Social media designers find freelance work in four kinds of places: big marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr, portfolio networks like Dribbble and Behance, design contest sites like 99designs, and remote creative companies that hire designers to produce content for their clients. Each charges different fees and suits a different stage of your career.
Social media design covers post graphics, carousels, story and reel covers, ad creatives, profile banners, templates and brand kits for social channels. Demand is steady because brands publish constantly, but competition is fierce at the low end. This guide explains where the paying clients are, what each platform costs you, and how to choose the right mix.
In this guide
- What social media design clients buy
- Freelance marketplaces
- Portfolio networks that bring clients
- Design contest sites
- Remote teams that hire social designers
- Fees at a glance
- How to choose your platforms
- How to stand out as a social media designer
- Owen’s take
- FAQ
1. What social media design clients buy
Knowing what clients pay for helps you package your services and pick the right platforms.
- Post and carousel design. Single graphics and multi-slide carousels for Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
- Ad creatives. Static and animated ads in several sizes for paid campaigns. Clients often want variations to test.
- Templates and brand kits. Reusable layouts in Canva or Figma that the client’s team can edit themselves.
- Profile assets. Banners, highlight covers, thumbnails and avatars.
- Monthly content packages. A set number of designs every month, often alongside a social media manager or copywriter.
The best-paid work is ongoing: monthly packages and ad creative for brands that spend on advertising. One-off posts for small businesses are easier to win but pay less.
For context on the wider field, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for graphic designers at $62,960 in 2025, and about 20% of graphic designers are self-employed.
2. Freelance marketplaces
Marketplaces have the most clients, the most competition and the most structure. They handle payment protection, which matters when you are starting out.
Upwork
Upwork is the largest general freelance marketplace. Clients post jobs and you send proposals. Since May 2025 it charges freelancers a variable fee of 0% to 15% per contract, shown before you apply. Proposals cost Connects, at $0.15 each. Upwork suits designers who can write a sharp proposal and want long-term clients, since many social media jobs there are monthly retainers.
Fiverr
Fiverr works the other way round. You publish fixed-price gigs, such as “10 Instagram post designs”, and buyers order them. Fiverr takes a flat 20% of every order, including extras and tips, and releases payment after a clearance period. It suits designers who can package a repeatable service clearly and deliver quickly.
Contra
Contra is a professional network and toolkit where freelancers keep 100% of their earnings, with no commission. You get a portfolio, contracts, invoicing and payments in one place, plus job discovery. It is a good home for clients you find yourself, and a growing source of work for designers.
Other marketplaces
PeoplePerHour is popular with UK clients, Twine is a UK marketplace for creative freelancers, and Freelancer.com runs projects and contests. All are worth testing once your main profile is working.
3. Portfolio networks that bring clients
For designers, a strong portfolio often brings better clients than bidding on jobs.
Dribbble
Dribbble is a portfolio community where clients browse designers’ “shots” and hire them. You can now take briefs, get paid and deliver through Dribbble Projects, or sell fixed Services. Dribbble charges designers a platform fee on paid projects, which its help centre says is waived on annual Pro Standard and Pro Plus plans.
Behance
Behance is Adobe’s portfolio network. Turn on “Hire Me” to appear on its Hire page, apply to freelance jobs and sell digital assets. The free plan carries a platform fee on transactions, and Behance Pro removes it. Behance is a natural place to show social media case studies, such as a full campaign set for one brand.
Portfolio networks reward consistency. Post your best social work regularly, write a clear headline about who you design for, and keep your availability up to date.
4. Design contest sites
Contest sites let clients post a brief and prize, and many designers submit ideas. Only the winner gets paid, so contests mean working on spec. They are useful for building a portfolio and meeting clients, but they should not be your only income.
- 99designs. Contests and 1-to-1 projects. Designers are assigned a level (Entry, Mid or Top), and the designer fee on 1-to-1 projects is 15%, 10% or 5% depending on level.
- DesignCrowd. An Australian contest marketplace with a 15% commission on payments, plus participation payments on some contests.
- crowdSPRING. Design and naming contests and 1-to-1 projects, with creatives receiving 100% of the award according to crowdSPRING.
Contest sites lean towards logos and branding, but social media templates and banners appear regularly. Treat any contest you lose as a portfolio piece.
5. Remote teams that hire social designers
If you want steadier work without hunting for clients, some companies hire designers to produce content for their own client base.
- 99 Dollar Social runs social media for small businesses and hires remote content specialists, designers and video editors. Content roles are paid a flat rate per account per month.
- Superside is a fully remote creative company with more than 700 people in over 60 countries, serving large brands. It hires graphic, brand, motion and content designers, often on contract.
- Toptal screens senior freelancers, including designers, and matches them with clients. It says it accepts fewer than 3% of applicants, and you set your own hourly rate.
These options trade some freedom for predictability. They suit designers who would rather design than sell.
6. Fees at a glance
| Platform | Type | What you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Upwork | Marketplace | 0% to 15% per contract, plus Connects |
| Fiverr | Gig marketplace | 20% of every order |
| Contra | Network and toolkit | No commission; optional Pro plan |
| Dribbble | Portfolio network | Platform fee, waived on annual Pro Standard and Pro Plus |
| Behance | Portfolio network | Platform fee on free plan, none with Pro |
| 99designs | Contests and projects | 15%, 10% or 5% by level on 1-to-1 projects |
| DesignCrowd | Contests and projects | 15% commission |
Fees change often. Always check the current rate on the platform before you price a project, and build the fee into your quote.
7. How to choose your platforms
Most successful social media designers use two or three channels, not ten. A sensible combination:
- One marketplace for client flow. Upwork if you write good proposals, Fiverr if you prefer packaged services.
- One portfolio network for inbound leads. Dribbble for polished visual work, Behance for detailed case studies.
- One way to keep direct clients. Contra, or your own invoicing, so repeat clients don’t cost you a commission.
Add contests only if you need portfolio pieces fast, and apply to remote teams if you want a predictable monthly income.
8. How to stand out as a social media designer
- Show results, not just visuals. Where you can, explain what a campaign was for and what happened, such as more followers or a better ad click rate.
- Show full sets. A carousel, matching stories and an ad in three sizes show you can design a system, not a single post.
- Offer editable templates. Many clients want to make their own posts later. Templates in Canva or Figma add value and can become a separate product.
- Specialise. Social designs for restaurants, fitness coaches, real estate agents or SaaS companies are easier to sell than “social media design”.
- Learn basic motion. Short animated posts and reel covers are in demand and pay more than static graphics.
- Price per package. “12 posts a month” is easier for clients to buy than an hourly rate.
9. Owen’s take
Social media design is easy to start and hard to stand out in, because many clients only see the price. The designers I see doing well treat it as a monthly service for a specific kind of business, not as one-off graphics. Start on a marketplace to get reviews, keep a sharp portfolio on Dribbble or Behance, and move your best clients to direct contracts as soon as you can. A handful of steady monthly clients beats a stream of $20 orders.
FAQ
Which platform is best for beginner social media designers?
Fiverr is easiest if you can package a clear service. Upwork has more long-term clients but needs good proposals. Many beginners use both.
Are design contests worth it?
For building a portfolio and meeting clients, sometimes. Only the winner is paid, so they are a poor main source of income.
Do I need to know motion design?
Not to start, but animated posts and reel covers are in demand and usually pay more than static graphics.
How do I avoid paying high platform fees?
Use marketplaces to find clients, then move repeat work to a no-commission option like Contra or direct invoicing, where the platform’s terms allow it.
This guide is part of our Freelancing section, with every platform we have checked in that area.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Graphic Designers”, Occupational Outlook Handbook: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/graphic-designers.htm
- Upwork Help Center, “Freelancer Service Fee”: https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211062538
