Elance

Elance was an online freelancing marketplace founded in 1999 that connected businesses with independent professionals for short-term and long-term project work. The platform supported a wide range of categories, including software development, design, writing, marketing, translation, and administrative services. Clients could post projects, receive proposals from freelancers, and hire based on profiles, past work, and ratings. Freelancers created profiles, submitted bids, and negotiated terms, with the platform providing communication tools, project management features, and payment processing.

Payments on Elance were handled through an integrated system that facilitated secure transactions between clients and freelancers, including milestone-based payments and dispute protections designed to reduce risk for both parties. The site also emphasized reputation, allowing users to build ratings and feedback that influenced future hiring decisions.

In the mid-2010s, Elance grew into one of the leading platforms in the online freelancing economy, operating alongside other marketplaces. In 2014–2015, Elance merged with its major competitor oDesk to form a single brand and platform known as Upwork. The Elance name was gradually phased out as Upwork became the unified marketplace for freelancers and clients worldwide. Upwork continued to offer services across many professional fields, expanding tools for talent matching, time tracking, and flexible payment arrangements. Upwork later conducted an initial public offering and began trading on the NASDAQ under the ticker UPWK in 2018.