My Experience Building a Freelance Platform from Scratch

👇 Why I Started Building This Platform

I started building this platform because I noticed a significant gap in most freelance platforms—clients tend to reach out only to top-rated or long-standing freelancers. As a result, many new and emerging freelancers struggle to gain visibility and build their reputation.

Being both a freelancer and the founder of a growing freelance community on Discord, I’ve seen this problem firsthand and experienced the same challenge myself.

So, I decided to create a platform where freelancers and clients could connect more openly based on their needs—with a wider range of choices. A platform where every freelancer has the opportunity to showcase their creativity, and clients can discover fresh talent aligned with modern trends, often at more affordable rates.

The real challenge began when I started building it. With no external investment behind the project, I’ve had to rely entirely on free tools and resources. One concern for the future is the domain name, which could become a limitation when it’s time to go live.

Right now, I’m building everything using Next.js, which has made managing both backend and frontend easier due to SSR. Since frontend design isn't my strong suit, I often use tools like Claude AI to assist in UI development. My personal portfolio looks good mostly because I used GSAP animations—otherwise, it would be quite basic.

🔧 Current Progress and Challenges

Most of the technical issues I’ve faced come from Next.js 15, particularly with params handling. I also had to make several changes to my MongoDB schema during development as I discovered better structural approaches, which led to some confusion and delays.

My biggest hurdle remains the UI. Since I’m not confident in frontend design, I end up revisiting and reworking UI components later in the process to make them look clean and professional.

At this point, around 40% of the platform is complete, and the core concept is fully implemented. I’m currently adding essential features like reviews and profile management, which are key parts of the remaining 60%. The heart of what’s built so far focuses on structured communication between freelancers and clients for job-related collaboration.

🧪 Testing and Community Feedback

Next, I plan to release a tester version of the platform to a selected group within my freelance community. Their feedback will be crucial for identifying bugs and gathering suggestions for improvement. Based on that input, I’ll continue refining the platform and fixing any remaining issues.

This phase may take a month or more, since I’ve already been working on the platform for several months. While it's ready to onboard users as a fully functional platform, I won’t be able to generate revenue immediately, so I’ll continue relying on free resources to keep it running until I can support it more sustainably.

💻 Building Solo with Limited Knowledge

Since I’m building this platform entirely on my own, I’ve been working with limited knowledge. I understand that there may be areas where the platform lacks polish or optimization, but I’ve been giving it my absolute best.

This project is unlike any I’ve worked on before. My earlier builds were smaller in scope, with fewer files and simpler architectures. In contrast, this platform is much larger—each feature requires 2 to 3 separate files, covering backend logic, frontend components, and data models. It’s been a major challenge, but also an incredibly valuable learning experience.

🌍 Real-World Exposure Through This Build

This project has given me true exposure to what it’s like to build real-world platforms—the kind that startups and tech companies launch. I’ve learned how to structure a full-stack product, how features are implemented at scale, and how complex it can be to make everything work together smoothly.

Whether this platform becomes successful or not, the experience I’m gaining is invaluable. It’s taught me more than any tutorial ever could.

🌱 The Drive to Make It Succeed

Building a high-quality freelance platform is tough, but I’m fully committed to it. Just like the freelance Discord community I started—where we grew from 1,700 members to nearly 2,000 members in just a month—I believe this platform also has strong potential.

That growth proves to me that there is genuine interest. If I keep working hard and refining the platform, I truly believe it can succeed.

🏁 Final Words

To sum up, I’m on a mission to build the best freelance platform for both clients and freelancers—a platform that actually solves real problems and closes the gaps current platforms leave behind.

It’s going to take time, but I’m committed to building it the right way. Very soon, I’ll launch the tester version to collect feedback from freelancers, which will guide the next phase of development and help shape additional features.

🔗 Useful Links

• 💬 Join my Freelance Discord Community: https://discord.gg/BEWKtSEAcx
• 🌐 Visit My Portfolio: https://mohitjoe.vercel.app/