Is Expaat Legit? Pros, Cons, Everything You Should Know

Lots of African freelancers use Expaat to find their dream freelance projects, earning in USD, from the comfort of their homes and skipping the proposals and bidding processes. 

As a client, you can find top tech talents in Africa on Expaat and kick your project off the ground. 

Want to know if Expaat is worth it? We’ve written everything there is to know about Expaat. The pros and cons, and how it compares to other popular freelance platforms. 

What is Expaat?

Expaat is a premium freelance network that offers access to exceptional talent across various disciplines, including software development, design, research and writing, marketing and sales, cybersecurity, cloud architecture, data analytics, and data science. Their vetted community of skilled professionals is available to work on projects, delivering high-quality results that meet client needs.

What can you do on Expaat?

As a freelancer, you can find high-paying freelance gigs from global clients on Expaat. As a client, you can find the top 5% of tech talent in Africa for your project. Expaat guarantees that you’ll get to work with the best talents and enjoy high-quality performance on your projects.

How Does Expaat Work? 

As a freelance platform, Expaat works differently for both freelancers and clients. 

For Freelancers

1. Sign up on Expaat & Create your profile

Create a strong profile that reflects your skill sets and projects you’ve worked on previously. This helps Expaat to match you with clients in need of your specific skill set. Afterward, you will undergo a vetting process, which includes skill assessments and interviews, to ensure you meet Expaat’s standards.

CTA: Sign up as a freelancer

2. Get Matched to Jobs

Work with global clients on projects that align with your skillset. Do your best work and receive feedback that makes it easier to match you with other clients. Build your freelance portfolio with Expaat. 

3. Get paid fast and securely

Receive your payment upon completion of every job. No delays, no hidden charges. Choose how you get paid. 

For Clients

1. Sign up on Expaat & Post your job ad

Create a profile and post your job ad highlighting our specific talent requirements and details of your project. Expaat’s algorithms match you to freelancers who are the best fit. Check their profiles and portfolios before you make a choice. 

2. Unsatisfied? Get a fast replacement

Every freelancer assigned to you has a trial period. If you’re unsatisfied with their work during this time, speak to the freelancer directly. If issues persist, Expaat provides a replacement for you. The best part? You are only expected to pay when you find the right talent for your job.

3. All your projects, in one place

Manage all your project requirements in one place. After you’ve hired a freelancer, you get your own unique space for messaging, sending files, giving feedback, and making payments. No need to juggle multiple platforms. 

Is Expaat Worth it? 

If you’re an African freelancer looking to get global gigs and work with foreign clients, Expaat is totally worth your time and effort. Create a profile, upload your portfolio, showcase your skills, and get matched to global clients in need of your skills for a project. 

One of Expaat’s main benefits is that it is African-focused. This means it bridges the employment gap between foreign clients and African talents. 

So, instead of sending countless proposals that are rarely read, or applying to jobs where you are disqualified even before your portfolio is checked, Expaat increases your chances of getting hired by matching you to vetted clients in need of your skills. 

For companies in need of premium talent, Expaat provides a streamlined hiring process and access to a talent pool of pre-vetted, skilled freelancers across various industries.

This level of quality assurance can reduce hiring risks, making Expaat a solid choice for businesses seeking qualified, reliable African talents quickly. Additionally, the platform’s interface is designed to facilitate smooth communication and project tracking, enhancing the overall collaboration experience.

Other platforms typically charge high service fees, which are often paid by both the freelancers and the clients. But Expaat has no service fees or hidden fee charges. 

When freelancing on Expaat, you don’t have to worry about paying exorbitant fees or overcharging your client so you have enough to take home. On Expaat, you’re paid the full fee you set for any project at the end of the project or after a milestone is crossed.

For Paul Bernard, being on Expaat has made jobs come to him instead of the regular going to apply for jobs. “When I signed up on Expaat, I thought it was one of those platforms where you’ll have to bid for projects and write lots of proposals before you’re hired. I was wrong. I just added my portfolio and was specific with my skills. In less than 24 hours I was matched to a client.” 

The more you do good work for clients, the more positive reviews you receive that make it easier and faster to match you with other clients. 

Pros and Cons of Expaat

Whether or not Expaat is a good freelance platform for you depends on the type of work you do, the clients you want to work with, and what you’re looking to get from freelancing. African tech talents choose Expaat because it connects them with global clients and makes the job search process a lot easier. 

Pros of Expaat

• No hidden charges or service fees. It’s free to signup
• Focused on African tech talents connecting them to global clients.
• High-paying jobs from foreign gigs. 
• Easily get matched to clients in need of your skills. Skip the proposals and bidding process.
• Receive payment after the project is done. No delayed payments.
• Choose how you want to get paid. 
• You can find freelancers for various working styles on Expaat. Whether you need a remote staff, on-site freelancer, or hybrid, Expaat has these options open for you. 

“Before Expaat, for every 200 proposals I wrote on other platforms, I had less than 5 positive responses. It was a struggle. But discovering Expaat simply changed the game for me. I just have to focus on doing good work.” – Precious John

Cons of Expaat

Some challenges many freelancers have experienced using Expaat include; 

• Specific for African talent. Expaat is a freelance platform for African tech talents to find global opportunities and may seem less diverse for other freelancers. 
• Limited skills. Unlike other platforms, Expaat focuses on specific tech talents in disciplines such as; software development, design, research and writing, marketing and sales, cybersecurity, cloud architecture, data analytics, and data science, and as such isn’t open to other skills. 
• Review-based: Doing good work as a freelancer is important, as that will make clients open to writing reviews for you. Also, the more positive feedback you receive, the higher your chances of working with more clients. 

Expaat vs Other Freelance Platforms

See how Expaat compares with other popular freelance platforms.

1. Expaat vs Upwork 

Upwork’s highly competitive nature makes it almost out of reach for African freelancers. It’s always a struggle, and the few who get jobs make money off showing other freelancers how to get jobs. This oftentimes is futile and only benefits the coach, leaving talents stranded. 

“I’m not paying anybody to teach me how to write proposals. I have my portfolio and profile that speaks for me. Expaat does the rest. – Chidinma Okafor”

2. Expaat vs Fiverr

Fiverr is well known for its high service fees of 20% often paid by freelancers. This often makes freelancers overcharge to cover the fees. On Expaat, there are no hidden fees or charges. Freelancers receive full payment on completion of the project. 

3. Expaat vs Toptal 

Toptal has a rigorous process for vetting and accepting freelancers on its platform. In fact, they only accept 3% of applicants with specific skills and match them with global companies. They also focus on long-term projects. Expaat provides flexible job types so you can find the job you want. 

4. Expaat vs People Per Hour

If you want to hire freelancers and pay them hourly, People Per Hour is a good place to start. 

The platform also charges 10% of client fees, unlike Expaat.

5. Expaat vs Guru

Guru focuses on long-term projects on its platform and has no rigorous vetting process in check for clients and job ads. On Expaat, every client/job ad is verified for the authenticity and safety of freelancers. 

How Much Can You Make on Expaat?

Your earning as a freelancer on Expaat depends on your skill sets, experience, projects, and clients you work with. Since Expaat has no control over client budgets, it’s up to you to determine your rates. 

However, if you are new to freelancing on Expaat, we recommend that you charge less to help you attract more clients, get positive reviews, and have an Expaat portfolio. An on-platform portfolio is evidence that you’ve completed projects on Expaat. It sets the precedence for how many clients are willing to work with you. 

Once your Expaat portfolio is solid, you can increase your rates, so you’re only matched to clients with a similar budget. 

Overall, there’s no limit to how much money you can make on Expaat. With no hidden fees or charges, what you set is exactly what you earn. 

How to Make the Most From Expaat: Tips from Freelancers

We asked freelancers on Expaat to share their top tips for maximizing Expaat, and they had this to say; 

• Create a solid profile. Don’t skip some parts of your profile because you think it’s not necessary or it’s a long step. Every field is an extra star on your General badge. 
• Communicate clearly and professionally to build trust with clients. Update clients regularly on progress for strong relationships.
• Set clear expectations with clients. Communicate timelines, deliverables, and payment terms upfront to avoid misunderstandings
• Underpromise and overdeliver. It portrays you as a star all the time. 
• Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive feedback to boost your credibility on Expaat. 

Start Your Freelance Journey on Expaat

Whether you’re looking to earn extra income outside of your regular 9-5 or want to start working as a freelancer, Expaat is where you easily find all the foreign gigs you’ve been looking for. Set up your profile, including your portfolio and other relevant skills that increase your chances of getting hired, while Expaat matches you with global clients in need of your skill set. It’s truly as easy as it sounds. 
Begin your journey by Signing up on Expaat as a freelancer today!