• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Swift Salary

Make More. Save More. Live More.

  • Start Here
  • Make Money
  • Manage Money
  • Platforms

Heads up! There may be affiliate links below. If you click one and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Home » Platforms » Freelance Marketplace Platforms » Toptal
Toptal logo

Toptal

Rated 3.65 out of 5
3.7/5

What's This?

×

This is our overall editorial review rating, calculated based on in-depth independent research, testing, and user-reported statistics. Learn more about our editorial review process.

Rated 0 out of 5
0/5 (0)

What's this?

×
An aggregate user rating, calculated based on real reviews from Toptal Freelancers and Clients. See all of the individual ratings and reviews below!
  • Visit Platform
  • Write a Review!
  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Images
  • Editorial Review
  • Related Posts
  • Statistics
  • Freelancer Reviews
  • Report Problem

    Report a Problem

    ×

    Notice missing or incorrect information on this page? Have a question? Spotted a bug?

    Fill out the contact form below to let us know!

    What Is Toptal?

    Toptal is an exclusive freelance marketplace that connects the top 3% of Freelancers (aka Toptalers) specializing in fields like development, design, finance, project management, and product management, with Business Owners and Clients from around the world.

    General Details 📜

    Status:Active, Legit
    Helps You:Make Money
    Platform Type:Freelance Marketplace
    Opportunities:Animation Brand Management Business Writing Cloud Computing Computer Science

    All Opportunities

    ×
    All of the potential opportunities for making/saving money that we've tagged on this platform.
    Animation Brand Management Business Writing Cloud Computing Computer Science Computing Data Science Design Digital Marketing Finance Financial Writing Information Technology Market Research Product Management Project Management Software Engineering Technical Writing Testing

    Contact Info ☎️​​

    Socials:Linkedin • Facebook • Instagram • Twitter • Youtube
    Emails:support@toptal.com (for customer support) • press@toptal.com (for press inquiries) • partners@toptal.com (for partnership inquiries) • investors@toptal.com (for investors) • privacy@toptal.com (for privacy-related inquiries)
    Phone:+1.888.867.7001 (for sales inquiries)
    Support Pages:Contact Us Page • FAQ Page

    Company Details 🏢​​​

    Founded:2010
    Legal Name:Toptal, LLC
    Also Known As:Skillbridge
    Founders:Taso Du Val • Breanden Beneschott
    Headquarters:San Francisco, California, United States

    Who Is Toptal For?

    If you're a Developer, Designer, Finance Expert, Management Consultant, Project Manager, or Product Manager (or have related marketable skills), Toptal can potentially be a solid platform for finding clients.

    If you're a Business Owner, Toptal can connect you to high-level freelancer(s) to help with your projects.

    Requirements 🔎

    Minimum Age:13 years old
    Supported Locations:Worldwide
    Supported Devices:Computer, Smartphone, Tablet, Android Phone, iPad

    All Supported Devices

    ×
    All of the devices you can use to access this platform. User experience may vary by device.
    Computer, Smartphone, Tablet, Android Phone, iPad, iPhone
    Toptal has an app for both freelancers and clients. For freelancers, the name of the app is “Toptal Talent” and it is available on both Google Play and App Store. For clients, the name of the app is “Toptal Client” and it is only available on the App Store.

    How Does Toptal Work?

    There are 2 types of users on Toptal: Freelancers and Clients.

    Here's how Toptal works for each of those user types:

    For Freelancers

    Freelancers (aka Toptalers) must first pass the Toptal screening process before being able to join the platform. This involves testing your work experience (2-3 years or more of prior experience is expected) and soft skills like communication and professionalism.

    Once approved, freelancers can set their own rates and start receiving personalized job invites. Payments and invoicing are handled directly on Toptal.

    Cashing out:

    Once you have at least $0.01 in your earnings balance, you can cash out via Direct Deposit, Prepaid Credit Cards or Wire Transfer. Payouts typically take 1-14 days to be sent out.

    Details for Freelancers 💰

    Work Type:Freelance
    Income Type:Active
    Work Schedule:Flexible
    Some clients on Toptal hire for full-time positions but freelancers will always be able to choose their own hours.
    Workplace:Remote
    Some companies may ask freelancers to work on-site. As of today, Toptal has relocated Toptalers (freelancers) to companies in Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Canada, United States, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.
    Minimum Payout:$0.01
    Payout Options:Direct Deposit Prepaid Credit Cards Wire Transfer
    Payout Speed:1-14 days
    Toptal typically invoices clients twice a month, though this setup is flexible.
    Commissions / Fees:None
    Pros:
    • Because of the lengthy application process, there's much less competition on Toptal vs similar platforms.
    • No need to bid on dozens of projects, Toptal will match you with them automatically.
    • Offers the opportunity for flexible remote work as well as potential full-time job placements.
    Cons:
    • The application process for freelancers is involved and lengthy. It's also difficult to pass as Toptal only hires the top 3% of candidates.
    • Clients expect very high-quality work, so the bar for freelancers is higher.
    • Even though Toptal has less competition, there can still be dry spells.
    Pros and cons are based on real Toptal Freelancer reviews.

    For Clients

    Clients (i.e. business owners, companies, etc.) can sign up, submit a job, wait until Toptal recommends a freelancer, work with the freelancer on a trial basis, and pay the freelancer if satisfied. If the work done by the freelancer is not satisfactory, Toptal can recommend a different freelancer at no cost.

    Business owners can also bring the freelancer(s) to work on-site by coordinating with Toptal, should the need arise.

    Details for Clients 💼

    Commissions / Fees:Fees are automatically built into freelancer rates.
    Payment Options:Credit Card, Direct Deposit, PayPal
    💸 Platform suggestions → your inbox

    Sign up for Swift Saturday Financial, a quick weekly newsletter that features platforms (and other ideas) to help you make more money and manage your money better!

    Please wait...

    Thanks for joining! Please check your email inbox for a confirmation email. (If you don't see one, be sure to check the promotions tab or spam folder.)

    After you've confirmed your email, go here for some of the top content on Swift Salary.

    Sent every Saturday. Unsubscribe at any time. I'll never share or sell your information.

    Similar Platforms...

    Upwork logo

    Upwork

    Rated 4 out of 5
    Rated 4 out of 5
    (30)
    Fiverr logo

    Fiverr

    Rated 3.75 out of 5
    Rated 4 out of 5
    (30)
    PeoplePerHour logo

    PeoplePerHour

    Rated 2.75 out of 5
    Rated 4 out of 5
    (2)
    Guru logo

    Guru

    Rated 4.25 out of 5
    Rated 3 out of 5
    (1)
    Freelancer logo

    Freelancer

    Rated 2.75 out of 5
    Rated 3.5 out of 5
    (19)

    Toptal Videos and Images

    Toptal: Freelancer (Youtube Video)
    Toptal website homepage
    Preview of freelance financial writer profiles on Toptal
    Examples of freelance designer jobs on Toptal
    ×
    Toptal website homepage
    Preview of freelance financial writer profiles on Toptal
    Examples of freelance designer jobs on Toptal
    ❮❯
    (click/tap to enlarge)

    Editorial Toptal Review

    Rated 3.65 out of 5
    3.7/5

    What's This?

    ×

    This is our overall editorial review rating, calculated based on in-depth independent research, testing, and user-reported statistics. Learn more about our editorial review process.

    Is Toptal Legit?

    We believe that Toptal is legit due to its strong reputation in the freelancing space and its list of well-known clients. The platform has been around since 2010 and, since then, has served over fifteen thousand clients. They've also vetted and paid thousands of freelancers -- and it's easy to find proof of this online.

    Note: All research is done independently and could be wrong or change as new information is gathered. Please do your own due diligence.


    Is Toptal a Good Way to Make Money?

    If you can make it past Toptal's challenging freelancer application process, you can expect to find high-quality clients, fair pay, and a helpful support team on the other side. However, don't expect perfection. Toptal still suffers from some common freelance marketplace downfalls, such as occasional dry spells in work availability.

    Hustle Rating:

    Rated 3.65 out of 5
    3.7/5

    What's This?

    ×

    This is our Hustle Rating. This rating gives you an idea of how strong a platform's earning potential is. It's calculated as a weighted average based on safety, earning potential, support quality, and more, with earning potential holding the most weight. Learn more about our editorial review process.

    Safety Rating: 4/5

    Toptal is safe for freelancers. The main safety concern is that you'll have to provide some personal information in order to apply. This includes basic information like your name, contact info, address, and work experience, but can also include more sensitive information like a photo of your government-issued ID.

    While Toptal's privacy policy outlines that this information is only used for identity verification and other reasonable cases, there's always the chance it falls into the wrong hands.

    Other than that though, since Toptal enables you to work online from the comfort of anywhere, you don't have to worry about coming into any physical harm by working on the platform.

    Support Quality: 5/5

    Toptal support has a good reputation online, with reviewers claiming quick and helpful responses.

    Earning Potential: 3.5/5

    Toptal offers a good earning potential for freelancers, however, it can vary quite a lot. Freelancers on Toptal have some control over their rates, but the typical rate seems to land somewhere between $30-$250/hour. Another factor that affects earnings is the availability of work, which can be heavily influenced by your skill set.

    Payout Minimum Rating: 5/5

    Toptal has a minimum payout of $0.01.

    Payout Speed Rating: 3.5/5

    Toptal typically invoices clients twice a month, though this setup is flexible. Overall, based on our data, you can expect to get paid in 1-14 days after reaching the minimum payout amount.

    Ease Of Entry: 1/5

    Toptal is known for hiring only the top 3% of freelancing talent worldwide. For that reason, you can probably guess that it isn't easy to get in. The application process is quite extensive, requiring freelancers to have at least 2-3 years of experience and to go through a five-step screening process. These steps include a language and personality interview, hands-on skill reviews, and test projects. This entire process can take 2-5 weeks.

    Commissions / Fees Rating: 5/5

    Toptal has no commissions or fees, which is quite rare for a freelancing platform!

    User Experience Rating: 4/5

    Once you get past the grueling application process, Toptal offers access to high-end clients and a great deal of flexibility. You can set your own rates and then sit back as Toptal finds the best jobs to match your skills. Some gigs can even result in full-time job offerings (if that's what you're into).


    Write Your Own Review!

    Related Content

    Ultimate Guide to Micro Jobs: Get Paid to Do Tasks

    Top Micro Job Sites (22+) for Finding Paid Tasks (Ultimate Guide)

    Get paid to do tasks online and offline with the best micro job sites and apps. This is the ultimate guide to making money with micro jobs.

    Toptal Statistics

    General Platform Statistics

    #13,418

    Global Site Rank

    5M

    Avg. Monthly Visitors

    16k

    Total Clients Served

    40k

    Total Engaged Toptalers

    1.2M

    Total Toptaler Applications

    Data as of June 01, 2022 • Sources: SimilarWeb, Toptal

    Toptal Reviews From Freelancers

    No reviews yet. Help out by writing one!

    Write a Review!

    Sign up for exclusive money tips, delivered weekly.

    Turn your dimes into dollars and those dollars into, well, more dollars!

    Please wait...

    Thanks for signing up! Please check your inbox for a confirmation email. (If you don't see one, check your promotions folder)

    • Home
    • Start Here
    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Affiliate Disclaimer
    • Contact
    • Guest Post Guidelines
    Button for Swift Salary Pinterest account Button for Swift Salary Facebook page Button for Swift Salary Twitter account Button for Swift Salary Twitter account
    Swift Salary

    Copyright © 2017–2023 · Swift Salary

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    0 Shares