Designquote.net sounds like a good idea, but there are two major problems:
1. Most of the "clients" are unsophisticated, don't know what they need or it's value (monetarily or intrinsically), and appear to want something for next to nothing.
2. The designquote management cannot screen out the bad apples, so all I have is a basket of bad apples. I have 12 leads still awaiting results, all from 2 to 6 months old!

Of the three projects I bid on which did close, two went to someone in-house, not to a designquote bidder. This lesson cost me over 300 dollars.

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8 months later:
Regarding some of the positive reviews, keep in mind that there will always be those who have a good experience with even the worst company. My warning is for those designers who expect transparency, good communication, a proper functioning website, diligent screening, and careful followup from Designquote. They're lacking in each of these areas.

It's not all their fault, I admit. The very process of seeking design talent anonymously from a website, is flawed from the start. The design process should be personal, and websites are impersonal, as we all know. Designquote enables anyone to request a quote for free, with no obligation to respond or follow though. It would probably change everything if those requesting quotes were charged a small fee upfront. The fee would be refunded when the job was awarded to a Designquote designer. Anything to encourage genuine requests for services.

In any case, I'm happy for those who've found good clients on the site, suspicious of some positive reviews, and concerned for the designer who thinks this will automatically be a good source of work. If you must pay Designquote money, go in with your eyes open.

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15 months later:
Ive spent over a year buying leads and sending out thoughtful, reasonably-priced proposals, with nothing to show for it. Usually, when you send out a proposal, you hear something from the prospective client. Even when you arent awarded the project, you get a rejection, a thank you, or at least an acknowledgment that they received your proposal.

The way designquote has set things up, the one seeking services pays nothing and so has invested practically nothing in the process. They feel no obligation to respond, and seldom do. That is why, in over 15 months, I never heard from over a dozen leads to whom I sent inquiries or proposals. Not one word.

And in the very few cases where the prospect did update designquote on the status of the project, it was almost always to say they had found local service providers, instead of designquote members.

All in all, an expensive learning experience. So, as of yesterday, I have purchased my last credit and written my last designquote proposal.

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In response to a few reviews in praise of designquote.net:

1. Bo L. (1/26/16)
Bo says he can determine "within the first 10 seconds of reading a lead description whether it is a serious lead or not." This may be true for weeding out the obvious bogus leads, but there are plenty of genuine leads by clients who only want to see what the market charges for a project like theirs. Then they use the info, but not a designquote designer.

2. Mia L. (6/20/16)
Mia says: "don't purchase from them if your process includes spending hours on a proposal before you speak directly to the client." Sometimes the lead doesnt contain a phone number, only an email address. And often you cant get through to the potential client, have to leave a message, and get no return call. And if you do speak to them, they dont always know what they want. And even when they do, your well-crafted, reasonably-priced proposal still may not even be acknowledged, much less accepted.

3. Anant B. (12/12/16)
What does "I've used DesignQuote for over 2 years but I recently joined them after setting up my own company" mean? You cant use them without joining, so your review is confusing.

4. umair a. (4/19/17)
Your review says "they should improve their method to check bogus leads." And yet, you continue to use designquote, and give them 4 stars. Not the most informative review.