Why Freelancing for Beginners in India Often Fails (And What to Do Instead)
“Bro, I tried freelancing for beginners — got scammed within 3 days.”
That’s the kind of message I got on WhatsApp from a college junior last month.
And it hit hard.
Because I’ve been there.
I started freelancing in 2022, thinking I’d earn some side cash writing simple articles or doing copyrighting. I signed up on Fiverr, made a good-looking profile, added a couple of gigs… and waited.
Nothing happened.
Instead, what I got were random shady messages from people asking for free samples, sending weird links, or even asking me to talk off-platform for “better deals.”
No real client. No money. No clarity.
And it turns out — I’m not alone.
🎯 According to a 2024 Quora trend, over 78% of beginner freelancers in India either quit within the first 2 months or never land a single project.
Worse, most of them blame themselves — thinking they’re not “skilled enough” or “don’t have a good portfolio.”
But the truth is:
the entire system of freelancing for beginners is broken — especially for students trying to earn ethically, with zero prior network, and from a mobile phone.
In this blog, I’ll break down exactly:
- Why Fiverr and other big sites are stacked against you
- What real users (including me) faced — with proof
- How you can still freelance in 2025 (but differently)
- What small, realistic alternatives are actually working
- A few FAQs no one answers (but everyone googles)
Let’s get real about what works and what’s just social media noise.
😩 Real Struggles Freelancing Beginners in India Are Facing
Even before you land your first client, the freelancing world can feel like a scam-filled jungle — and sadly, for many beginners in India, that’s exactly what it becomes.
Let’s hear from a few fictional users that reflect hundreds of real stories shared across Reddit, Quora, and Facebook freelancing groups:
🧑💻 @TanmayV, a first-year college student from Pune, writes:
“I uploaded my Fiverr gig on ‘Copyright-free music curation’ but got nothing except creepy messages asking me to work outside the platform. I reported, but Fiverr support just sent me a bot reply. No orders till now.”
👩🎓 @RoshniWrites, a literature grad from Kolkata:
“I joined as a content writer thinking I’d get work based on talent. But when I saw people selling 10,000-word articles for ₹300, I knew I couldn’t compete. The platform rewards bulk, not quality.”
🧑🔬 @DataDinesh, a B.Tech student trying to start with Python freelancing:
“I applied for 20 gigs on Freelancer.com. Got 2 replies, both asking for ‘trial work’ without payment. When I refused, they ghosted me.”
These aren’t just one-off experiences — they are disturbingly common for new freelancers, especially students. You post a gig with hope, and instead get buried under an avalanche of undercut pricing, fake client inquiries, and algorithmic silence.
And guess what?
💔 You’re not alone.
According to a survey by Payoneer, less than 20% of new freelancers in India earn above ₹10,000/month in their first 6 months, and many quit before reaching their first ₹1,000.
So, before you beat yourself up — remember this:
It’s not always your fault. The platform is designed for the loudest, not necessarily the best.
📝 Disclaimer:
Usernames used in this section are fictional and meant for illustrative purposes. These stories are inspired by real experiences from Indian student freelancers on public forums.
👉 Why Most Freelancing Platforms Fail New Indian Users
Let’s be real — freelancing sounds like freedom. Work from home, be your own boss, earn in dollars. But for a majority of new Indian users, especially students or first-time gig seekers, platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and even Freelancer.com quickly turn into a frustrating maze of silence, scams, and disappointment.
1. Oversaturated, Undervalued
New accounts are buried under a mountain of existing high-rated freelancers. On Fiverr, for example, if you’re offering something like content writing or logo design, you’re competing with tens of thousands of established sellers — many with hundreds of 5-star reviews. Your gig? It’s sitting on page 17. Nobody scrolls that far.
2. “Buyer Requests” Are a Joke
Fiverr’s famous Buyer Request section — supposedly your gateway to your first order — is either filled with fake, low-paying jobs or gets swarmed with 300+ seller offers within minutes. It’s a lottery where new users rarely win.
3. AI + Bots Are Replacing Basic Gigs
Thanks to tools like ChatGPT, Canva, and even AI voiceovers, many of the entry-level gigs students once relied on are now either automated or expected to be ultra-cheap. Clients don’t want a beginner’s work for ₹500 when AI does it in 10 seconds.
4. Scam Messages Are Rampant
New sellers often receive DMs like:
“Hey, I loved your gig. Can we talk on Telegram for payment?”
Classic red flag. They either steal your work, ghost you after submission, or worse — try phishing. Fiverr says it’s safe, but enforcement is rare unless you already have a reputation.
Even if you do get an order, you lose 20% of it as Fiverr commission. Then you wait 14 days to withdraw your money. And if you’re using Payoneer or PayPal, you might get hit with another fee or conversion cut. Let me walk you through my own journey — not to scare you, but to show you the reality behind the shiny freelancing dream most YouTube videos sell. I signed up on Fiverr with zero expectations but high hopes. I had decent writing skills, so I created a gig on copyright writing. Watched a few tutorials. Wrote a killer bio. Added portfolio samples. Hit publish. Then I waited. And waited. And… nothing. Instead of genuine buyers, I started getting spam messages like: I almost fell for one — until I Googled the pattern and found it’s a common scam. My gig never ranked. I was on the 15th page in a category with over 50,000 gigs. Fiverr shows top-rated sellers more, so new ones rarely get noticed without massive promotion or luck. When a buyer did message me, they asked:5. Platform Fees & Withdrawal Limits
😓 What Beginners Think vs. What Actually Happens (My Case Study + Common Traps)
📌 The Setup: Naivety Meets Excitement
🕳️ The Downward Spiral: Here’s What Actually Happened
1. No Clients, Just Scams
“Hello dear, I have work. Please contact me on WhatsApp.”
or
“I want to pay outside Fiverr for a big project. Let’s chat on Telegram.”
2. No Visibility
3. Feeling Small Next to the Giants
“Why should I hire you when others have 300 reviews and you have none?”
What could I say? It felt like shouting into a void.
4. Hours Spent “Optimizing” Instead of Earning
Changed keywords. Rewrote gig descriptions. Made new thumbnails. Nothing helped.
I was spending hours trying to get noticed instead of actually working — the opposite of what freelancing was supposed to be.
⚠️ Common Beginner Traps (Don’t Fall for These)
- “Buyer Requests” Trap: You think replying to buyer requests is the key. But 95% of those are fake, low-budget, or already flooded with offers.
- “Fake Order” Temptation: Some YouTube gurus tell you to pay someone to buy your gig for fake ratings. This violates Fiverr policy and can get your account banned.
- “Gig Rotation” Myth: Changing your gigs repeatedly doesn’t fix ranking issues. If anything, it resets any slow momentum you may have built.
- Overpromising on Skills: You might be tempted to say “Yes” to every gig even if you don’t fully know the task. That’s a quick way to get bad reviews — and Fiverr never forgets.
🌱 What You Can Actually Do To Keep Your Dream of Earning Alive (Without Drowning on Fiverr)
Let’s be real — earning online as a beginner isn’t a fairy tale. It’s messy, demotivating, and often makes you question if anyone actually starts from scratch anymore. I’ve been there — hoping my gig gets noticed, but all I got was silence or scammy DMs.
So instead of playing by rules that weren’t made for people like us, I built my own little rulebook. Here’s how you can do that too:
✅ 1. Stop Relying on Platforms — Build Your Space First
You don’t need Fiverr or Upwork’s permission to offer something valuable.
Start with a simple blog or page. Don’t overthink it — just use: Blogger (free + Google-backed) — it’s simple, reliable, and trusted for years.
WordPress.com (not self-hosted, but good enough to start)
Notion — create a free portfolio page
Medium — write value-packed content + link your services
✍️ Write a post like:
“How I helped 3 friends fix their LinkedIn profiles (and what I learned)”
or
“What no one tells you about writing a good internship email.”
Now share that blog post on WhatsApp, Telegram, or LinkedIn. Add a line like:
“Trying to get my first few clients — would love feedback or referrals!”
Your first job won’t come from an algorithm. It’ll come from someone you already know.
✅ 2. Offer Bite-Sized Services That Are Easy to Say Yes To
Don’t start with “I’ll manage your whole content strategy.” Instead, go micro:
- ₹49: Rewrite a LinkedIn headline
- ₹99: Turn a boring bio into a professional one
- ₹149: Proofread one email for scholarship/job
- ₹199: AI-generated résumé cleanup
- ₹299: Personalized cover letter based on job post
These are low-cost, low-risk tasks for clients — and high-confidence builders for you.
✅ 3. Use Experience Samples, Not Fake Testimonials
Skip the fake reviews or “5 years experience” nonsense. Instead:
- Rework your friend’s email or CV (with permission)
- Take a badly written Quora answer and rewrite it professionally
- Show before/after snippets of your editing work
💡 Even screenshots of helpful messages you’ve sent in Facebook groups can work as “proof” of your skills.
Clients don’t want big promises. They want real signs you can actually help.
✅ 4. Choose Earning Paths That Match Your Current Skill & Trust Level
Some real, beginner-friendly ways Indian students are making money today (2025-tested):
- Selling self-made notes, summaries, or templates
- Offering proofreading/editing services (even for Instagram captions or bios!)
- Reviewing tools, platforms, or apps (many sites pay for honest reviews)
- Helping peers with statement of purpose, scholarship essays, internship emails
- Accepting guest post requests from bloggers like me who pay for proof-based, honest content
The internet doesn’t owe you ₹50,000/month — but it does give you a path if you’re ready to walk it patiently.
✅ 5. Build a Small Trust Circle, Not Just Followers
Fiverr makes you feel invisible. But if you create or join a Telegram group of 5–10 real learners:
- You get instant feedback
- You learn pricing hacks
- You get client handovers when someone is busy
👥 Growth becomes communal, not competitive.
If someone says: “I’ll only work if paid,” they’ll never get their first client. Period. In the early days, value ≠ money. Value = trust built. One great response from a free gig is often better than 100 ignored applications. Eventually, your workflow will be: That’s how you move forward. One honest action at a time. Whenever you feel stuck, ask yourself: “What’s the smallest real service I can offer today, without needing a platform or fancy website?” That’s where your journey restarts. Every time.✅ 6. Focus on Proof of Work Before Payment
Trust → Feedback → Proof → Referrals → Payment
🧩 Bonus Tip
That’s exactly why I created my own — where honest work and beginner effort is actually seen.🟢 Still stuck with “no clients” on big platforms?
📊 What Other Indian Students Are Actually Doing to Succeed (Not Just Talking)
Instead of just quoting 2–3 people again, let’s look at real patterns observed among hundreds of students trying to freelance — gathered from Reddit, Telegram groups, Discord communities, and my own DMs.
Here’s what I noticed:
✅ What’s Working for Students (2025 trend):
| Action Taken | Success Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Writing own blog (even on free platforms like Medium, Notion, Blogger) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | More personal branding, gets shared, ranks on search or spreads via groups. |
| Selling services in college groups (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | Higher trust factor, especially in resume/SOP writing, note selling, design help. |
| Creating Google Forms/Notion pages with payment link | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | Simple funnel – gets leads without needing Fiverr. |
| Sharing proof of past work on LinkedIn or Instagram | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ | Works if they already have some good samples. Builds authority. |
| Cold emailing Indian startups | ⭐⭐☆☆☆ | Tough but works for skilled writers, designers. Requires effort and follow-up. |
This small funnel has outperformed Fiverr in almost every real use case I’ve studied.❌ What’s Not Working (Stop Wasting Time Here):
Platform
Common Problems
Fiverr, Upwork (as new seller)
Too crowded. Buyers don’t trust new IDs without reviews.
Asking random Telegram groups
Gets ghosted or scammed. Mostly low-paying or fake leads.
Waiting for gigs to come passively
Doesn’t happen. Unless you promote yourself, no one will notice.
AI-generated resume/SOP gigs
Zero demand. Clients are either doing it themselves or want personalization.
🧠 Key Insight:
Students who succeed are not “more talented” — they are just more visible.
They create trust by sharing, engaging, and showcasing, not waiting.
Want something specific to try?
🎙️ What I’d Do If I Were Starting Again
You know what,
if I had to start all over again…
with zero results, zero clients, just hope?
I wouldn’t waste weeks watching tutorials.
I’d pick one skill — just one —
and start doing… messy, imperfect, but real.
I wouldn’t chase those fake job posts on Fiverr.
I’d create something simple —
a Notion doc, a blog post, even a damn PDF —
and post it wherever I could.
Facebook, Quora, WhatsApp, Discord…
anywhere real humans scroll.
I’d stop waiting for someone to give me a chance.
I’d build proof, even if no one asked.
And yeah…
I’d find a small group of people trying the same thing.
Because doing it alone? It messes with your head.
Oh, and I’d stop calling myself a “beginner”.
That word keeps you small.
If you’ve taken one step,
you’re already ahead of someone who’s still dreaming.
That’s what I’d do.
And honestly?
You can too.
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🙋 I Know You’ll Ask Anyway: Real Questions, Straight Answers
❓ “Fiverr bad? Aren’t people earning lakhs there?”
Of course, some people do. But they either started 5–7 years ago or have a team managing their gigs, reviews, SEO, thumbnails—you name it. As a beginner, especially from India, you’re fighting algorithms, bias, and bots. It’s not about hating Fiverr, it’s about being realistic.
❓ “So… freelancing is dead for us beginners?”
Not dead. Just… oversaturated in certain places. Platforms aren’t the problem—the approach is. If you shift focus to value-first content, skills with demand, and direct client outreach, freelancing is very much alive.
❓ “Will I really get clients by just writing stuff online?”
Yes, but not overnight. Treat it like planting seeds. When people search for what you write about, and see proof of your work—trust builds. That’s when DMs start happening. Social media + proof + patience = results.
❓ “Do I need a website? I can’t afford one.”
Nope. Start with Notion, Google Docs, Medium, Quora, or LinkedIn. These are free, rank on Google, and give you instant visibility. Later, once money starts flowing, get your domain.
❓ “I’m scared my writing/design isn’t good enough yet.”
Join the club—we all started there. The secret? Publish anyway. Improvement happens in public, not in private. Use AI tools as editors, not as ghostwriters. Real work = real feedback = real growth.
❓ “How long will it take to get my first client?”
Could be 2 weeks. Could be 2 months. Depends on how focused your work is, where you post it, and how consistent you are. But if you’re genuinely solving problems and showing proof—you’ll get someone.
❓ “Should I still try Fiverr or Upwork?”
Sure, but don’t make them your only strategy. Use them for practice, learn the market, and maybe land a client or two. But build your own lane alongside—platforms can change, but your network won’t.
