Pricing
What Open Lance costs
Clients pay nothing to post a job and pay fees only when they fund work. Freelancers pay commission on released payments unless they have Ultra, and a proposal costs the same number of bids whatever the budget.
For clients
What clients pay
Nothing until you fund work. Then two fees, added on top and itemised before you confirm. The amount you fund for the work is not reduced.
$0
To post and hire
Posting jobs, reading proposals, inviting freelancers and messaging are free.
$0
Subscription
There is no client membership or plan.
5.5% + $0.30
Escrow handling
Added each time you fund work: 5.5% of the total charge plus $0.30, rounded up to the cent.
$5 / $25
Contract initiation
Once per contract, when it is first funded: $5 for fixed-price, $25 for hourly. Not charged on later milestones.
Example
| $1,000 fixed-price milestone | First funding | Later milestones |
|---|---|---|
| Into escrow for the work | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Contract initiation fee | $5 | $0 |
| Escrow handling fee | $58.81 | $58.52 |
| You pay | $1,063.81 | $1,058.52 |
For freelancers
What freelancers pay
Joining and building a profile are free. You pay bids to apply, commission on released payments unless you have Ultra, and a flat fee when you withdraw.
0%
Commission with Ultra
On fixed-price and hourly contracts. You keep the whole amount released to you.
5%
Commission without Ultra
On fixed-price and hourly contracts, deducted when a payment is released to you.
5%
Drop-Ins and Dedicated Hires
A flat commission on these, the same for every freelancer, Ultra included. You see it before you publish or accept.
1 bid
Per proposal
On fixed-price jobs, whatever the budget. Hourly jobs cost 2 bids. Dedicated Hire applications cost 5 bids. 10 free starter bids once your profile is complete.
$2
Per withdrawal
A flat fee on each withdrawal, with a $50 minimum. Your payout provider may add its own fee, shown before you confirm.
7 business days
Before you can withdraw
Released money clears first, because card payments can be reversed for a while after they are made. There is no fee for this.
Example
On a $1,000 fixed-price milestone, an Ultra member receives $1,000. Without Ultra, the freelancer receives $950. Applying cost 1 bid either way, and the withdrawal fee applies when the money is taken out.
Open Lance Ultra
Is Ultra worth it?
Ultra is a monthly subscription for freelancers: no commission on fixed-price and hourly contracts, and bids credited to your balance every month. Drop-Ins and Dedicated Hires keep their flat commission either way. If you are just starting out, bid packs are usually the better choice.
- 0% commission on fixed-price and hourly contracts
- 20 bids included every month
- Drop-Ins and Dedicated Hires keep their flat commission
- Cancel any time. It runs to the end of the month you paid for
Limited offer
Ultra Founders
Ultra paid once instead of monthly: the subscription never renews and never bills again, and it credits 20 bids every month for as long as the account exists. Commission works exactly as it does on the monthly plan, so Drop-Ins and Dedicated Hires keep their flat rate.
95 seats left. Open until December 31, 2026. It disappears from this page when it is gone.
Bid packs
One-off purchases. Bids never expire.
| Bids | Price | Per bid |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | $20 | $1 |
| 50 | $50 | $1 |
| 75 | $75 | $1 |
Questions
Pricing questions
Pricing
Is Open Lance free for clients?
How much commission does Open Lance take?
Does a bigger job cost more bids?
How much is Ultra?
Do bids expire?
Why can't I withdraw right after the client approves?
Prices and rates on this page are the ones currently charged at checkout. More detail in the help centre: client fees, bid packs and Ultra, and getting paid.