Service Providers:

Service providers who choose to work for free at Freelancer: their bid will be below the paid member’s bid on the project/job detail page. For example: if 6 people applied for a job, and out of those six people, five are paid members, then your bid will be at the bottom of the list of the people who have applied for that project.

So: your bid will be shown at the bottom of the list to the buyer.

The other limit for a free member is that: when a buyer posts a free project: then non-paid service providers cannot post their bids on that project. Non-paid members can only place their bids on free posted projects after 48 hours are passed.

That is: after the free posted project appears on the freelance site, then after 48 hours of that project being online: only then can free members apply for the job.