When it comes to getting content, there are hundreds of sites and thousands of writers who are eager to take your money. This can make it hard to choose the most efficient method for content procurement.

Some decent options include Upwork, Content Hourlies, and Textbroker. All three platforms have their benefits. Upwork allows you to find freelancers who can do all sorts of work and keeps you in complete control over your project. Content Hourlies is a fairly new platform that has a hand-selected pool of writers. Textbroker has thousands of writers, but isn’t as heavily moderated. To help you decide which service to use, keep reading as we breakdown each platform and compare them in detail.

Ease of Use

Both Content Hourlies and Textbroker are far easier to use than Upwork. After you sign up with Upwork, you have to find the freelancer that suits your needs best. Depending on your rate, you could be sorting through hundreds of applications per assignment. Content Hourlies and Textbroker are a little more straightforward. Simply post the listing, then wait for a writer at the desired quality level to complete the project. This system eliminates a lot of headaches associated with getting content.

While Content Hourlies and Textbroker are far easier to use, keep in mind that Upwork is more versatile. If you need services beyond basic writing, you may need to turn to Upwork. Content Hourlies also provides a range of managed services in case you need more elaborate services. Textbroker only offers writing services.

Speed of Service

Text Broker

All three services can be fast or slow depending on how attractive your assignment is to writers. Textbroker has more writers, so it can be faster to get work completed. Unfortunately, Textbroker’s lower rates attract a lot of writers who don’t proofread content. This could result in more revisions. Content Hourlies has a small group of writers, so it can take a little longer to get work completed. Upwork is by far the slowest, as you need to find the right person to complete your work and they often stop at any time.

Amount of Writers

UpWork

Upwork currently has 12 million freelancers, making them by far the largest of the three sites. Textbroker doesn’t post their numbers, but they are one of the largest writing platforms online. Content Hourlies is still fairly new, so it makes sense that they have the smallest pool of writers; however, this number is growing every day.

Quality of Content

Upwork is very much of a hit-and-miss when it comes to the quality of the content. Because you are completely in control over who you hire, you could get exactly what you need or be constantly struggling to find quality writers.

Both Textbroker and Content Hourlies have level systems for writers. In order for a writer to maintain their level, they need to consistently produce work that meets specific standards. If a client feels the work does not meet the expectations for that level, then they can request a revision and after a number of revisions the work can be rejected permanently.

Content Hourlies is heavily moderated, whereas Textbroker often takes months before rating writers. This means that you will have a better idea of what to expect when you work with Content Hourlies.

Customer Service

Content Hourlies

All three platforms are quick to respond to issues; however, Upwork can’t always help you resolve a dispute with your writer. Textbroker and Content Hourlies both use moderated message systems. They also have several restrictions on writers. Not only are problems less likely to occur, they are also faster to solve.

Because of its size, Content Hourlies has a very distinct advantage over other platforms in terms of customer service. Reaching out to Content Hourlies is easy and problems are resolved fairly quickly.

Managed Services

If you are planning on fulfilling a large order, both Textbroker and Content Hourlies have managed services that can help you. Both companies fulfill the orders differently. For large orders, Textbroker typically assigns an account manager and an editor. They still rely on their writers to pick up work.

While Content Hourlies can support large open orders, they can also help you connect to writers that are willing to meet your deadline. Because they have a smaller pool of writers, their management is able to recommend writers they feel will best meet the needs of your project. This makes them a great choice for large projects.

Upwork can be difficult to use when you have a big project. You will most likely have to hire multiple writers and negotiate terms individually. Then, you will have to assign the work according to their schedule. Managed services eliminate this stress.

Price

Upwork is the most flexible platform in terms of pricing, but you can definitely find someone willing to work within your budget. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get the best quality for your money.

Textbroker is affordably priced, especially for low level work. For 1.8 cents per word, you can get reasonable SEO content. If you find a writer you like, you can hire them at their direct rate. Each writer sets their own rate, so you could wind up paying a lot more depending on your project.

Content Hourlies is also priced by level and providers content of similar quality at 1.6 cents word; however, if you find a writer you like, you won’t be charged an arm and a leg. Direct order are priced the same as open orders.

How to Get the Best Content for Your Website

The best way to get content for your website is to work with a trustworthy platform. Here is how to use each platform:

  • Upwork Good choice for individuals who want complete control over their project, including pricing. A more complicated system can make it difficult to get work right away. You also have to monitor the quality yourself, which could lead to headaches down the road.
  • Content HourliesPerfectly priced for SEO and web content. Easy to find cheap writers who can produce quality work. Heavy moderation means you always know what to expect.
  • Textbroker Great for large projects and a wide range of articles. A larger pool of writers may mean faster fulfillment, but you don’t always know what you are going to get. You could wind up paying more if you find a writer you really like.

Conclusion

If you aren’t sure which platform is going to produce the best results, don’t be afraid to do a trial run on each. You can also contact customer service for each site. This can help you get the answers you need to make an informed decision.