TextBroker Review – a Decent Panel for Writers?

Just like its name suggests, TextBroker is an online platform that acts as a broker between clients who need various texts and freelancers who write for money.

But why would you or anybody else need a middleman in the first place? Because finding clients is difficult for every freelancer, especially in the beginning. The company knows it, and that’s why they charge for their service.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with the concept itself, the question still remains whether this panel is a good place to find some work. Let’s find out!

Behind the Curtains – Is This Company Legit?

Better Business Bureau doesn’t say much about this company, save for a stellar A+ rating. The mathematics behind this rating escapes me, considering that there are a few user complaints and no accreditation.

Whenever you’re unsure of a company’s background, it’s also a good idea to check their social media presence. If they have anything to hide, they certainly won’t render themselves publicly visible and open to criticism and inquiry.

As for TextBroker, the panel is owned and operated by the eponymous company (TextBroker International), based in Las Vegas, NV, with another office in New York City. According to their LinkedIn page, they have been in business since 2008. It may not sound like much, but in the world of online content writing, it’s actually quite a respectable longevity. Especially when you consider the fact that they have done much to improve and evolve. Unlike some of their competitors who follow the “park and bark” principle, hoping they would just linger on forever, as if by some magic.

They boast an array of renowned clients including eBay, Staples, Yoast, Essent, and SearchMetrics among others. Allegedly, they have had more than 80,000 clients to this day. And from what I’ve seen, there’s no reason not to believe them.

How Does It Work?

The registration and workflow are pretty straightforward. Apart from the US, people from multiple other countries can join too. Note the somewhat concealed button in the upper right corner. Hover over it and you’ll see a drop-down menu with various national flags.

After registering, you’ll have to submit your writing sample. If the editorial team approves you, the rest is up to you. From what I hear, some luck wouldn’t hurt either. But that’s only natural, since the editors are people with their own tastes and preferences.

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Note, however, that you may have to wait even a few weeks to pass the whole process. After that, you’ll have to complete your profile with thorough info. As always, the more info you provide, the better your chances will be.

There are three ways of working here:

• OpenOrder, which is how everyone begins. At this phase, you don’t have a say about your earnings. They just depend on your quality rating, which is determined by editors.
• DirectOrder. In my opinion, this is the ideal everyone should strive to achieve. It’s when a particular client wants to work directly and specifically with you. If that happens, you will be able to set your rate however you want. TextBroker will then add 30% of their own fee to your price, and that’s how much the client ends up paying.
• TeamOrder. As part of a team, you will actually compete with your teammates. The first writer who picks up the assignment will be the one that gets paid.

How Much Can I Earn?

And now to the most important question – your earning potential on TextBroker.

Here’s what the panel says.

Okay, now it starts to sound a bit unsettling. As a beginner writer, you’ll start with 0.7 cents per word. That’s a measly $3.50 per 500-word article! And such an article will probably take a few hours to write as a beginner. It’s not just the writing itself – it’s all the research you need to invest too!

So, assuming you reach the highest quality tier, you stand to earn as much as 5 cents per word. That’s $25 per 500-word article, and it’s already starting to sound like something you can live with.

The problem is, not many writers will manage to climb past the second tier, which pays 1 cent per word. It may even take a few years, without a guarantee that it will ever happen.

What Do the Writers Say?

The user review repositories such as SiteJabber, GlassDoor, and Indeed are nearly unanimous in their average ratings, which are at 3.5 (give or take) out of 5 stars.

While it’s far from perfect, it’s a rather good rating. From what I’ve seen, get-paid-to platforms can consider themselves lucky if they average above 3.

Note, however, that the mentioned consumer review platforms contain both the clients’ and the freelancers’ reviews.

But what are the most common complaints?

Like I expected, they mostly tackle the allegedly unfair treatment of writers. Sure, the client is always right. But that doesn’t mean that freelancers are never right!

Many users are also unhappy about the pay rates. Indeed, the site itself says that the pay rates start at 0.7 cents per word. It seems it’s hard if not impossible to get to the highest tiers.

With all said and done, it seems that some people consider TextBroker a nice place to earn some extra income. But it’s hardly anything more than that!

The Yays

• Payments go weekly through PayPal. That means you can actually rely on this income, if you manage to get it right. Most of the other content writing platforms pay biweekly. This one did too, but they recently changed and improved.
• A relatively low cashout threshold is currently at $10. If you submit new articles on a regular or even daily basis and manage to advance to an upper tier, you should be able to get your payments every week.
• There is a possibility of getting better rates or even going independent. If you’re diligent and (very) persistent, and keep getting better, your earnings may grow from 0.7 to 5 cents per word. Or even more if you make a client (or more clients) fall in love with your work and seek you exclusively.

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The Nays

• Earning a decent amount of cash on TextBroker borders on impossible. At least that’s what many writers claim.  
• Only available to writers from the US, France, Germany, Spain, Portuguese, Poland, Italy, Brazil, and Netherlands. Unfortunately, you have to verify your citizenship even during the registration process. I know – it’s far better to include five countries than just one or two. But the world is still so much bigger than that! Some of their competitors such as ContentGather are aware of that.
• The proofreading test is insanely difficult. Even native speakers will have trouble passing it. You have nothing to worry if you’re an English major or extremely good at grammar.
• It seems there’s not much work for beginner tiers. While that’s perfectly understandable from the company’s and the clients’ point of view, people need to begin somewhere in order to hone their skills.
• As with any other content farm out there, your status is the lowly independent contractor. Which means you have no rights, only obligations. While this issue is an inherent part of freelancing life and the freedom that goes with it, it’s still something you’ll need to pay attention to. If nothing else, when you get sick and can’t get a paid leave.

Wrapping It Up – Is TextBroker a Decent Writing Panel?

While it’s far from being perfect, I think TextBroker could potentially be a nice panel for beginners.

Why only potentially? Because most of it is up to you and what you manage to make of it. As I said above, your main goal as an aspiring writer should be to attract a particular client and aim for a long-term working relationship. You will get a decent rate, maybe even a living wage. They will get a reliable writer who knows their niche. And everybody’s happy!

Even if that doesn’t happen, TextBroker may prove to be a place to supplement your income. If you have a few spare hours a week and get to the upper tiers, why not make an extra $50 or $100?

However, if you don’t manage to pass the two lower tiers, I think TextBroker is a waste of your time.

Finally, if luck doesn’t smile on you, don’t get discouraged. That’s just how these things work. There are hundreds of sites that will pay you for all kinds of online activities and tasks – from writing to playing games or taking online surveys, to watching Netflix even.