How it works
Two routes to work. Clients post projects and you send proposals, of which you get a limited number free each month. You can also list Offers — fixed-scope, fixed-price packages that clients browse and buy, which works much like a Fiverr gig.
Running both simultaneously is the right move: proposals for larger custom work, Offers for repeatable deliverables that generate steady small orders.
Approval
There's a vetting step for new freelancers, and applications are declined. Approval favours profiles with a clear specialism, a filled-out portfolio and a professional profile description. Have your samples ready before applying rather than treating the profile as something you'll finish later — the portfolio format.
If you're rejected, refine the specialism and reapply rather than resubmitting the same thing.
Fees
PeoplePerHour uses a tiered service fee that decreases as your cumulative earnings with a single client increase — the first slice of work with a new client is charged at the highest rate, and long relationships are charged considerably less. That structure genuinely rewards retainers and repeat work, which most competitors don't.
Rates and thresholds change, so confirm the current schedule on the site. Note also that currency conversion applies if you're paid in a currency other than your account's.
The pros
Less crowded per project. A client base weighted toward UK and European small businesses and agencies, who tend to have realistic budgets. The fee taper is a real advantage if you build ongoing relationships — see how to get repeat clients. And Offers give you a passive listing working alongside active proposals.
The cons
Total volume is a fraction of the big two, so in some specialisms there simply isn't enough work posted to fill a week. The vetting step delays your start. And the initial fee tier on new clients is steep, which stings on one-off projects.
Who it suits
Freelancers serving UK and European clients, people offering both custom work and packaged services, and anyone who has found the larger platforms too crowded to get traction on. It works well for becoming a content writer, the design path and the web development path.
Best used alongside another platform rather than alone — pairing it with Freelancer.com is worth reading first if you are weighing the high-volume marketplaces against each other. Compare the options in how the platforms compare, and start the direct channel in parallel via finding clients without bidding.