For some Fiverr sellers, Fiverr has a glass ceiling. For others, Fiverr is their bread and butter. But, if you’re thinking of working on Fiverr, you need to read these pros and cons, so you know what you’re getting into.
TL;DR: For every good thing about Fiverr there’s a comparable negative aspect. You need to find the good to ensure your time at Fiverr is pleasant and productive.
PRO: You Have A Flexible Schedule
You’re in control of when you work. If you’re a night owl, you can get all your work done at night. That’s possibly the greatest benefit to Fiverr: you can work from wherever and live a nomadic life.
When you’re working on Fiverr, you can set your working hours in a manner that’s most beneficial to your schedule. If you have a busy week ahead or want to relax, don’t take too many customers or put yourself on out-of-office mode. If you want to travel, you can book a flight on a whim without the need for approval from a superior.
CON: There’s no Balance
Balance is quintessential to being able to maintain your energy. Without it, you can quickly become overwhelmed, and what once seemed like an exhilarating and liberating experience can start feeling like a prison. Because you’re in charge of your schedule, if you’re a workaholic you may find that you never switch off, you could end up sinking yourself in work. If you’re not self-motivated or need some external motivation, you’ll find having a flexible schedule very stifling.
PRO: You Aren’t At The Mercy of A Boss
Working on Fiverr allows you to explore your creative and entrepreneurial side. Because Fiverr is more a collaborative platform, you can share your insights with customers and clients to ensure they’re purchasing the right gig, but also to ensure they succeed. The more clients’ expectations you meet or exceed, the more likely they are to recommend your gigs to others. In this way, they’re not your “boss” or “employer,” but rather they’re partnering with you to develop their concepts.
CON: Some Clients Think That for $5 They Become Your Boss
What many clients don’t realize is that the gig they order determines their results. If they order a basic package, they’ll get a basic delivery. These basic packages are enough for clients with more modest budgets that don’t require much customization.
The premium packages are reserved for those able to invest in custom and elaborate content. If a seller gives premium results to basic clients, they diminish the worth of their premium package. On Fiverr, you get what you pay for, although some clients don’t understand that and expect you to do more than they’re compensating you for their project.
PRO: Your success is Determined By Your Performance
You determine how successful you will be on Fiverr. This means that the more you invest in your work and improving your skills, the more you’ll be rewarded. This is rarely the case when you’re working a regular nine to five. You can invest more time and effort to earn more, get more reviews, and work your way up Fiverr’s levels, or you can just work enough to make extra cash. Your success is in your hands.
CON: Performance is Subjective and Not Objective
You may think you’re giving a five-star performance, but that depends on the clients’ expectations. If they’re expecting the most for the least, then they may not consider your work desirable. Also, if they’re vague with their requirements they may expect you to pull a rabbit out of a hat, but there’s only so much you can do. If you do get a bad review on Fiverr, but you know you did your best, don’t take it to heart. Don’t let the good reviews go to your head, and neither will the bad reviews.
PRO: You get to Meet Exciting Startups and Entrepreneurs
One thing you’ll discover is that you get to meet so many exciting entrepreneurs and startups who you’ll enjoy working on their projects. Not every clients’ project is the next big thing, but if you look for – and choose to work with – quality clients, you will stumble upon clients who are launching the next “it” project.
CON: You Also Get To Meet Fraudsters and Scam Artists
If you think that entrepreneurs and soon-to-be successful upstarts are the only people who use Fiverr, think again. The platform is teeming with scam artists and people promoting less-than-stellar, some might even say, illegal products. This may not be the case in every category on Fiverr. But fraudsters, scam artists, and criminals want to promote their business too, y’know?
Besides, if you price your services low enough, you may also fall victim to several service resellers who resell your work to other clients at higher prices. Not cool…