PHP Scripts or Joomla for a Elance.com Website? [Multiple Questions]

Hello DP'ers,

I'm thinking of starting a freelance reverse auction website similar to Elance.com, after some research I've came across the following commercial scriptshpProLance, PHPPennyAuction, Ilance.

1.Unfortunately they had mix reviews so i would like to hear some opinions,if possible, about these.

Also I'm seriously considering going with Joomla instead of these,basically start with this template http://demo.templateplazza.net/?template=freelance_plazza and hire somebody to customize & implement/build the rest of the plugins that i would need so it would get as close to elance as possible.Price wise,i think that even if i hire somebody to implement a new design and develop some new joomla components,this method would be more affordable.

Unfortunately I've noticed the Joomla template is slower then the PHP scripts mentioned above but I'm not sure if this is due to their servers or the actual template/CMS.Also i've read that Joomla isn't quite secure and since this will be a markeplace where $$ will be involved,this is quite a deal breaker.

2.What script should i use?Phpprolance,Ilance,Phppennyauction or Joomla?
3.Have you used Joomla for a website similar to elance?
4.Which has the better security Joomla or the other scripts?
5.Which one is faster & has the best performance (server load wise),the php scripts or joomla?

Some of the features that i would need to be build either for the PHP scripts or Joomla,are:
Portfolio creation & upload,Subscription based via mobile phone payment,Points Based Bidding(you have 10 points with your basic membership and when you place a basic bid it costs 3 points.etc).
6.Could you guys provide an average on how much you think they will cost?

Thanks,
awd

 

I am not even going to answer your poll for a couple of reasons. One, I know nothing about the scripts. Two, whichever script you choose is not really going to fit your needs.

You are going to need to shell out some money to get what you want. Security issues for payment processing, privacy, yada, yada, are going to require some skills (of which you may have to go to eLance to find).

Your poll here is going to be skewed. People are going to vote for something they have used, without knowing anything about the other scripts. These same people are going to say that "script X is the best, I would use that. It has powerful features" and not give you any in depth knowledge of why it makes it so.

My suggestion is to go deep into each respective support forum and start reading. You will find more information there as to bugs, security problems, how fast support fixes the problems, etc. Narrow your list down to the a 2 or 3 scripts that are the least risky, then dig some more. I would not take anyone's word here for it.