State of Freelance Work

In this chapter, we explore the evolving landscape of freelance work within the service design industry. We examine whether finding work is becoming easier or harder, how contract durations are shifting, and the overall stability of the freelance market. By comparing data from 2025 and 2026, we aim to provide a clear picture of the trends shaping the careers of independent professionals.

Finding Freelance Work: Easier or Harder?

The chart below shows how freelancers' experiences in finding work have changed between 2025 and 2026. The diverging bar chart indicates whether respondents felt the market became easier (bars moving to the left) or harder (bars moving to the right).

For how many days this year did you have freelance contracts?

To see how freelance contract lengths have changed between 2025 and 2026, the chart below groups projects into brackets based on their duration. For each bracket, you can directly compare the percentage of freelancers who worked that number of days in each year.