If you’re looking to hire freelancers for many different roles, then there’s no doubt you’ve heard of Upwork.
But is there a reason that it’s so popular for businesses and freelancers alike?
Pretty much, yes.
After using Upwork and many freelancer platforms to source writers, graphic designers, developers, and more, I’ve learned everything you need to know.
Our Quick Verdict:
After using Upwork and many other freelance platforms, I rate it a solid 4 out of 5 stars because of its vast talent pool, secure payment method, and quick application process.
Even though I have dealt with scams on Upwork, it’s still a great place to hire freelancers in many fields.
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We offer this website completely free to our visitors. To help pay the bills, we’ll often (but not always) set up affiliate relationships with the top providers after selecting our favorites. However, we do our best not to let this impact our choices. There are plenty of high-paying companies we’ve turned down because we didn’t like their product.
An added benefit of our relationships is that we always try to negotiate exclusive discounts for our visitors.
Quick Overview
Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Features | 1. Large Talent Pool |
| 2. Intuitive User Interface | |
| 3. Efficient Tax Paperwork Handling | |
| Best For | Businesses seeking diverse freelance talent for short-term and long-term projects |
| Our Star Rating | 4 out of 5 Stars |
| Price | Free Basic Plan; Tiered Pricing for Plus and Enterprise Plans |
| Pros | 1. Quick Proposal Reception |
| 2. Straightforward Job Setup | |
| 3. Secure Payment Options | |
| Cons | 1. Potential for Hiring Mismatches |
| 2. Premium Features Now Paid |
My Experience Using Upwork
I've been using Upwork before Upwork was even Upwork.
For some context, Upwork was formerly called Elance-oDesk. In 2015, the Elance-oDesk merger was rebranded as Upwork.
Today, I use the platform religiously to hire virtual assistants, web and UX designers and developers, content writers, video editors, marketing automation experts, and more.
I've found some amazing freelancers on the platform. Some of them have even turned into lifelong friends and colleagues.
Amidst many time crunches and stressful moments, I turned to Upwork, posted a job, and by some divine miracle, ended up finding a freelancer who could solve my problems and put all of my worries to rest. For that, I'm forever grateful to Upwork and their platform.
With that being said, it hasn't been all sunshine and roses over the years. I've made some pretty poor hiring mistakes. I've significantly overpaid Upwork freelancers for work.
For example, I once paid a copywriter around $2K for a project where I paid someone on Fiverr for a whopping fixed price of $200. And I've also even been scammed…twice…
While those experiences have been frustrating. I don't attribute them to Upwork. Virtually every bad experience I've had on Upwork has come from my own naivety.
And for what it's worth, Upwork has made significant strides in streamlining the hiring process to ensure success. For example, they now have a Talent Scout, which is essentially a dedicated recruiter that will put you in front of the right freelancers.
Overall, I love using Upwork for hiring freelancers because:
- They make it stupidly simple to find and hire freelancers.
- The user interface is super clean and easy to navigate.
- Sharing files and collaborating via their messaging platform is also enjoyable.
- I also love the reporting system and ability to see when freelancers worked and what exactly they were working on.
In summary, I rate Upwork a very solid 4.0/5 stars. If you're a business looking to hire remote freelancers, I'd 100% recommend checking Upwork out (or check out the alternatives like Toptal). Just make sure to hire slow and fire fast. Good luck!
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Pros: Here’s what I like about Upwork
Honestly, there’s a lot to like about Upwork. But here are just a few of the best things about the site.
- Large, diverse talent pool: They offer a large and active talent pool.
- Intuitive dashboard: Easy-to-use user interface; intuitive messaging platform for collaboration.
- Easy to post jobs: Setting up a job is straightforward.
- Applications come in quickly: Within minutes of posting a job, you can get multiple proposals.
- Upwork handles taxes: They handle all of the paperwork necessary from a tax standpoint; simplifying hiring processes.
- Automate processes: The API feature allows you to automate some things like contracts and get messages sent to Slack or Teams.
- Option for weekly reports: For an additional fee, Upwork will put together weekly expenditure reports.
- Scalable plans: Premium plans are available for bigger businesses that need more support.
Cons: Here are the only things I don’t like about Upwork
- No guidance for writing job posts: They don’t offer things like checklists, templates, or guidance on how to write your job posts, so you have to figure it out by trial and error.
- You must evaluate the talent on your own: If you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, you could end up hiring the wrong person (and being stuck with them).
- Must pay to access many helpful features: Premium features that used to be free now cost a monthly fee ($49.99 for Upwork PLUS).
- Global freelancers can make communication difficult: Freelancers can sometimes be across multiple time zones which makes it challenging to collaborate in real time.
- Job success scores are not exactly accurate: If a freelancer ends a contract that has been sitting open too long, clients are not required to leave feedback. No feedback counts as a negative toward the job success score.
Is Upwork Worth It?
Yes, Upwork is worth it for both freelancers and business owners.
With how many freelancers are out there, every business is bound to find one that can perform any task they need.
And while they do take 20% out of your paycheck, it’s a great place for freelancers to get started if they’re new to the industry.
Upwork Overview
What is Upwork?
As one of the most popular websites for clients to get connected with freelancers, Upwork has gained a lot of notoriety for making hiring contractors for various web projects easier.
Upwork is a website that allows both businesses and freelancers to create profiles. Businesses or individuals in need of contracting out projects (everything from copywriting to programming to web design and even voiceover work) can post listings for jobs.
Freelancers then have the opportunity to browse through and apply for those jobs, giving the clients the opportunity to look through applications and find the freelancer that they feel is right for the job.
Is Upwork legit?
Yes, Upwork is a legit freelancing site that has been trusted by millions of freelancers and businesses.
They offer a secure, safe platform for freelancers and businesses to connect. While it does suck for freelancers that they take 20% off the first $500, it allows new freelancers to find their first gigs and build their portfolios in a safe environment.
Businesses also benefit from having a place where freelancers can come to them and where they can have security that they will get options to choose from.
How does Upwork work?
Upwork is a site that connects freelancers to clients who need various projects done.
They offer a large talent pool full of freelancers that provide a variety of services. Everything from short, one-off copywriting projects to long-term web designers can be found in one place, meeting the various needs of many small business owners.
How to set up a job on Upwork
Setting up a job on Upwork is almost too easy, so it’s important to make sure that you include all necessary information so that potential freelancers have a clear idea of what you will expect from them. You can pay per project or pay a contractor hourly for their work.
Here’s what it looks like when you set up a job posting:
You can also propose milestones for longer projects that require a few different parts, which can keep your freelancers on track while paying them for each step of the process as they complete it.
If you are paying a contractor hourly, Upwork has an option for freelancers to upload screenshots of their work, allowing you to see the progress that they’ve made and verify how many hours they have worked.
Of course, it doesn’t offer these connection services for free. Upwork does charge a percentage on top of what you are paying per project or hour, and it also takes a percentage from your freelancers. But it’s worth the price to get the jobs that you need to be done quickly and by a professional, rather than spending hours struggling through designing a web page or trying to create content.
What is Upwork good for?
At its core, Upwork is best used for businesses both big and small that need freelancers for web design, copywriting, coding, and reviews outsourced to freelance professionals. Its expansive talent pool allows businesses to post temporary work, one-offs, and odd jobs.
Once upon a time, businesses would have to search for a copywriter, programmer, or designer, even for the smallest of jobs. But that just doesn’t work when you need a blog post written yesterday or an updated webpage within the next few hours. This is where Upwork can really shine; by connecting you with freelancers for every job you need to be done, you spend less time stressing out about paperwork and more time focusing on the bigger picture.
The best part of this service is that it offers the security of vetting freelancers a bit. You can see their profile where other clients have rated their work, see their list of special skills, and even access their portfolio to see samples of their work. That’s a lot less shady than just, I don’t know, posting an ad on Craigslist.
Who uses Upwork?
Freelancers.
And people who want to hire freelancers for basically anything! Some of the most common freelancers specialize in:
- Technology and services
- Internet
- Computer software
- Writing
The wonderful thing about Upwork is that both businesses and freelancers alike use the service to post and find jobs.
Over 145,400 clients spend at least $5,000 per year hiring freelancers of all kinds on Upwork!
Some of their biggest clients to date include:
- Penguin Random House LLC
- Zendesk Inc.
- Internet Brands, Inc.
- The Party People
- Counterweight Creative
How much does Upwork cost? (Upwork Pricing)
Upwork Basic is free to join for both sellers and buyers.
From a client standpoint, Upwork’s costs ultimately vary by what sort of services you need. They have three plans that new members can choose from.
- Upwork Basic – (FREE) This plan allows you to post jobs for free, browse the database and invite freelancers to interview for job postings, connect with freelancers, share files, and receive finished work from them. You also have access to tools that can help you make sure that work is properly invoiced and send payment to freelancers securely.
- Upwork Plus – ($49.99/ month) The Plus plan allows you access to all of the features listed in the basic plan plus a dedicated account manager who can help you strategize, talent agents that highlight specific freelancers for you, as well as 24/7 chat support and 24/5 phone support. You can also add as many coworkers as you want to your account, add unique payment methods, and track your whole team’s progress through analytics.
- Upwork Enterprise – (Price Varies) Upwork also offers a fully customizable plan for big businesses that have specific needs. These plans offer services that range from cost center tracking and IP-ownership agreement to the option of using Upwork Payroll. They also offer enterprise members high-support customer service and automated invoicing to keep everything as simple as possible.
How does Upwork earn money?
Upwork makes most of its money from service and transaction fees.
Freelancers are charged a sliding fee based on their lifetime billings with each non-enterprise client. This includes all contracts you’ve ever had with that client. Service fees are the same whether the contracts are hourly, fixed-price, or projects on the Project Catalog.
- $0-$500: 20%
- $500.01-$10,000: 10%
- $10,000.01 or more: 5%
Clients are charged a 3% fee on all payments made to Upwork. This fee goes toward payment processing and administration costs.
The fee is assessed any time Upwork charges your billing method and will show up as a separate item on your transaction history and payment receipt. The fee is calculated as a percentage, on top of the payment
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How Does Upwork Pay Freelancers?
Upwork freelancers can choose to receive secured payments via PayPal, direct deposit, or wire transfer.
There are also different options for how freelancers get paid: hourly or fixed-rate.
All hourly projects are billed weekly. Freelancers will get paid after the seller and the client review the work, 10 days after the billing period ends.
Fixed-price projects start paying out as you hit agreed-upon milestones. These funds will be available to freelancers five days after the payment has been made.
Hourly Protection and milestones come in handy if projects get dropped before they’re finished. Upwork has a dispute process for freelancers who feel they were not compensated fairly.
How to Hire a Freelancer on Upwork?
To hire a freelancer on Upwork, all you have to do is first set up a business account.
Next, create a job posting, listing pay, level of experience desired, how long the duration of the project is, and any other relevant information that candidates should have.
Once you’re ready to pick your freelancer or agency, these are the steps for hiring one (per Upwork’s website):
- Go to the My Jobs page
- Open the posting you wish to hire on
- Locate the freelancer or agency you’d like to hire
- Choose the Hire Freelancer or Hire Agency button
- Send an offer
Your freelancer will then either accept or decline the offer or send you a message to discuss details before accepting.
Pro Tip: Include all necessary information so that potential freelancers have a clear idea of what you will expect from them
Upwork Hiring Tips and Tricks
Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to find your perfect freelancer.
- Provide a detailed overview of your company- If you look at job postings as a freelancer, you’ll see an incredible number of vague postings. As fun as it sounds to work for a mysterious company, it makes freelancers think twice about applying to your job.
- Be clear about expectations- What exactly does the job entail? What does a timeline look like? Freelancers need to know what they will be expected to do, and you need to find freelancers who know what is expected of them and can deliver.
- List necessary qualifications- Does your freelancer need to have a specific skill set or degree in order to do the job? Do they need years of experience in the field? Just like setting up expectations, listing qualifications saves your time and the freelancer’s time.
- Include call-to-action statements- Inspire freelancers to take action and apply to your posting ASAP. This can be as simple as “We’re hiring immediately, apply now!”
- Set expectations for interviews- Once you’ve identified a shortlist of candidates, send them options to schedule an interview and include information on what to expect in the interview. This shows that you value their time and want them to succeed.
- Communicate with all qualified candidates- Don’t ghost the candidates that didn’t make the cut. Once you choose your freelancer, follow up with your other qualified candidates to inform them that you’ve made a decision. This shows respect and creates a connection that you may want to use in the future!
How to avoid Upwork scams
While Upwork is a legitimate site for both freelancers and clients to get connected, there are scammers on Upwork who will waste your time and possibly even take your money.
Here are a few ways to identify and avoid Upwork scams:
For Clients
- Trust reviews – If the freelancer has multiple poor reviews, move on.
- Check for plagiarism – Always run your freelancer’s work through a plagiarism checker like Grammarly. If they copied someone else’s work, don’t waste your time working with them further.
- Don’t give out sensitive information – It’s important to be transparent about your company, but don’t give out sensitive information or details that the freelancer doesn’t need to know.
- Hire slow, fire fast – Vet your freelancers carefully. We suggest setting up a video interview and giving them a smaller, one-off project to gauge skills and decide if you want to work with them further. If not, cut ‘em loose.
For Freelancers
- If it sounds too good to be true, it is – Gigs offering amazing pay for very little work are usually scams. Avoid them!
- Keep everything in Upwork – Upwork offers you protection within their platform. Any communication or payment made off the site is unprotected (and also can violate Upwork’s policies.)
- Don’t hand over your identity – Giving them your email is fine, but be cautious with whom you give other identifying information including your phone number.
Never pay them – They should be paying you, not the other way around.
Upwork Alternatives
If your business is thinking of using a service like Upwork to hire freelancers, it’s important to check around and make sure you’re using a platform that meets your company’s specific needs.
Here are some websites that are similar to Upwork:
- Fiverr –
- Freelancer –
- Freelancer
- Guru
- PeoplePerHour
There are also several more Upwork alternatives depending on the type of freelancer that you're looking to hire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Upwork good for beginners?
Yes, Upwork is easy to use and great for businesses in all stages of growth and development.
Is Upwork free?
Upwork’s basic business plan is free, you just have to add 3% to each payment you make to freelancers.
How does Upwork make money?
Upwork makes money by charging businesses 3% on top of payments, taking a floating percentage of their freelancers’ pay, and charging for their premium plans.
How is Fiverr different from Upwork?
Generally, Fiverr is a cheaper option for finding and hiring freelancers. Typically, clients will hire Fiverr freelancers on a fixed per-project fee, known as a gig. Whereas on Upwork, clients can hire freelancers for short-term and long-term work with both fixed and hourly contract options.
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