SolidGigs
Cost: 14-day free trial, then $35/month or $350/year.
Model: curated external opportunities; downstream client transaction remains outside SolidGigs.
Freelance platform comparison · Last checked September 4, 2026 · Refresh due October 4, 2026
SolidGigs vs 99designs: external lead curation or a design-specific marketplace?
Choose SolidGigs when you already manage clients independently and mainly want more external freelance opportunities. Choose 99designs when you are a designer who values contests, Browse Projects, 1-to-1 work, curated levels and platform payout logistics.
AlreadyChecked Verdict
No universal winner: choose broad external lead curation or a design-specific marketplace.
SolidGigs fits freelancers who mainly want more external opportunities and already handle client transactions independently. 99designs fits designers who value contests, Browse Projects, 1-to-1 work, curated designer levels and platform payout logistics enough to accept variable fees and marketplace rules.
Best for you if… you choose by acquisition workflow first, then compare fixed subscription cost against project-type, designer-level, client-relationship and payout economics.
| Choice | Best for | Current cost | Biggest advantage | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broad curation SolidGigs | Freelancers who want curated external opportunities and already manage pitching, contracts and payment independently. | $35/month or $350/year after a 14-day free trial. | Predictable fixed recurring cost for broader opportunity discovery. | Downstream client transactions remain outside SolidGigs, and no leads, clients or earnings are guaranteed. |
| Design marketplace 99designs | Designers who value contests, Browse Projects, 1-to-1 Projects and platform payout logistics. | Free to sign up, subject to designer curation/eligibility. Current 1-to-1 designer platform fees are 15% Entry, 10% Mid and 5% Top, with a separate new-client introduction fee where applicable. | Design-specific acquisition paths plus platform-managed project and payout workflow. | Contest entry does not guarantee payment, future unfunded work is not guaranteed, and Hyperwallet payout timing/fees vary by method and region. |
Research receipt
SolidGigs price/model checked
99designs designer-level fees checked
Introduction fee checked
Contest/1-to-1 paths separated
Hyperwallet payout rules checked
Unfunded-work boundary checked
Checked September 4, 2026. This receipt summarizes evidence already present on this page; it is not an A✓/CHECKED automated-verification badge.
No universal winner. The products serve different freelancer workflows, so $35 versus one percentage fee does not settle the decision.
Trust boundary: This is a manually researched editorial comparison. It is not an A✓/CHECKED automated verification record and carries no A✓/CHECKED approval badge. This support page contains no direct merchant affiliate destination.
At a glance
99designs
Entry: free to sign up and start freelancing, subject to designer curation/eligibility.
Model: design contests, Browse Projects and 1-to-1 Projects.
Payout: Hyperwallet is the required payout provider in 2026.
99designs 1-to-1 designer fees depend on level
Current 1-to-1 platform fees are 15% for Entry Level, 10% for Mid Level and 5% for Top Level. The client separately pays a fixed 5% platform fee.
These are 1-to-1 Project rules. They should not be silently applied to every contest.
A new-client introduction fee can also apply
For a new client, current help says the designer introduction fee is 20% of the first $500 of paid invoices, capped at $100 total. It is not charged forever and stated exemptions include certain completed contest relationships and qualifying email-invited new clients.
Contests and 1-to-1 Projects are different acquisition paths
99designs lets designers compete in contests and also work directly in 1-to-1 Projects. Current designer-level guidance includes separate finalist-payment mechanics for some Gold and Platinum contests. Entering a contest does not mean every participant is guaranteed payment.
Browse Projects is another route: certain posted projects are paid upfront by the client, and listings can show the designer’s total earnings after applicable platform/introduction fees.
Hyperwallet is the current 2026 payout authority
99designs migrated designer payouts to Hyperwallet, required for designer payouts by January 19, 2026. Current help says designers need an active linked Hyperwallet account to work on the platform.
After a client releases Project funds or a Contest handover is completed, current guidance describes a 5-business-day review period before the money is sent to Hyperwallet. Payout methods, transfer timing and withdrawal fees then vary by region, method and currency.
A $25 minimum payout threshold can also apply. That means the platform should not be described as universally instant or fee-free.
Secure payment support does not guarantee unfunded future work
For larger 1-to-1 projects, a client can fund only part of the work through multiple quotes. 99designs’ own help warns that there is no guarantee of future payments for later portions that have not been funded.
Designer curation changes access—not certainty
99designs reviews designer profiles and levels. Higher levels can receive lower fees and stronger visibility, but curation does not guarantee acceptance, promotion, project matches, contest wins, client quality or earnings.
Which fits you?
I sell more than design services
SolidGigs fits better when you want broader external freelance lead discovery.
I am a designer and want a specialized marketplace
99designs fits better when contests, Browse Projects and 1-to-1 design clients are useful enough to justify its fee/payout rules.
I need predictable acquisition cost
SolidGigs uses a fixed subscription; 99designs economics vary by project type, designer level, client relationship and payout method.
I need guaranteed payment for all future scope
Do not assume that from 99designs payment tools: current help explicitly warns that future unfunded payments are not guaranteed.
Important limitations
- Neither service guarantees leads, project matches, contest wins, clients or earnings.
- 99designs 1-to-1 designer platform fees vary by designer level and should not be applied to every contest.
- A new-client introduction fee can apply under the checked rules, subject to the stated cap and exemptions.
- Contest participation does not guarantee payment for every entrant.
- Hyperwallet is required for designer payouts under the checked 2026 guidance; payout timing, methods and fees vary by region, method and currency.
- A $25 minimum payout threshold can apply.
- Future project portions that have not been funded are not guaranteed payments.
- Designer curation does not guarantee acceptance, promotion, work or earnings.
Sources checked
- SolidGigs current service/pricing
- SolidGigs Terms
- 99designs designer overview
- 99designs platform fee
- 99designs client introduction fee
- Browse Projects
- 2026 Hyperwallet payout migration
- 1-to-1 payment options
SolidGigs fit? Our complete SolidGigs review contains the governed commercial handoff.
Publication status: Last checked September 4, 2026. Refresh due October 4, 2026. Fees, designer-level rules and payout requirements can change. Production deployment remains separately unproven under issue #369.