How VouchQuote compares
Lead sites, freelance marketplaces and us: who pays what, how many people contact you, and which suits your project. Including where the others are the better choice.
Comparison table
| Lead sitessuch as Bark | Freelance marketplacessuch as Upwork, Fiverr, PeoplePerHour | VouchQuote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to the customer | Free to post | A service fee is usually added to what you pay the freelancer | Free. No fee to post, and none when you hire |
| How professionals pay | They buy credits and spend them to respond to each lead | The platform takes a commission from what they earn | One flat monthly plan. No per-lead charge and no commission |
| How many replies you get | Several professionals can respond to the same request | Open bidding or browsing: often many proposals to sift | Never more than 3. The project then closes to new quotes |
| Your contact details | Passed to professionals who pay to respond | Kept on the platform; you talk through its messaging | Hidden until you choose who to hire |
| Comparing offers | Messages and calls from each professional | Proposals or fixed packages in different formats | One table: price breakdown, timeline and what is included, side by side |
| Price guidance | Price guides on service pages | Market rates visible from listings | A typical range shown next to your quotes, with outliers flagged |
| Payment handling | You pay the professional directly | Paid through the platform, often with payment protection | You pay the professional directly |
| Where the talent is | UK and international, local and remote services | Worldwide | UK freelancers and agencies |
This table describes how each kind of platform works in general. Fees and features change, so check each platform’s own pricing page before you decide. Bark, Upwork, Fiverr and PeoplePerHour are trademarks of their owners; we are not affiliated with them.
Which should you use?
A lead site
You want lots of options quickly, including home and personal services, and you don’t mind several people getting in touch.
A freelance marketplace
You want to hire anywhere in the world, pay through the platform with protection, or buy a small fixed-price task.
VouchQuote
You have a defined project, want a short list of UK freelancers or agencies, and would rather compare 3 itemised quotes than field calls.
If you are a freelancer or agency
No per-lead credits and no commission. One flat monthly plan, at most 3 competitors per project, and your response back if the customer never replies.
Questions about switching
Is VouchQuote an alternative to Bark?
Yes, for professional services. Like Bark, you describe what you need and professionals respond. The differences are that we cap each project at 3 quotes, keep your phone number private until you hire, and charge professionals a flat monthly fee rather than per lead. We do not cover home services or trades.
How is VouchQuote different from Upwork, Fiverr and PeoplePerHour?
Those are freelance marketplaces: you post a job or browse listings, payment goes through the platform, and the platform earns a fee or commission on each project. We introduce you to up to three UK freelancers or agencies who quote for your brief, and you pay whoever you hire directly, with nothing added by us.
When is a freelance marketplace the better choice?
When you want to pay through the platform with payment protection, hire someone overseas, or buy a small fixed-price task in a few clicks. We are a better fit when you want a short list of UK professionals quoting for a defined project.
What are the downsides of VouchQuote?
We are new, so there are fewer professionals than on the big platforms, and we do not hold or protect payments: your contract is with the professional you hire.
Do you take commission on projects?
No. Customers pay nothing, and professionals keep everything the customer pays them. Professionals pay us a flat monthly subscription.
Try it on a real project
Post it free and see what three itemised quotes look like.