Tim Fung has seen his share of strange jobs — actually odd jobs. Certainly, the web site he operates — Airtasker — makes a speciality of them.
Airtasker, a website that’s well-known in Australia however comparatively new to the U.S., invitations purchasers to submit job listings that say what they need executed, what they wish to pay, after which choose and select among the many freelance employees who provide to do the job.
Whereas nothing within the website’s phrases stipulate that the roles must be distinctive or completely different, most have one thing that’s not precisely customary, says Fung. In spite of everything, when you simply needed somebody to wash your own home, you’d most likely rent a cleansing service, like Turno. If you happen to needed bookcase assembled, you would possibly enlist somebody from Taskrabbit.
Actually odd jobs
However, when you wanted assist decluttering after a tough break-up or a demise, and needed some emotional support while you worked, that’s the kind of job that you just’d submit on Airtasker. If you happen to wanted the bookcase to suit into a decent nook, which could contain a bit creativeness and energy instruments, you would clarify that task right here too.
“It’s not that the roles are odd, however loads of them are distinctive,” says Fung. “Our platform is there for individuals who need one thing executed that doesn’t essentially match into a typical package deal.”
As an illustration, one Australian posted a job searching for a freelancer prepared to fly from Sydney to Dallas, all bills paid, to choose up an engagement ring and fly again.
Initially, Fung thought that job was so odd that it was prone to be a rip-off and Airtasker deleted the submit. However the poster, a outstanding surgeon, contacted the location’s assist group complaining that he may discover no higher strategy to courier costly jewellery throughout continents. They reposted the gig and a really blissful freelancer obtained a free journey to the U.S. and $1,000 in pocket change for taking the task.
Widespread requests
Nevertheless, on a regular basis points with a twist are way more frequent.
As an illustration, one poster says his misplaced backpack was found sitting in a Los Angeles lost-and-found warehouse that was solely open till midday. Nevertheless, his flight didn’t get to Los Angeles till later within the day. He supplied to pay an Airtasker $50 to gather the merchandise earlier than the warehouse closed after which meet him between the pick-up location and the airport after he landed.
In early October, numerous different job posts had been for individuals to make customized Halloween costumes — paying between $150 and $400 every.
One buyer sought a freelancer to fix a loose recliner arm for $200. One other was paying $500 to pick up and move a storage shed. And Airtasker itself is providing to pay “brand ambassadors” $300 a day to hand out fliers and get people to sign up.
Differentiating components
Notably, there are loads of gig platforms that may assist freelancers discover odd jobs. Fiverr could also be the most effective recognized for distant work, starting from digital helping to tech assist. Taskrabbit is among the many greatest recognized for in-person jobs, akin to furnishings meeting.
However there’s a construction to the job listings on these different websites that Airtasker particularly avoids. Freelancers on Airtasker don’t set particular charges of pay, for example. They merely evaluate the roles supplied on the location and resolve whether or not or not they wish to apply for them.
In some instances, job postings are obscure — or unrealistic, asking for an excessive amount of work for too little pay. In these instances, Fung says the posting ought to function a set off for a dialog concerning the work. That would enable the freelancer to restrict the scope of the job or ask for extra money.
The catch
The issue proper now’s that Airtasker is much from a family title. That implies that there are fewer purchasers posting jobs and fewer freelancers providing to take them. That usually implies that job postings — notably the obscure posting that require dialogue to suss out the small print — go unanswered.
Furthermore, there are many job posters who’re clearly attempting to run scams right here, too. The rip-off listings usually offer great pay — $400 – $800 — for vague work. However when freelancers ask for extra particulars, the poster suggests they “attain out through the {photograph}” on their profiles. These images present telephone numbers to contact the poster immediately.
Offering a telephone quantity earlier than a job is accepted and fee collected by the location is strictly forbidden. However Airtasker apparently doesn’t display screen profile images. That permits scammers to skirt safeguards that put fee for accepted work into escrow to make sure that contractors are paid. It additionally opens freelancers as much as job scams geared toward getting their checking account info or Social Safety numbers.
Nevertheless, understanding that you just’re not alleged to contact job posters exterior of Airtasker’s message system ought to make it pretty straightforward to identify and sidestep the crooks.
Flip aspect
Then too, whereas websites like Taskrabbit and Fiverr have way more purchasers searching for freelancers, in addition they are awash with freelancers. That makes it robust for brand spanking new freelancers to face out from the group and nab work.
And, at the very least for the second, there may be significantly much less competitors for the legit jobs on Airtasker. Certainly, once we checked the location in late October 2025, a relative handful of freelancers responded to many of the legit job gives and seem to efficiently win many bids. Energetic freelancers confirmed a whole lot of critiques and a few had 1000’s of accomplished jobs.
For somebody searching for odd jobs that pay, Airtasker could also be value a attempt.
