skip exams.
• Will an insignia be displayed on my user profile if I successfully complete an exam?
  Insignia are awarded for some exams. Your insignia will include your percentile ranking which may change over time depending on how many people take the exam.

Affiliate Program

• How do I become an Affiliate of Freelancer.de?
  You need to be a member of Freelancer.de to participate in our affiliate program. If you are not yet a member, please sign up now.

  
  The Freelancer Affiliate Program is a program that allows you to receive a payment from Freelancer.de into your Account for referring a new user. To participate in the Affiliate Program, you must comply with the requirements set by Freelancer.de, and have an Account that is in good standing.

  
  Visit this page to know more about our Affiliate Program.

• How can I earn money through your Affiliate Program?
  You will earn 90% of project fees generated on Freelancer.com; and 10% of fees taken from items sold on Freemarket.com.

  
  Visit this page to know more about our Affiliate Program.

• How can I promote Freelancer.de?
  We have lots of ways for you to promote Freelancer.de. Choose the ones that suit you best:

  • FreelancerCash Advertising Units
  • Text Links
  • Banners
  • RSS Feeds and RSS Channel URLs
  • Javascript
  • Data Feeds
  • Affiliate API
• Where can I check my Affiliate Activity?
  Please login to your Freelancer.com account and visit the url below:

  
  http://www.freelancer.com/affiliates/manage/overral.php

Terms and Conditions

• Can I exchange money on Freelancer.de?
  Freelancer.de is not a money exchange site. Fund transfers from one Freelancer.de account to another should be in payment for services received or refunds of said payments, etc. Likewise we do not allow deposit via one payment service (e.g. Paypal), followed by a withdrawal via another (e.g. Moneybookers).

  
  Fund transfers that violate Freelancer.de's terms and conditions may be reversed.

• Can I sell already made solutions?
  Yes, as long as the Service Buyer agrees to this and you have proper rights to sell the solution.
• Can I sell scripts, etc. written by others?
  Absolutely not. If you are determined to be selling scripts or other materials that you do not own, i.e., stolen work, your account will be closed without payment. We may also take legal action against you.
• Can I post a project that will sell my stock items in Freelancer.de?
  No. If you want to sell stock items, please upload it on Freemarket.com

  
  Freemarket.com is a place where you can buy and sell stock items such as javascript files, wordpress files, icons, PHP files, vectors, HTML templates, backgrounds, graphics, printing materials, videos, 3D models, PSD templates, sound files, music and flash files.

  
  Selling through the Freemarket.com is easy and only takes seconds. Simply upload your files to Freemarket.com into the appropriate category. You will be given your very own Store where you can set the price of your digital products and sell them to millions of people.

  
  Upload your file on Freemarket.com now!

Troubleshooting

• When I try to log in, I'm redirected to the login page again without any error message. What should I do to log in?
  This problem may occur if cookies are disabled in your browser or if cookies from Freelancer.com are being blocked by your browser security settings. Please check your browser security settings and refer to the browser help files if necessary to resolve the issue.
• Why am I not getting emails such as new project notifications?
  Some of the larger email providers such as gmail, yahoo, msn, live and hotmail sometimes rate limit us due to the high number of users we have on our site. Try whitelisting us in your mail account. Tips for Gmail.

Information for LimeExchange Users

• I'm from LimeExchange, do I need to set up an account in Freelancer.com?
  No, there is no need to create an account if you are from LimeExchange. LimeExchange users have their account set up plus 2 months free Gold Membership, 150 bonus point and a "Foundation LimeExchange" badge on their profile.
• I'm an existing member of Freelancer.com and I also have a LimeExchange account. What do I get?
  Existing members of Freelancer.com will get the "Foundation LimeExchange" badge on their profile and the 150 bonus points but not the free Gold Membership.
• I have an existing project in LimeExchange, is it available here in Freelancer.com?
  Please contact our Support Helpdesk with the link to your project and they will help you post your project for you. Make sure that the project is publicly viewable.
  
  Our Support Helpdesk is available 24/7 at this link http://www.freelancer.com/report/contact.php
• I have money on my LimeExchange account, why is it not reflecting on my Freelancer.com account?
  User balances are NOT being imported from LimeExchange to Freelancer.com. Please contact LimeExchange to ask for a refund:
  
  You may contact them through the link below:
  
  http://www.limeexchange.com/assistance/contact_us
  
  or by email to: support@limeexchange.com
• Where can I read about Freelancer.com's acquisition of LimeExchange?
  Please click here to read the article.