FAQ

About Night Owls

What is Night Owls?

Night Owls is a curated directory of vetted New Zealand freelancers and contractors in marketing, websites (including Shopify and WooCommerce), graphic design, video and photography. Businesses post a brief for free, and we either manage the project or introduce them to a suitable freelancer.

How is it different from Upwork or Fiverr?

It’s NZ-only and curated. Every freelancer is reviewed before they appear, and every brief is read by a person, so businesses get a short list of suitable people instead of an open bidding process.

Why is it called Night Owls?

Many of our freelancers do their best work after hours. The name and our owl-eyes logo are inspired by the ruru, Aotearoa’s native owl.

For businesses

Does it cost anything to post a brief?

No. Posting is free. If we manage your project, our margin is included in the quote. If we introduce you to an Owl, you pay them directly.

Who sees my brief?

Everyone can see a short teaser: title, service, region and budget band. Only vetted Owls see the full details, and your contact details stay with Night Owls.

How quickly will I hear back?

We aim to review every brief within one working day.

Can I request a specific Owl?

Yes. Use “Work with this Owl” on their profile and we’ll check their availability when we review your brief.

For freelancers

Who can join?

NZ-based marketers, designers, developers, videographers and photographers with a portfolio of at least three projects.

How does vetting work?

We review your portfolio and may check references. Approved Owls appear in the directory; Verified means we’ve checked your work.

What does it cost?

Joining is free. For work we introduce, Owls pay a finder’s fee on the first engagement only, set out in the Owl terms. There’s no fee on ongoing work with that client.

Can I freelance alongside a day job?

Absolutely. Set your availability to “Evenings & weekends” so clients know what to expect.