100+ Gig Economy Statistics and Trends 2026, With a Global Gig Work Law Tracker
How many people do gig and freelance work worldwide, what they earn, what protects them and what it costs to hire them. We drew on more than 40 official, academic and survey sources across 64 jurisdictions, tracked the gig work laws in force in each, and audited the published fees of 24 freelance and contractor platforms.
Gig workers are counted more than ever. Few countries guarantee them anything.
Three findings come from HR Stacks research, three from official statistics and the World Bank. Every figure shows its period and source.
jurisdictions in our tracker set a legal minimum pay floor for gig or platform work, and 10 require social insurance cover.
EU member states had adopted a final law transposing the Platform Work Directive by 25 October 2026, five weeks before the 2 December 2026 deadline.
is the median fee freelance marketplaces take from freelancers, against a median 5.25% charged to clients, across 8 platforms we checked.
US workers were independent contractors in their main job, 7.4% of total employment, up from 6.9% in 2017.
people worldwide do online gig work, between 4.4% and 12.5% of the global labour force, depending on the definition used.
of US adults did some gig activity in the previous month, but only 4% arranged short tasks through an app or website.
Gig economy statistics at a glance: the 22 numbers that matter
Each figure shows its period and source. Use Copy to take the sentence with its source attached.
How many people do gig and freelance work
- 1154 million to 435 million people do online gig work worldwide, 4.4% to 12.5% of the global labour force.World Bank, 2023
- 211.9 million US workers were independent contractors in their main job in July 2023, 7.4% of total employment.US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Jul 2023
- 374.9 million Americans earned income as independents in 2026, a record and up from 72.9 million in 2025.MBO Partners State of Independence, 2026
- 420% of US adults did gig activities in the previous month, including 4% who arranged short tasks through an app or website.Federal Reserve SHED, Oct 2024
- 538% of US skilled knowledge workers freelance, up from 28% a year earlier.Upwork Future Workforce Index, Mar to Apr 2026
- 636% of employed Americans identified as independent workers in 2022, up from 27% in 2016.McKinsey American Opportunity Survey, 2022
What freelancers and gig workers earn
- 75.8 million US independents earned more than $100,000 in 2026, up from 5.6 million in 2025.MBO Partners State of Independence, 2026
- 8US skilled freelancers earned an estimated $1.5 trillion in 2024.Upwork Future Workforce Index, 2025
- 9Full-time US independent contractors earned a median $949 a week in July 2023.US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Jul 2023
- 10Brazil’s platform workers earned 4.2% more per month than other private-sector workers in 2024 but 8.3% less per hour, because they worked 5.5 hours more each week.IBGE PNAD Contínua, 2024
Where gig work is growing
- 1130.4 million US businesses had no employees in 2023, 78.4% of all US business establishments.US Census Bureau Nonemployer Statistics, 2023
- 12The number of US workers paid through gig platforms tripled between 2019 and 2023 to about 5.6 million, based on IRS tax forms.Garin, Jackson, Koustas and Miller, NBER, 2025
- 13India’s gig workforce grew from 7.7 million in FY2021 to an estimated 12 million in FY2025.Government of India Economic Survey 2025-26
- 141.7 million Brazilians worked through digital platforms in 2024, up 25.4% from 2022.IBGE PNAD Contínua, 2024
Security, benefits and AI
- 1519.9% of US contingent workers had health insurance from their employer in July 2023, against 51.2% of other workers.US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Jul 2023
- 1662% of EU platform workers had no unemployment cover in 2022.Eurostat platform work pilot survey, 2022
- 17Job posts for automation-prone writing and coding work fell 21% on a large freelance platform after ChatGPT launched.Hannane, Demirci and Zhu, Management Science, 2025
- 18Freelancers who use AI on Upwork earn 34% more per hour than those who do not.Upwork Future Workforce Index, 2026
Which rules apply
- 1910 of the 64 jurisdictions HR Stacks tracked set a legal minimum pay floor for gig or platform work, and 10 require social insurance cover. Original dataHR Stacks Gig Work Law Tracker, Oct 2026
- 201 of 27 EU member states had a final law transposing the Platform Work Directive on 25 October 2026, five weeks before the deadline. Original dataHR Stacks Gig Work Law Tracker, Oct 2026
- 21The median freelance marketplace fee is 10% of the freelancer’s earnings, across 8 platforms HR Stacks checked. Original dataHR Stacks freelancer platform fee audit, Oct 2026
- 22ILO Convention No. 193 on decent work in the platform economy was adopted on 12 June 2026 by 406 votes to 8, with 36 abstentions.International Labour Conference, Jun 2026
How many gig workers are there? Every count measures something different
The six most quoted US counts range from 4% of adults to 74.9 million people. Each one answers a different question, so the right number depends on what you are planning for. If you hire contractors abroad, our Employer of Record rankings cover the alternative.
How many gig workers are there? Worldwide, the World Bank puts online gig workers at 154 million to 435 million, 4.4% to 12.5% of the global labour force. In the US, counts run from 11.9 million independent contractors in their main job (BLS, July 2023) to 74.9 million people earning any independent income (MBO Partners, 2026). The gap is about definitions, not error.
Six US counts of gig and independent work
Different sources, different definitions, so do not rank these
Anyone in the US earning independent income, including occasional side work. The broadest count. MBO Partners State of Independence 2026
Share of US skilled knowledge workers who freelance. Covers professionals only, not delivery or ride-hail. Upwork Future Workforce Index 2026
US adults who did any gig activity in the prior month, including selling goods (13%) and short tasks (9%). The categories overlap. Fed SHED 2024 report
Independent contractors in their main job. Leaves out side gigs and most occasional work. BLS Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements
US workers receiving a tax form from a gig platform. Counts platform payments only. Garin, Jackson, Koustas and Miller, NBER
US adults who arranged short tasks through an app or website in the prior month. The closest survey match to app-based gig work. Fed SHED 2024 report
Source: Publishers as listed
Online gig workers worldwide
World Bank estimate, surveys in 17 countries plus platform and web traffic data
Source: World Bank, Working Without Borders, 2023; McKinsey Global Institute, 2016
Global self-employment share
Self-employed workers as a share of total employment, ILO modelled estimates
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (SL.EMP.SELF.ZS). Includes informal and own-account work, far broader than gig work.
For employers: when a vendor or report says “the gig economy is X million people”, check whether it counts main jobs, side income or platform payments. Most workforce plans need the main-job figure.
US independent work hit a record in 2026, and full-time independents grew fastest
Survey counts and tax records agree on direction even when they disagree on size. Full-time independents have more than doubled since 2020 and now make up 22% of all full-time US workers, according to MBO Partners.
Teams paying more contractors usually outgrow spreadsheets first. See our freelancer management software rankings.
US independent workers, 2024 to 2026
Americans earning independent income, millions
Source: MBO Partners State of Independence 2025 and 2026 (company research). 2025 split: 27.6M full-time, 7.9M part-time, 37.4M occasional.
Alternative work arrangements, share of US employment
Main job only, BLS Contingent Worker Supplement, May 2017 and July 2023
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. On-call workers were 1.7% and temporary agency workers 0.6% in 2023.
Annual growth in US nonemployer businesses
Businesses with no paid staff and $1,000 or more in receipts
Source: US Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics. 30,427,808 nonemployer establishments in 2023 with about $1.8 trillion in receipts.
Platform gig work in IRS data
Workers receiving a 1099 tax form from an online platform
Source: Garin, Jackson, Koustas and Miller, The Evolution of Platform Gig Work, 2012 to 2023, NBER. Most non-transport platforms paid workers less than $5,000 a year.
global gig economy in 2026 by one market research estimate, forecast to reach $2.5 trillion by 2035 at 15.79% a year (Business Research Insights).
was spent on contingent and gig labour worldwide in 2023 under a broader definition that includes staffing (Staffing Industry Analysts, down from $3.8 trillion in 2022).
Sources: Business Research Insights (market research forecast); Staffing Industry Analysts. Market size depends on scope, so treat both as estimates. Freelance platforms alone were worth about $8.91 billion in 2026, growing 16.32% a year to $18.97 billion by 2031 (Mordor Intelligence, market research).
Platform work by country: what official statistics actually count
Brazil, Mexico and India now publish real counts of platform workers. Most other countries still measure self-employment or contractors, which is why no fair ranking exists. Hiring in one of these markets? Start with our Employer of Record guide.
Official gig and platform worker counts
Eleven countries and the EU, latest official or government data
Up from 7.7 million in FY2021; over 2% of the workforce. 5.12 lakh (512,000) platform workers registered on e-Shram by Dec 2025. Economic Survey 2025-26
1.9% of private-sector employed; 58% work on ride-hail apps. IBGE
207,387 earned enough to be registered as formal jobs; the rest have work-accident cover only. IMSS
About 3.1% of people in work (our calculation); 544,600 more freelance as a second job. Statistics Bureau of Japan
7.6% of employed; 178,500 did digital platform work in 2024-25, down 11%. ABS
1.7% of people aged 15 to 69; 79,000 had platform work as their main job. Statistics Canada
Ministry of Employment and Labor survey, reported in 2026. MoEL via Hankyung
Down from a peak of 5.02 million in late 2019. No official platform worker count. ONS
People aged 15 to 64 in 16 EU countries plus Norway, Eurostat pilot survey. The often quoted 43 million is a 2021 projection. Eurostat
13,400 citizens and 1,900 permanent residents. Ministry of Manpower
Ministry figure relayed by state media; covers all flexible employment, not only platforms. MOHRSS via China Daily
Source: National statistics offices and ministries as listed
Top freelancers out-earn employees. App workers often earn less per hour
Averages hide two very different markets. Skilled independents are setting records, while app-based workers in several countries work longer hours for less per hour. Paying contractors in several countries? Compare payroll software that handles both.
US independents earning over $100,000
Millions, MBO Partners annual survey
Source: MBO Partners State of Independence (company research)
Median weekly pay, full-time US workers
By work arrangement, July 2023
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics
more per month for Brazil’s platform workers than other private-sector workers in 2024.
less per hour (R$15.4 against R$16.8), because they worked 5.5 hours longer each week.
Source: IBGE, Trabalho por meio de plataformas digitais 2024
Fairwork: can workers earn the minimum wage after costs?
Oxford Internet Institute and WZB, evidence-based ratings of platforms
Sources: Fairwork US Ratings 2025; Fairwork Cloudwork Report 2025
Skilled freelancers vs employees
US skilled knowledge workers, Upwork surveys (company research)
Source: Upwork Future Workforce Index 2025; Upwork Freelance Forward 2020; Payoneer Freelancer Insights 2023 (company research)
Who does gig work: younger, more often Hispanic, and mostly on the side
Gig work skews young in surveys, while independent contracting as a main job skews older and male. Most people doing gigs already have another job.
Who does gig work in the US
Share doing any gig activity in the prior month, Oct 2024
By age
By group
By ethnicity
Source: Federal Reserve SHED 2024
Who works as an independent contractor
Share of employed in each group, US, Jul 2023
By sex
By age
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 36% of independent contractors were aged 55 or older; 80.3% preferred the arrangement.
Gig work is mostly a second income
US adults who did gig activities, Oct 2024
say gig work is their main job. 51% have a non-gig main job, and 96% spend under 35 hours a week on gigs.
Source: Federal Reserve SHED 2024
Younger workers lead skilled freelancing
Company surveys of US workers
Source: Upwork; MBO Partners (company research); Pew Research Center
Flexibility comes without a safety net
Health cover, unemployment insurance and stable income are where gig and contract work fall furthest behind employment. These gaps are what most new laws in our tracker try to close. Benefits for staff you hire abroad come through an Employer of Record.
Health insurance by work arrangement
US employed, Jul 2023
Employer-provided health insurance
Health insurance from any source
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics
EU platform workers without unemployment cover
People who did platform work, 16 EU countries plus Norway, 2022
had no unemployment cover, and 56% had no sickness cover.
Income swings and financial strain
US surveys
Source: Federal Reserve SHED 2025; SHED 2024
Safety on the job
US current or recent platform gig workers, Aug 2021
Source: Pew Research Center, 2021. Bankrate found 47% of all US adults could cover a $1,000 emergency from savings in Dec 2025.
AI is shrinking routine freelance work and paying a premium for the rest
Peer-reviewed studies of freelance platforms show fewer jobs and lower pay in writing, coding and design tasks that AI can do. Freelancers who use AI tools report higher rates.
Hannane, Demirci and Zhu: who is AI replacing?
Job posts on a large global freelance platform before and after ChatGPT and image generators launched
Source: Management Science 71(10), 2025
Hui, Reshef and Zhou: writing freelancers after ChatGPT
Freelancers on a major online labour platform
Source: Organization Science 35(6), 2024; percentages from the working paper and INFORMS
How freelancers say they use AI
Company surveys of US independents and freelancers
Source: Upwork Future Workforce Index; MBO Partners State of Independence (company research). Upwork’s 2026 index found freelancers using AI earn 34% more per hour.
Protection is arriving through pay floors and insurance, not employee status
We checked 64 jurisdictions, all 27 EU member states plus 37 countries, states, provinces and cities with active gig work rules, against legislation, gazettes and court records as in force on 25 October 2026. Laws passed but not yet operating are counted separately.
| Jurisdiction | Region | Employee presumption | Minimum pay | Social insurance | Algorithm rights | EU directive | Key law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Latin America | No | No | Partial | Partial | n/a | Ley 27.802 (2026): independent status, accident cover, reasons for suspensions Source |
| Australia | Asia-Pacific | No | Yes | No | Partial | n/a | Employee-like regime (2024); first delivery minimum standards order (Aug 2026) Source |
| Austria | EU | No | No | No | No | No draft | No government bill; opposition motion in committee Source |
| Belgium | EU | Yes | No | Coming | No | No draft | Labour Deal presumption (2023); platform-paid accident insurance postponed to 2028 Source |
| Bihar | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Coming | No | n/a | Gig Workers Act 2025 (Act 8): awaiting commencement Source |
| Brazil | Latin America | No | No | No | No | n/a | Bill PLP 12/2024 and Supreme Court case pending Source |
| British Columbia | North America | No | Yes | Yes | Partial | n/a | App-based worker standards (Sep 2024): pay floor and WorkSafeBC cover Source |
| Bulgaria | EU | No | No | No | No | No draft | Working group inside Labour Code reform, no draft Source |
| California | North America | No | Yes | Yes | No | n/a | Prop 22: earnings floor and accident cover; AB 1340 bargaining (2026) Source |
| Canada (federal) | North America | Yes | No | No | No | n/a | Canada Labour Code employee presumption, federally regulated sectors (2024) Source |
| Chile | Latin America | Partial | No | Yes | Partial | n/a | Ley 21.431 (2022): choice of status, accident cover, algorithm rules Source |
| China | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Yes | No | n/a | Occupational injury cover paid per order, nationwide from Jul 2026 Source |
| Colombia | Latin America | No | No | Coming | No | n/a | Ley 2466 de 2025: platform-paid contributions, pending system certification Source |
| Colorado | North America | No | No | No | Partial | n/a | Pay and deactivation transparency for delivery and rideshare (2025) Source |
| Croatia | EU | Yes | No | No | No | No draft | Labour Act arts 221.a to 221.p (2024): platform presumed employer Source |
| Cyprus | EU | No | No | No | No | Draft | Platform Workers Law 2026 draft, consultation closed Sep 2026 Source |
| Czechia | EU | No | No | No | No | Draft | Act on Platform Work, first reading 16 Oct 2026, target 1 Jan 2027 Source |
| Denmark | EU | No | No | No | No | No draft | Bill planned for February 2027 Source |
| Estonia | EU | No | No | No | No | Draft | Platform Work Act bill before the Riigikogu Source |
| Finland | EU | No | No | No | No | Draft | Draft Platform Work Act, consultation summer 2026 Source |
| France | EU | No | Yes | No | No | Draft | ARPE agreements: ride-hail €9 a trip, delivery riders €19 an hour weekly guarantee (2026); members' bills only on the directive Source |
| Germany | EU | No | No | No | No | No draft | No ministry draft; Bundesrat resolution Sep 2026 Source |
| Greece | EU | No | No | No | No | No draft | Law 4808/2021 presumes self-employment with some rights Source |
| Hungary | EU | No | No | No | No | No draft | No draft; Kúria held platform workers self-employed (2024) Source |
| India (national) | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Partial | No | n/a | Code on Social Security 2020 (Nov 2025): registration in force, aggregator levy not yet started Source |
| Indonesia | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Coming | No | n/a | Presidential Regulation 27/2026: drivers stay partners; social protection pending Source |
| Ireland | EU | No | No | No | No | No draft | Consultation closed Nov 2025; no bill scheduled Source |
| Italy | EU | Yes | No | No | Yes | Draft | Decree-Law 62/2026: rider presumption and algorithm rights; directive decree Atto 433 pending Source |
| Japan | Asia-Pacific | No | No | No | No | n/a | Freelance Act (Nov 2024): contract and payment terms only Source |
| Jharkhand | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Coming | No | n/a | Gig Workers Act 2025: awaiting commencement Source |
| Karnataka | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Yes | No | n/a | Gig Workers Act 2025: welfare board and 1% platform fee from Feb 2026 Source |
| Kenya | Africa | Coming | No | No | No | n/a | Business Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024 with digital work clauses, at second reading Source |
| Latvia | EU | No | No | No | No | Draft | Digital Work Platforms Law draft, with ministries Oct 2026 Source |
| Lithuania | EU | No | No | No | No | Draft | Labour Code amendments in inter-ministry review Source |
| Luxembourg | EU | No | No | No | No | Draft | Member's bill 8699; government bill planned Source |
| Malaysia | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Yes | Yes | n/a | Gig Workers Act 2025 (Mar 2026): social security contributions, human review of automated decisions, tribunal Source |
| Malta | EU | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No draft | Delivery wage order (2023, amended 2026): presumption, pay rules, algorithm duties Source |
| Massachusetts | North America | No | Partial | No | No | n/a | AG settlement $32.50 an hour floor (2024); driver union certified May 2026 Source |
| Mexico | Latin America | Yes | No | Yes | No | n/a | Labour law reform (Jun 2025): employee status above minimum-wage earnings, IMSS cover Source |
| Minnesota | North America | No | Yes | No | No | n/a | Minn. Stat. 181C.03: per-mile and per-minute floor (Dec 2024) Source |
| Netherlands | EU | Court ruling | No | No | No | Draft | Supreme Court Deliveroo ruling (2023); presumption law below €38 an hour passed Jun 2026, start date not set Source |
| New York City | North America | No | Yes | No | No | n/a | Delivery worker minimum pay, $22.13 an hour before tips Source |
| New Zealand | Asia-Pacific | Court ruling | No | No | No | n/a | Supreme Court Uber ruling (Nov 2025); contractor gateway test (Feb 2026) Source |
| Nigeria | Africa | No | No | No | No | n/a | No platform-specific law in force Source |
| Ontario | North America | No | Yes | No | Partial | n/a | Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act (Jul 2025): minimum wage per engaged hour, $17.95 from Oct 2026 Source |
| Poland | EU | No | No | No | No | Draft | Draft Act on platform work published Aug 2026 Source |
| Portugal | EU | Yes | No | No | No | No draft | Labour Code art. 12-A (2023): presumption on 2 of 6 indicators Source |
| Quebec | North America | No | No | No | No | n/a | No platform-specific law Source |
| Rajasthan | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Coming | No | n/a | Gig Workers Act 2023: passed, operation not confirmed Source |
| Romania | EU | No | No | No | No | No draft | No bill Source |
| Seattle | North America | No | Yes | No | Partial | n/a | PayUp minimum payment (2024) and deactivation rights (2025) Source |
| Singapore | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Yes | No | n/a | Platform Workers Act 2024: CPF and work injury cover (Jan 2025) Source |
| Slovakia | EU | Coming | No | No | Coming | Law adopted | Act on work through digital platforms, passed 23 Sep 2026, in force 2 Dec 2026 Source |
| Slovenia | EU | No | No | No | No | No draft | Platform work act in government plan, no draft Source |
| South Africa | Africa | No | No | No | No | n/a | No platform-specific law; options briefed to Parliament Aug 2026 Source |
| South Korea | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Yes | No | n/a | Industrial accident insurance for delivery riders (2023) Source |
| Spain | EU | Yes | No | No | Partial | No draft | Rider Law (Ley 12/2021): delivery presumption and works council right to algorithm information Source |
| Sweden | EU | No | No | No | No | Draft | Inquiry SOU 2026:3, no bill yet Source |
| Switzerland | Europe (non-EU) | Court ruling | No | No | No | n/a | Federal Supreme Court (May 2022): Uber drivers in Geneva and Uber Eats couriers are employees Source |
| Telangana | Asia-Pacific | No | No | Coming | No | n/a | Gig Workers Act 2026: assent Apr 2026, awaiting commencement Source |
| United Kingdom | Europe (non-EU) | Court ruling | No | No | No | n/a | Uber v Aslam (2021): drivers are workers; status consultation closes 8 Jan 2027 Source |
| United States (federal) | North America | No | No | No | No | n/a | No gig law; 2024 contractor rule under proposed rescission Source |
| Uruguay | Latin America | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | n/a | Ley 20.396 (2025): algorithm disclosure, accident cover, pay link for dependent workers Source |
| Washington State | North America | No | Yes | No | No | n/a | HB 2076 rideshare driver pay floor (2023) Source |
What is changing
- Slovakia: platform work act passed 23 September 2026, in force 2 December 2026, the first EU transposition.
- Czechia, Estonia, Italy, Poland: transposition bills in parliament or awaiting final adoption.
- Netherlands: employee presumption for work paid under €38 an hour passed June 2026; no start date set.
- India: the 1 to 2% aggregator levy under the Code on Social Security still needs a separate notification.
- United States: the Labor Department proposed rescinding its 2024 contractor rule in February 2026; no final rule yet.
- United Kingdom: consultation on employment status closes 8 January 2027.
- Colombia, Telangana, Bihar, Jharkhand: social security laws passed, not yet operating. Kenya has a digital work bill at second reading.
Rolled back or stalled
- Belgium: platform-paid accident insurance due on 1 January 2026 was postponed by two years.
- Portugal: the reform carrying the directive was rejected by parliament on 19 June 2026.
- Spain: parliament dissolved on 6 October 2026 before a transposition bill; election 29 November 2026.
- New Zealand: a 2026 law lets qualifying contractors opt out of employee status, months after a Supreme Court ruling for Uber drivers.
- Argentina: a 2026 labour law codifies riders as independent providers, with accident cover.
- US federal: the 2024 contractor rule has not been enforced by the Labor Department since May 2025.
Gig work rules, key dates
Selected milestones from the tracker
- Aug 2021Spain’s Rider Law presumes delivery riders are employees
- Dec 2024EU Platform Work Directive enters into force
- Jan 2025Singapore requires CPF and injury cover for platform workers
- Jun 2026ILO adopts Convention No. 193 on platform work
- Aug 2026Australia sets its first gig delivery pay floor
- 2 Dec 2026EU transposition deadline
Source: HR Stacks Gig Work Law Tracker, Oct 2026. Each row links to the legislation, gazette or court record used.
What it costs to hire freelancers and contractors
We checked the published fees of 8 freelance marketplaces and 16 contractor management platforms on each vendor’s own pricing page. Most marketplaces take about a tenth of what the freelancer earns; contractor platforms charge a flat monthly fee per person. Our freelancer management software rankings compare the tools in more depth.
What freelance marketplaces take from freelancers
Standard fee for a new freelancer, 8 platforms, vendor pages checked 25 Oct 2026
Source: HR Stacks freelancer platform fee audit, Oct 2026. Upwork’s freelancer fee varies by contract; 10% is the standard rate in its fee agreement.
Contractor platform prices per contractor per month
Lowest published price, 12 of 16 platforms publish one
Source: HR Stacks freelancer platform fee audit, Oct 2026. Prices change often; check the vendor’s page before buying.
Published marketplace fees
Client and freelancer side, standard plans
| Platform | Client fee | Freelancer fee | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upwork | 7.99% | 10% | Up to 7.99% marketplace fee (3% for eligible US bank payers), plus a $0.99 to $14.99 contract fee. 0% to 15%, set per contract; 10% in the fee agreement. Pricing page |
| Fiverr | 5.5% | 20% | 5.5% service fee, plus $3.50 on orders under $200. 20% (sellers are credited 80% of each order). Pricing page |
| Freelancer.com | 3% | 10% | 3% or $3, whichever is greater. 10% or $5, whichever is greater. Pricing page |
| Malt | 15% | 10% | 15% on the Starter offer (regional rates vary). 10%, falling to 5% after six months with one client. Pricing page |
| Guru | 2.9% | 9% | 2.9% handling fee on invoices. 9% on the free plan, 5% on the top paid plan. Pricing page |
| 99designs | 5% | 15% | 5% on one-to-one projects. 15% for entry-level designers, 5% for top level. Pricing page |
| PeoplePerHour | 10% | 20% | 10% plus £0.60 by card or PayPal. 20% on the first £250 billed per client, then 7.5% and 3.5%. Pricing page |
| Contra | 0% | 0% | No fee on the Pro plan ($29 a month). Commission-free. Pricing page |
Source: HR Stacks freelancer platform fee audit, Oct 2026
Contractor platform prices, from each vendor’s pricing page
Entry price per contractor per month, 25 October 2026
More reviews: Rippling, Pebl, Gusto, WorkMarket. Comparisons: Deel vs Remote, Remote vs Multiplier, Multiplier vs Oyster HR, Deel vs Rippling, Deel vs Gusto, Remote vs Gusto, Rippling vs Gusto, or all comparisons.
Compliance costs when contractors are misclassified
Selected rules employers face, 2025 to 2026
Source: 26 USC 3509; IRS; HMRC; Fair Work Ombudsman
of US managers at large firms that made layoffs hired freelancers to fill the gaps, and fewer than 1% did not plan to hire freelancers in 2025 (Fiverr, May 2024).
of US full-time skilled employees were considering freelancing in 2026, up from 36% a year earlier (Upwork).
Sources: Fiverr and Censuswide; Upwork Future Workforce Index 2026 (company research)
Moving contractors onto payroll in another country
An Employer of Record employs staff for you where you have no entity
More EOR reviews: RemoFirst, Papaya Global, Pebl, Rippling, or see all reviewed products.
Converting contractors to employees abroad?
Compare Employer of Record providers on price per employee and country coverage.
The software stack behind a freelance workforce
Most teams start with contractor payments and add the rest as headcount grows. Compare the categories below, or browse every reviewed product. Payroll-led suites like ADP, Paychex, Paylocity and OnPay cover US 1099 contractors alongside employees.
Gig work now has an international treaty. Most countries have not acted on it yet
Three rule changes will shape what employers owe gig and contract workers over the next year. India’s government expects its gig workforce to reach 23.5 million by 2029-30, a NITI Aayog projection. Our remote work statistics cover the wider shift in where people work.
was the vote on 12 June 2026 that adopted ILO Convention No. 193 on decent work in the platform economy, with 36 abstentions. It is the first international treaty on platform work and enters into force 12 months after two countries ratify it.
EU employee presumption starts to apply
The Platform Work Directive presumes employment where facts show direction and control, including for existing contracts. Only 1 of 27 states had a final law on 25 October 2026.
Source: Directive (EU) 2024/2831
US contractor test under review
The Labor Department proposed on 26 February 2026 to replace its 2024 rule with a test built on control and opportunity for profit or loss. Comments closed 28 April 2026; no final rule has been published.
Source: US Department of Labor
How we built this report
Data reviewed 25 October 2026. Q4 2026 edition.
Law tracker
64 jurisdictions checked against legislation, gazettes, ministry pages and court records as in force on 25 October 2026. Four protections coded against fixed definitions set before collection.
Fee audit
24 platforms checked on their own pricing, fee and help pages on 25 October 2026. Review sites and affiliate pages were not used; fees a vendor does not publish are marked as quote only.
Third-party figures
Taken from the publisher’s own page or PDF: statistics offices, central banks, the World Bank, the ILO and peer-reviewed journals. Company surveys are labelled. Stats roundup sites are excluded.
Corrections
Every figure from the previous edition was rechecked. Newer editions replace old values in place, errors are corrected, and figures with no primary source are removed and listed below.
Update log
| Figure | Previous | Now | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| US independents | 72.9M (2025) | 74.9M (2026) | MBO Partners 2026 |
| Independents earning $100K+ | 5.6M (2025) | 5.8M (2026) | MBO Partners 2026 |
| US knowledge workers who freelance | 28% | 38% | Upwork FWI 2026 |
| Global self-employment share | 48% (2023), 55.7% (1991) | 46.6% (2023), 46.4% (2025), 52.4% (1991) | World Bank WDI |
| Full-time and part-time independents | 28M and 45M | 27.6M full-time, 7.9M part-time, 37.4M occasional (2025) | MBO Partners 2025 |
| AI earnings premium | 40% to 56% | 34% more per hour for AI users | Upwork FWI 2026 |
| Freelancers who left jobs and earn more | 60% | 75% earn the same or more | Upwork 2020 |
| Gen Z freelancing | 53% rely on gig work as main income | 53% of skilled Gen Z freelance | Upwork FWI 2025 |
| India gig economy | 21% annual growth | 7.7M (FY21) to 12M (FY25) | Economic Survey 2025-26 |
| US freelancer count range | 9.8M to 76.4M | 11.9M (BLS) to 74.9M (MBO) | BLS; MBO |
| Gig market size range | $582B to $3.8T | $674B forecast to $3.7T (2023) | BRI; SIA |
| EU platform workers | 43M in 2025 | 28.3M (2022), 43M labelled as a projection | Council of the EU |
| ILO platform convention | Final vote in 2026 | Convention No. 193 adopted 12 Jun 2026 | ILO |
| Employers hiring freelancers after layoffs | 99% plan to continue | Fewer than 1% not planning to hire freelancers | Fiverr 2024 |
| Removed: Gen Z gig participation 43% | Pew 2025 | No Pew source exists | n/a |
| Removed: 75% of businesses increasing freelance use | Upwork | Not in the Upwork report it was attributed to | n/a |
| Removed: freelancers 48.5% of US workforce by 2026 | Statista | No source | n/a |
| Freelance platform market, 2031 | $21.97B | $18.97B | Mordor Intelligence |
| Removed: average freelancer pay $108,028 | ZipRecruiter, labelled BLS | Not BLS data; could not be verified | n/a |
| Removed: generational and benefits splits, EU 18-23% gap, Bankrate 80% | Secondary blogs | No primary origin | n/a |
All sources (39)
| Publisher | Title | Date | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Bureau of Labor Statistics | Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements, July 2023 | Nov 2024 | View source |
| Federal Reserve | Economic Well-Being of US Households in 2024 (SHED) | May 2025 | View source |
| Federal Reserve | Economic Well-Being of US Households in 2025 (SHED) | May 2026 | View source |
| US Census Bureau | Nonemployer Statistics, 2023 | Jul 2025 | View source |
| Garin, Jackson, Koustas and Miller | The Evolution of Platform Gig Work, 2012 to 2023, NBER | Mar 2025 | View source |
| World Bank | Working Without Borders: The Promise and Peril of Online Gig Work | Sep 2023 | View source |
| World Bank | Self-employed, % of total employment (SL.EMP.SELF.ZS) | Oct 2026 | View source |
| Eurostat | Platform employment pilot survey, 2022 | Jul 2024 | View source |
| Council of the EU | Digital platform workers | May 2025 | View source |
| EUR-Lex | Directive (EU) 2024/2831 on platform work | Nov 2024 | View source |
| International Labour Organization | Convention No. 193, Decent Work in the Platform Economy | Jun 2026 | View source |
| US Department of Labor | Independent contractor rulemaking | Feb 2026 | View source |
| IBGE | Trabalho por meio de plataformas digitais 2024 | Oct 2025 | View source |
| IMSS | Bulletin 539/2026, platform worker coverage | Oct 2026 | View source |
| International Labour Organization | Digital labour platforms: number of platforms and workers | Feb 2026 | View source |
| Mordor Intelligence | Freelance platforms market (market research) | 2026 | View source |
| Government of India | Economic Survey 2025-26, chapter 12 | Jan 2026 | View source |
| Statistics Canada | Gig work and platform work, The Daily | Mar 2024 | View source |
| Australian Bureau of Statistics | Working Arrangements, August 2025 | Dec 2025 | View source |
| Statistics Bureau of Japan | Employment Status Survey 2022 | Jul 2023 | View source |
| UK Office for National Statistics | Self-employed, series MGRQ | Aug 2026 | View source |
| Singapore Ministry of Manpower | Written answer on delivery platform workers | Oct 2025 | View source |
| Pew Research Center | The State of Gig Work in 2021 | Dec 2021 | View source |
| Hannane, Demirci and Zhu | Who Is AI Replacing? Management Science 71(10) | 2025 | View source |
| Hui, Reshef and Zhou | The Short-Term Effects of Generative AI on Employment, Organization Science 35(6) | 2024 | View source |
| Fairwork | Cloudwork Report 2025 | May 2025 | View source |
| Fairwork | US Ratings 2025 | Mar 2025 | View source |
| MBO Partners | State of Independence 2026 (company research) | Sep 2026 | View source |
| Upwork | Future Workforce Index 2026 (company research) | Jul 2026 | View source |
| Upwork | Future Workforce Index 2025 (company research) | Apr 2025 | View source |
| McKinsey | American Opportunity Survey, independent work | Aug 2022 | View source |
| Payoneer | Freelancer Insights Report 2023 (company research) | Mar 2023 | View source |
| Fiverr and Censuswide | Post-layoff hiring survey (company research) | Jun 2024 | View source |
| Staffing Industry Analysts | Global gig economy reaches $3.7 trillion | Jan 2025 | View source |
| Business Research Insights | Gig economy market report (market research) | Oct 2026 | View source |
| HMRC | Impacts of the 2021 off-payroll working rules reform | Feb 2025 | View source |
| IRS | Instructions for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC | 2026 | View source |
| Fair Work Ombudsman | Minimum standards for delivery drivers | Aug 2026 | View source |
| Bankrate | Emergency Savings Report | Feb 2026 | View source |
Gig economy questions, answered with data
How many gig workers are there in the world?
The World Bank estimates 154 million to 435 million people do online gig work, 4.4% to 12.5% of the global labour force, and 132.5 million do it as their main job. Counts that include all self-employment are far higher: 46.4% of workers worldwide were self-employed in 2025.
How many gig workers are there in the US?
It depends on the definition. The BLS counted 11.9 million independent contractors in their main job in July 2023, 7.4% of employment. MBO Partners counts 74.9 million Americans earning any independent income in 2026, and IRS data show about 5.6 million paid through gig platforms in 2023.
What percentage of the US workforce is in the gig economy?
Independent contractors were 7.4% of US employment in July 2023, according to the BLS. In the Federal Reserve’s October 2024 survey, 20% of adults did some gig activity in the previous month, but only 4% arranged short tasks through an app or website.
How big is the gig economy?
Estimates depend on scope. One market research firm values the global gig economy at $674.1 billion in 2026, forecast to reach $2.5 trillion by 2035. Staffing Industry Analysts put total spending on contingent and gig labour at $3.7 trillion in 2023, using a broader definition that includes staffing.
Is the gig economy growing?
Yes, on most measures. MBO Partners counted a record 74.9 million US independents in 2026, the number of US workers paid through gig platforms tripled between 2019 and 2023, and India’s gig workforce rose from 7.7 million in FY2021 to an estimated 12 million in FY2025.
How much do freelancers earn?
MBO Partners found 5.8 million US independents earned more than $100,000 in 2026, up from 5.6 million in 2025. Full-time US independent contractors earned a median $949 a week in July 2023, against $1,137 for noncontingent workers.
Do gig workers get benefits?
Usually far fewer than employees. Only 19.9% of US contingent workers had employer health insurance in 2023, against 51.2% of other workers, and 62% of EU platform workers had no unemployment cover in 2022. Laws in Singapore, Malaysia, China and several Indian states now require platforms to fund cover.
Which countries have laws protecting gig workers?
In our tracker of 64 jurisdictions, 10 set a minimum pay floor for gig or platform work and 10 require social insurance cover. 8 presume platform workers are employees by statute, including Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Croatia.
When does the EU Platform Work Directive apply?
Member states must apply it from 2 December 2026. It presumes platform workers are employees where facts show direction and control. On 25 October 2026, 1 of 27 states had adopted a final law, according to our tracker.
How much do freelance platforms charge?
Across 8 marketplaces we checked, the median fee taken from freelancers is 10% and the median client fee is 5.25%. Contractor management platforms charge a median $34 per contractor per month. Compare tools in our freelancer management software rankings.