PeoplePerHour vs Upwork:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Upwork had more branded searches than PeoplePerHour among freelance marketplaces worldwide. Upwork had about 2.7 million branded searches, while PeoplePerHour had 135,000. Upwork made up 42.3% of all freelance marketplace searches we track, and PeoplePerHour accounted for 2.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about freelance marketplaces, Upwork appeared in all four answers and PeoplePerHour in one. Upwork was mentioned before PeoplePerHour in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Upwork, about 20 searches for every 1 for PeoplePerHour
Who does AI mention more?
Upwork, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Upwork, named ahead of PeoplePerHour in every answer
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Top freelance marketplaces in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Upwork appeared in all four answers. PeoplePerHour was mentioned in one out of four: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in the Google AI Overview. Upwork was listed before PeoplePerHour in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Upwork1st
Fiverr2nd
Contra3rd
Toptal4th
Freelancer5th
99designs6th
PeoplePerHour7th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Fiverr4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Upwork4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Toptal4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Freelancer4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Contra4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- 99designs3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- PeoplePerHour1 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about freelance marketplaces
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which freelance marketplace should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best freelance marketplaces?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best freelance marketplace for a skilled freelance designer?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“freelance marketplaces”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“top freelance platforms”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 19, 2026.
Is PeoplePerHour or Upwork more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for PeoplePerHour and Upwork by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven freelance marketplaces we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Upwork, PeoplePerHour. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Fiverr | Upwork | PeoplePerHour | Toptal | Freelancer | 99designs | Contra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 60.3% | 33% | 2.4% | 2% | 1.2% | 0.89% | 0.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 60.8% | 33.3% | 2% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 0.9% | 0.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 56.2% | 37.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.83% | 0.09% |
| Jan 2026 | 56.2% | 37.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.83% | 0.07% |
| Feb 2026 | 56.1% | 37.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 1% | 0.07% |
| Mar 2026 | 56.6% | 37.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1% | 0.68% | 0.09% |
| Apr 2026 | 56.5% | 37.9% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 1% | 0.68% | 0.11% |
| May 2026 | 55.9% | 37.5% | 2.7% | 1.8% | 1.1% | 0.83% | 0.14% |
| Jun 2026 | 56.1% | 37.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.83% | 0.17% |
| Jul 2026 | 56.2% | 37.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.68% | 0.17% |
| Aug 2026 | 56.2% | 37.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.68% | 0.17% |
| Sep 2026 | 51.7% | 42.3% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 1.3% | 0.76% | 0.19% |
How has the PeoplePerHour and Upwork comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Upwork was ahead of PeoplePerHour in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, PeoplePerHour’s share of searches among freelance marketplaces worldwide moved from 2.4% to 2.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 201K to 135K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Upwork’s share of searches among freelance marketplaces worldwide moved from 33% to 42.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 2.7M.
How did search popularity change for freelance marketplaces worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Upwork gained share of searches among freelance marketplaces worldwide, from 37.6% to 42.3%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for PeoplePerHour worldwide fell 32.8% over 12 measured months, from 201K to 135K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using PeoplePerHour’s and Upwork’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
PeoplePerHour
1 branded search term
- peopleperhour
Upwork
1 branded search term
- upwork
Other head-to-heads among freelance marketplaces
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