TaskArmy is a task-oriented outsourcing marketplace that got its start in 2010. The company was founded by Aymeric Gaurat-Apelli and is based out of Sydney, Australia. Frustrated with the crowds and race-to-the-bottom price wars on Upwork, and the inherent inflexibility of Fiverr (everything must be $5), Gaurat-Apelli set out to create a new outsourcing platform.
Task Army is like Fiverr, in that people post what kinds of jobs they’ll do for you, but the price can be whatever they set.
In a few quick searches I found:
- ebook covers for $7
- logo design for $79
- a 500-word article on the topic of your choice for $32.
Shop around, because I’m sure the quality and feedback for each provider varies along with the price point.
For virtual assistants, I found a range of offerings, from $5 an hour to $17 an hour. There were also some providers listing month-long virtual assistant jobs at $500-600/month. I thought the selection was pretty weak, and then I learned that TaskArmy manually screens each provider so only the best and brightest have access to the platform.
In this sense, they’re similar to Staff.com in trying to create a more exclusive talent marketplace and create a point of differentiation between themselves and oDesk and other freelancing sites.
| FreeeUp | Upwork | Fiverr | OnlineJobs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Established | 2015 | 1999 | 2010 | 2008 |
| Location | Worldwide, w/ concentration in USA and Philippines | Worldwide | Worldwide | Philippines |
| Customer Rating | ||||
| Size of Talent Pool | Thousands | 12 million | 830,000 | 250,000 |
| Hourly Rate | $5-75+ | $3-100+ | $3-100+ | $3-20+ |
| Platform Fee | 15% | 5-20% | 20% + processing fee | $69 a month |
| Worker Tracking | (optional) | |||
| Pre-Screened Freelancers | (w/ Fiverr Pro) | |||
| Best For | Quick hires, e-commerce | One-off projects | Smaller jobs | Affordable full-time help |
| Learn More | Learn More | Learn More | Learn More |
While you can find some providers focusing on longer-term work, the majority of listings are for smaller tasks as opposed to project-based work.
What’s the difference? Writing an article is a task; building a website is a project.
With TaskArmy, you can’t post your own task you want to get done. Instead, you’ll search the listings to find someone with the task-offering and skills you’re looking for. This is intentional, to prevent freelancers from bidding their prices down in an unsustainable race to the bottom.
So in the end, you might pay more than you would on some other sites, but in theory you’re dealing with a generally higher caliber worker and you’re spending less time trying to find them.
To encourage orders, Task Army has set-up a risk-free guarantee. Basically if you’re not happy with the results your freelancer has provided, you don’t have to pay. Can’t argue with that.
Have you tried TaskArmy? If so, please share your experience below and help others with their decision.
My experience with this platform has been horrific. My freelancer agreed to do my project and gave me an estimate for the work. As soon as I accepted his proposal and submitted my payment, he asked me to explain what I meant in my instructions. He does not have the skill to complete my task. My money has been taken from my bank account and I am not getting response from customer support.
I can’t even register as a freelancer, my ID card is not enough for them to prove my identity (which other document could be more valid than an ID card), they delete my forum posts when I ask questions..
Hi ‘Concerned VA’ – I so agree
If you have any entrepreneur instincts – this looks BAD
Client Paying Later – is a Marketing Strategy
Not Paying Your Supplier – is a grave digger
You always pay your Suppliers FIRST – no business sustains itself without this Rule
Hi Rowan,
When a customer orders on TaskArmy, they have to pay upfront. The funds are kept in escrow by TaskArmy until a) the freelancer completes the job and b) the customer approves of the results.
The aim is to strike a fair balance for both the customer and the freelancers 🙂
Hi Concerned VA,
We are a brand new team that started working on TaskArmy early this year. We’ve rebuilt a completely new website and launched 2 months ago.
We do provide support for both freelancers and customers.
We would love for you to check it out (your previous account still works) and we’d be happy to talk to you directly if you wish to
I made an account over a year ago and was contacted recently and decided to test drive their system. After contacting support three times I got no response whatsoever. They say there is no hold on payment and while they did not charge client they did not pay out either. I do not often leave reviews but this is atrocious.