Apple TV Plus, the new video streaming service from Apple, launched in 2019 with a strong (but small) lineup of star-studded shows.

Apple certainly put the hard work in before its streaming service launched. It brought on board some of the best writers, actors and directors in Hollywood, including Steven Spielberg and Jennifer Aniston, to create new TV shows. Although some have fallen a little short on expectations and failed to rake in the viewers, like Jason Momoa’s See, others have landed well, like Aniston’s The Morning Show.

With this focus on new and original content, it certainly seems like Apple TV Plus could give Netflix a run for its money – a service that has a good back catalogue of movies and TV shows but really shines with its Originals.

So, how does the Apple TV Plus streaming service differ from Netflix? And could it truly pose a threat to the most popular streaming platform in the world? Read on for our take on Apple’s first foray into the world of TV and movie streaming.RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU…CLOSENew Dead Space Gameplay | Totally Rated Clip

Apple TV Plus vs Netflix: overview 

Aside from being the most popular streaming service in the world, Netflix has become something of a cultural icon, even inspiring its own lexicon – we all know what it means to ‘Netflix and chill’ (if you don’t, ask an appropriate adult), and most people have been on an uncontrollable ‘Netflix binge’.

With a wide-reaching mix of original and licensed shows and movies, Netflix’s huge variety of content, as well as its ease of use, has given birth to the cult of binge-watching.

Apple, on the other hand, will have some way to go if it’s to unseat Netflix from its throne with Apple TV Plus, its new ad-free subscription service.

However, with a host of exclusive programs with some very famous faces attached, Apple could potentially rival Netflix’s Originals – if it can match Netflix’s prodigious output that is. 

Apple has promised it will release “new additions every month”, but it hasn’t confirmed how much new content will be coming each month. Given the rather small lineup so far, we expect we may only see handful arrive each month. But that could all change in 2020.

Apple TV Plus vs Netflix: pricing

Apple TV Plus costs $4.99 per month / £4.99 ( AU$7), vastly undercutting Netflix – and a subscription can be shared by up to six family members.

What’s more, a one-year subscription to the service will come free with new iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple TVs.

Having recently upped its prices, the cheapest Netflix plan is currently $9 / £5.99 / AU$9.99, while its HD Standard plan (the most popular) costs $13 / £7.99 / AU$13.99. For fans of Ultra HD streaming, the 4K Premium plan is available for $16 / £9.99 / AU$17.99. So both pretty competitive, but a little more than the Disney Plus price.

Apple TV Plus vs Netflix: availability

Apple TV Plus is merged with the new and improved Apple TV app, which in turn is coming to a wide range of smart TVs in May, as well as to set-top boxes and streaming sticks from rival companies like Roku and Amazon.

The Apple TV app is also available on a number of smart TVs – in ranges by Samsung, Sony, LG, and Vizio – in addition to Apple’s own set-top box and streaming player, the Apple TV.

This means Apple TV Plus isn’t restricted to Apple TV devices – and moving the app onto rival devices is a risky move by Apple, as it could reduce the number of consumers buying into Apple TV hardware. We’re wondering if Apple is looking to phase out this hardware in order to focus on the improved Apple TV app.Advertisement

You can also access it on iOS and Mac products, too – though not their Android or Windows equivalents (for now).

Given those restrictions so far, it’s difficult to see how it could prove a true rival to Netflix, which is available on a wider range of devices and operating systems.

Netflix is available to use on a huge range of devices, which will also synchronize with each other – this means you can start watching a show on your desktop browser, pause it, and pick up in the exact same place when logging back in on your big-screen TV. 

Depending on which subscription package you opt for, you can watch Netflix on up to four screens at one time. 

As well as your computer, gaming console, and built-in TV applications there are Android and iOS apps, as well as a whole suite of set-top streaming boxes that will give you access to Netflix’s video library.

Apple TV Plus vs Netflix: features and user interface

One of the best things about Netflix is how it tailors its content to you, with its recommendation algorithm learning your preferences as you watch. As a result, it’s then able to adjust how content is positioned on your home screen, recommending shows and movies you may like based on your watching habits.

Another reason for Netflix’s popularity is its intuitive user interface, which makes it easy to navigate shows and films you’ve saved to your ‘list’, as well as making it easy to search by genre, director, actor and more. 

The redesigned Apple TV app looks rather attractive and means Apple TV Plus works in a similar way to Netflix. 

Apple TV Plus essentially functions as a subset of this app, with a rolling banner on the Watch Now tab, beneath the rows for ‘Up Next’ and ‘What to Watch’. 

It certainly takes pride of place compared to the other media showcased on the platform – of course, Apple would rather you watch its own shows than the stuff it’s licensing – though we’d rather there was a dedicated tab at the top of the app for easy navigation. 

At the top of the screen there are categories like ‘Movies’ and ‘Sports’, where you can choose where you get your content, from a variety of ‘Apple Channels’.

You may want to watch drama shows via Hulu and get sports from your cable provider – these are part of Apple’s ‘Channels’, which exist separately from Apple TV Plus (i.e. you’ll need to buy a subscription to each provider or platform should you want to watch its content).

On the technological side of things, Netflix’s dynamically-scaling streams mean you don’t need to choose the quality level you want to watch at. If your bandwidth is low it will deliver just the standard definition versions, but if you’ve got the hardware and the capacity it will go all the way up to 4K Ultra HD resolutions if available.

Apple supports both 4K and HDR streaming, and helpfully lists that information on each show page – unlike Netflix, which waits until you’re watching an episode to tell you.

Beyond higher resolutions, Netflix also allows you to download selected shows and movies for offline viewing. Downloads stay in your library for 30 days at a time, and will automatically expire at that time – even if it’s on a device that isn’t connected to the internet. 

Apple TV Plus vs Netflix: content

Netflix has a huge range of exclusives, originals and classics to get stuck into, and is fast becoming a respected distributor of original movies and TV series, with Netflix Original Roma taking the award for Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars in 2019 and The Irishman being nominated for even more in early 2020 awards season.

The best-known Netflix Originals series include Orange Is The New Black, Bojack Horseman, Stranger Things, Daredevil, Maniac, and House of Cards. But there are lots of new ones too, like Lost in Space and The Witcher.Advertisement

It’s these shows that Apple wants to rival with its own original programming through Apple TV Plus.

Notable titles include The Morning Show, Jason Momoa epic See, Sesame Street spin-off Helpsters, teen fantasy Ghostwriters, Hailee Steinfeld’s Emily Dickinson biopic, and NASA drama For All Mankind. There’s enough to flick through in a few evenings, but if only one of these shows takes your fancy, there’s not much else keeping your subscribed past the seven-day free trial.

Suffice to say that it’s a small launch offering, with Apple having focused in on a few titles rather than seek to get breadth of content while compromising on quality across the board. 

While these shows may sound great, it doesn’t look like Apple will be able to match the sheer volume of content on offer from Netflix at launch – and there’s a big, gaping film-shaped hole in the new streaming service. However, if Apple does release new content every month as it says it will, and gets some original or syndicated movies onto the platform, it could soon catch up.

Of course, it’s not only about original content; a huge part of Netflix’s success rides on the enormous variety of syndicated content it puts out, ranging from gritty thrillers like Breaking Bad to an extensive range of kids shows and movies. 

Apple TV Plus, on the other hand, won’t offer any licensed content at all. For now, you’ll still have to buy those shows a la carte through iTunes or via your terrestrial cable app in Apple TV Channels. 

Takeaway

Right now, Apple TV Plus doesn’t pose a real threat to Netflix. It lacks the syndicated content and (for now) has a sparse programming roster. Although this good change as more and more content is added to Apple Plus, it probably won’t be catching up any time soon. 

However, in the long-term Apple TV Plus could prove a problem for Netflix in terms of quality; Apple has a strong lineup of famous creatives behind its original programming, and a real focus on high-quality content.

Of course Netflix also puts an emphasis on quality, as its Oscar success with Roma shows, but we all know there are also some truly terrible films and shows on the platform, and we doubt Apple will want to follow suit in that respect. 

The cost is a huge point of differentiation between Apple TV Plus and Netflix, with Apple undercutting Netflix by nearly $4. But that would make sense given the lack of content available on Apple TV Plus in comparison.

It may still be early days for Apple TV Plus, but right now Netflix rules supreme. The usual Apple strategy, of bringing out the best version of a product after it’s had a chance to study the market and iterate in a stylish way, hasn’t quite translated to its content offering here, and it’s hard to recommend the service on the basis of any individual shows.

It’s 2021 and there are fewer reasons to buy an Apple TV streaming box. That’s because Apple has partnered with many of the biggest TV manufacturers, such as LG, Sony, Vizio and Samsung, and integrated most of the Apple TV’s best features – HomeKit, AirPlay 2 and even iTunes – into their TVs. The reason is simple: Apple wants as many people to have access to Apple TV+.

To watch Apple TV+ you need to have access to Apple’s TV app, which had previously only been available on Apple hardware: iPhone, iPad or Apple TV (it’s now available on Macs). But now it’s available on pretty much every smart TV and operating system. This has left Apple’s streaming box in a tricky position. Is there any reason to get one?

The answer is: yes. There are still a number of reasons to buy one of Apple’s streaming boxes – either an Apple TV 4K ($179+) or an Apple TV HD ($149) — because there are a number of things that Apple’s TV streaming box can do those new smart TVs with Apple TV-esque features can’t.

What is an Apple TV? (And what does it do?)

An Apple TV is a streaming media that plugs into your TV and allows you to stream apps (such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and Disney Plus) so that you can watch your favorite shows and movies. It effectively turns any dumb TV into a smart TV. If you already have smart TV, it allows you to run Apple’s tvOS as opposed to your TV’s smart interface.

Apple TV vs your smart TV: What’s the difference?

Pretty much all new TVs are smart TVs these days, meaning that they come with one of a variety of operating systems (such as Tizen, Roku or WebOS) that allow you to stream movies and shows from your favorite apps without having a separate dongle. But if you have an iPhone users — or other Apple devices — that are extra advantages of an Apple TV.

If you have an iPhone, an Apple TV allows you to easily cast music or a move/show to your TV. It gives you access to Apple’s gaming and fitness services (Apple Arcade and Fitness+). And it allows you to use your HomePod(s) or HomePod mini(s) as TV speakers (more on that below).

Apple TV 4K (2017) vs Apple TV 4K (2021)

Apple just updated the Apple TV 4K (but not the Apple TV HD) so now you might see 2017 and 2021 models. So, what’s the difference? And if you have a 2017 model, is it worth upgrading to a 2021 model?

The Apple TV 4K (2021) is very similar to the older version. In fact, they look identical and have most of the same capabilities, including access to Apple Arcade and Fitness+, and support for immersive video and audio technologies, such as 4K HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

The difference is that Apple TV 4K (2021) has a faster processor (A12 Bionic), as well support for HDMI 2.1 and Wi-Fi 6. This also allows the Apple TV 4K (2021) to support 4K TVs with higher frame rates : 4K at up to 60fps. Basically, if you’ve bought a new 4K TV within the last year or two, the Apple TV 4K (2021) will likely be able to get the most out of it.

Maybe the most obvious difference is that the Apple TV 4K (2021) comes with redesigned Siri Remote. It scrapes the old touchpad in favor of a more traditional D-pad controller, and it has dedicated buttons for power and Siri. Also, it’s a little thicker, more ergonomic and not as symmetrical (so it should be easier to navigate in the dark).

If you have an older Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD, you can purchase the new Siri Remote for $59. If you buy any new Apple TV (4K or HD) from Apple, you’ll get the new Siri Remote (not the old one).

11 Reasons to Buy an Apple TV in 2021

1. The Best HomeKit Experience (Thanks to Thread)

Apple has integrated the new Apple TV 4K with Thread, a low-power mesh networking standard (similar to Zigbee or Z-Wave) that’s designed to make smart home devices — such as smart home cameras, smart doorbells, small thermostats and more — work better with each other. It’s one of two Apple products that supports Thread, including the HomePod mini, but there a large number of third-party gadgets that support Thread (and Apple is expected to release new gadgets that support Thread in the future, as well). So if you’re building a smart home around Apple’s HomeKit and you want the best possible experience, it’s a good idea to update to the new Apple TV 4K.

2. Privacy

Apple takes the protection of your person information very sincerely, which is a big reason to use Apple’s streaming hardware over just using its services on a third-party TV or dongle. If you don’t have an Apple TV streaming box, then your streaming activity and account information isn’t monitored by Apple, but by the hardware companies that are running its software — and they likely don’t have the same rigorous standards of protecting your information as Apple.

Getting Apple’s TV hardware gives you the extra peace of mind that your information is throughly being protected.

3. Apple’s Dolby Atmos Experience

If you have a HomePod or HomePod mini, an Apple TV lets you use them as speakers for your television, which makes for a sneakily good surround sound system. Two ‘Pods — either HomePods or HomePod minis — can be configured in stereo. If you have an Apple TV 4K and a HomePod, this system will support Dolby Atmos audio, but you need the Apple TV 4K; the HD doesn’t support Dolby Atmos and neither does the HomePod mini.

As of March 2021, Apple has rolled out a tvOS update that brings support for HDMI ARC and eARC to your Apple TV 4K, meaning you can now use a HomePod (or HomePod mini) as a TV speaker when watching any input — not just the one that the Apple TV is on. So if you frequently watch cable or play a game console, you can get the HomePod to work with those as well.

4. A Private Listening Experience with AirPods

If you have an Apple TV, it’s really easy to connect your AirPods, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max for private listening — press and hold the Play button on your Apple TV remote and a drop-down menu should allow you to connect them. With tvOS 15, Apple will finally bring support for Spatial Audio to the Apple TV when used with AirPods Pro or AirPods Max. To turn it on, open the Control Center on your Apple TV, touch and hold the volume button on your Siri Remote, and the turn on Spatial Audio. Right now, the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max are the only two wireless headphones that support spatial audio.

The public beta for tvOS 15 is available now. The full software update is expected to roll out later this year (likely in September).

5. The Multi-User Experience

Similar to how services like Netflix allow you to switch between different profiles, offering individualized experiences split between different members of the household, so too does the Apple TV. For example, if you watch a lot of action movies, and your wife watches dramas, and your son or daughter watches cartoons – all those movie and TV show suggestions don’t get muddled together. The Apple TV app that’s built into other smart TVs does not offer this multi-user experience.

6. Apple Arcade on the Big Screen

Apple Arcade is the company’s new subscription gaming service which lets subscribers play original games and they will be playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. If you have a smart TV that supports the Apple TV app, however, it will not support Apple Arcade. If you’re somebody who plans to subscribe to Apple’s new gaming service and you want to play games on your big-screen TV, you’re going to need an Apple TV streaming box.

7. The Apple TV Remote and a Superior Siri for Search

The redesigned Siri Remote scraps the old touchpad in favor of a more traditional D-pad.Courtesy

The Apple TV’s Siri Remote only comes and works with Apple TV streaming boxes, and it’s actually a very powerful navigation tool. Not only does it offer a super-easy way to scroll between thousands of Apple TV apps, as well as quickly get back to the Apple TV’s home screen, but it’s integrated with Siri so you can use your voice to quickly find content. Since the Apple TV streaming box is a completely “Apple experience,” Siri is actually a way more powerful tool.

8. Epic Screen Savers

A relatively minor feature of the Apple TV that has ardent fans is its screen savers. When your Apple TV is idle for a certain number of minutes, its display switches to a screen saver, typically featuring beautiful videos. To date, Aerial screen savers have been super popular; these Aerials have been shot from places all over the world and from space. If you like these screen savers enough, you can also tap “Menu” button on Apple TV remote while in the main screen and initiate these screensavers whenever you like. Apple constantly rolls new screensavers, such as underwater, aerial and satellite shots. These Apple-specific screen savers are only available on Apple TV streaming boxes.

9. The Smart Home Hub

The Apple TV streaming box, HomePod smart speaker, and any iPad can be designated as smart home hubs for an Apple smart home. The advantage of this is it allows you to control your HomeKit smart devices remotely. For example, if you want to use your iPhone to issue a HomeKit command, either through the Home app or using Siri on your iPhone (like “shut the garage door” or “I’m close to home, get the AC running”), the Apple TV or the HomePod is the thing that receives the command and executes it within the house. Since the Apple TV and HomePod are both always on, it also allows you to run smart home automations; a good example is that through HomeKit, you can have your smart lights turn on at sunset. It’s true that there is now HomeKit on non-Apple smart TVs, but they are essentially acting as HomeKit accessories – not as a Home hub. It’s not always on and they won’t let you issue a command remotely; you can’t say “turn on my lights” when you’re at work, for example.

10. A Powerful Processor Means No Lag

The truth is that even though more smart TVs will have more Apple TV-esque features, there’s a good chance that they won’t run like one. All Apple TV streaming boxes have dedicated processors that are designed to make things run as smoothly as possible. Smart TVs that are running Apple’s software have a lot more going on and, the reality is there might be more lag if you don’t have an Apple TV streaming box. It’s still worth trying the built-in option if your TV supports it, but you can always spend the $179 if you aren’t happy.

11. It’s the Best Portable TV Streamer

Yes, they are expensive, but the Apple TV streaming box (HD or 4K) are still arguably the best portable streamers that you can buy. Most people don’t think of them or use them as portable devices – it’s true – but the Apple TV is actually a great gadget to take on vacation or a work trip. It has 32GB or more or storage, which is room enough to store a great number of apps or games. Or you can easily connect the Apple TV to Wi-Fi and stream any of your favorite shows or movies, across various apps.

Today, 36% of the US workforce consists of freelancers.

These flexible employees contribute around $1.4 trillion to the economy every year, representing an excellent opportunity for the new world of work.

While many employers are exploring the benefits of remote workers, many don’t know where to look when they’re searching for the correct talent. Posting an ad in your local newspaper won’t work in this environment.

Freelancer communities like Upwork and Fiverr have emerged to support the freelance workforce. These sites are hubs where you can find freelancers with the specific skills you need, assign projects, and even track your chosen contractor’s work.

How Does Fiverr Work?

Fiverr is a freelance community designed for employers who have quick, low-cost projects they need help with. This website is fantastic for finding gig workers at a price that suits you.

How Does Upwork Work?

Upwork is an easy-to-use website offering talent from freelancers of all backgrounds. The site has over 10 million people registered and ready to take on work.

Both websites give companies a way to connect with workers across a range of skill categories. However, how these two platforms work is very different.

So, which one should you choose?

Upwork vs. Fiverr: Which Should You Choose?

Although both Upwork and Fiverr have considerable presence in the freelancing world, they don’t provide the same experience.

Let’s look further at what you can expect from each.

1. Upwork vs. Fiverr: The pricing

No matter what you’re hiring for, the budget will always be a crucial consideration.

Both Upwork and Fiverr earn money by deducting a fee from the payments they process on their systems. However, how they set prices can vary.

On Upwork, freelancers set a rate and bid by the project, or by the hour depending on their preferences.

The Upwork team earns money by charging a fee on every completed project. They include the expense in the price that your freelancer quotes you, so the price they give might be higher to accommodate the fee.

For instance, if a freelancer quotes $500 for a project, 20% of that may go to Upwork, meaning that the professional is only getting $400. Upwork also charges 2.75% on top of your payment as a processing fee.

Fiverr also has fees for both sides. The buyer will have to pay in advance for the gig they wish to buy. The fee is $2 for gigs up to $40, and 5% for everything above. The seller (freelancer) will get 80% of their earnings because a 20% commission goes to Fiverr.

2. Work Flow Comparison: How Do They Work?

It’s not just the pricing that differs between Fiverr and Upwork.

These platforms are also rather different in how they manage work.

For instance, on Upwork, freelancers offer services that are connected to a specific set of skills. Fiverr allows people to provide a wide range of different services at once.

On Upwork, freelancers bid for specific projects by sending unique applications and cover letters to clients when they post an available job. On Fiverr, clients purchase particular services that the freelancer already defined.

Instead of posting a job and getting an application on Fiverr, you sort through a database of potential talent looking for something that suits your needs.

One impressive feature of Upwork is that it comes with data science built into the platform. That means that the platform can track down the best freelancers to suit your needs based on an algorithmic match.

This can save you a lot of time looking for the right person among thousands of freelancers. Of course – you don’t necessarily have to use the freelancer that Upwork suggests, but the option is there.

3. The Quality of Freelancers’ Work

The most critical aspect of choosing the right freelancer is making sure you will get the quality of work you deserve.

Both Fiverr vs Upwork marketplaces offer a range of skilled professionals to choose from. However, there are many differences in how you find and classify potential employees.

For instance, on Upwork, you can search for the skills you need by clicking on a particular niche and browsing through people with individual talents on their profile:

Clicking on a listed skill will take you to another page where you’ll see freelancers that belong to that category. The profiles you find will offer plenty of information on the person’s hourly rate, the time they’ve spent on Upwork, and more.

Fiverr also allows you to search for talent by typing a keyword into a search bar.

One fantastic thing about Fiverr is how much information you get when you click on a service provided by a freelancer. You can access detailed comparisons of the packages that different people offer, which makes deciding who to hire easier.

4. The Rating Systems

Finding the right quality of work isn’t just about having multiple people to choose from.

Shelling out money to people you haven’t met can be a worrying prospect. That’s why Upwork and Fiverr both offer rating systems to help you get insights from employers that came before you.

Star ratings next to each freelancer, complete with the option to check feedback from other projects can give you some fantastic peace of mind.

To protect your quality of work, it’s important to avoid any freelancer who has a lot of completed jobs under their belt, but no feedback. This could be a sign they’re getting rid of negative reviews.

5. Pre-Screening Services

Beyond ratings and feedback, Upwork also goes one step further to provide you with a higher quality of work. This website goes to great lengths to make sure you know what you’re getting from the talent you hire by:

• Verifying freelancer identities for security and compliance purposes
• Providing video and chat conferencing features for interviews
• Displaying freelancer scores, success stories, and feedback from completed jobs
• Providing online skills tests: You can search for people who have completed tests in things like UX and HTML skills.

There’s also the option to invest in the Upwork Pro service if you want a recruiting professional to find the right freelancer on your behalf. All you need to do is provide the details of your project, and Upwork will vet and choose the right people for you.

Ensuring you get the right talent on Fiverr isn’t always as simple. Except for Fiver “Pros,” anyone can sell a service on Fiverr. You can leave anonymous feedback on that freelancer, but there are no skill tests or vetting options to ensure you’re not wasting your time.

6. Work Monitoring And Dispute Resolution

Another important feature to look for in a freelancer platform for the quality of work is monitoring tools.

Upwork allows you to organize your entire project through its platform, with communication between you and your freelancer. You can assign milestones for a task and make sure you send payment when a job is complete.

Upwork also sets itself apart with an amazing dispute resolution center you can use to address problems if you notice any issues with your completed project. You’ll have a mediator assigned to your case who will get you your money back if they find that your complaints are valid.

Fiverr doesn’t have the same work management system in place. As long as the seller complies with the conditions of the service you buy, then everything will work smoothly.

However, you can always reach out to the seller with a quick message if you want to check the status of your project.

For dispute resolution, Fiverr also doesn’t offer a mediator to settle your dispute. You can visit the resolution center to extend the delivery time on a project or ask for an update on the order. However, it’s much more difficult to get an issue resolved if something goes wrong on Fiverr.

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Hiring Guide: Building Out Your Freelance Workforce

According to Medium, freelancers will make up most of the US workforce by 2027.

Now’s the time to work on your hiring strategy if you want to make sure you’re getting the right talent.

While freelance employees can offer a lot of benefits in the form of better productivity, lower overhead costs, and greater access to talent, it can be a challenge to find the right people.

If you don’t hire someone right for your specific project, you’re just wasting time and money.

So, how can you boost your chances of success?

1. Define What You’re Looking For

The first thing you need to know is what you need from a new freelancer.

That doesn’t just mean listing off the skills that will be crucial to completing a project. You also must determine what kind of employee will work best as part of your team – even if they will only be interacting with you for a limited time.

Checking a freelancer’s profile on a hiring site like Upwork or Fiverr will give you an insight into their personality and work ethics. This will help to ensure you’re getting the right quality of the contractor.

2. Do Your Due Diligence

Just like any hiring process, it’s essential to learn as much as you can about a potential candidate before you extend a job offer.

Upwork can be helpful with this process, by pre-screening candidates for you, and allowing you to host video interviews before you hire someone.

However, no matter which tool you’re using, you should be able to learn something about your would-be freelancer by reading their profiles and checking out comments from previous clients.

Make sure that the person you choose delivers a good quality of service by checking their reviews and ensure that they have experience with your project type too.

3. Track the Work

Once you’ve interviewed your freelancer and checked that they’re right for the job, remember that you shouldn’t just be leaving them to it.

The best freelancer websites will allow you to maintain a consistent conversation with the person you’re working with. This means you can check on their ongoing project and ask questions about how the task is going.

If anything goes wrong, don’t hesitate to launch an inquiry with the service you’re using too. Both Upwork and Fiverr will allow you to cancel a job or sending a request for assistance if you think you will not get the work you need.

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Upwork vs. Fiverr: Which is Best for Which Jobs?

Choosing between Fiverr and Upwork will be a personal decision based on your unique needs.

For most companies, Upwork will be the better option for larger projects or tasks that require the knowledge and insight of a specialist. If you’re just looking for someone to handle something simple, then Fiverr could be a great way to save cash.

Fiverr is a platform for outsourcing small, easy jobs without spending a lot of money.

Advantages of using Upwork:

• Control over the screening/recruiting process
• Excellent pre-screening support
• No upfront costs necessary
• Great for specific, specialist support
• A massive global talent pool

Advantages of using Fiverr:

• Budget-friendly
• Easy to use environment
• Active community
• Fast way of tracking down talent

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Fiverr vs. Upwork: FAQs

⭐ Is Fiverr or Upwork better for freelancers?

Each of these platforms offers its own advantages. Fiverr often has budget-oriented work, which means higher volume, while Upwork is better for skilled professionals.

⭐ Is Fiverr or Upwork cheaper?

Both sites charge in different ways. Freelancers on Upwork charge by the hour, while Fiverr charges per job.

⭐ Which freelance platform is good for beginners?

Fiverr has freelances segregated by levels of skill. This makes it a good resource for businesses looking to take on more budget-friendly freelancers.

⭐ Is it easy to hire freelancers on Fiverr?

Yes, Fiverr has a large pool of talent offering multiple services. Many top freelancers on Fiverr also typically respond quickly.

⭐ What is the best freelance website?

Most freelance websites cater to their own profile of customers. The best one is the one which suits the freelancer’s individuals skills and experience.

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Are you Ready to Hire Your Freelance Employees?

As the world continues to evolve, and people search for more balance between their work and personal lives, freelancing will only grow more popular.

In the years to come, employers won’t have any choice whether or not they use freelancers. Although you might be facing with the ups and downs of outsourcing, if you want the right talent, you must adjust. 

Websites like Fiverr and UpWork that pull communities of skilled people together in an easy-to-use platform can be an excellent source of assistance for people in search of freelance workers.

However, it’s essential to make sure you’re using the tool that will give you the best results.

Make sure you know what you’re looking for before you get started and select the freelance community that works best for your team.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly source of support for a simple project, Fiverr may be your best option.

If you need something more advanced, and you’re willing to pay for a specialist, Upwork could be the solution for you.

Skillshare is the most comparable online course marketplace to Udemy.  Both platforms market your online course to the masses and pay instructors a course revenue share monthly. That’s about all the similarities in the Udemy vs. Skillshare comparison, really.  They are pretty different platforms.

So, let’s say you are a new instructor and trying to decide which is best to start with. Or, perhaps you are already creating courses on one platform and considering hopping to the other.  What would the impact be on your online course business and the way you go about it?  

Udemy vs. Skillshare – 5 Key Differences

A comparison of Udemy vs. Skillshare’s features for instructors is pretty straightforward.  In this article, we’ve outlined the 5 biggest differences between the two platforms that matter to online course instructors (not to students).

Instructor Payout

At the end of the day, teaching online is about making money, right? Well, actually, teaching on Skillshare may not necessarily be “all about the money”.   The mission of the Skillshare platform is to provide affordable and accessible education to all.  The company asks of its instructors to “give back”.  You might translate that into “don’t expect a get rich scheme”. 

So let’s just cut to the chase and compare Udemy vs. Skillshare payouts.  Udemy has a fairly transparent, widely known, consistent instructor payout formula, based on its “pay per class” sales model: 

• 50% of revenue for organic course purchases
• 97% of revenue for courses purchased through direct instructor link
• ~ 25% of revenue for affiliates sales

How much can Udemy instructors make?  You’ve no doubt read and heard stories about the earnings potential on Udemy, particularly for instructors in the tech field.   We at Teachinguide even attempted to estimate what top Udemy instructors could make earlier this year.  At the top instructor echelon course income can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.  

It’s fair to say that if you are a serious and very good instructor on Udemy and you put in the work, you have a shot at earning a decent living, or at minimum some decent passive income, selling online courses.  A large part of this is due to Udemy’s huge audience of some 25 million students and its growing global reach and brand recognition which drives a ton of traffic to the platform.  The platform also has a very extensive affiliate network that instructors can leverage to boost sales.

Skillshare, however, has a very different instructor payout scheme. As we said before, the fact that the platform’s mission is to make education accessible to anyone by providing affordability should give you a hint about the relative potential payout of Skillshare vs. Udemy.  The website reads “Why Teach on Skillshare? It’s a great way to earn money, build your online following, and give back. Top teachers make $100,000+ a year.”  We’re not scoffing at earning $100,000 a year, that’s great money. But top Udemy instructors have added another three zeros to that number.

So what is Skillshare’s payout scheme?  Skillshare is a subscription-based website, and the subscription fee is relatively low at about $12 per month for access to all “Premium” courses. For that amount, students can watch as many course videos for as many minutes as they like that month.

Once an instructor’s course has been watched for 30 minutes he/she becomes eligible to earn a payout. Thereafter, instructors are paid based on Skillshare’s algorithm that calculates payouts based on how many paying students enrolled in your courses versus all other courses, a variable percent of the subscription revenue for the overall Skillshare platform that month (30%-50%), and the number of minutes watched for your courses. The focus of the Skillshare platform payout is different in that it is a community-based platform with a pool of funds that fluctuates each month to be divided up. 

Estimates that we have seen roughly work out to between $3-$5 per hour of course watched per student. So for a 3 hour course, you might make $10-$15 per student.  Instructors can also earn $10 per student referred using their personal referral link.  Finally, instructors can earn a $50 gift card each time they refer another teacher to the platform who creates a course within 30 days.

Skillshare’s payout scheme seems a little more complicated on the surface than Udemy’s. But if you think about it, with all of Udemy’s course discounting, the free coupon campaigns to get enrollments, affiliate marketing, etc. you never quite know what you’ll earn from Udemy either.

Course and Instructor Competition

Clearly on Udemy with its 100,000+ courses, as an online instructor you are likely to be competing with hundreds of other courses in your chosen topic area.  So as an instructor, you have to think a lot about marketing and promoting your course, optimizing for Udemy search rankings, and getting great reviews quickly to convince a student to take your course instead of the many alternatives.  That said if you manage to find a decent niche for an up and coming topic (increasingly rare) or do what it takes to develop a student following (virtuous circle!), you’ll do fine.

Versus Udemy, Skillshare is what we might call “less cutthroat” when it comes to competition with “only” 29,000 courses.  With less competition on Skillshare, instructors who publish a lot of courses and develop a student following can do quite well.  In addition, since students have paid for a monthly subscription that allows unlimited access to courses, you have a better chance of students enrolling in your course because they don’t have to pay anything extra to take it. But you still have to get them to watch minutes of your course to earn money. So marketing and promotion is still a necessary evil despite the lesser competition.

Also on Skillshare, a lot of the courses are more “crafty”, along the lines of art or calligraphy. So if you are in a creative field, you may face stiff competition.

Community and Support

Community is, as Skillshare describes it, “the pulse of Skillshare”.  It has an active community of students who share their projects with each other and provide feedback to each other.  The bond within the teacher-student community is much stronger on Skillshare due to the hands-on nature and interactivity of course projects.

For new teachers, Skillshare promotes a 30-Day Teaching Challenge which gives prospective teachers milestones, reminders, tools and encouragement to design and upload a course within 30 days. It also has a great online video course for new instructors that teaches you how to get going, as well as a Teacher Handbook. The platform also helps teachers develop a following by notifying students each time their instructor publishes a new course. The whole “new instructor” thing just seems a little less “scary” on Skillshare.

Udemy does have Facebook groups, instructor conferences and its Studio U instructor forum with about 20,000 instructors on it.  The platform is so popular, you are bound to find help somewhere if you look for it (like on Teachinguide!).  That said, there isn’t much of an instructor-student community and virtually no student community.  There’s no place to get feedback on work or projects either. Finally, the customer/instructor support on Udemy has met with mixed reviews as well.

Restrictions and Eligibility

Both platforms have restrictions concerning minimal course content and parameters. However, Skillshare does not require its prior approval before instructors can upload their courses to the platform. It relies heavily on the community aspect of the platform to ensure there are no “cheaters” when it comes to quality, adhering to course requirements, etc.

Udemy requires background checks and course quality approval before you can upload your courses.

Skillshare has topic restrictions.  Prohibited topics include those focusing on passive income strategies, courses about teaching on other learning platforms, topics related to romance and relationships, and courses on how to resell existing products/services.  When we did a search for  “passive income” on Udemy, there were 883 search results. “Drop shipping” turned up 1,100 course results. In this sense, Udemy is much more accommodating when it comes to defining what “learning” is. This is one reason it boasts so many more courses (and users) than Skillshare.

Types of Courses and Course Content

Did you know that many Udemy courses like this one about Tableau 10 are also on Skillshare?  (Note that this course has 4,247 students enrolled on Udemy vs. 285 students on Skillshare)

Both platforms have a wide range of instructors in terms of experience and background.  One key difference between Udemy and Skillshare is that on Skillshare courses of less than 30 minutes are allowed, even encouraged.  Skillshare also encourages instructors to create learning in bite sized classes, for instance with about 10 minutes of instruction and then a project assignment.  There are courses as short as 12 minutes.  Some Udemy instructors will take their longer course and break it down into smaller Skillshare courses.

On that note, another key difference between Udemy and Skillshare course content concerns the nature of learning. All Skillshare courses have at least one project. The emphasis of instruction is on learning by doing and students are encouraged to upload their projects to share and get feedback. This means as an instructor, you must be willing to create courses and projects fairly frequently to teach your subject matter. 

Udemy, on the other hand, allows for simple talking head and PowerPoint instruction. Some instructors may prefer this more passive approach to teaching. Students may prefer it as well.  That said, Udemy allows instructors to incorporate quizzes into their courses which does help engage students somewhat.

Finally, when it comes to foreign language course instruction and content, Udemy wins hands down.  Skillshare is very English language centric.

Udemy vs. Skillshare – the Verdict

In the end, these comparisons don’t matter all that much to your opportunity to sell courses through an online marketplace. You can become an instructor on both platforms if you wish and repurpose the same content. There is no exclusivity. However, here are some key issues to consider when choosing one platform over the other:

• You will have to change the format somewhat to accommodate Udemy vs. Skillshare. If you don’t like creating projects or many many courses (to make more money), the you should avoid Skillshare and stick to Udemy’s talking heads powerpoint “mashup” format.
• If your goal is to make money a good deal of money online, it is probably better to start on Udemy. You have control over your course pricing and your payout is based on transparent, simple math so it is easier to set earnings goals and work towards them. Again, you just have to look at the top earners to see there is more potential on Udemy.
• If you want to dip your toe in the water and experiment with online teaching quite simply, perhaps by creating a very short module of less than 30 minutes, Skillshare is probably lower risk (and lower pay). Then you can migrate to Udemy once you are feeling more confident and ready to spread your wings.  Also if you don’t want to have to think a whole lot about promotion and marketing, Skillshare may be better given its lesser competition.
• If however, you are developing a course in any of the Skillshare restricted areas – which by our small search experiment eliminates several thousand instructors – or your primary language is not English then Udemy is for you and your students.

In the end, you might as well publish on both platforms and see which one works for you. You certainly won’t lose money!

Squarespace  offers one of the best website builder software platforms, that immediately stands out from the competition. The Squarespace platform doesn’t hit you with lengthy feature lists and densely packed comparison tables, for instance. Instead, it follows a ‘show, don’t tell’ approach, presenting a host of templates and design ideas to help you understand what’s possible. And this turns out to make a lot of sense, because Squarespace has some of the most gorgeous templates around. 

This doesn’t mean Squarespace is short on features. The service has plenty to boast about: intelligent SEO tools, comprehensive social media integration, performance boosting CDN support, image and video galleries, free fonts, interactive chart controls, a powerful blogging platform, professional web store, the list goes on…

Plans and pricing 

Squarespace offers four main plans and does not have a free option. Squarespace does include a 14 day free trial, but once that period ends, you’ll need to select a paid plan to continue using the product. Here’s an overview of all four plans, how much it costs, and what it includes. 

The Personal plan is $12.00 per month when you buy it annually. This plan comes with your own custom domain, an SSL Certificate, excellent SEO features, and up to two website contributors (who can help you build your site). This plan comes with Squarespace extensions that can help you manage and optimize your business. RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU…CLOSE00:00 of 01:17Volume 0%PLAY SOUND

The Business plan costs $18.00 per month when you purchase the yearly plan. It comes with unlimited website contributors, complete customization with CSS and Javascript, advanced analytics and ecommerce capability. Squarespace charges a 3% transaction fee on all ecommerce items sold on this plan only. 

The Basic Commerce plan is $26.00 per month and comes with a variety of advanced features – you can sell products on Instagram, access powerful ecommerce analytics, and your customers will be able to create their own accounts on your website. This plan works great for businesses looking to sell a large quantity of products but still don’t need all the features of the Advanced Commerce plan. 

The Advanced Commerce plan is $40.00 per month (when paid annually). It includes all the features in the Basic Commerce plan plus advanced shipping, customer discounts, and the ability to sell subscriptions. For businesses who want to take advantage of all the Squarespace ecommerce features, this plan has it all.  

Interface

Squarespace’s interface is not as easy to use as some website builders, but this is mostly due to how many features there are available. All templates can be previewed in full before making a decision. There’s no need to spend an age agonizing over this, though – unlike some website builders, if you decide you don’t like the template later, you’re free to switch to something else. Select your favorite design and Squarespace prompts you to create an account by entering your name and email address.

To add a widget to a page (or a ‘content block’, as Squarespace calls it), click on Edit (top left of the interface), then scroll over the page until insert sections are revealed (little grey bubbles with a long grey horizontal line attached to them). Click on one of those to see all the options Squarespace offers, including buttons, text, images, galleries, video, audio, forms, layout controls, and more.

Features

Squarespace’s various web service integrations give you more possibilities. A SoundCloud block enables users to navigate a complete playlist, for instance, while you can have Squarespace always display your latest content from Flickr, Instagram and other sites. Alternatively, you can set up the control to search for public images using a specific hashtag, perhaps finding all pictures relating to your company, wedding or any major event.

Put it all together and we suspect there’s more than enough media handling power for most users. And even if you need something more, an Embed Code block may allow integrations with other services, and the Squarespace Business plan provides Code Blocks to insert custom HTML and scripts.

The competition

There are many other website builders on the market – Wix, GoDaddy, and Webnode are just a few of the options. Unlike some of the competition, the blog editor doesn’t limit the controls you can use in a post. You’re able to add images, videos, maps, galleries, anything you can use within a regular web page. The main writing area keeps options to a minimum. Adding tags or categories, enabling or disabling comments for the post, saving it as a draft, publishing it immediately or scheduling publication for later, can all be done by clicking on the post’s title at the top of the page. 

Final thoughts

Squarespace‘s editor and creative layouts means it is an excellent web builder for those willing to learn how to use it. While it might be a little more time consuming compared to other web hosts around, it’s templates really stand out. This website builder has so many design options that you won’t be bored with updating your website. The ecommerce option also has tons of updated features helpful for creating a professional store. Squarespace is a great option for anyone who needs more than the basics for website building.