Specialist platforms by skill: 99designs, Dribbble, Behance, Reedsy, ProZ, Codeable, Voices and more
If you have a clear skill, a specialist platform puts you in front of clients who already want exactly that. Profiles and portfolios matter more than bids.
15. 99designs (by Vista)
What it is: A design marketplace with contests and direct one-to-one projects.
| Work | Logos, brand identity, packaging, web and app design |
| Fees for you | A platform fee per project |
| Getting paid | PayPal or Payoneer (check current options) |
| Kenya | Open to designers worldwide |
| Competition | High in contests |
| Best for | Graphic designers building a portfolio |
How to start: Enter a few contests to learn, then aim for direct projects once you have wins. Pros: Lots of design briefs. Cons: Contests can mean unpaid work if you don't win. Watch out: Never copy others' designs or use unlicensed fonts and images.
16. Dribbble
What it is: A design community with a jobs board and freelance project listings.
| Work | UI/UX, product design, illustration, branding |
| Fees for you | Free to use; paid Pro features |
| Getting paid | Paid by clients directly or through the platform (depending on the feature) |
| Kenya | Open worldwide |
| Competition | High |
| Best for | UI/UX designers and illustrators |
How to start: Post polished shots regularly; complete your profile; apply to freelance listings. Pros: Great for showing design work. Cons: Competitive. Watch out: Verify clients before starting work off-platform.
17. Behance (Adobe)
What it is: Adobe's portfolio network, with a jobs and freelance hiring section.
| Work | Design, illustration, photography, motion graphics |
| Fees for you | Free; freelance payments through Adobe may carry fees |
| Getting paid | Payment methods vary by country |
| Kenya | Open worldwide |
| Competition | High |
| Best for | Creatives who want a portfolio that clients discover |
How to start: Publish case-study style projects showing your process, not just final images. Pros: Strong portfolio exposure. Cons: Discovery takes time. Watch out: Watermark previews when sending work before payment.
18. Reedsy
What it is: A curated marketplace of editors, designers and marketers for authors and publishers.
| Work | Book editing, proofreading, cover design, ghostwriting, book marketing |
| Fees for you | A fee on projects |
| Getting paid | Payment methods in your account |
| Kenya | Vetted; open to professionals worldwide |
| Competition | Selective |
| Best for | Experienced editors and book designers |
How to start: Apply with publishing credits or strong samples. Pros: Serious clients. Cons: Hard to get accepted. Watch out: Respect authors' confidentiality.
19. ProBlogger Jobs
What it is: A long-running job board for blog and content writers.
| Work | Blog writing, content marketing, copywriting |
| Fees for you | Free for writers |
| Getting paid | Paid by the client directly |
| Kenya | Open worldwide; some jobs want specific locations |
| Competition | High |
| Best for | Writers with samples |
How to start: Keep a small portfolio of published posts; apply quickly to new listings. Pros: Real writing jobs. Cons: Many applicants. Watch out: Agree payment terms before writing; no unpaid “test articles” longer than a short sample.
20. ProZ.com
What it is: The largest community and job marketplace for translators and interpreters.
| Work | Translation, localisation, interpreting, subtitling |
| Fees for you | Free basic membership; paid membership for more jobs |
| Getting paid | Paid by agencies or clients directly |
| Kenya | Open worldwide; Kiswahili and other African languages are in demand |
| Competition | Medium to high |
| Best for | Translators (including Kiswahili–English) |
How to start: Complete your profile, list language pairs, and check agencies' reputations on the platform's “Blue Board”. Pros: Big translation network. Cons: Some low rates. Watch out: Check the agency's rating before accepting work.
21. TranslatorsCafé
What it is: A translator community with job listings and an agency directory.
| Work | Translation and localisation |
| Fees for you | Free and paid memberships |
| Getting paid | Paid by clients directly |
| Kenya | Open worldwide |
| Competition | Medium |
| Best for | Translators |
How to start: Build a profile and respond to listings. Pros: More translation leads. Cons: Smaller than ProZ. Watch out: Beware fake translation jobs that send overpayment cheques.
22. Codeable
What it is: A vetted marketplace for WordPress and WooCommerce experts.
| Work | WordPress development, WooCommerce, site fixes |
| Fees for you | Clients pay the platform fee |
| Getting paid | Payment methods in your account |
| Kenya | Vetted; open to developers worldwide |
| Competition | Selective |
| Best for | Experienced WordPress developers |
How to start: Pass the technical screening with a strong WordPress portfolio. Pros: High-quality WordPress clients. Cons: Strict vetting. Watch out: Follow coding and security standards.
23. Kolabtree
What it is: A platform connecting scientists, researchers and data experts with businesses.
| Work | Research, data analysis, statistics, medical writing |
| Fees for you | A fee on projects |
| Getting paid | Payment methods in your account |
| Kenya | Open to qualified experts worldwide |
| Competition | Selective |
| Best for | PhDs, statisticians, scientists |
How to start: Apply with your credentials and publications. Pros: Uses deep expertise. Cons: Narrow audience. Watch out: Don't do students' graded assignments: it's academic cheating.
24. Voices
What it is: A marketplace for voice-over talent.
| Work | Ads, explainers, e-learning, audiobooks, IVR |
| Fees for you | Paid membership options and fees on jobs |
| Getting paid | Payment methods in your account |
| Kenya | Open worldwide; African accents are requested for some projects |
| Competition | High |
| Best for | Voice actors with good home recording setups |
How to start: Record clean demos; audition quickly and professionally. Pros: Big voice-over client base. Cons: Membership costs; many auditions. Watch out: Never pay “agents” for guaranteed jobs.
Summary
- Specialist platforms reward clear skills: 99designs, Dribbble and Behance for design; Reedsy and ProBlogger for writing and editing; ProZ and TranslatorsCafé for translation; Codeable for WordPress; Kolabtree for research; Voices for voice-over.
- A strong portfolio matters more than bidding.
- Respect copyright and confidentiality, and avoid academic cheating.
Check yourself
Which platform is the largest community for translators? (one word, may include .com)
Show answer
proz
Which vetted marketplace is only for WordPress experts? (one word)
Show answer
codeable
Should you do students' graded assignments for pay? (yes or no)
Show answer
no