Ask What is the difference between a freelancer and an independent contractor?

[Edward22]

These two terms get used so much that people often think they mean the same thing, but there is actually a difference worth knowing. A freelancer is someone who offers services to multiple clients on their own terms, usually short-term or project by project. An independent contractor is a broader legal term that covers anyone who works for a company without being a full employee, and this can include freelancers too. So every freelancer can be called an independent contractor, but not every independent contractor calls themselves a freelancer. Does this difference matter in how you work?