2026 guide
The best platforms for freelance software developers in Italy
Updated July 2026
Looking for a developer for your project, or a freelancer looking for clients? Platforms differ widely: costs, type of competition and privacy protection all change. Here's an honest comparison of the main options available in Italy in 2026 — including ours, with its pros and its limits.
| Platform | Focus | Cost model | Market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upwork | Global generalist | Percentage fee on earnings | Worldwide |
| Fiverr | Packaged services ("gigs") | Percentage fee on sales | Worldwide |
| Freelancer.com | Global bidding wars | Fees and paid plans | Worldwide |
| Twago | European generalist | Plans and fees | Europe |
| AddLance | Italian generalist | Pay to unlock client contacts | Italy |
| Araknet | Software projects only | Fixed anti-spam credits, no commission on the work | Italy (IT/EN) |
Upwork
The largest freelance platform in the world: every kind of project and millions of professionals. The flip side: huge global competition (including on price), percentage fees on earnings and a slow ramp-up for newcomers.
Fiverr
Great for standardised fixed-price services (a logo, a brochure site, a small script). Less suited to complex custom software projects, where dialogue and a tailored proposal matter.
Freelancer.com
Auction model: many freelancers publicly underbid each other on the same project. It can work for very small budgets, but the race to the lowest price hurts quality.
Twago
A long-standing European platform for digital projects with an Italian presence. Generalist: software lives alongside design, marketing and other categories.
AddLance
An Italian generalist platform (from web design to home renovation): freelancers pay to unlock client contact details. Broad but not specialised in software.
Araknet
Our platform, 100% specialised in software. The mechanism is different from all the others: the company posts its project anonymously, developers place private bids (nobody sees the others' offers: no bidding wars), and identities are revealed only when an offer is accepted. Posting and bidding cost a few fixed credits — an anti-spam filter — and we take no commission on the job's pay. Honest limit: we're new, and the community is growing right now.
How to choose
- Standard fixed-price service (logo, brochure site)? Fiverr is quick.
- Want the largest global pool and don't fear price competition? Upwork.
- Custom software project with serious offers and no percentage taken from the pay? Try Araknet.
- For freelancers: always weigh what acquiring a client really costs (recurring fees vs a fixed cost per offer) and who can see your proposals.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best freelance platform for developers in Italy?
It depends on the project. For standard fixed-price services Fiverr and Upwork work well; for custom software projects in Italy, Araknet is purpose-built: software only, private offers and no commission on earnings.
Is there an Italian alternative to Upwork?
Yes. For software there is Araknet (araknet.cloud): anonymous projects, private offers and a fixed-credit model instead of percentage fees. For generalist work there is also AddLance.
How much does Araknet cost?
Joining is free. Posting a project or placing an offer costs a few credits (an anti-spam filter that keeps things serious); credits come in packs — the basic one is €9.90 for 15 credits. There is no commission on the pay for the work itself.
Why are projects on Araknet anonymous?
Anonymity until acceptance protects both sides: the company is not flooded with unwanted contacts and the developer is judged only on the proposal, not on the name or the lowest price.
Can developers see each other's offers?
No. On Araknet every offer is private: only the company sees it. No public bidding wars.
Try the Araknet model
Free to join for companies and developers. Post your first project or browse the open ones.
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