Get Your Profile Ready
Getting hired on Dribbble starts with your profile. Make sure you’re set up and ready so the right clients can easily find you.
Connect a Payout Method
Connecting your payout method is your first step toward getting paid. Once it’s set, you can send proposals and receive funds securely at the end of each project.
Learn how to set up a new payout method here.
Set Work Preferences
Work Preferences tell potential clients what type of work you want, your budget range, your skills, and your location. You won’t appear in hiring searches until these are set — so completing them is crucial to getting discovered.
Learn more about updating your Work Preferences or go straight to edit your preferences now.
Create Services
Services let you package what you offer into clear, ready-to-book offerings. Clients instantly understand how you can help, which means you can get to work faster.
Learn more about creating Services here.
Optimize Your Profile
Your profile and Shots are where clients get their first impression of your work. Share your best projects and use tags so your work is easier to discover.
Check out Boost your Dribbble visibility and win more projects for tips.
Understanding the Dribbble Project Process
Starting a project on Dribbble is simple and fully managed on-platform. From the first message to final payment, you can handle everything in one place—securely and professionally.
1. Project Request
When a client is interested in working with you, you’ll get a message in your Dribbble inbox - these can come from your profile, search results, or a service request. This is your chance to introduce yourself, ask clarifying questions, and start a conversation about the work they need.
2. Scoping the Project
Once the conversation is underway, use this time to clarify the project goals, timeline, and deliverables. This early stage is often called project discovery, and you can do it all on Dribbble—no need to share personal contact information. You can:
Share your Dribbble portfolio or links to live work
Schedule and host discovery calls right on the platform
Exchange files and NDAs via Dribbble messages
For more on how to share project details and collaborate before booking, see our guide: Project Discovery for Designers.
3. Send a Proposal
When you’re aligned on scope, create a formal project proposal directly in Dribbble. Proposals allow you to outline the work, define milestones, and set the total project budget. You can also choose to include a kickoff payment, which allows you to receive a portion of the payment before major work begins.
Learn how to build a clear, structured proposal here: Creating Proposals & Budgets
4. Wait for Client Payment
All Dribbble projects are paid in advance. Once the client accepts your proposal, they’ll pay for the full project or one milestone at a time.
You’ll get a notification as soon as payment is received. Do not begin work until we confirm that funds are secured.
5. Dribbble Holds the Funds
Dribbble holds project funds while you complete the work. Once you’ve submitted a milestone, the client reviews and releases the payment.
This protects both you and the client and ensures a fair, secure process for everyone.