Fix a freelance problem

Start from the problem you have, not the tool you think you need. Every path begins with a short answer, then continues to the longer guides if you want to compare options. Where I have run into the problem myself, the page says so.

Getting paid

A client's payment is late

  1. Short answer A Client's Payment Is Late: What to Check Before You Chase Them
  2. Guide Best Invoicing Software for Freelancers With International Clients

I received less than I invoiced

  1. Short answer Why Did I Receive Less Than I Invoiced? Where the Money Goes on Payments From Overseas Clients
  2. Guide Wise vs Payoneer for Freelancers: Which One Costs Less on a $1,000 Payment
  3. Guide Wise vs. Payoneer vs. PayPal vs. Stripe: Best Way to Get Paid Internationally

My income swings from month to month

  1. Guide Feast or Famine: Making Peace With Irregular Freelance Income
  2. Guide Best Business Banking Apps for Freelancers
  3. Guide How to Price Freelance Work: Rate Calculators and Frameworks That Actually Help

Should I set up an LLC yet?

  1. Guide Best LLC Formation Services for Freelancers
  2. Guide Best Business Banking Apps for Freelancers

I can't find my receipts at tax time

  1. Short answer I Can't Find My Receipts at Tax Time: What to Do Now and How to Stop It Happening Again
  2. Guide Best Receipt Scanning Apps for Freelancers
  3. Guide Best Tax Software for Freelancers and the Self-Employed

Working with clients

A client keeps asking for extra work

  1. Short answer A Client Keeps Asking for Extra Work: What to Do Before It Costs You
  2. Guide Scope Creep and Rate Increases: Two Client Conversations That Actually Worked
  3. Guide The One-Page Freelance Proposal: Four Questions It Has to Answer

Clients don't reply to my proposals

  1. Short answer Clients Don't Reply to My Proposals: What I Would Change First
  2. Guide The One-Page Freelance Proposal: Four Questions It Has to Answer
  3. Guide Best Proposal Software for Freelancers

I haven't raised my rates in years

  1. Guide How to Price Freelance Work: Rate Calculators and Frameworks That Actually Help
  2. Guide Scope Creep and Rate Increases: Two Client Conversations That Actually Worked

A client asks for proof of insurance

  1. Short answer A Client Asks for Proof of Insurance: What to Send and How to Be Ready
  2. Guide Best Business Insurance for Freelancers

Do I need business insurance?

  1. Guide Best Business Insurance for Freelancers
  2. Short answer A Client Asks for Proof of Insurance: What to Send and How to Be Ready

How do I find clients beyond Upwork and Fiverr?

  1. Guide Upwork vs Fiverr: Which Platform Actually Pays Freelancers More
  2. Guide Freelance Marketplaces Worth Trying Besides Upwork and Fiverr

I need a contract signed quickly

  1. Guide Best Free E-Signature Tools for Freelance Contracts
  2. Guide A Freelancer's Client Contract Checklist: What to Put in Writing Before You Start

Setting up your tools

My domain email isn't working

  1. Short answer My Domain Email Isn't Working After Setup: Check MX, SPF and DKIM in This Order
  2. Guide Best Professional Email and Domain Hosting for Freelancers

Is a custom domain email worth it?

  1. Guide Is a Custom Domain Email Worth It for a Freelancer? What It Cost Me and What It Changed
  2. Guide Best Professional Email and Domain Hosting for Freelancers
  3. Short answer My Domain Email Isn't Working After Setup: Check MX, SPF and DKIM in This Order

I need a portfolio website

  1. Guide Best Website Builders for a Freelance Portfolio
  2. Guide Squarespace vs Wix for a Freelancer Portfolio: Which Actually Looks Better

Booking calls across time zones is a mess

  1. Guide Best Time Zone Scheduling Tools for Freelancers with International Clients
  2. Guide Best Calendly Alternatives for Freelancers
  3. Guide Calendly vs TidyCal for Freelancers: Is the One-Time Price Worth It

Client work is scattered across email and chat

  1. Guide How I Organize Client Work in Notion: A Master List, One Page per Client, and a Rule About Sharing
  2. Guide Best Client Portal Software for Freelancers
  3. Guide Best Free Project Management Tools for Solo Freelancers

Which AI tool should I pay for?

  1. Guide Claude vs ChatGPT for Freelance Writers: Which One Should You Actually Use
  2. Guide Best AI Writing Tools for Freelance Writers

Looking for something else? Browse the full list of guides.