Introduction
Guilded is a worker cooperative consisting of and serving freelancers working as 1099 contractors. By using Guilded, freelancers are able to get access to benefits (such as affordable healthcare) that are usually only provided to people working as traditional w2 employees of a business, and access to services (like tax preparation) at cheaper-than-market value by purchasing in bulk. If you are a freelancer and have ever had to hassle a client to pay you on time when the rent is due, struggled to find a primary care provider you can afford, or panicked because tax-season is coming-up, Guilded is here to help you!
As a cooperative, Guilded is owned by its members. While our staff manage the day-to-day operations of Guilded, Guilded’s members provide the vision and direction. By becoming a member of Guilded you get a tangible say in Guilded’s governance and a patronage account that grows in value as Guilded grows. We have worked hard to make sure that the process of becoming a member of Guilded is a simple and low time commitment process. If you still aren’t sure if becoming a member of Guilded is right for you, that’s ok! You can still use Guilded to process your contracts, without becoming a Guilded member.
You’re probably wondering, “How is Guilded able to afford all of this?” When you run a contract with one of your clients through Guilded, your client, not you, is charged an additional overhead fee which is 6.5% of the contract value. This 6.5% fee helps Guilded pay for all of the various benefits that usually your employer would cover, but that instead you need to pay for as a freelancer. So for every $100 dollars your client is spending, they pay just an extra $6.50 to make sure that you get access to the benefits that every worker deserves.
Guilded builds the agency, decision-making and economic power of freelancers. We offer invoicing, tax preparation, health care and advocacy support so that you can focus on doing what you do best.
