Are you looking for a side hustle? Then, you might be interested in a site called Contently. It claims you can earn good money by working for them as a freelancer.
But is it legit or just a scam? Well, if you keep reading this Contently review, you’ll find the answer to that question and more.
I have taken a closer look at it to see how it works and how it compares with other sites that offer the same kind of opportunity. In this review, I will explain everything you need to know about Contently so you will know exactly what to expect from it. Then, you can decide if it is a good fit for you or not.
What is Contently, and what does it offer?
Contently is a site where freelancers can find work to earn extra cash. It is indeed a legit site because you can really get paid for working as a freelancer.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean it is a good fit for you. To figure out if Contently is for you, you must first understand how it works, and the best way to do that is to examine the earning opportunities it offers. So here’s how to earn from Contently.
Option 1 – Projects
Once you become a Contently freelancer, you will be matched with a project from one of their clients. Now, what’s good about Contently is that it has some of the biggest clients around, and you will likely recognize most of them (Marriott Hotels, Dell, American Express, and more).
Now, the project that will be assigned to you will depend on the skills you’ve indicated in your portfolio. Later, I will explain how you can build your portfolio.
But you can more or less expect that the project will be under the job categories shown in the photo above. The other job category not included in the photo is writing.
So, if you work as a freelancer for Contently, you must be either an audio producer, designer, editor, illustrator, interactive experience designer, photographer, researcher, strategist, Ux designer, video producer, or writer.
If you get matched with a project, that means you are already accepted by their client. So, all you have to do is submit the deliverables on time. No matter what kind of job you have to do, you will receive the payment immediately after you submit your deliverables.
You don’t have to wait for the client’s approval to get paid, which is quite surprising. But later, you will understand why this is how Contently works.
The earning opportunity might sound pretty convenient, but the biggest issue with this is that there’s no guarantee if and when you will be matched with a project. If you get lucky, it can take a couple of months before you will get matched with a project, so it’s not something you can reliably earn from.
Option 2 – Gigs
The proactive way to earn from Contently is through the gigs. However, let me just tell you right now that there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to work on the gigs it offers.
From time to time, Contently will be looking to fill specific job positions. Think of this as job vacancies. If you see a gig you feel you are a good fit for, you can apply for it. Just go to the “Gigs” section of the site and click the gig you are interested in.
Now, make sure to read all the details, and if you are still confident you can do it, scroll all the way down, and you will find the link you have to click to submit your application. All the gigs offered by Contently will require a Contently portfolio and level of experience.
So, let me just say now that it is not something you can easily apply for. Contently is very picky with who they will accept, so make sure you head in with the proper expectations. If you get lucky and get accepted, then you stand to earn a significant amount because Contently is known for its competitive pay rates.
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How do you get paid?
Every time you complete a project or gig, you will be paid a specific amount. And as mentioned earlier, the payment system of Contently is actually quite unique because you will receive the payment immediately after you submit your work.
You don’t have to wait for approval from the client to receive your earnings. This is the level of trust that Contently has in you. Plus, once you receive the compensation, you will be able to withdraw your earnings to your PayPal account immediately. You don’t need to reach a threshold to withdraw your earnings.
The payment system of Contently, as you can see, is very straightforward. I like the fact that you don’t need to reach a threshold to withdraw your earnings. If you are looking for more sites that will allow you to withdraw your earnings quickly, I suggest you also check out the fastest paying sites.
How much money can you make?
Contently is well known for its competitive pay rates. For example, if you are one of their freelance writers, you can get paid up to $1 per word, which is a very good rate. They have fixed rates for the jobs offered, and it is proprietary, so I can’t really say more about it. But you will be able to see the rates for the jobs once you become a member of the site.
Now, the main issue with this site is that the projects are few and far between, so even though you can earn a significant amount per project, you will have to factor in the amount of time you have to wait to earn that amount.
That’s why, overall, I would still say Contently's earning potential is not that good. Only a few people can earn constantly from this site, and there’s a huge chance you won’t be one of them, especially if you are new to freelancing.
Plus, there’s also the matter of joining this site, which I will discuss later.
Can you use it on mobile?
Contently doesn’t have a mobile app you can download, but you can still access the site from a mobile device using a mobile web browser. And fortunately, the site is mobile-friendly, too, so you should be able to read all the content and click all the links without zooming in.
However, I don’t see the need for you to do so because all you can do if you log in to the site from a mobile device is to check if there are any projects matched for you or withdraw your earnings to your PayPal account.
All the work that needs to be done will involve the use of a computer. So, there’s really no point in logging in to the site from a mobile device, in my opinion. You can just do so when you get home.
Who can join Contently?
Now, here’s the important part you need to know. Contently doesn’t say exactly which countries it is available in. But from what I can gather, it is available more or less worldwide. However, becoming one of their freelancers is not easy.
As you can see from the photo above, you’ll have to go through a few steps to become a bonafide Contently freelancer. First, you have to fill out the registration form. Then, you’ll have to confirm your registration by clicking the link that will be sent to your email.
Once you’ve done that, you will have to build your portfolio. This is a bit time-consuming because you will have to be very specific when building your portfolio. You also have to provide samples of your work.
After you’ve completed your portfolio, Contently will review it, and if they deem you to be worthy of becoming one of their freelancers, you will receive an email that will show you the onboarding process.
Once you become a Contently freelancer, you will have to complete their training to ensure that you are able to provide the best service possible for your clients. Take note that there’s no exact time indication of when you can expect to hear back from them, so just make sure to check your inbox daily.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, Contently has a lot of trust in their freelancers. That’s because they carefully vet all their applicants, and they are very picky with who they will accept.
They only accept applicants they know will be able to provide quality service. And from what I can tell, the deciding factor will be the sample work you provide as well as your portfolio. You must show them that you’ve worked as a freelancer and that your work is of high quality.
So, that leads me to believe that Contently is not a good site for beginners. I would only recommend you join this site if you already have years of experience working as a freelancer.
Can you get support?
If you have any questions about the site or your account, Contently doesn’t have a FAQ page you can check out. But it does have a website for its freelancers. This site contains a lot of resources you can check out.
Now, if you really want to get in touch with their support team, you can email them at talentnetwork@contently.com, or you can call the number provided on their contact page if you have to speak to a representative immediately.
Overall, I would say the site provides decent support for its members since it offers convenient ways for you to request assistance.
Final Verdict
Contently is a legit freelance site that will allow you to earn by taking on freelance projects. It has a couple of good features, but it also has some drawbacks you need to know.
Let me wrap up this review by summarizing its pros and cons so you can get an overview of what it offers. Then, you can decide if it is for you or not.
Pros:
- Offers payment via PayPal
- Competitive rates
Cons:
- Limited earning opportunities
- Long application process
In my opinion, Contently is not for everyone. If you are already an experienced freelancer and you are looking for a side hustle, this can be a good option, provided you set your expectations properly. You see, Contently only accepts experienced and highly-skilled freelancers.
And the projects available aren’t that many. If you are fine with those two stipulations, you can definitely go for this site. But if you are just new to freelancing, I suggest you find other sites to work on. You can instead check out the best easy freelance jobs for beginners.
Now, if you are looking to earn a full-time income online, I highly recommend you check out how you can earn a full-time income through online methods instead. This will show you how you can quickly earn a full-time income online.
If you have any comments, questions, or experience with Contently, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.