Hustle smart: job marketplaces for finding quick freelance work in Australia

Whether you want to top up your income or save for something specific, short-term gigs and odd jobs are a practical way to earn money on the side. There are more platforms than ever connecting freelance workers with businesses and individuals — which makes choosing one harder, not easier.

This list covers job marketplaces that operate in Australia, across four categories: general freelance gigs, ride-sharing and delivery, hospitality and events, and pet or house sitting. US-only apps (Wonolo, Instawork, Gigwalk, Craigslist, Lyft, Grubhub, Instacart, Snagajob, and similar) are omitted on purpose: they do not work here.

Whatever your skills or schedule, there’s likely a platform here that fits. Jump to the section that interests you most.

General job marketplaces for quick freelance gigs

Airtasker — Australia, UK, and Ireland

Airtasker covers cleaning, gardening, handyman work, IT support, and similar tasks. The person posting describes what they need and sets a budget; interested workers bid with their proposed fee. The poster picks someone based on their bid and profile. Airtasker deducts a service fee from your earnings. It is one of the most widely used general-task platforms in Australia.

TaskRabbit — Sydney and Melbourne

TaskRabbit covers a wide range of tasks: cleaning, moving, handyman work, furniture assembly, personal assistance, and more. You create a profile, list your skills, and bid on tasks posted by clients. Clients review profiles, pick someone, and pay through the platform. TaskRabbit takes a service fee on top of your hourly rate. It operates in Sydney and Melbourne.

Gumtree — Australia and other countries

Gumtree is a classifieds platform where you can find short-term gigs including freelance work, event staffing, creative projects, and manual labour. Listings are posted by individuals and businesses, and communication happens directly between the two parties.

Clickworker — various countries, including from Australia

Clickworker offers micro-tasks you can complete online, such as data entry, content creation, AI training data, and research. You register, complete tasks based on your skills and availability, and get paid based on the complexity of each task. Work is remote, so you can do it from anywhere in Australia.

Ride-sharing and delivery gigs

Uber — Australia and various countries worldwide

Uber lets drivers use their own vehicles to transport passengers. Uber Eats adds food delivery to the mix. You sign up, pass Uber’s screening, and use the app to accept ride or delivery requests. You earn a portion of each fare or delivery fee. Platform-worker rules under the Closing Loopholes reforms apply to many digital platform arrangements in Australia.

DoorDash — Australia and North America

DoorDash is a food delivery platform where you pick up orders from restaurants and deliver them to customers. You use the app to accept requests and earn a fee per completed delivery, plus tips. A 2026 agreement between the Transport Workers’ Union, Uber, and DoorDash set minimum standards for last-mile delivery work.

Deliveroo — Australia, Europe, Asia, Middle East

Deliveroo connects delivery riders with restaurants and customers. You accept food delivery requests through the app, pick up orders, and deliver them.

DiDi — Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Latin America

DiDi is a ridesharing platform with a growing presence in Australia and New Zealand. You use the app to accept ride requests and transport passengers.

Quick jobs in hospitality and events

Sidekicker — Australia

Sidekicker connects businesses with workers for short-term shifts in hospitality, retail, warehousing, and events. You browse available shifts, apply through the app, and get paid after completing the work. Sidekicker employs its workers directly rather than treating them as independent contractors. It is a strong fit for catering and event staff looking for flexible shifts.

Indeed — Australia and various countries

Indeed is a general job search platform where you can find short-term and part-time hospitality gigs, including event staff, waiting staff, and housekeeping roles. You search and apply for positions listed by employers.

Seek — Australia and New Zealand

Seek is an Australian job search platform that lists short-term hospitality roles including event staff, waiting staff, and hotel positions. You apply directly through the platform.

Hosco — various countries, including Australia

Hosco is a hospitality-focused jobs platform with a strong international footprint and a tight link to hospitality schools. You create a profile, search for full-time, part-time, or seasonal roles, and apply directly.

Pet sitting and house sitting jobs

Mad Paws — Australia

Mad Paws connects pet owners with pet sitters, dog walkers, and other pet care providers across Australia. You create a profile, list your services, and set your rates. Pet owners browse profiles and book directly through the platform.

Rover — Australia, North America, and parts of Europe

Rover connects pet owners with pet sitters, dog walkers, and other pet care providers. You create a profile, list your services, and set your rates. Pet owners browse profiles and book directly through the platform.

Aussie House Sitters — Australia

Aussie House Sitters connects house sitters with homeowners across Australia. Sitters create profiles, homeowners post assignments, and sitters apply to care for homes and pets in exchange for accommodation.

Mindahome — Australia

Mindahome facilitates house and pet sitting arrangements in Australia. Sitters create profiles, homeowners list what they need, and sitters provide care in exchange for accommodation.

TrustedHousesitters — Australia and various countries

TrustedHousesitters connects homeowners with house sitters who care for homes and pets while owners travel. Sitters typically provide care in exchange for accommodation rather than payment. Both sides pay an annual membership, and there’s now a per-sit booking fee on top.

Care.com — Australia and various countries

Care.com covers a range of caregiving services including babysitting, older-person care, pet care, and housekeeping. You create a profile, list your skills and availability, and apply for jobs. Families review profiles and get in touch directly.

PetBacker — Australia and various countries

PetBacker connects pet owners with pet sitters, dog walkers, and other pet care providers. Sitters set their own terms, and pet owners book through the platform. PetBacker takes a service fee on bookings.

How to choose the right platform

Start with where you are. Most of these platforms still have city or region limits even inside Australia, so the first filter is simply availability in your location. From there, think about what you’re good at and what kind of work fits your schedule.

If you want variety and flexibility, general platforms like Airtasker or TaskRabbit are a good starting point. If you have a car and want to work when it suits you, delivery and ridesharing apps tend to have the lowest barrier to entry. Hospitality platforms work well if you have service industry experience and want consistent short-term shifts — Sidekicker is the shift-fill product in that set. Pet and house sitting is a good fit if you want something lower-intensity that might come with perks like free accommodation.

It’s worth signing up for two or three platforms at once. That way you’re not dependent on one source of gigs, and you can see which one actually delivers work in your area.

If you run the team, not the gig hunt

The platforms above are marketplaces. You apply, they match you, and the work is usually with a stranger.

If you already have a pool of people you work with again — event crew, hospitality extras, regulars on a roster — the problem is the other way around: posting open shifts to people who already know you. Zelos is a task and shift signup app with built-in messaging. You post the work, they claim what fits, and the conversation stays on the shift. It is invite-only, with no public job board. The free plan covers unlimited members and 25 concurrent active tasks.

For the operator side of that pattern, see simple staffing software.