Ethlance
Ethlance is a decentralized freelance marketplace built on Ethereum and IPFS that connects employers with freelancers for engagements paid in Ether cryptocurrency, operating as a zero-fee, community-governed platform within the district0x Network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Ethlance does
Ethlance is a decentralized freelance marketplace that connects employers with freelance workers for engagements paid entirely in Ether cryptocurrency. The platform was founded in 2017 by Matus Lestan and is headquartered in San Francisco, with a headcount of 1–10 employees. It is a privately held entity positioned as the first district on the district0x Network, a collective of decentralized marketplaces and communities.
The platform's technical architecture is its primary differentiator: the Ethlance database is distributed on the Ethereum public blockchain, with source files hosted on IPFS (InterPlanetary File System). This means that all job postings, applications, invoices, and feedback are stored on-chain and accessible permanently without any central authority able to alter, censor, or shut down the service. The codebase is open-sourced on GitHub (github.com/madvas/ethlance), and the platform participates in district0x governance processes.
Ethlance's business model is explicitly zero-fee: the platform does not take a percentage of freelancer earnings, and employers pay freelancers directly in Ether with no intermediary markup. Users only bear Ethereum gas fees for blockchain operations such as posting jobs, applying, and processing invoices. No traditional go-to-market motion is used — there is no sales team or paid advertising; discovery and growth are community-led through the district0x ecosystem, social channels (Twitter, Facebook, Slack), and the blog at blog.ethlance.com. No commercial monetization, funding rounds, or revenue figures are disclosed.
Ethlance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ethlance
- Legal name
- Ethlance.com
- Website
- https://ethlance.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ethlance is a decentralized freelance marketplace built on Ethereum and IPFS that connects employers with freelancers for engagements paid in Ether cryptocurrency, operating as a zero-fee, community-governed platform within the district0x Network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ethlance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Decentralized Freelance Marketplace
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Payroll & Contractor Payments (Crypto) (FSADAIAH)
Keywords
Where Ethlance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Ethlance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- No Direct Revenue: Ethlance operates on a zero-fee model and does not charge service fees to freelancers or employers. The platform does not take a percentage of earned Ether. Revenue model is not publicly disclosed as the platform appears to be community-driven infrastructure with no commercial monetization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free membership with zero service fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Ethlance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ethlance operates a decentralized freelance marketplace running on the Ethereum public blockchain with source files stored on IPFS. Employers post jobs, invite and hire freelancers, and pay them directly in Ether with zero platform service fees, while freelancers apply to unlimited jobs, create invoices, and receive Ether payments without intermediation. The platform functions as the first district on the district0x Network, a collective of decentralized marketplaces and communities.
Product overview
Ethlance is a single, unified decentralized freelance marketplace that connects employers with freelancers for work paid in Ether cryptocurrency. The platform is built entirely on the Ethereum blockchain and IPFS for decentralized data storage. It is the first district on the district0x Network, a collective of decentralized marketplaces and communities. Key features include 0% service fees, free membership, and no artificial restrictions on job creation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ethlance A decentralized freelance marketplace built on the Ethereum blockchain and IPFS that connects employers with freelancers and settles all payments in Ether cryptocurrency, operating with 0% service fees and serving as the first district on the district0x Network.
Quantifiable outcome
- 0% platform fees vs 10-20% charged by traditional freelance platforms
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ethlance
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ethlance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Ethlance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- district0x NetworkcoreEthlance is the first district on the district0x Network, which is a collective of decentralized marketplaces and communities. Ethlance participates in district0x governance processes and leverages the shared infrastructure of the district0x ecosystem. The partnership provides access to governance tools and the broader decentralized network of marketplaces.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Ethlance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Upwork: Largest incumbent freelance marketplace globally, connecting employers with freelancers across categories. Directly comparable to Ethlance in core product (freelance matching and payments) but operates as a centralized platform charging 10-20% fees versus Ethlance's 0% model.
- Fiverr: Major global freelance marketplace with a services-led catalog model. Comparable to Ethlance as a two-sided freelance marketplace but centralized, fiat-based, and fee-charging, contrasting with Ethlance's decentralized, zero-fee, crypto-only design.
- Freelancer.com: Long-established global freelance marketplace with bidding-based project matching. Comparable as a two-sided freelance platform but uses traditional payments and charges fees, contrasting with Ethlance's decentralized, crypto-native approach.
- Toptal: Premium freelance talent marketplace focused on top-tier developers, designers, and finance experts. Comparable as a freelance matching platform but centralized, fiat-based, and selective — vs. Ethlance's permissionless, global, crypto-settled model.
Direct peers
- Braintrust: Decentralized freelance talent network that takes 0% fees and is owned by its users via token, similar in philosophy to Ethlance. Closest direct competitor by combining freelance marketplace mechanics with decentralization and reduced fee extraction.
- LaborX: Crypto-native freelance marketplace that pays in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins. Directly comparable to Ethlance in combining freelance job matching with cryptocurrency settlement, competing for the same crypto-freelancer niche.
Emerging players
- DeWork: Web3-native task and bounty marketplace for DAOs and crypto organizations. Comparable as a blockchain-based work-matching platform but focused on DAO contributor workflows rather than the broader freelance market Ethlance targets.
- Cryptojobs.com: Job board focused exclusively on crypto, blockchain, and Web3 roles. Comparable to Ethlance's freelancer/employer matching function but operates as a fiat-denominated job board rather than an on-chain payments marketplace.
Others
- district0x: Parent network and collective of decentralized marketplaces of which Ethlance is the first district. Related as infrastructure/ecosystem provider rather than direct competitor, but its governance and shared tooling directly shape Ethlance's roadmap.
- Request Network: Open network for crypto-native invoicing and payment requests between freelancers and businesses. Comparable as on-chain payment infrastructure for the freelance use case, and a potential integration or competing settlement layer for Ethlance's Ether payments.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Ethlance social profiles
Digital presenceEthlance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ethlance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ethlance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ethlance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ethlance
What does Ethlance do?
Ethlance operates a decentralized freelance marketplace running on the Ethereum public blockchain with source files stored on IPFS. Employers post jobs, invite and hire freelancers, and pay them directly in Ether with zero platform service fees, while freelancers apply to unlimited jobs, create invoices, and receive Ether payments without intermediation. The platform functions as the first district on the district0x Network, a collective of decentralized marketplaces and communities.
Is Ethlance a public or private company?
Ethlance is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Ethlance founded?
Ethlance was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ethlance based?
Ethlance is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ethlance make money?
One revenue line is on record: no Direct Revenue.
Who are Ethlance's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com and Toptal. Direct peers are Braintrust and LaborX. Emerging players are DeWork and Cryptojobs.com. Others are district0x and Request Network.
Does Ethlance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ethlance.
What industry is Ethlance in?
Ethlance's product category is Decentralized Freelance Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSADAIAH, Payroll & Contractor Payments (Crypto). Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 6199.