MAKING A SMALLER, less feature-filled product that’s cheaper can often lead to a lot of compromises, but there’s also a chance of making something truly special. DJI has done exactly that with its new Mavic Mini, which packs nearly all of what’s great about the company’s larger, more expensive drones into a palm-sized package.

The collapsible Mavic Mini is more impressive than DJI’s previous effort at a tiny drone, the Spark, in nearly every way. The Spark made too many compromises in search of its diminutive form factor (and is still 50 grams heavier than the Mavic Mini and $100 more). To keep down the weight and price, the Mavic Mini makes only one major compromise: It can’t shoot 4K video. It can shoot 2.7K video though, which is good enough for most of us, especially considering it manages to do it while weighing a mere half-pound (just slightly heavier than a phone).

Palm-Sized Power

The Mavic Mini is small, light, and very portable. It’s the perfect drone for travel, even hiking or backpacking. The precise weight at takeoff is 249 grams. That’s an important number in the drone world. The Federal Aviation Administration requires any “unmanned aerial vehicles” weighing from 250 grams to 55 pounds to be registered. This is a pretty painless process anyway, but the Mavic Mini is exempt.

If you are planning to throw the Mavic Mini in a backpack for a long haul, be aware that the controller adds another 249 grams and is roughly the same size as the drone. The total package comes in at about 1 pound, plus any case you use.

That’s impressively small for a device that features enough battery power to stay aloft for about 26 minutes in my testing. Wind and temperature will be factors in how long you can fly, and most of my testing was done in temperatures ranging from 35 to 60 degrees, which might be why I got a little less life than the 30 minutes DJI claims (lithium batteries do not like cold weather).

Yet the Mavic Mini is one of the best drone flying experiences I’ve had. It’s nimble and responsive. DJI’s new Fly app isn’t quite as nice as what you get with the company’s other drones, but it works well enough. My only gripe is that switching flight modes—between Regular, Sport, and a new one dubbed Cinesmooth—is not a switch on the controller as it is with other models in the Mavic line. Instead, you’ll have to hunt it down in the app.

As you would expect, the Mavic Mini is so light that I do not recommend using it in windy conditions. That said, it was surprisingly stable the one breezy day I did test it. There was very little side-to-side movement, even with gusts; what movement there was tended to be vertical—gusts would push it up.

My other concern flying the Mini was its size. It can reach 1,600 feet vertically and can range 2.5 miles from you, which is a bit tighter than DJI’s other drones, but that’s still plenty far enough to lose sight of it because it’s so small. Line of sight is the only safe way to fly in my opinion. Relying on first-person-view video is a great way to lose your drone. The Mini is so small that I would look down to frame a shot on my phone, then look back up and not be able to find the drone.

I should also point out that technically you don’t need to use your phone to fly. You can fly the Mavic Mini through the controller solely by line of sight. I did this a few times, and losing sight in this scenario was nerve-racking.

Below the tiny frame is a 24mm lens with a fixed f/2.8 aperture. The CMOS image sensor is capable of 12-megapixel still images (JPEG only, unfortunately) and video at 2.7K/30p and 1080/30p. The results are impressive, especially considering the size of the package. Yes, there’s no 4K video or RAW still capture, but this is a machine of compromises.

What’s Missing

The Mavic Mini is tiny, light, and relatively cheap, which means there are some trade-offs to be made on features. This is not a Mavic, certainly not a Mavic Pro, not even a Mavic Air. It uses USB-A for charging instead of the more modern and more versatile USB-C, for example. Still, you get quite a lot of cinematic and flying power.

The big drawback and main reason many videographers will probably skip the Mini is the lack of 4K video. It’s not that the 2.7K video from the Mavic Mini is bad, but mixing it with 4K footage isn’t going to work out well. That means if any footage in your project is 4K, you’ll want your drone footage to be 4K. For that, DJI has several answers: The Mavic, Mavic Pro, and Mavic Air.

For the rest of us, the 2.7K footage looks great, and the three-axis-stabilization yields far smoother results than the two-axis-stabilized Spark was ever capable of capturing. There’s something to be said for the old adage: The best camera is the one you have in your pocket. That’s true even when the camera in your pocket is a drone.

The other major missing feature in the Mavic Mini is front and rear collision-avoidance sensors. At the risk of sounding like an old man shooing kids off the lawn: Just a few years ago, we all flew DJI Phantoms with no collision-avoidance sensors. Big, honking, not-terribly-nimble Phantoms.

Trust me, you can handle the Mavic Mini without the collision-avoidance sensors. You’ll just have to do it the old-fashioned way: by practicing and becoming a better drone pilot. I strongly suggest starting in an empty field, well away from obstacles. As you get better you can attempt more difficult scenarios.

But one feature that I did miss was DJI’s ActiveTrack, which allows you to follow a selected object. Strangely, if you use one of the Quickshot modes like Circle, which circles a selected subject, you can highlight a figure and it works. But the more sophisticated ActiveTrack feature is nowhere to be found. That’s disappointing.

Still, considering the price and the size of the Mavic Mini, this is the best drone for most people. A part of what has always made me shy away from using drones more frequently is how big and invasive they can be. I love them, and I’ve flown them professionally and for fun for years, but they’re a hassle to pack, a pain to carry, and so loud you’re almost guaranteed to offend someone.

The Mavic Mini eliminates the first two problems completely. It’s small enough to throw in a little bag and carry with you all the time. It’s still somewhat louder than I’d hoped, but it’s the least intrusive drone I’ve flown. If you keep it about 50 feet up in the air, you’ll hardly notice it.

Get your Mavic Mini here: link

Without much hesitation, it could be said that ExpressVPN and NordVPN are the champions of today’s VPN industry. Both of these VPN solutions have been around for a while, they offer great value for their price and plenty of highly advanced options. However, this is also what makes it hard to choose between the two. So, which one is better – ExpressVPN or NordVPN? Well, we are going to help you with this by comparing these two VPN services. Welcome to our ExpressVPN vs NordVPN comparison!

First, here’s a breakdown of the most important aspects of ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Take a look at the following table to compare their most prominent features.

	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
Jurisdiction	The British Virgin Islands	Panama
Logs	No logs collected, whatsoever.	No logs collected, whatsoever.
Number of Servers	3,000+ servers in 90+ countries.	5,200+ servers in 60+ countries.
Parallel Connections	5	6
Encryption Standards	AES-256; OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP/IPSec	AES-256; OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec
Speed Reduction	19% on average.	38% on average.
P2P Support	YES	YES
Supported Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web browsers, and routers.	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web browsers, and routers.
Visit	ExpressVPN	NordVPN

Next, take a look at the final scores from our reviews of these two VPN providers. Then, keep on reading to dive deep into the specifics.

	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
Jurisdiction, Reputation	10/10	10/10
Supported Platforms	10/10	10/10
Installation Process	10/10	10/10
Prominent Features	9.5/10	10/10
Server Count	8.5/10	10/10
Ease of Use	10/10	9/10
Media Streaming & Torrenting Support	10/10	7/10
Security & Privacy	10/10	10/10
Speed & Performance	9/10	7.5/10
Customer Support	10/10	10/10
Pricing	9/10	8/10
Overall Score	9.6/10	9.2/10

We had no choice but to create the ultimate head-to-head to find out which VPN deserves to sit on the throne. So, keep on reading our ExpressVPN Vs NordVPN comparison.

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN (2019) – Which One’s Better?

Just like in our reviews of these two VPN giants, we’ll be taking a look at every important aspect of using a VPN service. So, let’s jump right in.

Background, Jurisdiction & Reputation

When choosing between different VPN services, you’ll want to check their background information first. Always go for the VPN outside of the 14-Eyes Alliance, and pick the one with no data leaks in the past.

• ExpressVPN: This VPN brand comes from the British Virgin Islands. It’s outside of the 14-Eyes Alliance, and it’s known for its dedication to its users. ExpressVPN has had its services reviewed by an independent party in the past, and it’s one of a few certified no-logs VPN services. And finally, this VPN has been providing free access to users from ‘problematic’ areas of the world during certain times, allowing them to unblock websites and get information from the outside world.
• NordVPN: This VPN comes from Panama, and it’s generally known for its transparency. This is yet another independently audited VPN service, so you can be sure that no data logging is happening in the background. In addition, NordVPN is always quick to resolve any problematic points in its apps via prompt updates. And let’s not forget the fact that this VPN is the recipient of numerous VPN-related awards.

Winner: Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are highly reputable brands – so we’ll call it a tie. No manner which one you pick, you can be sure that you’re private and sensitive data is being handled in the best way possible. 

Supported Platforms & Devices

Depending on how many devices you want to connect to the Web, you need to be careful when picking a provider. Lucky for you, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN deliver what their promise.

• ExpressVPN: This VPN provider is based on the OpenVPN protocol, which ensures broad system compatibility. You can count on a wide range of native apps that can be installed on all popular desktop and mobile operating systems. There are also apps for Linux and even Blackberry. Of course, OpenVPN ensures that ExpressVPN can be installed even on VPN-compatible routers. Also, you can use this VPN service on up to 5 devices at the same time.
• NordVPN: When it comes to supported devices, NordVPN does not disappoint. It offers highly polished apps for every popular platform out there. And since OpenVPN is present here as well, you can even install in on your router. NordVPN can be used on 6 devices at the same time, which gives it a small advantage over its direct competitor.

Winner: It’s hard to pick a winner in this category since both of these VPNs are present on pretty much any platform. If we really want to nitpick, we’d go with ExpressVPN since it brings hugely helpful installation guides on its official website.

Installation & Initial Configuration

Next, let’s take a look at how easy it is to install and configure these VPN clients. After all, you want to begin using a secure connection without any hassle.

• ExpressVPN: After signing up for a new ExpressVPN account, you can proceed to download the app. It doesn’t contain any bloatware and takes very little hard drive space. You can install and begin using the application in less than a few minutes of your time. The same applies to desktop and mobile devices. It’s also worth noting that ExpressVPN comes with numerous helpful guides that show how to install this VPN on a wide range of devices, including routers.
• NordVPN: Just like its biggest competitor, NordVPN brings a highly polished installation method. The installation file is quite small so you don’t have to have a fast Web connection. Aside from desktop and mobile devices, NordVPN can be installed on compatible routers. However, we feel that this VPN provider should have invested more time in coming up with instructions and tutorials. Some of those are quite basic, making you turn to their support team for answers.

Winner: Once again, picking a clear winner is quite hard. However, we have to say that both ExpressVPN and NordVPN bring equally simple installation. Even complete newbies won’t have a hard time installing and getting started with these VPNs. 

Prominent Features

Our next category of the ExpressVPN Vs NordVPN comparison contains the most prominent features. So, let’s jump right in.

• ExpressVPN: The best thing we can say about ExpressVPN is that it just works. It is rock-solid, reliable, and nails the fundamentals. Aside from that, you’ll get to use a highly polished kill-switch as well as all currently available VPN protocols. And when it comes to the most advanced features, ExpressVPN brings split-tunneling. Where this VPN truly shines is the way it lets you handle these features. It’s not overly simple but even inexperienced users will be able to dive into advanced security-related technologies.
• NordVPN: NordVPN, on the other hand, is almost overflowing with features. We’ve talked about the kill-switch, double VPN, and Onion servers, but that’s just the start. There are special obfuscation servers, anti-DDoS servers, a paid option for dedicated IP servers, and more. All in all, you’ll find plenty of features here that can satisfy even the most demanding users.

Winner: Even though both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are hugely capable VPN services, we have to say that NordVPN is the winner of this round. You get a constant stream of new features and even ad-blocking is included. 

Server Count

Knowing the number of servers you’ll have at your disposal is a good thing. However, you also need to know in what way these servers are distributed. To check other options, take a look at our article on VPNs with the highest number of servers.

• ExpressVPN: This provider manages a network of over 3,000 servers spread across 90+ countries. This is more than enough to meet your every need. Also, you get to test the speed of each server and pick the one with the best result. This translates to a pleasurable media streaming experience and can be especially helpful if you want to download large files.
• NordVPN: Without any doubt, NordVPN is the most powerful VPN in terms of servers. It has more than 5,200 servers spread across the globe. Interestingly enough, this doesn’t translate to a throttle-free experience. Since double-encryption is involved, you’ll be using two secure servers at any moment. Therefore, some throttling is still present.

Winner: Even though it doesn’t have as many as NordVPN has, ExpressVPN should meet your every need. Having 3,000+ servers is an incredible power to have under your fingertips. In addition, ExpresVPN’s servers are present in 90+ countries, which is one of its biggest selling points. 

Ease of Use

Both VPNs have exceptional user interfaces, and they cater to almost every type of device under the sun. They’ve both invested a lot of time into refining their designs and making sure the experience is consistent across all clients and even their websites.

• ExpressVPN: This provider has a simple and elegant design, with no clutter to speak of. The main screen has a big, bold power button that will connect to a ‘Smart Location.’ With a single click or tap, you can connect to the Web anonymously, without needing to mess around with settings. If you do choose to pick your own server location, there is a shortlist of recommended servers to try, or the full list of ExpressVPN’s global army of servers. There’s no immediate way to know what server to choose, but you can run a speed test (it will take about five minutes) on all the servers to determine the fastest options. And finally, ExpressVPN is limited to just three simultaneous connections, although their router client will protect every device connected to it.
• NordVPN: This VPN greets you with a stylishly designed map of the world and a connection wizard that will find the best server for your specific need (like P2P or security). We absolutely adore how NordVPN organizes its servers into types and countries. It is always happy to make life simple by connecting you to the best server, but it also gives you the freedom to click on a country or type and get an overview of those available servers. You’ll find distance and server load to help you make the perfect manual choice. NordVPN allows double the amount of simultaneous connections (six), so you should be able to install it on pretty much every device that you own. And have a slot or two available for your friends.

Winner: Both VPNs offer exceptional ease of use, but ExpressVPN digs beneath the surface level to provide a richer experience. They are both exceptional, but ExpressVPN edges it.

Media Streaming & Torrenting Support

Planning to stream media on the Web? Do you still want to use Netflix and other media streaming services, even while using a VPN? If that’s so, keep on reading.

• ExpressVPN: We strongly believe there’s no better VPN for streaming than ExpressVPN. It can unblock pretty much any website out there, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and plenty more. Also, this VPN fully supports torrenting via all of its servers.
• NordVPN: Even though it’s being advertised as a streaming-friendly option, that’s not exactly the case in practice. Even though you can unblock a nice list of websites, it can be tedious to find the one that works with the website you want to unblock. In addition, NordVPN supports torrenting only via specialized servers.

Winner: It’s clear that ExpressVPN wins this round. Without any doubt, this is the most capable VPN service for media streaming and downloading torrents. 

Security & Privacy

Privacy and security are the main reasons why people turn to VPNs. Thankfully, you can rest easy knowing that by using ExpressVPN or NordVPN, you are in safe hands.

• ExpressVPN: Aside from the standard VPN features, ExpressVPN has a very powerful Kill-Switch that prevents data leaks when your VPN connection drops. Then, you can utilize different VPN protocols (OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP/IPSec), depending on if you want to prioritize speed or security. There are no data leaks as per our tests, and this VPN comes with a privacy policy that nicely explains everything that happens in the background.
• NordVPN: The flagship feature of NordVPN is double encryption, which is something that’s rarely seen these days. This means that you shouldn’t have any concerns when it comes to privacy. There are also two VPN protocols to choose from, so not as many as ExpressVPN offers. Still, NordVPN offers more than what any average user would ever need, and its list of features would make even the most highly demanding users happy.

Winner: Once again, ExpressVPN is one step ahead of its biggest competitor since it offers a larger number of VPN protocols. Even though both of these will keep you safe and sound online, ExpressVPN wins this round.

Speed & Performance

Security and privacy are great but not when they come at the cost of speed. If you’re going to connect to servers on the other side of the world, you’re going to experience slower speeds, but a great VPN will minimize the slowdown. To check out other options, here’s our overview of the fastest VPN providers.

• ExpressVPN: There are two ways to connect to a remote server via ExpressVPN. You can run a speed test and then connect to a server manually. Or, you can let the application decide which server works the best in any given moment. As a result, you’ll experience throttle-free Web browsing and media streaming. In case you have a fast connection, to begin with, 4K streaming is not an unreachable dream. As per our tests, this VPN slowed us down by 19% on average, which is a highly respectable result.
• NordVPN: This VPN prioritizes the security of your data of performance (speed). By default, you’ll get to use double-encryption that will keep your data 110% safe. However, this setup might be on overkill for average home users. And as a result, some throttling will happen. As our NordVPN review will you, this VPN slowed us down by 38% on average, so it’s clear who’s the winner of this round.

Winner: Without any doubt, ExpressVPN wins this round. This is one of the fastest-performing VPN services, offering great performance no matter which VPN protocol you decide to use. 

Customer Service

We were very impressed by the levels of support that these VPNs offer to subscribers. No matter which one to pick, you’ll receive answers to your question. The only difference here is how long you’ll need to wait to get an answer.

• ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN was lightning fast in responding via live chat (which is 24/7) and via form submission on their website. You may not even need to talk to anyone because their website contains plenty of tutorials and guides to help you set up, resolve, and explain just about everything related to the service.
• NordVPN: As good as ExpressVPN’s live chat was, we were even more impressed with NordVPN. Their support members were just as fast and we didn’t feel like they were reading from a script. However, responses to our form submissions took much longer (six hours versus ExpressVPN’s one hour) during our testing period.

Winner: When you get stuck and need a hand, ExpressVPN is doing the most to help you get back on track. However, it’s worth noting that both of these provide top-level customer service, and your questions will be answered in a timely manner. 

Pricing

ExpressVPN and NordVPN are maybe two of the more expensive VPN offerings, but having spent a lot of time with both, we feel that they are worth every penny.

• ExpressVPN: At the moment, the most affordable plan of this VPN provider will cost you $99.95 per year (which comes down to $6.67 per month). For that money, you will receive full protection without any caveats. This means having access to 24/7 customer support and using the application without any bandwidth limitations. ExpressVPN comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and you can use it on up to five devices at the same time.
• NordVPN: To make a direct comparison, you should know that NordVPN has a yearly plan, priced at $83.88 (so, it’s $6.99 per month). However, you’ll find other long-term plans which bring the price down to $2.99 per month if you get a 3-year plan. Even though this pricing structure helps you save in the long-term, it requires a significant upfront investment.

Winner: These two VPN services bring comparable prices. When it comes to their annual plans, ExpressVPN is the more affordable option. However, NordVPN brings the price of its service down via its 2- and 3-year plans. 

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Which One Should You Pick?

ExpressVPN and NordVPN are, in our opinion, the best of the best. You can’t go wrong with whichever choice you make, but there can be only one winner, and that is ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN has the looks of a champion and delivers the anonymity and security that you’d want from a quality VPN service. It’s just as easy to use as NordVPN (newbie-friendly) but also offers deeper functionality for those who want a bit more control over their VPN. Even though NordVPN is more affordable, it doesn’t really offer the same level of service or functionality as ExpressVPN does. So, go ahead and sign-up for ExpressVPN today. You won’t regret it!

This is SO exciting! Macy’s Beauty Box is baaaaaaaack! AND they teamed up with Jo Malone London!  ALSO The wait list is now open for new subscribers! (Thanks, Luna!)

This month’s box includes:

• English Pear and Freesia Spray
• Peony and Blush Suede Spray
• Blackberry and Bay Spray
• Nectarine Blossom and Honey Home Candle
• Wood Sage and Sea Salt Body Cream
• Lime Basil and Mandarin Body Wash

Macy’s Beauty Box is $15 a month. Each month you will receive five deluxe beauty samples, one bonus item, a collectible cosmetics bag and a $5 beauty coupon exclusively for Beauty Box subscribers, available for use online and in-store.

According to Macy’s you have to subscribe by 9/21 to get this box as your first box (if you aren’t already a subscriber.) I’m guessing that date might move up even sooner since this will be a popular box, so I recommend signing up ASAP if you want to secure the Jo Malone Macy’s Beauty Box.

The Best Sites for Booking Hotels – Detailed Reviews

1. Booking.com – The best site for finding hotels

Booking.com Phone Number: 1 (888) 850-3958
Booking.com Email: customer.service@booking.com
Booking.com Website: Booking.com
Booking.com App: Download
Booking.com Review: The most reliable hotel booking site. Easy to use and convenient for trip planning.

Reviews of Booking.com

These opinions are a mix of my personal experiences and what I hear from readers and online customer reviews.

• The best prices of any online booking site.
• Good customer service when something goes wrong.
• Be aware that there are different types of reservations: most can be canceled with no charge, but some have cancellation fees or charge the full amount upon booking with no ability to change or cancel.
• Booking.com’s “Verified Reviews” (only confirmed guests can leave a review) are more reliable than what you’ll find on Tripadvisor but fake reviews are still possible. Be sure to read as many reviews as possible.
• The maps on Booking.com are better than other sites but they can still be incorrect. If precise location is important then double check on Google Maps.

Why and How to Use Booking.com to Book Hotels

• Booking.com has a super handy calendar view for all the hotels you’ve booked. Now you don’t have to search through your emails to find out where you’re staying on your last night in Paris – it’s all right there in your “Bookings” tab. (This sounds like a minor deal, but it really makes a big difference.)
  
• Reviews on Booking.com are from verified guests (people that actually booked a room through the website at that hotel). Every hotel is graded on friendliness, comfort, location, facilities, staff, value for money, and wifi-quality. I have found a score of 8.8 and above means the hotel will be excellent (pretty much 5 star or exceptional value for money). 8.0 and above is basically a 4 star. 7.0 and above is a good quality 3 star hotel. I never book anything below a score of 7.
  
• Booking.com has the clearest descriptions of the idfferent rooms. Though it’s still far from perfect so additional research is often required to be sure you’re getting the exact room you want.
  
• Booking.com has nice large pictures so you can see what the hotel is like. Also has lots of photos of individual suites and room types (but you need to enter potential dates to see these room pictures).
  

2. HotelsCombined.com – Good site for last minute hotels

Hotelscombined Phone Number: 1 800 001 041 (toll free only for Australia)
Hotelscombined Email: customerservice@hotelscombined.com (this usually gets the fastest response)
Hotelscombined Website: HotelsCombined.com
Hotelscombined Review: Good for last minute hotels and often great for family reservations as it has a larger selection of rooms than Booking.com (and displays those options in a clearer manner).

3. Agoda.com

Agoda Phone Number: +44 20 3027 7900
Agoda Email: cs@agoda.com
Agoda Website: Agoda.com
Agoda Review: Specializes in Asia where it can find some great discount hotel deals.

4. Hotels.com

Hotels.com Phone Number: 1 (877) 903-0071
Hotels.com Email: customerservice@hotels.com
Hotels.com Website: Hotels.com
Hotels.com Review: Hotels.com is good for finding cheap hotels but it’s the site I get the most complaints from readers about canceled bookings or overbooked hotels.

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.

You may not have heard of KeePass — it’s open source, meaning that its code is available for anyone to test and modify. It operates  differently than a more traditional password manager, like LastPass. But KeePass and LastPass are both free to use, so which is better? We’ve compared them side by side in a number of different categories to see how they stack up in this KeePass vs LastPass review.

Key Similarities

• Both have password generators that allow you to create strong, unique, customizable passwords
• Both use a master password to protect your data
• Both use one-sided encryption
• Both are free

Key Differences

• LastPass has a security score feature that generates a report of the strength of your passwords
• LastPass offers two-factor authentication
• KeePass is an open source application
• LastPass offers versions of the application designed specifically for families and businesses
• KeePass allows you to create a key file, an added file that will be needed to unlock your database in addition to the master password

Categories

Interface

Winner: LastPass

LastPass and KeePass are definitely on opposite ends of the spectrum when its comes to interface. Originally developed for Windows, KeePass has an old-school style interface, so it’s not as sleek or modern looking as LastPass. The icons in the application look a little outdated, and they don’t offer any sort of tutorial when you first download the application, so navigating can be a little difficult in the beginning. Once you figure it out it’s pretty basic, but LastPass definitely has a sleeker, more intuitive interface. It features a tile-like layout that displays all of your saved passwords, and includes the logo for that login on each tile, making it easy to find specific entries quickly.

Security

Winner: LastPass

LastPass offers a helpful security score feature that generates a detailed report of the strength of your saved passwords. This makes it easy to identify when your passwords are not as strong as they could be, so you’re consistently using the best password practices. KeePass doesn’t have this feature, and unlike LastPass, it doesn’t offer two-factor authentication.

You could argue that KeePass might be more secure than other password managers because it’s an open source application, meaning anyone can test and modify the source code, so it’s constantly being improved. This may be true, and it’s definitely a unique feature, but ultimately one of the main reasons for having a password manager is to utilize the best possible password practices, and the security features on LastPass are more equipped to help you do this.

For Families

Winner: LastPass

KeePass does not offer a family-specific version of their software. LastPass, however, offers LastPass Family, which allows you to create one vault for an entire family. Each family member has access to the vault using their personal email, but one designated “family manager” decides which member can view certain folders and information. For example, you can allow your kids to view the Netflix password, but deny them access to your credit card information.

For Businesses

Winner: LastPass

KeePass does not have a business-specific version of their software. LastPass, however, offers two business options: LastPass Teams, for smaller businesses or inter-departmental use, and LastPass Enterprise, for larger businesses. Both versions allow companies to share information securely among employees and allow a designated administrator to manage employee permissions.

Pricing

Winner: Tie

Both LastPass and KeePass are free to use. LastPass also offers a premium version of the application, which costs $2/month.

Mobile App

Winner: LastPass

The KeePass mobile app is actually much more modern looking than its desktop counterpart, and definitely more intuitive. But you have to manually enter all of your passwords, as they won’t sync across devices unless you use an outside service (like Dropbox or Google Drive). LastPass ultimately wins this category because your information is automatically synced when you download the app.

Who KeePass Might Be Better For:

• Users who are interested in using an open-source application
• Users who want a basic, no-frills password manager for no cost

Who LastPass Might Be Better For:

• Users who want the most comprehensive security features
• Users who want a password manager specifically for businesses or family use
• Users who are new to password managers, and want a more intuitive interface

Get LastPass here: link

Conclusion

If you want a traditional password manager that’s free and easy to use, LastPass is the clear winner. But KeePass is definitely a cool alternative. Its open source software makes it unique, and allows pretty much anyone to offer feedback on the source code. This also means its security systems are updated frequently, so even though there’s no security test feature, you know that its security is still sophisticated.

KeePass is a great choice for code-loving users, but if you’re new to password managers or want something easy to use, you should probably go with LastPass.

FAQs

Is LastPass better than KeePass?

KeePass is a great choice for code-loving users, but if you’re new to password managers or want something easy to use, you should probably go with LastPass.

Is LastPass better than Dashlane?

I’d choose Dashlane over LastPass. Although it’s more expensive, you’ll get more features, better customer support, and a higher-rated app. Dashlane is also easier to use, which anyone can appreciate.

Is KeePass the best password manager?

KeePass is not the best password manager out there. As it’s open-sourced rather than made by a private company, it’s extremely difficult to use for anyone that’s not into coding.