Tools, Platforms, and Payments: Making It Work Without Perfect Systems

[etfs]

African freelancers rely on a patchwork of tools to stay productive and visible. Writers and marketers use Google Docs, Notion, Slack, and Trello, while developers lean on VSCode, frameworks like Next.js, and collaboration tools like GitHub and Slack. Platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, LinkedIn, and X remain primary sources of work—but competition is fierce and often pay-to-play.

Getting paid is often harder than doing the work. Many freelancers prefer crypto—especially stablecoins—for speed and fewer banking hurdles, using exchanges like Binance. Others rely on Wise, Payoneer, SWIFT transfers, or local solutions like M-PESA, often losing money to fees and delays. The ability to mix and match payment rails is now a core freelance skill.

[cryptohog]

getting paid sounding harder than the actual work is painfully real