Growing an audience
Running the business
Both cover hiring & freelancers. Here is what separates them on price, billing, what you can take with you, and coverage.
| 99designs | Wellfound | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $249 | From $135 |
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Billing | One-time purchase | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| API | Not stated | Not stated |
| Data export | Not stated | Not stated |
| Their cut | Not stated | Not stated |
| Runs on | Web | Web |
| Covers | Hiring & Freelancers, Design & Graphics, Thumbnails & Cover Art | Hiring & Freelancers |
| Works with | Nothing in particular | Nothing in particular |
| Founded | Not listed | Not listed |
| Reader rating | No reviews yet | No reviews yet |
| Live deals | None right now | None right now |
Run a design contest, pick the entry you like
99designs, now owned by Vista, runs the contest model: post a brief and a prize, get dozens of submissions from designers around the world, pay only the one you choose. For a logo or a channel identity that is a lot of directions to look at for a fixed price. The people who dislike it dislike it on principle, because everybody who does not win works for nothing.
Our note
The objection to the contest model is real and worth stating: everybody who does not win works unpaid. If that sits badly, Dribbble and Contra both put you in touch with a designer who is paid for the work they do.
Only on this side
Startup job posts, free to publish
Wellfound, which spent a decade as AngelList Talent, is where startups hire and where people who want to work at one look. Posting is free and unlimited, with a built-in applicant tracker, and the money is in promotion and sourcing. For a creator business hiring its first editor or assistant, the free half is usually the whole of what is needed.
Our note
The free tier is the whole product for most people here. Post the role, use the tracker, and only reach for a Job Ad if two weeks pass without the right applicants.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.