Yes, PeoplePerHour is legit: its terms say it's run by People Per Hour Limited, a company incorporated in the UK, and it runs a marketplace linking buyers with freelancers. Its terms also say every payment must go through the platform and refunds start from the workstream, so it's a real service whose rules you'll want to know before day one.
Most people searching this aren't worried that the company is made up. They're worried about the first project going sideways: a freelancer who goes quiet, work that doesn't match the brief, or a refund that never comes. So instead of a general overview, this page walks through the first week of hiring on PeoplePerHour as a buyer, step by step, using what the company's own terms and pages say. There's a short note for freelancers at the end.
I'm Lilach Bullock, and I've spent 23 years in marketing hiring and briefing freelancers for all sorts of work. I haven't run a project on PeoplePerHour for this page. Everything below is what its own site and terms say, plus what I'd check if I were starting tomorrow.
Who runs PeoplePerHour and how long it's been around
Its terms name the operator as People Per Hour Limited, incorporated in the UK under a stated company number. Its about page says it started in 2007 "with a pen, pad and telephone", calls itself the longest running freelance service in the UK, and says it's still founder owned and led. Its homepage describes itself as UK-first with users in over 100 countries.
That's a company with a long public history and a named legal entity you can look up. It isn't proof that every freelancer there does good work, and the site doesn't claim that either: what it does claim is that every freelancer is hand-reviewed and approved before they can sell. Treat that as the company's description of its own process, not a guarantee about the person you pick.
Your first-week checklist as a buyer
Here's the week laid out in order. Each line is tied to something its terms or how-it-works page say, so you know which rule you're leaning on.
| Day | What to do | Why, in its own words |
|---|---|---|
| Before you post | Write the brief in full: deliverables, format, deadline, number of revisions. | Its terms say the buyer must confirm their requirements upfront in the workstream when a project starts. |
| Day one | Post the project or pick a pre-set offer, then read proposals side by side. | Its how-it-works page says you post a project, review proposals and pick your freelancer, or buy a bundle it calls an offer. |
| Day one | Pay the deposit through PeoplePerHour only. | Its terms say all payments must go through PPH and paying outside it can lead to suspension. |
| Day two | Check the freelancer has replied in the workstream. | Its terms say the freelancer must respond within one working day to messages in the workstream. |
| Days two to five | Keep every message, file and change request in the workstream. | Its terms say direct communication must go via the workstream to keep both sides protected in a dispute. |
| Delivery day | Check the work against your written brief before you release funds. | Its site says it holds your funds in escrow until you say you're satisfied and ready to release them. |
| If it goes wrong | Use the Request Refund action, not your bank or card provider. | Its terms say chargebacks through a card provider, bank or PayPal lead to automatic suspension. |
Write the brief before you post
This is the step people skip and regret. Its terms put the job of confirming requirements on the buyer, in the workstream, at the start. If your brief says "a logo" and nothing else, you've got very little to point to later. If it says three concepts, two rounds of changes, vector files and a date, both of you know what done looks like. If design is the job, my guide on hiring a remote graphic designer has a brief structure you can borrow.
Pick between a custom project and an offer
Its site says you can hire by the hour or by project, or buy an offer, which is a pre-set bundle a freelancer lists. Offers are simpler because the scope is written for you. Its terms say non-delivery for an offer means the freelancer didn't deliver the scope within the delivery timescale shown in the offer, so read that timescale and scope before you click. For a custom project, your own brief is the scope, which is another reason to write it carefully.
Pay the deposit on the platform, never off it
Its how-it-works page says you pay a deposit to start the project, and its terms say all payments must go through PPH. Its wording is blunt: attempts to pay outside of PPH "will lead to sanctions not limited to immediate account suspension." If a freelancer suggests settling up by bank transfer or another app, that's your cue to say no. You'd lose the escrow and the refund route in one go.
Watch the one working day reply window
This is the most useful clause in the first week. Its terms say a buyer is entitled to a refund where the freelancer hasn't responded in the workstream within one working day of the project starting. So on day two, check. If there's silence, you've got a clear, written reason to ask for your funds back, rather than waiting a week and hoping.
Keep everything in the workstream
Its terms say all direct communication between buyer and freelancer must go via the workstream to keep both protected in case of a dispute. That includes the quick question you'd normally send on WhatsApp. If a disagreement reaches customer services, the workstream is the record they'll see. Anything said elsewhere may as well not exist.
Release funds only when you've checked the work
Its site says it holds a buyer's funds in escrow until the buyer says they're satisfied and ready to release them. That control is the whole point of using a marketplace instead of paying a stranger directly, so don't hand it over early. Open the files, check them against the brief, ask for the agreed changes, then release.
When the project goes wrong: refunds, disputes and the bank trap
Its terms say a buyer who believes they're entitled to a refund can notify PPH by using the Request Refund action on the workstream. The refund grounds in its terms include no response within one working day and non-delivery of the agreed scope. If buyer and freelancer can't sort a disagreement themselves, its terms say PPH customer services can provide dispute resolution.
Now the part that catches people out. Its terms say a buyer who seeks a refund through a card provider, bank or PayPal instead has their account automatically suspended. I understand the instinct to go straight to your bank when you're annoyed. Here, it backfires. Use the Request Refund route first and keep a copy of everything you've sent.
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Two smaller points from its terms. PPH may ask buyers and freelancers for extra information, including original documents, for security reasons, so don't be alarmed if that request turns up. And its terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, which will matter to UK buyers who'd rather not deal with a dispute under another country's rules.
What its privacy notice lets you ask for
Its privacy notice says you can ask PeoplePerHour to delete personal data it holds about you, or restrict the way it uses that data. If you close your account after a project, that's the right to use. It's a standard UK data right, and it's good to see it stated plainly.
A short note if you're selling on PeoplePerHour
Freelancers sign up under different terms. Its terms say freelancer access runs on a subscription plan called PPH Basic, described as a non-refundable annual subscription for a twelve month term, which can be settled in full or monthly. That tells you how the platform earns from sellers, which is worth knowing before you commit.
- Its terms say you can cancel at any time, but access and monthly payment obligations stay in effect until the end of the term. Cancelling doesn't stop the year early.
- Its terms say PPH will notify you in advance of the annual renewal, and you've got until 11:59 pm EST on the day before renewal to cancel. Put that date in your calendar the day you join.
- The same rules on paying through the platform and keeping messages in the workstream apply to you. They protect you as much as the buyer when an invoice is disputed.
- Its terms say raising a dispute as a freelancer is only open to members it treats as trusted, and comes with a non-refundable charge set out in its terms. Read section 8.2 before you need it.
If you're weighing PeoplePerHour against other places to find clients, my roundup of how the big freelancing platforms compare and my guide to finding freelance work beyond the marketplaces are a good next read.
My verdict for buyers and sellers
PeoplePerHour is a real, long-running UK company with written rules that lean towards protecting both sides, as long as you stay inside the platform. The escrow hold and the one working day reply rule are real strengths for a first-time buyer. The downsides are the strictness: pay off-platform or go to your bank, and its terms say your account gets suspended.
I'd use it if you're a UK buyer who wants a named UK operator, escrow and a written brief you can point to. I'd skip it if you already know you'll want to work with the freelancer directly outside the platform, because its terms don't allow that. As a seller, I'd only sign up once I'd put the renewal date in my diary, because cancelling mid-year doesn't end the term.
Frequently asked questions
Is PeoplePerHour a real company?
Yes. Its terms say it's run by People Per Hour Limited, a company incorporated in the UK with a stated company number, and its about page says it started in 2007.
How does PeoplePerHour hold a buyer's funds?
Its site says it holds a buyer's funds in escrow until the buyer says they're satisfied and ready to release them. Its terms say all payments must go through the platform.
Can I get a refund on a PeoplePerHour project?
Its terms say a buyer who believes they're entitled to a refund can use the Request Refund action on the workstream. Going to a card provider, bank or PayPal instead leads to automatic account suspension, according to its terms.
What happens if a freelancer doesn't respond?
Its terms say a buyer is entitled to a refund where the freelancer hasn't responded in the workstream within one working day of the project starting.
Can I cancel a freelancer subscription on PeoplePerHour?
Its terms say you can cancel at any time by notifying PPH, but access and payment obligations continue until the end of the annual term. It says it will notify you before renewal.
