These 9 Legit Remote Job Sites Make Working From Home a Reality

Office life isn’t for everyone, particularly if your goals include staying home with kids or traveling the world. Finding legitimate, well-paying, and flexible remote work can be challenging. The last thing you want to do is waste time on job listings that make you jump through hoops to apply.

We researched and tried out some of the top remote job platforms so you can save time whether you're looking for the best jobs for stay-at-home moms or a decent side hustle. We reviewed both remote-work listing sites, such as FlexJobs and We Work Remotely. We also tried out Fiverr and Upwork as platforms where you can perform smaller tasks or projects, typically on a freelancing basis.

Key takeaways

• Our top pick is FlexJobs because it offers a subscription-based service with prescreened job listings — i.e. this means less junk jobs and more listings in your field of work.
• We also like We Work Remotely since it’s a large remote work community that provides a wide range of job listings for free without aggregating listings from other job sites.
• Task-based platforms like Fiverr can be a hit-or-miss, but ultimately it can allow you to start earning money quickly if you don’t have previous experience.
• Indeed offers free access to thousands of remote job listings, and it makes applying a cinch since you can upload your resume and apply directly to the job listing.

9 of the best sites to find remote work

1. FlexJobs
2. We Work Remotely
   
3. Virtual Vocations
   
4. Dribbble
5. Fiverr
6. Upwork
   
7. Freelancer
8. The Muse
   
9. Indeed

Compare the best sites to find remote work

	Cost to use	Remote only?	What sets it apart
Flexjobs	$2.95 for a two-week trial $29.85 for three months $71.40 for one year	No	Prescreened job listings
We Work Remotely	Free Pro membership $8.99 per month	Yes	Doesn’t use listings from other job sites
Virtual Vocations	Free limited access Full access ranges from $19.99 per month to $69.99 for six months	Yes	Free and paid courses on interviewing and job searches
Dribbble	Free Offers Pro membership for $96 annually	Yes	Focused on designers
Fiverr	20% of your earnings	Yes	You set the job and price
Upwork	10% of your earnings	Yes	Wide range of work available
Freelancer	10% to 15% of your earnings	Yes	24/7 support
The Muse	Free	No	Offers career coaching for a fee
Indeed	Free	No	Thousands of remote listings

Each of these sites work differently and some have specific focuses — such as freelance work vs. full-time positions or more of a focus on tech jobs — but they all feature remote jobs. So if you’re looking for part-time work, full-time work, or a side hustle in your search for how to make extra cash, there’s a remote work website for you.

1. FlexJob

• Membership fee as low as $5.95 per month
• 50+ job categories
• Money-back guarantee

FlexJobs is our top pick for finding remote work because of its rigorous vetting process. So many job boards are cluttered with scams and low-paying gigs, but FlexJobs offers unique listings across over 50 career categories.

It also has an average rating of 4.6 stars and over 12,000 reviews on Sitejabber. Along with job listings, FlexJobs offers career advice and regular events and webinars to assist you in your job search. We also love that you can opt for a $2.95, 14-day trial to kick off your job search. If you need more time to look, your membership will auto-renew at $23.95 every four weeks, or you can save money by signing up for the three-month plan for $29.85 or the one-year plan for $71.40.

Visit FlexJobs.

2. We Work Remotely

• Free to use; Pro membership starts at $8.99 per month
• Averages 1,000 new jobs each month
• Doesn't use listings from other platforms

We Work Remotely claims to be the largest remote work community and averages 1,000 new job listings each month. It has a relatively simple layout and its job search tools are easy to use. You can sign up to have listings sent to you daily, and it also offers a Slack community, events, and learning resources.

It is free to use, but you have the option to upgrade to a Pro membership for $8.99 per month. This is a fantastic deal if you need access to the resume builder tool, CVStep, which alone costs $19.99 per month but is included at no additional charge with the Pro membership.

Visit We Work Remotely.

3. Virtual Vocations

• Free partial access; premium membership starts at $11.67 per month
• 40+ job categories
• A+ Better Business Bureau rating

This job board features telecommuting jobs for a wide-range of careers, including technical writers and paralegals. Signing up for an account is free, though free memberships have partial access to job leads. It is not clear how limited the free membership is, but the premium membership comes in three sign-up options: month-to-month membership is $19.99, three months is $49.99, and six months is $69.99.

Virtual Vocations also offers free and paid courses on interviewing and job searches along with coaching sessions and webinars. It also offers a free AI resume builder for all members.

Visit Virtual Vocations.

4. Dribbble

• Free to use; pro subscription starts at $8 per month
• For designers only
• Has a job board and freelance postings

Dribbble is a great site for designers to find their next gig. This includes UX designers, web designers, product designers, branding experts, and more. It allows you to build a portfolio and show off your design skills. You can search exclusively for positions that accept remote employees.

You can opt for a free membership or a pro subscription, which is paid annually ($96). According to Dribble, those with the pro membership engage with 85% more future clients, collaborators, and employers on average and have 300% more profile views than non-pro members. Another huge perk of the Dribble pro membership is that it comes with a free 12-month freelancer or agency website plan from Webflow (valued at $192 to $420 depending on site choice).

Visit Dribble.

5. Fiverr

• Free to join; takes 20% cut of your earnings
• 700+ job categories
• No experience needed

When Fiverr first hit the internet, it was a platform that allowed anyone to purchase gig services for $5 — this could be ordering a 400-word article or hiring someone to sing a 30-second unique birthday song for your girlfriend.

The remote platform has come a long way since then allowing freelancers to offer hundreds of different gigs or micro-jobs for the price they want — not just $5. I have used Fiverr in the past, especially in slow freelance writing seasons, and loved that you could work as much or little as you wanted. You also don’t need to have previous experience to start building your portfolio and gaining clients.

The downsides of Fiverr is that it is an extremely competitive platform and the 20% cut it takes from your earnings can be painful.

Visit Fiverr.

6. Upwork

• Free to join, takes a 10% cut of your earnings
• Focused on freelancers
• Wide range of work available

Upwork features remote jobs in a suite of categories, from virtual assistants to mobile app developers. A little something extra to sweeten the deal: Upwork claims that more than five million companies, from Pinterest to OpenTable, use the site to hire remote freelancers. It could be a good fit for working nomads.

Having used Upwork as both a freelancer and a client, I can say that it is a good platform to start your career. The project listings allow you to try out different gigs and earn money while you are still building your portfolio. Having a permanent portfolio on the site is also a bonus since it can attract potential clients to contact you directly.

Like Fiverr, it's an extremely competitive platform — you can be competing with other freelancers around the world for the same job listing. Be sure to put your best foot forward in your profile and send tailored bids to have the best chance of finding gigs.

Visit Upwork.

7. Freelancer

• Free to sign up; takes 10% to 15% of your earnings
• Offers 24/7 support
• Multiple languages available

Claiming to be the "world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace,” Freelancer is full of remote freelancing gigs. Connecting over 61 million employers and freelancers globally, this site features jobs for PHP developers, content writers, and web designers alike. You can also search for jobs in different languages.

Like Upwork, you set up a profile and bid on jobs that seem like a good fit. It's a competitive platform, so take the time to write a tailored bid for each project. Something unique to Freelancer is the use of contests which can be a fun way to submit work and win prize money.

Freelancer takes a fee of 10% to 15%, and it takes the cut on any tips or excess payments you receive. Another downside to watch out for is that Freelancer promises its clients unlimited revisions — this can spell out project scope creep for freelancers, i.e. more work than you originally bid for.

Visit Freelancer.

8. The Muse

• Free to use
• Offers career coaching for a fee
• Extensive advice library

With a clean user interface, expert advice, and fun-to-explore information about all the companies and jobs they feature, The Muse makes the job search easy. More than 75 million people trust The Muse to make work-related moves, and you can search over 100,000 jobs using its job search page to find the right one for you. You can find remote/flexible jobs by clicking a checkbox when you search for jobs.

The Muse also offers career coaching services ranging from a resume review (prices ranging from $139 to $549) to an "ultimate job search" kit, which can cost as much as $1,912. The cost of each coaching package varies depending on how involved it is and whether you're working with a mentor, coach, or master coach. The Muse also offers an impressive library of articles that you can access for free to help you with your job search.

Visit The Muse.

9. Indeed

• Free to use
• Allows you to upload a resume
• Thousands of remote job listings

One of the most robust job boards you can find, Indeed pulls data from around the internet and around the world to bring together jobs. While this platform was not originally created for remote workers, it is full of work-from-home opportunities for almost all career paths. In my experience, the job pay range posted for each listing is helpful but oftentimes not the most accurate gauge of how much salary you can expect.

You can also upload a resume, and there's a possibility that remote companies will get in touch with you. Since the site boasts over 500,000 work-from-home positions, it is best to set notifications for jobs that fit your skill set and interest so that you don’t waste time sifting through all of the opportunities.

Visit Indeed.

The best remote jobs to work from home

Long gone are the days when remote work jobs were primarily virtual assistants and underpaid content creators. Almost every career field has remote opportunities available, even medical and teaching professionals can find opportunities using their unique skill set.

Here are just some of the possible work-from-home jobs out there:

Social media specialist Project manager Customer support representative Call center customer service specialist Business development representative Data entry clerk Administrative assistant Software developer Web developer Senior software engineer Online teacher or instructor Online pharmacists

Graphic designer UX designer Data entry associate Account manager Recruiter Sales representative Product manager Copywriting Tutor Human resource manager Content creator Editor

Don’t see your preferred position on the list? No worries, the number of remote jobs is too long for us to include a complete list, so expect to find more roles available than what you see here.

And to find the right job for you, be sure to dig into the job description, and consider applying, even if you don't perfectly fit the criteria. For example, if they say they prefer candidates with a college degree and you have a high school diploma, emphasize the experience you have that could allow you to perform as well as someone with a college degree.

With modern technology, companies can easily work with talented individuals from all over the world. This makes it simple to use your skills and make money from home.

Avoiding remote job scams

Even though thousands of remote jobs are listed each month, not all of them are legitimate. Reported job scams jumped 118% in 2023 according to Identity Theft Resource Center. Many times these phony listings are on platforms you can trust, such as LinkedIn or Indeed. Here are a few ways you can spot a job scam before it’s too late:

• It sounds too good to be true: Unfortunately the old adage is usually correct. If the job sounds too easy, pays well, and you don’t need to have expertise to get an interview, there is a good chance it is a scam.
• You can’t research this company: Even smaller companies should have an internet footprint, either a well-established website or employee profiles on LinkedIn. A quick web search for the company and the CEO or hiring manager’s name should be done before moving forward.
• You didn’t even apply: Sometimes you are contacted directly by potential clients or HR recruiters, but there should still be an application and interview process. A company that is too eager to hire you, even though you did not apply, is a red flag.
• You need to pay to apply: If a company requires you to pay to apply or requests your financial details before a contract is in hand, it is best to move on to a different job listing.

Along with fake job listings, you will see remote work listings that are technically legal, but are pushing the boundaries on what should be allowed. A common one to look out for are jobs advertised as contractor or freelance jobs that require you to attend weekly meetings or work a set number of hours. This goes against freelancer/contractor protection laws that are set in place in most states.

Pros and cons of working from home

Remote workers can feel a higher level of isolation

Yes, you can learn how to make money working from home, but it isn’t always easier. Yes, you get to skip the commute and possibly work in your pajamas, but there are other factors to consider. A FinanceBuzz survey on remote work drawbacks revealed the three most commonly reported downsides of working remotely are:

• People found it harder to build relationships with co-workers (49%)
• People felt isolated (46%)
• People found it difficult to separate work from personal life (38%)

Almost half of all respondents (49%) found it harder to bridge the gap with co-workers and reported feelings of isolation (46%). And yet, the vast majority (81%) said they’d like to stay remote. Why is that?

60% of respondents listed flexibility as a perk

According to a FinanceBuzz survey on remote work lifestyle, the top three perks of working remotely are:

• Flexibility of schedule (31%)
• Flexibility to work from anywhere (29%)
• Time saved (no commute, etc.) (23%)

With flexibility being the biggest perk, many will overlook the downsides of remote work to create the schedule they want. Yes, you might have a harder time working smoothly with co-workers when your only interactions with them are through Slack or Zoom. However, being able to work where you want and many times, when you want is a huge win. Note that some remote jobs are full-time positions where the employer can dictate which hours you work.

Making work at home work for you

Working remotely can work for most people, but it can take some adjustments. You have to be more vigilant with distractions and train yourself to be productive. Pet and family member interruptions are a real thing, so it’s essential to have a workspace where you can focus on your job responsibilities.

About 90% of remote workers found a designated workspace to be important, according to a FinanceBuzz survey on the best remote work tools. What you designate as your workspace is up to you, but make sure it promotes productivity and limits distractions.

Tools like Slack, Zoom, and Asana can help you manage your tasks and time, connect with team members across time zones, and increase your overall efficiency. And, of course, a solid internet connection is always a must-have for remote work success.

Remote jobs FAQ

Best sites for remote work: bottom line

There are many websites that list remote jobs, but we like FlexJobs because it filters out the jobs it lists and shows you a prescreened collection of available job offers. Although the platform has a cost that starts at $2.95 for a 2-week trial, we think it's worth the money.

For a free job board, we recommend We Work Remotely and Indeed. Both platforms give you access to job listings in various fields. Although locating the best jobs may require some hunting.

Before deciding to work from home, remember to weigh the pros and cons of remote work life. It may take some getting used to, as well as a properly equipped home workspace, but the flexibility it affords is hard to beat.

Methodology

To choose the companies for this list, we looked at job websites that had a simple way to search for remote work or that focused primarily on remote work positions. We looked for sites with an extensive number of positions in a broad range of categories. We did not review all companies in the market.