The correct answer for the blank is:
So, the complete sentence is:
To complete this blank, the writer needs to understand that a comparison is being made. The author is not ruling out the fact that hiring freelancers is expensive.
He rather believes that the cost of getting freelancers to the job is not as much as the cost of hiring permanent employees. So, the right phrase for the blank is "As much as."
Learn more about comparisons here:
https://brainly.com/question/1404938
#SPJ1