Forlanso

What Forlanso does

Forlanso FZCO is a Dubai-based remote work management platform founded in 2021, operating from the Dubai Silicon Oasis free zone under license number 2395. The platform serves three user types — companies hiring remote workers, freelancers/independent professionals selling digital services, and remote employees receiving salary payments — by combining electronic contracting (both employment and project-based), digital identity and portfolio tools, a service marketplace, digital invoicing, and a multi-channel withdrawal system spanning bank transfers, regional e-wallets (Vodafone Cash, Etisalat Cash, Orange Cash, Aman Wallet), the Syria-licensed e-Lira network, and cryptocurrency via Payeer. The platform explicitly claims reach across 150+ countries and targets Arabic-speaking users across the MENA region as its core market.

The underlying technology is a cloud-based web application without a public API or developer SDK. Its key technical differentiators are the breadth of integrated payout rails and the absence of commission on service provider earnings. Forlanso monetizes through three tiers of freelancer subscriptions (Free, Professional at $7.50/month, Unlimited at $18.75/month), buyer-side transaction fees (12% + $0.40 for credit card payments, 5% + $40 for bank transfers), and a three-tier affiliate program offering 10% recurring commissions. The company holds no disclosed external funding and is operated by three co-founders — Kamal Abu Issa (CEO), Abdulrahman Al-Mala, and Hussein Al-Zeer — with a headcount of 11-50 employees concentrated in a single Dubai office.

Name

Forlanso

Legal name

Forlanso FZCO

Website

https://forlanso.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forlanso is a Dubai-based remote work management platform that provides electronic contracting, freelancer profiles, invoicing, and multi-channel payouts across 150+ countries, serving Arabic-speaking companies, freelancers, and remote employees primarily across the MENA region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Remote Work Management Platform

NAICS

Payroll Services (541214)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Contractor / Freelancer Payments (FSAMAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Merchant-of-Record (MoR) & Payment Facilitation (PayFac) Infrastructure (FSAGABAE), International Money Transfer Operators (MTOs) (FSAMAIAE), Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services (BPACAGAB)

Keywords

• Remote work management
• Freelance marketplace
• Electronic contracts
• Digital payment processing
• Payroll management

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription Fees: Forlanso charges subscription fees to service providers (freelancers) for access to the platform. Three tiers: Free (limited to 3 transactions and 2 services), Professional at $7.5/month, and Unlimited at $18.75/month. Annual payment offers 25% discount.
2. Buyer Transaction Fees: Fees charged to buyers (clients/companies) when making payments. Credit card payments incur 12% + $0.40 USD, while bank transfers incur 5% + $40 USD per transaction.
3. Affiliate Program: Commission-based revenue sharing with affiliate marketers who refer new paying subscribers. Affiliates earn 10% recurring commission on subscriptions for up to one year, plus $10 per first sale by referred providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Forlanso is a cloud-based remote work management platform that enables companies to hire and pay remote employees and freelancers globally, and enables freelancers and independent professionals to build a digital identity, sell services, sign legally binding electronic contracts, and receive payments through multiple withdrawal channels. The platform operates on a zero-commission-on-sales model, monetizing through tiered subscriptions (Free, Professional at $7.50/month, Unlimited at $18.75/month), buyer-side transaction fees, and an affiliate program.

Product overview

Forlanso is a single unified platform for remote work management that serves companies, freelancers, and remote employees. The core platform combines five integrated modules: electronic contracting (for both employment and project/milestone-based work), a digital services marketplace with freelancer profiles, an invoicing system, a payroll management module for companies, and a multi-channel withdrawal system. The platform operates on a no-commission-on-sales model, monetizing instead through tiered subscription plans (Free, Professional at $7.50/month, and Unlimited at $18.75/month). An optional affiliate marketing program provides additional revenue opportunities. All services are priced in USD and accessible from 150+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forlanso Platform A comprehensive cloud-based remote work management platform that enables companies, freelancers, and remote employees to manage digital contracting, service sales, electronic invoicing, payment processing, and multi-channel fund withdrawals across 150+ countries from a single unified interface, on a zero-commission-on-sales basis with subscription-based monetization.

Quantifiable outcome

• Withdraw funds to 150+ countries through diverse channels including bank transfer, exchange offices, e-wallets, and cryptocurrency
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PayeercoreTechnology or Integration · 29 June 2024Integration with Payeer cryptocurrency wallet platform enabling users to withdraw earnings in cryptocurrency. Payeer supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, and fiat currency conversion, providing global coverage for cryptocurrency-native users with high reliability and fast transaction processing.
• E-Lira (Sawar Trading Group / Sewar.co)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2024Strategic partnership with Syria's Sawar Trading Group and their e-Lira electronic payment service (licensed by the Central Bank of Syria) enabling Syrian freelancers and remote workers to withdraw earnings through e-Lira's network of agents across Syrian governorates. E-Lira supports both bank account holders and non-holders, with QR code payment technology and only 2% withdrawal fee with no minimum amount.
• Licensed Payment ProviderscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnerships with licensed third-party payment providers for credit card processing (Visa, MasterCard), bank transfers, and regional e-wallet integrations including Vodafone Cash, Etisalat Cash, Orange Cash, and Aman Wallet across the MENA region and beyond.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Deel: Global employer-of-record and contractor management platform enabling companies to hire, pay, and manage remote workers and freelancers internationally. Directly comparable to Forlanso's electronic contracting + payroll + multi-country payout stack, with overlap on remote hiring and cross-border contractor payments.
• Payoneer: Cross-border payments platform widely used by freelancers and remote contractors to receive international payments and withdraw to local bank accounts. Comparable to Forlanso's multi-channel payout infrastructure (bank, e-wallets, cards) for the same freelancer/contractor customer base.
• PeoplePerHour: UK-based freelance marketplace for hiring remote professionals on hourly and project basis, with built-in escrow and contracts. Overlaps with Forlanso on freelancer profiles, project contracts, and payments, though not localized for MENA.
• Remote.com: Employer-of-record and global payroll platform for remote teams and contractors, providing contracts, compliant hiring, and international payouts. Mirrors Forlanso's contracting-plus-payout proposition for companies hiring across borders.

Broad incumbents

• Upwork: Largest publicly-listed freelance marketplace connecting businesses with remote professionals; charges marketplace fees on transactions. Overlaps with Forlanso's freelancer marketplace + contracting + payments bundle, but operates at a much larger global scale and is not Arabic-region-optimized.
• Freelancer.com: Long-standing global freelance marketplace supporting contests, projects, and full-time remote hiring with built-in payments. Comparable marketplace-plus-payments model to Forlanso, with significant global brand recognition but limited Arabic/MENA focus.
• Wise (formerly TransferWise): Cross-border multi-currency payments platform serving freelancers, remote workers, and businesses with bank-account rails in many countries. Comparable to Forlanso's withdrawal infrastructure for the same cross-border freelancer use case, with stronger European and US rails.
• Fiverr: Global freelance services marketplace with a large catalog of pre-priced digital services, charging marketplace fees. Comparable offering to Forlanso's service listings + zero-commission model, though Fiverr's take rate and global focus differ.

Emerging players

• Toptal: Vetted freelancer network connecting clients with developers, designers, and finance experts. Overlaps with Forlanso's freelancer-services-marketplace model in the digital services category, but Toptal focuses on top-tier talent screening and enterprise engagement rather than mass-market freelancers.

Regional players

• Mostaql (BasharSoft): Leading Arabic-language freelance marketplace originally built for Arab freelancers, with project posting and milestone-based payments. Most directly comparable regional platform to Forlanso in terms of Arabic-language freelancer marketplace focus and target buyer/seller base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/forlanso
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Forlanso
• Facebookfacebook.com/Forlanso
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forlanso
• Instagraminstagram.com/forlansocom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forlanso