What businesses paid freelancers the most for in 2025: research results

In 2025, the freelance market shifted toward complex and expensive tasks, where businesses are willing to pay more. Find out which areas freelancers were paid the most for, how AI changed demand, and which skills bring in the highest income

An insurance policy is a guarantee of your safety and peaceful stay outside Ukraine

BUY

In 2025, the Ukrainian freelance market entered a controversial phase of development. The number of projects decreased, competition among contractors increased, but at the same time, budgets are increasingly concentrated on complex, niche, and expensive tasks. It is for these that businesses are willing to pay the most. These conclusions are contained in a study by the Freelancehunt platform.

As Freelancehunt founder Oleg Topchiy explains, in 2025, the market is overpaying for things that are difficult to standardize or automate: AI, VR, AR, complex production, and tasks with a high cost of error and a long execution cycle. On the other hand, typical and mass jobs are gradually losing volume — a logical stage for a mature market.

Programming: record budgets for AI, AR, and VR

In the “Programming” category, complex technical specializations are driving demand and budgets. The most striking growth was shown by:

● AR and VR development: +807.7% in terms of the number of projects and +1326.9% in terms of budget on an annual basis;

● AI and machine learning: +231.4% in terms of projects and +253.4% in terms of budget.

At the same time, applied product tasks are growing. Businesses are actively investing in the support and development of digital services:

● CMS projects grew by 130.1%, and budgets by 200%;

● HTML and CSS layout added 121.6% in terms of the number of projects and 164.2% in terms of budget.

This indicates a systematic approach by companies to product development, rather than one-off technical improvements.

Design and art: AI does not replace expertise, but enhances it

The dynamics are very similar in the “Design and Art” category. The fastest growing areas are those where the complexity of the result and the requirements for expertise are significantly higher:

● AI in design: +450.6% in terms of the number of projects and +487.5% in terms of budget;

● VR and AR design: +437.5% in terms of projects and +1101.8% in terms of budget.

These figures show that artificial intelligence does not replace designers. On the contrary, it strengthens those segments where creativity, complex scenarios, and the integration of new technologies are important.

Don't want to miss important updates and useful articles? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

Multimedia: content becomes a production process

In multimedia, growth is concentrated where content ceases to be a one-time marketing activity and becomes a regular product:

● AI video creation: +948% in projects and +1262% in budgets;

● AI voice synthesis: +642.3% in projects and +1280.6% in budgets;

● Classic video shooting: +179.6% in projects and +224.2% in budgets.

The share of freelancers in the “Photo, Audio, and Video” category grew from 7.8% to 10.7%, and along with this, the share of orders and budget also increased. For businesses, this means a transition to conveyor-belt content production.

Where the market is declining: mass and typical tasks

The decline in 2025 also has logical reasons. In programming, the volumes decreased:

● PHP (projects — 66.2%, budget — 74.5%);

● JavaScript/TypeScript (projects — 56.7%, budget — 70.7%).

This does not indicate the end of technology, but rather that some of these tasks are being transferred to internal development or performed by other stacks.

In design, more mass-market areas are declining:

● illustrations and drawings (projects — 62.7%, budget — 68.2%);

● business card design (projects — 74.7%, budget — 60%).

In marketing, contextual advertising is declining (projects — 74.1%, budget — 74.3%), indicating a redistribution of advertising budgets and a change in promotion tools.

Freelancehunt notes that back in 2024, they predicted a shift towards more complex services — and the 2025 data confirmed this. Growth is occurring precisely where both the number of projects and budgets are increasing.

In addition to programming, consulting has shown strong growth: AI consulting: +531.6% in projects and +2266.2% in budget. This is partly due to the low base, but the key factor is that in 2025, businesses are funding tasks where value is determined by results and complexity, rather than the number of small assignments.

How AI has changed the structure of demand for freelancers

The impact of AI has not been the disappearance of entire categories, but a change in the profile of tasks within them. The most noticeable signal is the decline in the share of projects in the “Text Work” category from 11.4% to 9%.

At the same time, AI areas are growing rapidly:

● AI text processing: +310.4% in projects and +514.9% in budget;

● AI in design: +450.6% and +487.5%;

● AI video creation: +948% and +1262%.

According to the study, 63% of AI users report an increase in income. Artificial intelligence works as a productivity booster in expensive tasks, while making simple jobs cheaper and more widespread.

Tip: if you plan to relocate and work from abroad, don't forget to take out medical insurance. The policy is a requirement of migration law, and it will also help you avoid unexpected expenses in case of illness or injury while outside Ukraine. Ukrainians can take out an insurance policy online through Visit Ukraine — quickly, without unnecessary bureaucracy, and before the start of their trip.

We remind you! The European labor market differs significantly in terms of salary levels and the opportunities they offer to people in different countries. It is important to look at the real purchasing power and quality of life that you can afford. Read more about where in Europe people earn more, why there is such a difference, and what this means for Ukrainians.

Photo: Shutterstock

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

We recommend purchasing it for a safe and comfortable trip to Ukraine: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance – insurance covering military risks for entry and travel in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Car Insurance – car insurance with extended coverage in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Legal Advice – comprehensive legal support on entry to Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tickets – bus and train tickets to/from Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tours – the largest online database of tours to Ukraine for every taste;

Visit Ukraine Hotels – hotels for a comfortable stay in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Merch – patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

© 2018-2026, Visit Ukraine. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit Ukraine.

All rights reserved.