Platform fee calculator
Drag the slider to your gross income. See exactly what lands in your bank account after every platform takes their cut — plus taxes and expenses. Updated for 2026 fee structures.
Gross annual income
Annual expenses
Income tax rate
Compare platforms
Annual take-home by platform
Contra
0% commission
$35,760
$80,000
after platform
-$36,240
taxes
-$8,000
expenses
$35,760
take-home
Gun.io
0% (staffing model)
$35,760
$80,000
after platform
-$36,240
taxes
-$8,000
expenses
$35,760
take-home
Braintrust
0% (token model)
$35,760
$80,000
after platform
-$36,240
taxes
-$8,000
expenses
$35,760
take-home
Direct clients
0% (no platform)
$35,760
$80,000
after platform
-$36,240
taxes
-$8,000
expenses
$35,760
take-home
Upwork
10% flat (2026)
$31,384
$72,000
after platform
-$32,616
taxes
-$8,000
expenses
$31,384
take-home
Toptal
~18% (markup model)
$27,883
$65,600
after platform
-$29,717
taxes
-$8,000
expenses
$27,883
take-home
Fiverr
20% flat
$27,008
$64,000
after platform
-$28,992
taxes
-$8,000
expenses
$27,008
take-home
On $80,000 gross, choosing Contra over Fiverr puts $8,752 more in your pocket per year — $43,760 over 5 years.
5-year cumulative take-home
Frequently asked questions
What is Upwork's fee in 2026?
Upwork charges a flat 10% commission on all earnings as of 2026, changed from the previous sliding scale of 5–20%. This means for every $1,000 you earn, you keep $900 before taxes.
Which freelance platform has the lowest fees?
Contra and Braintrust charge 0% commission — freelancers keep 100% of their earnings. Toptal uses a client-side markup model with no freelancer fees. Direct clients also incur no platform fees.
How much does Fiverr take from freelancers?
Fiverr charges a flat 20% commission on all transactions. For a $500 project, you'd receive $400. This makes Fiverr one of the higher-fee platforms, though it provides significant inbound traffic in return.
Should I factor platform fees into my rates?
Yes. If Upwork charges 10% and you want to net $100/hr, quote $112/hr. Many experienced freelancers add 15–25% to their desired rate to account for fees and taxes combined.
How much do platform fees cost a freelancer annually?
At $60,000 gross income per year: Upwork costs ~$6,000 in fees, Fiverr costs ~$12,000, and 0-fee platforms cost nothing. Over a 5-year career, the difference between Fiverr and Contra is $60,000.
Does Toptal charge freelancers a fee?
No. Toptal uses a client-side model — they mark up the freelancer's rate when billing clients. Freelancers receive their full negotiated rate with no commission deducted.