404Works
404Works is a Paris-based freelance marketplace founded in 2009 that connects companies with independent professionals across all occupations without charging commissions or transaction fees. Revenue comes exclusively from an optional monthly Premium subscription offered to freelancers seeking enhanced visibility.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What 404Works does
404Works, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Paris, France, operates a horizontal, commission-free freelance marketplace that connects businesses seeking project-based work with independent professionals across all occupational categories. Companies post project briefs (referred to as 'missions') and contact responding freelancers directly through the platform; the company does not intermediate transactions, payments (which flow through standard rails such as bank transfer, PayPal, or Stripe), or contractual terms. The platform is accessible via web browser on a 24/7 self-serve basis with no sales touch, and the core service is free for both sides of the market.
The business operates with a deliberately narrow revenue model: the company does not charge companies listing fees or commissions on engagements, and does not take a percentage of freelancer billings. Its sole disclosed monetization is an optional monthly Premium subscription offered to freelancers, which provides enhanced visibility, profile benefits, and prioritization features. No bespoke technology, AI features, APIs, SDKs, or integrations beyond standard payment rails are disclosed, and the platform's primary differentiators are its no-fee pricing and direct-match positioning rather than proprietary matching algorithms or workflow tooling.
By claimed scale, 404Works lists 100,000+ freelancer profiles and 10,000+ registered companies, with named enterprise users including LVMH, Carrefour, Axa, Canal+, Veolia, SNCF, L'Oréal, Michelin, Radio France, JCDecaux, Bouygues Telecom, Auchan, Centre Pompidou, Mairie de Paris, and Veepee. The geographic footprint remains centered on France with extension into Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, India, Morocco, Ivory Coast, and Madagascar. The company operates with 1-10 employees, has no disclosed outside funding or institutional investors, and has not announced acquisitions, partnerships, patents, or awards in the available data, characterizing it as a bootstrapped, niche-scale marketplace business.
404Works firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 404Works
- Legal name
- 404Works
- Website
- https://404works.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- 404Works is a Paris-based freelance marketplace founded in 2009 that connects companies with independent professionals across all occupations without charging commissions or transaction fees. Revenue comes exclusively from an optional monthly Premium subscription offered to freelancers seeking enhanced visibility.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
404Works industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Freelance Marketplace
- NAICS
- Employment Services (5613)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contractor of Record (COR) / Global Contractor Management (BPACAHAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services (BPACAGAB)
Keywords
Where 404Works is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
404Works business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Freelance Premium Subscription: Freelancers can optionally subscribe to a Premium plan for additional benefits and visibility. The core platform remains free for both companies and freelancers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free for companies |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
404Works product offering
Product offeringCore offering
404Works operates a commission-free online freelance marketplace that connects companies with independent professionals across all trades. Companies post missions for free and receive direct proposals from qualified freelancers, with no intermediary involvement and no fees charged on transactions. The platform aggregates more than 100,000 freelancer profiles and serves over 10,000 companies, primarily in France.
Product overview
404Works operates as a single, unified freelance marketplace platform that connects companies with independent professionals. The core offering is a commission-free direct matchmaking service where companies can post projects and freelancers can apply without any intermediary fees. The platform does not offer modular add-ons or separate product tiers beyond an optional Premium subscription for freelancers seeking additional visibility.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 404Works Platform
- Premium Subscription
Companies that use 404Works
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
404Works technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
404Works partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
404Works competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Malt: French-headquartered freelance marketplace connecting companies with independent consultants (developers, designers, data, etc.). Closest direct competitor: same geography, same freelance talent categories, same B2B buyer persona, differing primarily in monetizing via take rate rather than zero commission.
- Toptal: Premium freelance marketplace for vetted software developers, designers, finance, and product managers. Comparable on freelance talent marketplace with enterprise buyers, differing in vetting-first positioning and global rather than France-led focus.
- Crème de la Crème: Paris-based freelance platform connecting companies with vetted top-tier freelancers across tech, data, and product. Direct competitor given French HQ, same horizontal freelance focus, and overlapping premium positioning in the same buyer audience.
- Comet: French marketplace specialized in technology and product freelance talent (developers, designers, data scientists, product managers). Comparable on the talent marketplace model and French enterprise customer base, though narrower category focus than 404Works' horizontal offering.
Broad incumbents
- Upwork: Global freelance marketplace offering a directory across writing, design, web/mobile dev, and consulting roles. Comparable on marketplace model and self-serve mission posting, though global rather than France-centric and monetizes via platform fees, contrasting 404Works' zero-commission approach.
- Fiverr: Global marketplace for freelance services with a project/package-based offering across digital, creative, and programming categories. Comparable on category breadth and self-serve company-to-freelancer matching, but operates at global scale rather than France-focused.
- Freelancer.com: Large global freelance marketplace covering programming, design, writing, marketing, and other categories. Comparable on marketplace structure and self-serve mission posting, differing in global scale and category breadth versus 404Works' France-anchored positioning.
- LinkedIn Services Marketplace: Freelance services marketplace embedded in LinkedIn's professional network, enabling direct discovery and project posting. Comparable as a freelance-to-company marketplace; differs in scale and integration with LinkedIn identity rather than an independent French brand.
Emerging players
- WorkGenius: AI-enabled freelance talent marketplace for matching companies with vetted marketing, creative, and tech freelancers in Europe. Partial overlap: same horizontal freelance marketplace model, though with stronger enterprise sales motion and a tech focus rather than 404Works' all-professions positioning.
- A.Team: Invite-only network of product, design, and engineering freelance teams. Comparable on serving companies seeking freelance technical talent, differing in curated team-based model versus 404Works' open directory across all professions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
404Works social profiles
Digital presence404Works financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
404Works leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
404Works funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
404Works 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 404Works
What does 404Works do?
404Works operates a commission-free online freelance marketplace that connects companies with independent professionals across all trades. Companies post missions for free and receive direct proposals from qualified freelancers, with no intermediary involvement and no fees charged on transactions. The platform aggregates more than 100,000 freelancer profiles and serves over 10,000 companies, primarily in France.
Is 404Works a public or private company?
404Works is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was 404Works founded?
404Works was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is 404Works based?
404Works is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does 404Works make money?
One revenue line is on record: freelance Premium Subscription.
Who are 404Works's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Malt, Toptal, Crème de la Crème and Comet. Broad incumbents are Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com and LinkedIn Services Marketplace. Emerging players are WorkGenius and A.Team.
Does 404Works have an API?
No public API is recorded for 404Works.
What industry is 404Works in?
404Works's product category is Online Freelance Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAHAE, Contractor of Record (COR) / Global Contractor Management, with a secondary code of BPACAGAB, Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services. Its NAICS code is 5613 and its SIC code is 7361.