Freelancer.com is giving Web employers a flexible new way to hire from its pool of nearly 3 million registered professionals by adding hourly projects to its fixed-price offerings. Businesses can hire freelancers for short or long-term projects, vary their working hours from one week to the next, and pay only for the hours completed as they are invoiced.

The new model also launches with the online outsourcing industry’s lowest commission structure, starting at just 3 percent.

“Other platforms charge up to 11 percent or more for hourly work,” says Freelancer.com chief executive Matt Barrie. “With commissions for freelancers starting at 3 percent for our $24.95 monthly gold membership, we put more money in the pockets of freelancers. It’s a hiring solution with greater flexibility and increased earning opportunities, and enables employers to hire freelancers they trust on an ongoing basis.”

Sydney, Australia-based Freelancer.com connects over 2.8 million professionals from all over the world. Employers can hire freelancers to do work in areas such as software, writing, data entry, sales and marketing, accounting and legal services. The average job is under U.S. $200, making Freelancer.com extremely cost effective for small businesses.