Top 7 platforms for freelance architects

If you've been following the development of technology over the past few decades, you're probably aware of the growing popularity of the EU as a means of making money. While making money from e-commerce and YouTube is still a reality, the online marketplace offers opportunities for almost any type of work (except perhaps manual labor) and for working from home as an architect. So it makes sense that there are plenty of freelance jobs for architects online, and you can use them to supplement or satisfy your income, especially if you need to survive a recession.

However, with dozens of sites offering work at home jobs for architects freelancing, it can be difficult to navigate all the options. Different sites offer different rates for freelance architect work, different layouts, and even different types of clients.

Before you get started, it will be helpful for you to understand how some of the most popular freelancing sites work and how much money you can make on each one. If you have the time, you can use multiple platforms to earn a higher income.

1. Houzz.com

Houzz is a marketing service designed to help customers find top-notch interior designers, home remodelers, and architects. The model is based on companies and professionals (called "pros") creating profile pages that may contain awards, testimonials and compiled portfolios that clients and employers can browse and select. To succeed on Houzz, you must present your services perfectly so that clients are more likely to hire you. A great way to do this is to look at the results of the most popular companies and professionals to emulate their methods.

Profit Potential: Because the site allows freelancers to act as businesses, the profit potential through Houzz is very high. Many architects choose to charge a percentage of construction costs, while others choose to charge hourly rates ranging from 45 to 200 dollars.

2. GoPillar.com

GoPillar positions itself as a crowdsourcing platform for architectural design services (hence the name "Pillar"). Clients can post projects or contests on the site, and registered architects will compete. Once a project is submitted, payment is based on quality (as determined by the client), with first, second and third (and sometimes fourth and fifth) place winners receiving varying amounts of money.

Income Potential: First place prizes average between 500 and 1,000 dollars, and prizes for larger projects are higher, making GoPillar one of the best freelancing sites for highly skilled architects.

3. PeoplePerHour.com

Before you can freelance on PeoplePerHour, you need to submit an online application. Once approved, you will be able to access various international projects and get to work. You can set your own rates for your services and you can choose to pay per project or, as the name suggests, per hour. The site was designed with the average freelancer in mind, so be sure to create a profile detailing the type of construction you do and the types of projects you can complete.

Income Potential: The top-ranked freelance architects on PeoplePerHour typically charge between 20 and 40 dollars per hour of project work.

4. Dribbble.com

Dribbble is a job marketplace site geared toward creative people such as web designers, animators, illustrators, and architects. Job seekers can share their work (including portfolios) and browse job boards to find openings at specific companies, many of which offer full-time positions. If you dig around enough, you can find a well-paying position with a work-from-home job, and even better if you're recognized for the designs you share publicly.

Earning Potential: While you can't get paid directly on Dribbble, the work you display on your profile helps attract potential clients who can contact you either through the built-in messaging system or through external pages you link to. You can also apply for jobs on job boards. Earnings depend on the job posting, but are not much different from traditional employment.

5. Behance.net

Behance is a social media platform for creative projects owned by Adobe, a maker of media creation software such as Photoshop and Illustrator.

There are three main tabs here:

• "Discover" - where freelancers put their work on display;
• "Live" - where contests and instructional videos are showcased;
• "Job" - requires no explanation.

Architects can succeed on Behance by posting images of their projects to get positive feedback and attract potential followers by browsing the library of available work.

Earning Potential: Many of the jobs on Behance are legitimate full-time jobs that pay just as well as traditional construction work, if not better, with the potential advantage of remote work.

6. Toptal.com

Toptal (an acronym for "Top Talent") is a freelance services company founded in 2010 that offers clients to "hire the top 3% of freelance talent" through their website. According to the site's homepage, they conduct a "rigorous screening process to identify experts in their fields."

Because of this, Toptal is one of the most selective sites on this list, but it can offer a comfortable salary to those who are accepted - from programmers to consultants to architects, of course. The site is geared toward freelancers, offering clients a simplified way to view various profiles, so you'll need to treat your profile as carefully as you would a professional resume.

Income Potential: If you're lucky enough to qualify, Toptal offers perhaps the best compensation for freelance designers and architects, with weekly full-time salaries ranging from 2400 to 4800 dollars.

7. Fiverr.com

Founded in Israel, Fiverr's stated mission is to "change the way the world works together." While Fiverr has come under some criticism in the past for giving customers incredibly low prices (not good if you're selling design), the company has recently begun to revamp itself by responding to customer complaints and improving the seller experience.

Fiverr posts jobs and projects as "gigs" that freelancers can browse, and clients can search the marketplace for the perfect designers, coders, writers, business consultants, and other professionals.

Income Potential: The platform provides jobs and opportunities to earn from 100 dollars per project.