Good developers likely wouldn't bother with something like this just like they don't bother with Odesk or Elance. They simply have enough demand they don't nee

Good developers likely wouldn't bother with something like this just like they don't bother with Odesk or Elance. They simply have enough demand they don't need to jump through these sorts of hoops. Another issue with a report card system is the different standards from different clients. Interestingly, there seems to be a seriously high percentage of developers charging third world / poverty rates who get excellent reviews (I don't have stats to back this up.) Are they getting 5 star reviews because they are as good as any other developer getting five star reviews? I'm guessing someone specifically shopping for a developer charging $5 or less / hour is far less demanding than someone shopping for the best developers available. The problem with freelancing is that every freelancer is running a business and while most freelancers may be good technicians, most aren't good business people. Coding may be easy for these people, but running a business is crazy difficult. Most freelancers would probably be better off having someone else handle much of the management layer. You get what you pay for. How many people have seen this scenario... Your buddy is trying to build an app and wants any advice you might have. You cringe when you hear the first candidate for developing the site is quoting a rate that you know the developer can't live on (this shows inexperience and a lack of understanding on how to set rates.) You cringe again to see that your buddy is happy to find someone at such a bargain (your buddy also hasn't done the math to see the new developer won't be able to make a living) and makes the selection. Weeks later the developer disappears (maybe he lost his internet connection, maybe he had a better paying offer he couldn't pass up.) Also, your quote. "What is needed is some kind of a freelance report card - where employees and employers can post their own experience working with the other party, think of it as linkedin with employees/employers keeping tabs on one another." And. "...no face to look at in the morning means you can simply ignore the person." A freelancer is not an employee. A freelancer may have to juggle multiple projects and certainly has to juggle multiple roles (sales, accounting, development, etc.) The person you hired shouldn't ignore you, but don't think you should have the same attention from this person as you would an employee. Of course, that's all part of the expectations both sides set at the beginning.