Freelance in Turkey

The freelance market in Turkey

Turkey has a large, young freelance workforce in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, strong in design, software, video and game development. Weak lira prices make Turkish freelancers competitive for foreign clients, and many relocated specialists also live in Turkey.

Taxes and legal status

A freelancer registers a sole proprietorship with the tax office, usually through an accountant (mali müşavir), which is effectively required for bookkeeping. Income tax is progressive, and Bağ-Kur social insurance is paid monthly. Entrepreneurs under 29 opening their first business can get an income tax exemption for several years under the young entrepreneur scheme. Some service exports, such as software and design, have income tax advantages. VAT (KDV) is charged on local services; exports are generally exempt.

This is general information as of 2026, not tax or legal advice. Rates and thresholds change, so check them with the tax authority or a local accountant before you register.

Getting paid

PayPal has not worked in Turkey since 2016, so foreign clients pay by SWIFT transfer, through Payoneer or Wise. Local clients use bank transfers (EFT, FAST) and apps like Papara. Many freelancers keep foreign income in USD or EUR accounts to reduce currency risk.

• SWIFT transfers to USD or EUR accounts
• Payoneer
• Wise
• local FAST transfers and Papara

Skills in demand

• game development
• software development
• graphic design and illustration
• video editing and motion graphics
• translation between Turkish, English and Arabic
• e-commerce and marketplace management

Tips for freelancers in Turkey

• Work with an accountant from the start: Turkish bookkeeping rules are detailed.
• Price foreign work in USD or EUR to protect yourself from inflation.
• Use Payoneer or Wise instead of PayPal.

Hiring a freelancer from Turkey

Local time in Turkey is UTC+3, so agree in advance on the hours when you are both available for calls. Describe the task, the deadline and the budget in your first message, ask for examples of similar work, and fix what counts as done before work starts. If the work is for a local audience, a freelancer who knows the language and the market will save you rewrites.

Kits for freelancers in Turkey

Kits is an international freelance marketplace that is not tied to one country. Freelancers in Turkey can publish services with a portfolio and a clear price, or respond to clients' jobs, and talk to clients in the built-in chat. The first listing on each account is free, and the site works in nine languages, from English and Spanish to Russian, Turkish and Georgian.