Atiqur Rahaman
When it’s about freelance design, efficiently connecting with clients and securing projects is a must-have. For years, Dribbble has been known as a reliable platform to let designers showcase their work and generate leads.
However, until recently, the platform didn’t have any built-in solution for designers to close deals with potential clients. That changes with Dribbble’s latest feature release.
Now, designers can not only attract leads but also manage the entire project lifecycle in this single platform. You can now manage it all on Dribble from proposal to payment.
However, Dribble has come with some exciting upgrades and let’s learn what’s new there briefly in today’s discussion.
What Is Dribbble?
I guess, I don’t need to introduce you to the Dribbble. Still, let me do that for the newbies. Dribbble is one of the most popular platforms for designers where they can showcase their portfolios to connect with potential clients.
This platform helps them grow their freelance careers. It’s a huge community hub of numerous designers around the world. They usually share their work, get & give feedback, and collaborate with one another.
Dribbble helps freelance designers grow their careers with different tools for finding clients, sending proposals, and handling payments. Here are the core features of Dribbble:
- Portfolio Showcase: Let you share design work and projects to find clients.
- Designer Search: Helps clients find designers with specific expertise.
- Project Requests: Clients can send project inquiries directly to designers.
- Escrow Payment System: Secured payments until project completion.
- Lead Generation: Boost visibility through interactions and completed projects.
- Pro Account: Offers enhanced features like pitch videos and fee-free transactions.
What’s New on Dribbble?
Dribbble has introduced lots of exciting features recently and they can simplify and enhance the way designers manage clients. These new tools can change the game for designers to grow their freelance careers.
With these updates, designers can now take control of their entire project workflow directly from Dribbble. Here is everything about Dribbble’s new features according to their recent update:
1. Direct Project Requests
Dribbble now lets clients send project requests directly to designers. This new feature makes things easier for clients to reach out and start collaborations with designers they’re interested in.
They don’t need back-and-forth emails or third-party messaging. Instead, they can now send detailed project requests within Dribbble. This approach simplifies the communication process and helps designers quickly assess if a project aligns with their skills and interests.
2. Streamlined Project Proposals
Designers can now send formal project proposals to clients directly through Dribbble. This option was not available before. However, this is a significant improvement that lets designers pitch their services in a professional and organized manner.
They can now send a proposal directly within the platform to outline the project scope, deadlines, deliverables, and costs without using external tools. So, this new feature speeds up the workflow and at the same time, creates a more seamless and consistent experience for clients.
3. Secure Payment System
One of the most important updates is Dribbble’s new secure payment system. This feature introduces an escrow system where clients pay upfront, and the payment is held securely until the designer completes the project.
This setup gives both parties security. Now, clients know their money is safe until the work is delivered. Also, designers don’t have to worry about late payments or non-payment.
A lot of designers keep wishing for this option to this day. So, now, Dribbble agreements become more reliable with this built-in solution that reduces financial risks on both sides.
4. End-to-End Workflow Management
Dribbble has updated from being just a showcase platform to a comprehensive tool. It can now manage freelance projects properly. It lets designers manage the entire process here in one place. So, they no longer need to receive client requests and deliver final work to get paid.
This approach creates a unified experience and the result is no need to juggle multiple platforms or tools. Designers can focus more on creativity and less on managing administrative tasks.
5. Pro Subscription Perks
This platform has also started to offer a Pro subscription for designers who want to take full advantage of the platform’s features. Pro users enjoy the major benefit of zero platform fees on their projects.
Here, standard users have to pay a small fee for transactions. However, pro subscribers can keep 100% of their earnings. This approach makes the Pro subscription a valuable investment for designers who regularly transact on Dribbble.
These are the Dribble’s new features that can now make it a more reliable platform for designers. With all these options, Dribble is now supporting designers’ creativity with business growth.
Dribbble’s Transaction Fee Structure
Dribbble has set a clear and simple transaction fee structure for designers and clients. This model is more reliable and now designers can be out of worry about getting paid fairly while supporting the platform’s services.
Here are the details of Dribbble’s transaction fees:
- For designers: Standard designers pay a 3.5% platform fee on transactions (e.g., a $3,000 project would pay out $2,895).
- For pro subscribers: Designers with an annual Pro subscription (costing $96/year) pay 0% fees, meaning they keep the full amount of their earnings.
- For clients: Clients pay a 7.5% platform fee along with a 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing fee. For example, a $3,000 project would cost the client $3,319.
What’s Coming Next on Dribbble?
Dribbble has exciting plans for future development. In their recent update details, they mentioned it. They are planning to improve the overall user experience. The team is actively working to enhance the search functionality so that it becomes easier for clients to find designers and projects through a refined user interface.
Additionally, there are plans to expand the payment system to provide designers with even more ways to transact smoothly within the platform. These improvements are assumed to streamline the client-designer relationship and boost project conversion rates.
Dribbble is also committed to providing new tools that help designers offer more services. It has a plan to become a more comprehensive platform for freelancers. By the end of the year, they plan to provide another update that will ensure a stronger connection and better opportunities for the design community.
FAQs
How does escrow work on Dribbble?
Dribbble recently introduced this escrow payment system to secure transactions for both parties. This approach holds the client’s payment in escrow until the project is completed. Thus it ensures both parties are protected from non-payment or project delivery issues.
What advantages do Pro subscribers have on Dribbble?
Pro subscribers will have to pay 0% transaction fees on Dribbble. They will have access to exclusive features like profile customization, and higher visibility in search results. All these features must result in more client leads for the pro subscribers.
Can clients search for specific designers on Dribbble?
Yes, clients can use Designer Search to find designers with specific skills. Designers can appear in search results according to their profiles and available Project Requests. This approach is recently updated and it makes things easier for clients to find the right designer.
End Note
Dribbble’s newly launched features can be a game changer for many designers. The best part is the secure transaction system escrow. This approach helps both clients and designers stay relaxed without worrying about payment tensions.
The overall update and Dribbble’s new features must strengthen Dribbble’s mission to help designers grow their careers and generate more opportunities.
