FAQ
Some of your questions, answered.
What is WorkSonata?

With WorkSonata, companies can build their own marketplace of invite-only freelancers. They can manage who is part of their freelance pool, who can bid on new services and projects, and ensure that only trusted and qualified freelancers are part of their network. Freelancers can then focus on building a brand, through their profile, that is accurate, holistic, and trustworthy.

What makes WorkSonata different from other marketplaces?

Upwork, Fiverr, and others represent the public marketplaces in which all clients have access to all freelancers. On Upwork, any freelancer that tangentially fits the client’s profile and bids on proposals, which means that clients often receive many proposals that are lackluster and from unqualified freelancers. On Fiverr, freelancers are known to be low cost, due to many living in low-income countries, and such the focus, or at least general reputation, is more on cost over quality.

WorkSonata aims to build a new type of freelance marketplace. Instead of simply building one massive marketplace, in which quality controls and economic incentives are difficult to manage since any freelancer can match with any client around the world, we allow clients to build their own individual marketplace, in which they can invite freelancers to join their pool. This gives clients a more focused pool of freelancers that they’ve selected (or selected by us through concierge services), so that any call for services or projects are from their own pre-vetted pools. This means that WorkSonata can be seen more as a “marketplace of marketplaces,” with each client managing their own.

If each client can create their own marketplace, then is WorkSonata still a marketplace?

We can be considered a “market of marketplaces,” but we will also provide ways in which clients can interact with other freelancers outside their marketplace to find better fit or expand their networks. In this sense, we will still be a marketplace in our own right, but focused more on helping others build theirs.

What service categories are you currently accepting?

We are currently open for the following categories:

  • Creative & Design Services
  • Technology & Development
  • Business & Finance
  • Marketing & Advertising
  • Writing & Communication
  • Data & Analytics
  • Customer & Administrative Support
  • Legal & Compliance
  • Education & Personal Development
  • Engineering & Technical Services


Note that these are the categories that you are able to join during this prelaunch phase. When we launch, we may or may not decide to launch in all these categories at the same time, depending on the number of available freelancers.

What is the pricing?

We are still finalizing our pricing strategy, but it will likely be a subscription + commission model. Our commission will only be around 5-7%, which we believe is fair and one of the lowest in the industry, and the subscription is to help certain clients and freelancers scale if they so need. We also plan to experiment in offering a subscription-only option to qualified members on a case-by-case basis.

Importantly, clients and freelancers will have free access and ability for core functions such as project posting, project bidding, account/profile creation, messaging, etc. We are looking to provide as much value as possible, while aiming to provide even more for the ones who are serious about growing on our platform.

Those who join us early (sign up here) will have even more benefits, so don't wait until after we launch!

Are clients and freelancers able to work off the platform?

We understand that this is a natural tendency for some, and has become a well-discussed point around freelance marketplaces. Here is our view: We believe that clients and freelancers should work in the best way that they like. We are all adults, and if you find that working off the platform is the best option, even with our low fees, then that is fine. But here are some benefits to staying on platform:

  • We will be implementing recency scores for clients and freelancers. This means that most recent projects will have greater weight on your overall score. If you work off-platform, this will be one of the first to be hit.
  • Any other metric that relies on total dollar value of projects (dollars spent in the last 90 days, etc), which will help boost your validated reputation, will not grow if you work off platform.
  • We will only help dispute and intermediate any projects that were done through the platform.
  • We will keep track of clients and freelancers who have a tendency to move off-platform vs on-platform, and prioritize search boostings to those who stay on.

In all, if you are looking to use our platform, you will get the most benefits if you stay on, as we will be focusing many of our benefits there. However, if you decide that going off-platform is the best decision, perhaps for certain projects, then let us know so that we can find more ways to provide value!

How long will you be in development?

Building a marketplace takes time and resources. We estimate that it will take more than a few months to build. But in the meantime, we are working hard to add enough interested clients and freelancers to ensure we have enough when we launch so that we can meaningfully build from there. So join now to be an early bird!

What is your policy on AI generated content or use?

We don't specifically ban the use of AI. However, clients will be able to dictate their preferences on AI for any given project, and freelancers are required to communicate their intent or usage of AI. Again, we believe that we are all adults who have the professional ability to properly communicate their preferences and needs, and AI use is no exception.

Why the name “WorkSonata”?

According to Britannica, sonata is a type of musical composition that is usually played solo or with a small ensemble (one of the most famous sonatas is Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven). Similarly, freelancing is usually an independent endeavor, though sometimes a small team can band together on more complex projects, which almost perfectly aligns with a sonata form. Also, one of the founders of WorkSonata is a former classical musician (primarily viola), so “WorkSonata” seemed fitting as it combines all these aspects in one!

Do you have a referral or affiliate program?

We don't currently offer an affiliate program, but may work on providing one. After you signup through our prelaunch form, you will be part of the first users to be notified of future updates.

How do I become a beta user and be more involved?

We’d love to get your feedback and thoughts as we build our marketplace! Here’s what you can do:

  1. Fill out our prelaunch form, and join our growing group of founding users.
  2. Join our communities, which you can find on our Community page.