What Upwork does well
Upwork is good for one-off jobs. For help that carries on week after week, a managed Upwork alternative works differently. Here is a fair comparison.
Post a job in the morning and you will often have people applying by the afternoon.
Quick replies
If you know exactly what you need and when it finishes, Upwork works well.
Jobs with an end date
Design, web development, writing and other specialist skills are easy to find.
Hard-to-find skills
Bring someone in for a short time and stop when the job is done.
Pay by the hour
Where it gets harder for ongoing work
Things change when the work never really ends. Think admin, bookkeeping, emails and diaries, data entry, or keeping jobs on track.
You do the checking
Reviews help, but you still have to sort through people, interview them and test them. A good review from someone else's job tells you little about how they will do yours.
People move on
Freelancers work for lots of clients. When a bigger job comes along, they may leave. Everything they learned about your business goes with them.
You end up managing them
Explaining the job, checking the work, answering questions and chasing deadlines all take time. In a small business, that time is usually yours.
The hidden cost is your time
You can see the hourly rate. You cannot see the hours spent finding, onboarding, supervising and replacing people.
There are platform fees
Upwork charges clients a fee on payments and a fee for each new contract. Check Upwork's current pricing for the latest rates.
The same goes for other sites popular in Australia, such as Freelancer.com. They help you find people. They do not manage them for you.
How DataAlike is different
With DataAlike, you get your own staff member working in your business. We handle the sourcing, oversight, payment and admin, so you do not have to.
Tell us what you need. We look through our own team and search for new people too. You then get three to five short profiles, with the key points and why we think each person fits.
Trusted,
vetted staff
Every client gets a dedicated Client Support Manager. They handle onboarding, check the work and can step in if needed. You direct your staff member, and we handle the rest.
Your own manager
Once your staff member knows how you do things, we look for jobs that repeat and find faster ways to do them. Some can be simplified, and some can be automated. The role keeps getting better over time, rather than just filling hours.
Quicker ways of working
Upwork vs DataAlike for
Australian businesses
Upwork
DataAlike
Best for
One-off jobs and specialist skills
Ongoing office and admin support
Who vets the people
You
We do, then send you three to five profiles
How long to find someone
Depends on how many applications you read
Three to five profiles in 5 to 7 days
Who manages them
You
Your dedicated manager, while you brief them on what you want doing
Sick days and leaving
You find cover or start again
Your manager covers, and we find a replacement
Same person each week
Depends on how busy the freelancer is
Yes, a dedicated staff member
Finding quicker ways to work
Only if you hire for it
Included
Time zone
Depends on the freelancer
Works your business hours, wherever you are in Australia
How long you sign up for
Per job or per hour
Month to month
Free first week
Not usually
Yes, complimentary
How it works
From first call to a new team member in three steps
Tell us what you need. Within a week you'll have 3 -5 profiles breaking down the candidates strengths, weaknesses and why they may suit the role.
1. One conversation
Pick who you want. Interview them, have a chat or ask for our suggestions. We then send you a short onboarding form.
2. One decision
Your first week is on us. No one's at full speed in their first week, so we don't charge for it.
3. One week
After that, you pay month to month, on a rolling 30 days.
How you save time and lower the risk
No hiring
We start with our own team of experienced staff, people with a proven track record working for clients like you. If we need to look further, we advertise, check and interview before you see a single profile. You have one conversation and make one decision.
Less supervising
Your Client Support Manager looks after delivery, so you are not chasing anyone. They check in with your staff member regularly, review the work and make sure deadlines are met. If something is not right, they sort it out before it reaches you. Once things are running smoothly, they start looking for ways to improve: tasks that could be done faster, steps that could be cut, and jobs that could be automated. You keep directing the work. We make sure it gets done well.
No starting again
If your staff member is off sick, your manager knows the role and can step in, so the work keeps moving. If they leave, we find someone new from our team and manage the handover, so you are not training someone from scratch. The same goes when your business grows. Many clients start with one or two staff members and add more as they need them. Because we already know your business, your systems and how you like things done, adding someone new is quick and simple.
Your data stays with you
Staff work inside your own online systems. You choose what they can see, and you can remove their access at any time. Nothing gets copied out.
A fair start
New starters need time to learn how you do things, however well prepared they are. That is why the first week is on us.
Hours that suit you
Your staff member works to the schedule you want. There is no set way. Many clients like their team member to start a little after them, so they have time to plan the day and decide what to hand over. Others prefer them to work outside office hours, with an hour's overlap at the end of the day to hand over. Your staff member then finishes off whatever is left, ready for the next morning.
Frequently asked questions
How do you keep my business data safe?
Staff work inside your own online systems. They do not download, copy or store your data anywhere else. You can remove their access at any time.
What about the Privacy Act?
Because your data never leaves your systems, the privacy controls you already have stay in place. Your manager will go through who can see what during onboarding.
Do I stay in control of my accounts?
Yes. Every account stays in your name, and you decide what your staff member can see. The work stays in your systems, and you stay in charge.
What if my staff member is sick or leaves?
Your manager knows the job and can step in to cover. If someone leaves, we find a replacement and hand over the work.
How do I know the work is done properly?
Can my staff member work hours that suit me?
Your manager checks in often and checks the work. If something is not right, they raise it early and fix it with you.
Yes. They work to the schedule you want. Some clients like them to start a little after they do. Others prefer them to work outside office hours, with an hour's overlap to hand over.
Is there a lock-in contract?
No. You pay month to month, and your first week is on the house.
What do I need to do before they start?
Fill in one short onboarding form about the software you use and how you work. We set up as much as we can before day one. Some logins and security codes, like authenticator apps, need you. We will help you through them.
Why is the first week free?
Nobody is at full speed in their first week, however good they are. We get as much ready as we can, but settling in takes time. We do not think you should pay for that.
How quickly can someone start?
Usually within 5 to 7 days of our first chat, you will have three to five profiles to choose from. If it is urgent, or we already have the right person in our team, it can be sooner. Ideally, allow at least a week. Once you pick, your manager handles onboarding.
One conversation, one decision, one week
Tell us what you need, pick from three to five strong profiles, and your first week is on the house.
Then you have someone working in your business, with a manager making sure it works, at a surprisingly competitive rate.