FlexJobs review 2023: Is this a legit way to find work-at-home jobs?

After a layoff in the summer of 2012, I decided to try my hand at working from home. Back then, it was more challenging to find remote work, so I reached out to my professional network and former co-workers to get my technical writing business off the ground. 

I also hit the internet to see what job postings I could find. That’s how I came across FlexJobs, an online membership site that posts work-from-home, hybrid, and flexible schedule jobs. FlexJobs allows users to filter jobs by category, remote work level, work schedule, and more filters (like whether the job requires travel).

Back then, other popular career sites like Monster and Careerbuilder had limited work-from-home job listings.

While I ended up landing my first client through word-of-mouth referral, I had a positive experience using FlexJobs and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it’s still going strong in 2023. 

If you’re looking for an easy way to find legit work-from-home jobs, I suggest checking out FlexJobs for a few reason: 

• Better Business Bureau accredited since 2008 with an A+ rating
• Hand-screened job leads for remote work in 50+ careers
• Features top employers such as Dell, Capital One, and Apple

Keep reading for my full FlexJobs review: 

Is FlexJobs legit?

Yes, FlexJobs is not a scam, and is 100% legit:

• 14-day, low-cost trial
• A+ Better Business Bureau rating
• Featured in top media including TIME magazine, CNN, Wall Street Journal, and USAToday
• Founded in 2007 by Sara Sutton Fell — a mom who wanted to help other parents find flexible, work-at-home careers and jobs that pay well
• 14-day money-back guarantee
• FlexJobs recruiters vet, interview and make sure 100% of the positions they post are legit and high-quality

To learn more about this legit way to find work-at-home jobs, check out Emma Johnson’s  interview with FlexJobs founder, Sara Sutton Fell:

Learn whether it's worth going back to school at 30 or 40.

How does FlexJobs work?

FlexJobs is a premium job board: You pay for access, while the service provides resources and actively works to help land you a position that fits by:

• Offering vetted, screened remote jobs from legitimate companies
• Giving you access to a weekly Q&A with a FlexJobs career coach
• Displaying new jobs that fit your interests daily on your dashboard
• Offering a job search checklist that provides valuable information to help you navigate the site, build an effective resume, enhance your interviewing and networking skills, and much more
• Increasing your marketability by taking advantage of discounts on apps and services, such as learning a foreign language with Babbel or improving your writing with Grammarly
• Providing resources such as webinars and LinkedIn learning video courses to help you expand your knowledge
• Offering skills tests you can display on your FlexJobs resume profile to market your skills to potential employers
• Providing a real-time chat or email to ask questions about getting the most out of your membership

FlexJobs even helps you better understand what kind of work you’ll excel at.

Even though I’m a freelance writer, I like that these at-home jobs aren’t limited to creative work like blogging, copywriting, and graphic design. The career opportunities run the gamut.

I found positions like digital marketing specialist, research toxicologist (chemistry degree, anyone?), and global operations manage, as well as niche positions like gaming software project manager and foster care specialist.

With more than 50 career fields, FlexJobs features positions in engineering, education, computer and IT, human resources, software development, and more.

Employers post opportunities to FlexJobs, but the staff stays busy actively seeking out even more listings.

FlexJobs goes through and researches online listings to make sure they are legit, and NOT scams.

If you’ve ever wasted time pursuing an opportunity that was really a ploy (like that “entry-level marketing assistant” job on Indeed that turned out to be a door-to-door sales position), you know that’s an awesome feature.

You can search for jobs based on hours you’d like to work, your location (including part-time and full-time remote work), hybrid work (dividing work between home and the job site) and your skill levels. There’s even a section for freelance and gig work if you are trying to pick up a side job for extra income.

FlexJobs uses your preferences to help make a match, and then you apply.

However, you should be prepared to do work upfront. Think of this as an online dating profile. You can’t just jump onto the platform and snag a gig — you’ll need to take the time to play up all the things that make you an ideal job candidate.

Something else that stood out to me is that FlexJobs is honest about what it takes to find work: it’s never going to be as easy as snapping your fingers, and you’ll have to keep checking in. But it also gives you plenty of pointers, access to resources, and even a way to test out your skills.

Bonus: The company will give you a refund if you’re not satisfied within 14 days.

Features of FlexJobs

FlexJobs has features to help you find your next job, learn new skills, and increase your marketability to help you get hired:

Skills testing

There are more than 200 tests you can take to show off your skills, including email writing and etiquette, accounting principles and vocabulary.

If you score higher than 70%, your score gets added to your profile so employers can check out your skills. If you fall a little short on the first try, you can take any test again after 24 hours.

Educational content

There is a straight-up treasure trove of blog posts, articles, webinars, courses, and other helpful content aimed at helping you build a successful career.

Right after you sign up, FlexJobs suggests content to check out — motivational TED Talks or quick job-search tactics, for example.

Career events and weekly Q&A

FlexJobs offers weekly webinars where members can ask questions to career and hiring experts.

All sessions are delivered via live webinar but are available to watch back later if you can't make the live stream.

My job categories

You can choose as many job categories as you like, and FlexJobs will show you all jobs that fit your preferences.

One-on-one career coaching

For an extra fee, you can get personalized career coaching and resume help. However, because there are a set number of coaches, sometimes the services may be temporarily unavailable. 

Do you have to pay to use FlexJobs?

Yes, you must pay to use FlexJobs. The initial cost is $2.95 for 14 days of access. It is enough time to try it out to make a decision about whether it is a good fit for your remote job search.

Can I get a FlexJobs free trial?

FlexJobs does not have a free trial, but you can sign up for 14 days for $2.95. If you follow FlexJobs on social media or Google FlexJobs coupon codes, you might also be able to get a discounted membership. If a friend refers you, you can get up to 30% off a FlexJobs membership.

How much does FlexJobs cost? 

After your 14-day trial, the price for FlexJobs is $23.95, billed every four weeks. Or, you can choose a one-year membership for $71.40 ($5.95 per month):

Tips for maximizing your membership

Test the waters. Use the 14-day trial. While every penny counts, a one-month subscription to FlexJobs costs less than 80 cents per day when you break it down.

If you can find $23.95 in your budget, you can get a lot out of one month. And if you don’t get what you want in that time (or you find you’re just not using FlexJobs as much as you thought you would), then you know it’s not for you.

If you decide to stick with FlexJobs after one month, switching to an annual plan can save you $18 per month ($71.40 billed annually comes out to $5.95 per month).

Unless you specify that you want to change (or cancel) your plan, your initial subscription will renew automatically at $23.95 per month.

FlexJobs' also offers career coaching services at an additional cost.

FlexJobs career coaching and resume reviews

FlexJobs offers career and resume consulting for affordable rates:

• Career Coaching: 30-minute call for $74 that includes resume advice, job search strategies, Q&A, and a custom report for career success
• Resume Review: Get your resume reviewed and updated for $149 via email so you can tailor it for the jobs you want
• Career Coaching and Resume Review bundle: For $199, you can get a 30-minute coaching call and one resume review and update
• Mock Interview: For $74, you can practice interviewing skills for 30 minutes with a career coach via phone or video and get real-time feedback
• Career Change Coaching: If you want to switch careers, FlexJobs offers a self-assessment tool and a 30-minute call with a career coach for $119 where you’ll gain tips on how to prepare yourself for a new career

Does FlexJobs have a guarantee?

FlexJobs has a 100% money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied for any reason. You can cancel your subscription within 14 days and request a refund (via phone, email, or virtual chat).

What kind of jobs can I find on FlexJobs?

You can find jobs in almost any industry on FlexJobs and for a number of job types — full-time, part-time, contract, work-from-home, etc. According to FlexJobs.com, these are some of the most popular job categories: 

• Customer service
• Writing
• Computer and IT
• Accounting and finance
• Marketing
• Project Management 
• Administrative
• Medical and health care

42 recession-proof jobs to keep cash flowing during economic downturn

11 local and online jobs that don’t require a background check

FlexJobs reviews

FlexJobs has very strong online reviews, including from the Better Business Bureau, which accredited the site in 2008, and gives it an A+ rating:

A total of 1,043 Trustpilot reviewers give Flexjobs an average of 4.6/5 stars:

FlexJobs gets mixed reviews from job seekers on Reddit:

Is flexjobs worth paying for?
byu/EarthQuackShugaSkull inRemoteJobs

Is paying for FlexJobs.com worth it?
byu/itsausername321 indigitalnomad

Is flexjobs worth the money?
byu/enby-deer incscareerquestions

Pros and cons of FlexJobs

Pros of using FlexJobs

• Affordable 14-day trial
• Highly vetted listings — 100% of the companies and 100% of the job postings are hand-reviewed by FlexJobs
• No scams or weird postings, all jobs are rea and from quality companies
• Highly customizable search by type of work, location, full- or part-time, etc.
• Email alerts for new postings
• Online job-seeker portal allows you to create a profile with a resume, skills test results and other info to make it easy to interact with employers and land a job
• No ads
• Referral program — get a free month when you get a friend to sign up (your friend gets up to 30% off the membership price
• There are so many resources available through FlexJobs: webinars, skills courses, articles, job-hunting tips, videos and checklists to make sure you’re on the right track in your online job search
• In fact, FlexJobs claims to have info on more than 50,000 companies that hire for remote, freelance, part-time, and flexible schedule jobs (Knowledge is power, mama!)
• Members have access to over 60 partner offers, including deals like a 30-day trial of Audible (which includes a free audiobook)
• 1:1 job coaching and resume consulting, for fees starting at $74 for 30 minutes
• 100% 14-day money-back guarantee
• FlexJobs has an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, which is really important to me

Cons of using FlexJobs

• It’s not free but that’s the trade-off for having FlexJobs staff comb through jobs online and not being pestered by ads
• FlexJobs may cut a few steps out of the job-hunting process, but you still have to keep an eye on things and log in fairly often to get the work you want
• You can’t always apply directly through the site, but that’s to be expected: Many employers have their own processes in place for screening applicants
• FlexJobs offers tips and does its best to tell you the most direct way to apply, but you often still have to go through the employer directly, so keep a copy of your resume and some talking points in a convenient spot, like your computer’s desktop

FlexJobs alternatives

There are paid and free alternatives to FlexJobs:

FlexJobs alternatives (for fee)

If you are looking for an alternative to FlexJobs, you can check out Virtual Vocations. Founded in 2007, it has an A+ rating and was accredited with the BBB in 2014. Virtual Vocations also offers a membership for remote job searches, but unlike FlexJobs, it also offers a free membership.

Membership options include:

• Free: You get limited access to job leads, can save and apply for jobs, view your application history, upload resumes, download a free telecommuting guide, and set up alerts for new remote listings based on your interests
• Premium: You get the benefits of the free membership plus access to all job leads, priority alerts for new jobs that might interest you, a free interview guide, and access to online courses and resources to help you get the job

Premium memberships start at $19.99 per month You can save money with a three-month plan ($49.99) or a six-month plan ($69.99). 

Virtual Vocations offers:

• Free membership (All FlexJobs options are paid)
• 30-day money back guarantee (FlexJobs gives you 14 days)
• Access to over 40 career categories (FlexJobs has 50+)
• Online courses for premium members (FlexJobs’ online courses are for all members
• Payment through PayPal or credit card (FlexJobs doesn't accept PayPal)

Free FlexJobs alternatives

While FlexJobs is a niche jobs site primarily for remote and flexible work, there are a number of free alternatives to FlexJobs where you can apply to similar (or even the same) jobs: 

• Remote OK
• Remote.co
• We Work Remotely
• NoDesk
• JustRemote
• Outsourcely
• Indeed
• SimplyHired
• LinkedIn
• ZipRecruiter
• Glassdoor
• Monster
• Upwork
• Fiverr

Bottom line: Is FlexJobs worth it?

Verdict: FlexJobs is worth it.

You get up to 14 days to search and apply for work-at-home and flexible jobs for just $2.95. In my experience, this is enough time to decide if FlexJobs has enough job listings for your specific career field.

FlexJobs delivers on its promise: a quality job board devoted to thoroughly screened postings for high-quality positions from vetted companies for those that are qualified and legitimate. 

Should you decide to choose a monthly or annual membership, it’ll pay for itself and then some if you land one of the quality, high-paying professional positions the site posts.