Common mistakes when hiring freelancers on open platforms — and how to avoid them

When you're in a rush to ship an MVP, fix a bug, or build a quick feature, platforms like Upwork, Freelancer.com, or Fiverr can feel like magic. Thousands of developers, a wide price range, and someone “ready to start” in just a few hours.

But this convenience often comes at a cost. And that cost usually shows up later — in the form of messy code, ghosted deadlines, or stressful handoffs.

Here are the most common mistakes when hiring freelance devs through open platforms — and how to avoid each one:

1. Choosing the cheapest option

It's tempting to go for the lowest rate. “It's just a small task, no need for a top-tier dev,” you tell yourself. Butcheap work often leads to expensive cleanup. Poorly written code, no tests, no documentation, fragile architecture. All of that slows you down, forces rewrites, and creates technical debt way too early.

How to avoid it:
Treat even small tasks seriously. If you can't afford a senior dev, find a solid mid-level one with clear references. Always ask for code samples, not just visual portfolios. And if the rate is suspiciously low, question it. Either the person is junior (which is fine if you're aware), or overbooked and will push you to the bottom of their list.

2. Trusting 5-star reviews too much

These platforms are built to reward nice behavior, not necessarily good work. Many clients give glowing reviews out of politeness or fear of retaliation. Plus, a developer might have 50 perfect reviews — all from tiny projects with no real complexity.

How to avoid it:
Don’t stop at the stars. Read the actual reviews. Look for projects similar to yours. Ask the freelancer to walk you through those jobs — what was challenging, what they delivered, and how they handled bugs or change requests.

3. Overlooking communication and availability

You might find someone with great skills... who disappears for two days. Or doesn't understand what you're asking. Or only works while you're asleep.

This happens when expectations around availability and communication aren't aligned.

How to avoid it:
Always schedule a call before starting. See how they communicate. Do they ask good questions? Are they present and clear? Be honest about how you work — Slack updates, async communication, check-ins. Better to over-communicate upfront than to be ghosted later.

4. Ignoring product context

Freelancers juggling 10 projects might not fully engage with yours. They may complete the task but miss the bigger picture — which can lead to solutions that work today but don't scale tomorrow.

How to avoid it:
Ask context-driven questions. “If you were building this product, what would you prioritize?“ or “How would you structure this for future growth?“ People who give thoughtful answers are more likely to think long-term.

5. Forgetting that continuity is an asset

Even if the freelancer is great, if they're not available for follow-up work, your product ends up pieced together by multiple people with no shared context. That leads to messy handoffs and lost momentum.

How to avoid it:
Look for freelancers (or partners) who are open to longer-term relationships. Even if you're starting small, talk about maintenance, future features, and availability. And document everything well — for your sake and theirs.

So, what should you do differently?