How to Find High-Paying Freelance Clients Without Using Upwork
Forget the race to the bottom—here’s how to land better clients, smarter.
Why You Should Rethink Upwork (and Similar Marketplaces)
Upwork, Fiverr, and other freelance marketplaces offer access to jobs—but at a cost. High competition, low rates, and bidding wars often push freelancers to underprice their skills.
While these platforms can work in the beginning, building a long-term, high-income freelance career means finding clients who value outcomes—not just budgets.
Good news? Those clients are out there. And they’re not all on Upwork.
1. Leverage Your Network (Even If It’s Small)
You don’t need a huge following to find clients—you need clarity, visibility, and consistency. You have to start somewhere, and it doesn’t hurt to ask.
How to Start:
Reach out to your personal and professional network: former coworkers, college peers, even past employers.
Send a short message:
“Hey [Name], I’ve just launched my [freelance service]. If you or anyone you know needs help with [result you deliver], I’d love an intro or a referral.”
Pro Tip:
Use LinkedIn to reconnect with people and subtly let them know what you offer by updating your headline, banner, and About section.
2. Master the Cold Outreach Game
Cold pitching still works—when it’s done right.
Where to Find Leads:
Crunchbase (for startups that just raised funding)
AngelList / Wellfound
LinkedIn job posts
Company websites (career pages)
What to Say:
Personalize: Mention something specific about their brand or work
Solve a pain point: “I’ve noticed [X issue]. I help teams like yours [Y result]…”
Include a soft CTA: “Would you like to hope on a 10-minute intro call?”
Aim to send 10 pitches per week. Track follow-ups in a CRM system like Notion or Excel.
3. Optimize Your LinkedIn (More Than A Resume)
LinkedIn is a freelancer’s inbound magnet when optimized correctly.
Quick Optimization Tips:
Headline: Describe your value, not your title
“Helping SaaS companies 2x their email conversion rates”
About Section: Speak to your ideal client’s pain points.
Featured Section: Include links to your portfolio, testimonials, and case studies.
Content: Share insights, tips, or short project wins weekly.
Clients search for freelancers daily—make your profile show up and stand out.
4. Niche Job Boards = High-Quality Leads
Skip the chaos of general marketplaces and explore industry-specific boards. These tend to attract clients who understand the value of freelance work.
Great options:
Contra - portfolio-based, no bidding, direct matches
Superpath - content-focused roles and contracts
Design Jobs Board - for UI / UX and brand designers
Remotive - great for remote tech and marketing gigs
Working Not Working - premium creative roles
Pro Tip: Set alerts for new listings and pitch quickly—many quality jobs get filled in under 48 hours.
5. Turn One Client Into Many
Once you land one great client, squeeze as much value as you can (for both of you).
Here’s How:
Ask for referrals: “If you know anyone else who needs [service], I’d love an intro.”
Upsell services: Expand into additional areas you’re strong in (e.g., from blog writing to email marketing)
Request testimonials: A few powerful sentences of praise build credibility instantly
Most top freelancers grow through referrals, case studies, and word of mouth—not job boards.
BONUS: Join Communities Where Clients Lurk
Some of the best client leads come from conversations, not applications.
Join:
Slack groups like Superpath, Online Geniuses, and Freelance Founders
Indie Hackers and Product Hunt for startup founders
Reddit threads (e.g., r/forhire, r/freelance)
Remote Pro Lab - yes, we built our own network just for this 😉
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to spend hours sifting through Upwork listings or fighting in a race to the bottom. High-paying clients are looking for problem solvers, not order takers—and that’s you.
By focusing on outreach, visibility, and positioning, you can build a freelance business that values your time, talent, and results.
Next Steps
✅ Download the free Remote Work Starter Kit to set up your portfolio, proposal system, and outreach tracker.
✅ Join the Remote Pro Lab community to connect with freelancers sharing leads, wins, and templates.