Most of us don’t consider the UAE as a sanctuary for freelancers. The oil industry and massive business brands could be masking the myriad opportunities available in the gig economy. The Middle East is witnessing an incredible revolution pointing to a burgeoning global freelance economy. Rich in natural resources, the region continues to cement its spot as an international business hub. The haven to regional offices for multinational corporations now inspires the next evolution, convenient to entrepreneurs and freelancers in the UAE.
Which are the top freelancing websites in UAE?
Here are the Top 9 Freelancing Websites in the UAE
- Aefreelance
- Bawabba
- Freelanceruae
- Gofreelance
- Maslaha
- Nabeesh
- Trulancer
- Utalenta
- Xpertin
Various platforms are coming up to help connect the growing pool of freelancers with clients. Although ex-pats still need the necessary licenses to freelance in the UAE, there is no doubt that the environment is more conducive than it once was. The local platforms may not lend the same scale of openings as the likes of Elance and Upwork. However, they could mean that you do not have to deal with the complications of foreign currencies. A concise, unbiased comparative study of the most popular platforms in the UAE would be useful to ex-pats and homegrown professionals who want to go freelance, or hire freelancers.
Nabeesh Vs. Bawabba Vs. Xpertin
We will compare the number of freelancers on each of the platforms for different categories, including:
- Video and Photography
- Digital Designers
- Fashion Designer
- Arts & Crafts
- Writers and Translators
- Music
- Accounting
- Consultants,
- Marketing
- Entertainment and Events,
- Programming
- Architecture
Video and Photography:
|
Freelance Category: Video and Photography |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
Photography |
|
|
|
|
Photo Editing |
15 |
325 |
40 |
|
Photographer |
16 |
285 |
106 |
|
Video |
|
|
|
|
360 Degree Video |
16 |
32 |
92 |
|
Animation |
15 |
39 |
13 |
|
Video Post Editing |
0 |
207 |
22 |
|
Videographer |
16 |
181 |
53 |
|
Virtual Reality |
0 |
5 |
0 |
Quick Summary: Video and Photography is a prime field for freelancers in the United Arab Emirates, with Bawabba taking the lead with the most number of professionals in all the 20 sub-categories.
Digital Designers:
|
Freelance Category: Digital Designers |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
3D Design & Modeling |
16 |
96 |
135 |
|
Banner Designer |
16 |
292 |
0 |
|
Digital Artist |
16 |
109 |
1 |
|
Exhibition Designer |
0 |
30 |
0 |
|
Flyer & Posters |
16 |
348 |
35 |
|
16 |
403 |
234 |
|
|
Icon Designer |
16 |
70 |
6 |
|
Illustrator |
16 |
212 |
5 |
|
Infographics |
16 |
110 |
16 |
|
Logo Designer |
15 |
342 |
100 |
|
Motion Graphics |
16 |
93 |
17 |
|
Package Designer |
16 |
124 |
12 |
|
Presentation Designer |
16 |
88 |
16 |
|
Typography |
16 |
30 |
1 |
|
User Experience Designer |
16 |
4 |
8 |
|
User Interface Designer |
16 |
77 |
10 |
|
Explainer Video |
0 |
30 |
2 |
Quick Summary: Skills in digital design can be rewarding in the UAE, especially on Bawabba, which has the majority of freelance experts.
Fashion Designer:
|
Freelance Category: Fashion Designer |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
Fashion Designers |
6 |
29 |
9 |
|
Jewelry Designer |
0 |
7 |
0 |
|
Tailoring |
0 |
12 |
0 |
Quick Summary: Bawabba is leading in the freelance fashion design category while Nabeesh and Xpertin being at par, each with a few fashion designers.
Arts and Crafts:
|
Freelance Category: Arts and Crafts |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
Acrylic Painting |
13 |
48 |
22 |
|
Calligraphy |
15 |
21 |
5 |
|
Canvas Painting |
0 |
45 |
0 |
|
Caricature and Cartoonist |
0 |
16 |
3 |
|
Glass Painting |
0 |
11 |
0 |
|
Mural Painting |
0 |
27 |
1 |
|
Oil Painting |
0 |
30 |
5 |
|
Sketching |
14 |
32 |
11 |
|
Watercolor Painting |
0 |
28 |
2 |
Quick Summary: Most arts and crafts freelancers prefer Bawabba, as a few others subscribe to Nabeesh and Xpertin.
Writers and Translators:
|
Freelance Category: Writers and Translators |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
Academic Writer |
15 |
144 |
83 |
|
Article Writer |
15 |
263 |
68 |
|
Blogger |
0 |
200 |
27 |
|
15 |
299 |
95 |
|
|
Copywriter |
15 |
222 |
76 |
|
Editor |
15 |
206 |
8 |
|
Legal Writing |
15 |
21 |
0 |
|
Medical Translation |
0 |
49 |
5 |
|
Press Releases |
15 |
61 |
5 |
|
Report Writer |
15 |
76 |
13 |
|
Resume Writer |
15 |
86 |
8 |
|
Translator |
15 |
204 |
40 |
Quick Summary: Although all the three platforms have writers and translators, Bawabba, by far, leads the other two in terms of popularity.
Music:
|
Freelance Category: Music |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
DJ |
9 |
50 |
1 |
|
Film Scoring |
13 |
15 |
11 |
|
Jingles |
0 |
12 |
0 |
|
Music Composer |
0 |
25 |
6 |
|
Musician (Instruments) |
0 |
19 |
6 |
|
Singer |
0 |
39 |
3 |
|
Song Writer |
11 |
18 |
0 |
|
Sound System Provider |
0 |
12 |
0 |
|
Voice Over Artist |
7 |
41 |
2 |
Quick Summary: The statistics show Bawabba as the most popular freelancing platform for music and audio gigs, with a handful of freelancers on the other two platforms.
Accounting:
|
Freelance Category: Accounting |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
Accounting: |
|
|
|
|
Accountant |
11 |
321 |
137 |
|
Auditor |
14 |
220 |
42 |
|
Tax Specialist |
13 |
202 |
10 |
Quick Summary: Bawabba is the most popular platform for accounting and legal jobs amongst freelancers in Dubai.
Consultants:
|
Freelance Category: Consultants |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
Brand Consultant |
0 |
50 |
8 |
|
Financial Consultant |
0 |
17 |
24 |
|
HR Consultant |
0 |
79 |
14 |
|
IT Consultant |
0 |
79 |
5 |
|
Market Research |
0 |
20 |
21 |
|
Marketing Consultant |
0 |
59 |
14 |
|
Recruitment Consultant |
0 |
68 |
15 |
Quick Summary: If you are looking to provide freelance consultancy services in the UAE, check with Bawabba and Xpertin. Nabeesh has no consultants in all sub-categories as the date of this comparison study.
Marketing:
|
Freelance Category: Marketing & PR Services |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
15 |
210 |
44 |
|
|
Digital Marketing |
15 |
167 |
180 |
|
Email Marketing |
15 |
173 |
40 |
|
Public Relations |
16 |
93 |
6 |
|
Salesman |
0 |
82 |
10 |
|
Search Engine Marketing |
16 |
124 |
21 |
|
Search Engine Optimization |
0 |
134 |
95 |
|
15 |
298 |
162 |
|
|
Telemarketing |
16 |
74 |
5 |
Quick Summary: Bawabba is the most popular platform for Marketing, Advertising, and PR freelance services based on these statistics.
Entertainment and Event:
|
Freelance Category: Entertainment &Events |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
Entertainment: |
|
|
|
|
Choreographer |
3 |
7 |
0 |
|
Dance Performer |
14 |
17 |
0 |
|
DJ |
10 |
50 |
1 |
|
Entertainer |
14 |
36 |
0 |
|
Lighting Entertainment |
15 |
22 |
0 |
|
Magician |
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
Puppet Show |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
Standup Comedy |
9 |
4 |
0 |
|
Events: |
|
|
|
|
Anchor |
0 |
15 |
0 |
|
Bartender |
0 |
10 |
0 |
|
Bouncer |
0 |
10 |
0 |
|
Caterer |
0 |
21 |
0 |
|
Event Manager |
16 |
108 |
23 |
|
15 |
111 |
11 |
|
|
Florist |
0 |
12 |
0 |
|
Hostess |
16 |
56 |
0 |
|
Model |
15 |
34 |
8 |
|
Promoter |
16 |
75 |
0 |
|
Prop Maker |
0 |
10 |
0 |
|
Waiter Service |
0 |
29 |
0 |
|
Wedding Planner |
0 |
49 |
0 |
Quick Summary: Entertainment and Events is a flourishing field in the UAE, with evidence being on the high numbers of freelancers subscribing to all the 26 sub-categories.
Programming:
|
Freelance Category: Programming |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
Testing / QA |
7 |
26 |
0 |
|
0 |
312 |
6 |
|
|
Machine Learning |
6 |
27 |
2 |
|
Natural Language Processing |
8 |
10 |
0 |
|
Socket Programming |
3 |
15 |
1 |
|
Test Automation |
3 |
26 |
0 |
|
Mobile App Testing |
9 |
68 |
2 |
|
IOS Developer |
9 |
94 |
10 |
|
Game Development |
10 |
12 |
1 |
|
Full-Stack Developer |
0 |
187 |
0 |
|
ERP |
10 |
73 |
0 |
|
Data Visualization |
12 |
21 |
3 |
|
Data Entry |
6 |
75 |
168 |
|
Android Developer |
8 |
149 |
29 |
|
Data Mining |
9 |
35 |
0 |
|
Data Scientist |
12 |
35 |
0 |
|
Database Design |
11 |
123 |
1 |
Quick Summary: Your chances for a successful programming freelance career are higher on Bawabba, which seems to be the most popular amongst platforms to hire a freelancer in Dubai.
Architecture:
|
Freelance Category: Architecture |
Number of Freelancers per Platform |
||
|
Nabeesh |
Bawabba |
Xpertin |
|
|
Architecture: |
|
|
|
|
Architect |
10 |
210 |
39 |
|
Building Designer |
9 |
183 |
0 |
|
Draftsman |
12 |
232 |
0 |
|
Interior Designer |
13 |
282 |
0 |
|
Landscape Designer |
10 |
150 |
4 |
|
MEP Designer |
0 |
80 |
0 |
|
Surveyor |
12 |
39 |
2 |
Quick Summary: Architecture and engineering freelancers are subscribing in fewer numbers to Xpertin and Nabeesh compared to the Bawabba platform.
Conclusion
There are plenty of opportunities in the United Arab Emirates for the gig economy. If you wish to join the industry, Bawabba, Nabeesh, and Xpertin are your best bet for showcasing your talent to prospective clients. However, going by these findings, Bawabba is the most popular platform among freelancers in the UAE, followed by Xpertin and Nabeesh coming third.
