how to write review on upwork

Find, hire, and manage world-class remote developers

Upwork Reviews: Client and Freelancer Examples

Table of Contents

Currently, freelancers contribute $1.4 trillion to the US economy alone and have a much more significant economic impact globally. The number of freelancers has been increasing steadily, especially with the pandemic confining people to their homes. 

Freelancing platforms facilitate the connection between clients and freelancers, often offering safe payment options, client project managers, and much more. Among all other freelancing websites, Upwork is arguably one of the most widely known sites. 

But how good is Upwork? This article will examine Upwork reviews from freelancers and employers to help see both sides of the coin and determine if the platform is ideal for your requirements. 

What Is Upwork?

Upwork is a freelancing platform that was produced as a result of the merger between oDesk and Elance in 2013. Later, the platform rebranded to form Upwork in 2015 and has grown substantially since then. 

According to Upwork's data, 59 million Americans were freelancing from the platform in 2020, which was forecasted to rise in 2021. Over the years, the freelancing site has become expansive enough to include various categories across different industries, such as tech, legal, writing, software development, mobile app development, design, and more. 

How Does Upwork Work?

Upwork facilitates growing businesses in working with top-rated talent from around the world. As a client, you simply have to sign up, post a job and then review the proposals you get to choose the best offer. 

On the flip side, freelancers also need to create their profiles, upload their portfolios and start bidding on projects. Upwork has many tools to help both clients and freelancers communicate, pay, and collaborate efficiently with each other. 

Upwork for Clients 

Upwork has two options for clients — Enterprise and basic. The basic plan is ideal for beginners who don’t have specified needs and don’t mind taking the added responsibility of finding and interviewing talent. 

On the other hand, the Enterprise plan is suitable for businesses or individuals who need additional help from the platform to manage and hire talent. 

Here are the steps involved in hiring a freelancer through a basic plan: 

• Sign up for an account on Upwork. 
• Write a job post. 
• Specify if you want the project to have a fixed price or be priced hourly. 
• Review the proposals you receive from freelancers and interview the talent you have selected. 
• Hire them and get your job done.

Meanwhile, the steps in the Enterprise plan are: 

• Sign up for an account and get it configured. 
• Alternatively, you can email a Talent Specialist on the platform and tell them about your project. 
• You may also post your job directly on the website. 

Since Enterprise users have access to pre-vetted talent, you don’t have to go through the laborious process of interviewing a dozen freelancers who have sent you proposals. 

Upwork for Freelancers 

Freelancers can create their accounts for free on Upwork. The platform allows you to decorate your portfolio with your history, skills, work experience, an introduction video, and much more. 

After that, you just have to start bidding on projects. Some clients might interview you, while others — impressed by the reviews on your profile and your portfolio — may get right to assigning you work. 

Upwork's fixed-priced protection means the client payments are released as soon as you reach a project milestone. You can also choose to get paid for the hour — whatever rows your boat. 

Is Upwork Legit and Safe?

Yes, Upwork is undoubtedly legit and safe. In fact, it has been the bread and butter of many freelancers for years. The platform takes great measures to ensure the safety of both the clients and the freelancers. 

Upwork has Trust and Safety programs that safeguard the interests of both parties involved. Meanwhile, the Hourly Payment Protection feature ensures that the freelancers getting paid by the hour receive their payments in due time. 

As for other threats like malicious emails and phishing, Upwork has complete guides on how to stay safe from them. You can also report any security threats or issues to Upwork by reaching out to the support team. 

Payment Protection

Upwork's Payment Protection allows safe and secure payments, whether they are fixed-rate or by the hour. Therefore, freelancers and clients can collaborate on projects without any monetary concerns. 

Fixed-Price Protection

Upwork has fixed-price protection for both freelancers and clients. 

Clients and freelancers agree on the project deliverables and set milestones. The client then has to deposit an amount, minimum $5 for a milestone, into escrow. The freelancer submits the work for approval, and the payment is only released when the client approves the payment. 

If the work is not satisfactory or requires changes, the client can ask for an escrow refund or request the freelancer to make the necessary changes before approving the payment. 

Since the client’s money is held in escrow, freelancers are guaranteed payment for their satisfactory work. If the client doesn’t request any changes or approve the work in 14 days, the money is automatically released to the freelancer. 

Likewise, if you have submitted a milestone, but the client refuses to approve the project, thereby withholding your payment, you can file a dispute. 

Hourly Protection

Upwork has Hourly Protection for clients and freelancers . Here’s how this feature protects clients: 

• Clients can monitor the freelancer's ongoing work in the Work Diary. The diary shows snapshots of work in progress, allowing the client to confirm that they are being invoiced for their work. 
• If the freelancer logs any hours unrelated to the client's work, they can file a dispute. Upwork refunds the clients for hours not qualifying for Hourly Protection. 
• Bear in mind that Hourly Protection does not cover manual time, fixed-price projects, or bonuses. 

As for the freelancers, they’re protected by this feature too: 

• Freelancers log in their daily hours in the Upwork Desktop App for hourly contracts. 
• If they meet the criteria of Hourly Protection , they will get paid for the time they invoice. 
• Again, the feature does not apply to fixed-price projects, manual time, or bonuses. 

Can You Get Scammed on Upwork?

Although Upwork goes to great lengths to maintain security on the platform for both clients and freelancers, there are still instances where you can get scammed. 

Upwork has detailed guidelines on practicing safety measures to prevent circumvention, account fraud, phishing, check-cashing fraud, shipping scams, and more.

Here are some pro tips to keep yourself safe from scams on Upwork: 

• Don’t accept payment or pay someone outside Upwork. You increase your risk of fraud and scams this way. Also, Upwork's Payment Protection does not apply to payments taken or given externally. 
• Don’t allow anyone else to use your account. Identity theft has become a huge issue these days, and you should be cautious to prevent fraud. 
• Remember that an actual client will not ask you to work for free or give them money to begin working for them. Therefore, if someone asks you to do this, you should immediately report it as suspicious behavior to Upwork. 

Upwork Pros & Cons in 2022

Since Upwork has ample opportunities for freelancers and gives clients access to top talent, it’s an attractive platform for both parties. However, before you start working or hiring on this platform — or any for that matter — you need to weigh the pros and cons. 

• Plenty of Work : Upwork is a goldmine for freelancers who have marketable skills that they want to capitalize on. 
• Payment Protection : Upwork's payment protection features give both freelancers and clients peace of mind, allowing them to focus more on work rather than money. 
• Messaging : You can stay in touch with your client or freelancer through all Upwork fronts, including mobile, browser, and desktop. 
• Periodic Screenshots : Upwork takes screenshots of a freelancer's work every 10 minutes for hourly rate projects. Thus, the client can monitor the work in progress and make sure they are being charged for the hours spent on their project. 
• Filtering Ability : Upwork lets you filter freelancers by geographical location, which is particularly helpful if you’re looking for someone in the same time zone as you. 
• High Fees : Upwork charges both clients and freelancers. The bigger the project, the higher the fees. 
• Increased Competition : Landing your first job as a freelancer on Upwork is quite expensive since the platform is highly competitive. Freelancers from outside the US, who have lower costs of living in their countries, often bag projects by bidding low rates. That can leave more qualified and professional freelancers with little to no jobs. 
• Lengthy Process : Hiring freelancers on Upwork can be a lengthy process since you have to interview several applicants. Upwork reports that it takes three days on average to hire a freelancer. 
• Poor Customer Support : Many users have complained about Upwork's poor customer support. Their support team is unable to solve complex issues and is too slow to respond. 
• Lenient Selection Process : Upwork's freelancer selection process is a bit lenient as there are no skill tests involved to vet the applicants. 

Genuine Upwork Reviews From Customers

Who could possibly know better about a platform than the people who use it? That’s why we have compiled reviews from all over the Internet, answering all your questions about the site. 

Since Upwork caters to both freelancers and clients, we’ll show you reviews from both parties. 

Upwork Feedbacks and Reviews for Freelancers

Despite the complaints that freelancers have raised against Upwork, they seem to be predominantly satisfied.

Positive Reviews for Freelancers

An Escape From the Pandemic Job Crisis 

When the pandemic struck, many companies started laying off their workers without any prior notice. As a result, a vast number of people had no means to sustain themselves. Many users joined Upwork during this time and found online work to sustain their homes. 

A Global Connection

Many people have a life-long dream of working in different countries around the world. However, lack of funds and pandemic-based restrictions have put this dream on hold. But Upwork allows people to work for anyone regardless of geographical limitations and barriers. 

Payment Safety 

Part of the reason many people are reluctant to work online is that they are worried they may not be paid for their work. However, as this review confirms, you definitely get paid on Upwork since the platform has strict payment guidelines in place. 

Flexibility of Work

This review tackles something most individuals experience. They want to keep doing their nine-to-five jobs, but they also want to start a side hustle with flexible timing. Upwork allows you to do this by deciding the number of hours you want to work and the projects you want to take. 

Enhances Creativity 

Upwork gives you access to clients from a variety of niches and different countries. As such, there’s always a project to challenge you, giving you the push you need to explore your creative potential. 

Financial Independence for At-Home Workers

Not everyone is a fan of dressing up for work every day only to take an hour-long commute before actually starting their workday. Upwork is ideal for homemakers or anyone who wants to work from the comfort of their homes in selected hours. 

And yes, it’s possible for you to earn more from Upwork at home than you would in a formal workplace. 

Ideal for Freelancers in Smaller Countries 

Upwork provides opportunities for people from smaller countries who may not be able to find on-site work in their areas. Also, freelancers can be their own bosses and work in their own scheduled time. 

Suitable for Unemployed Individuals 

For some people, the geopolitical and economic conditions in their countries make it difficult for them to get jobs. But as this reviewer states, Upwork provides many work opportunities, allowing them to work for clients across the globe while residing in their own country. 

Negative Reviews and feedbacks examples (freelancers)

Although Upwork may be a safe and easy-to-use platform for freelancers, they have certain complaints as was mentioned. 

The Client Comes First 

One of the major complaints about Upwork is that the platform is more inclined towards the client. If you file a dispute, Upwork will mostly side with the client — freelancers won’t be favored even in situations where they should. 

Also, many clients on the website run micro-businesses. This means they don’t have the money for your high-end services even though they’ll advertise their bid as otherwise. 

Poor Customer Support

Another alarming thing about Upwork is how a platform of such huge following and caliber has an incompetent support team. Like this reviewer, many users have complained about not getting a response from the customer support team. Some freelancers have stated that the platform sided with the client and denied them payment, even when they were in the right. 

Low Rates for Professionals 

Some freelancers, such as this reviewer on Upwork, are unhappy with the low rates offered by clients. While these rates may be higher than usual for freelancers from smaller countries, they’re not sufficient for sustaining the cost of living for workers in nations like the U.S. 

Thus, Upwork may be great for beginners, but professionals cannot expect to get astoundingly high rates on the site. 

No Protection for Freelancers

Upwork is notorious for not protecting the freelancers' interest as much as the clients'. The dashboard often shows jobs from fake accounts that intend to scam freelancers. Even if you report it as a suspicious activity to the platform, they don’t really do much about it, which is ironic considering they encourage freelancers and job posters to report such activities. 

No Solution for Agencies 

Agencies that want to change their accounts to Independent freelancers have no choice but to delete their existing accounts and register for a new one. Like Ashok, many other agencies also don’t want to simply erase the hundreds of positive reviews they’ve received from clients over the years. 

Unfortunately, Upwork doesn’t offer an alternative way out for these users.

Upwork charges a lot to both freelancers and clients. On the one hand, the platform takes 20% of what freelancers earn. On the other hand, it also takes 20% of what the clients pay. So, essentially, they are taking 40% in commissions, which often leaves freelancers with little. 

Few Free Connects 

When you sign up on Upwork, the platform gives you 50 free Connects. However, these aren’t always enough for newbies to get started since they need to bid on several projects before landing their first job. In many cases, freelancers have to buy a ton of Connects before they get hired. 

Account Suspensions for No Reason 

Roma is not the only freelancer whose account was suspended by Upwork without any reason or prior notice. Many other freelancers have also complained about the same issue. However, none of them seem to have gotten any helpful response from the support team. 

Too Many Scams 

One other reviewer described Upwork as a 'scam magnet' since many freelancers have been victims of fraud. The sad news in this regard is that the platform somehow lets the clients continue while freelancers are denied payments and are sometimes even barred from the website. 

Upwork Reviews for Clients

Clients also have mixed experiences with Upwork. While some find it to be a goldmine for finding freelancers, others struggle with the platform's confusing payment structure and other features. 

Positive Feedbacks and Reviews for Clients

Wide Range of Freelancers

Clients can get pretty much any task done by freelancers on Upwork. The platform has people working in a comprehensive range of fields, so there will always be someone who can complete your task to perfection. 

Access to Creative Workers 

Clients have access to talented people from all over the world. As a result, they can build their own remote teams and keep adding new people as they see fit. 

Impressive Structure 

As highlighted by this reviewer, Upwork is a well-structured platform. Clients can navigate their way through the site pretty quickly. Since freelancers can share everything from proposals and past projects with clients, it becomes easier for employers to choose the right freelancer for the job. 

Access to Overseas Talent 

Clients can easily get in touch with overseas talent and hire them, regardless of their geographical locations. The main benefit for clients here is that they’re in a better position to get a good deal — freelancers from smaller countries have comparatively reasonable rates.

Also, with the Enterprise plan, clients don’t have to do much. They just give project details to Upwork, and the platform handles the employment details itself. 

Negative Reviews for Clients

Many Upwork reviews for clients are negative, especially concerning confusing payment methods and poor customer support. 

Ineffective Payment Model 

Upwork's payment model is not feasible for clients from all industries. For instance, this reviewer hires freelancers for programming, and the projects take weeks to months to reach completion. However, since clients must pay weekly for hourly-based projects, the model is not convenient for clients with long-term work. 

No Vetting 

Many clients complain that Upwork does not vet freelancers before allowing them to work on the platform. As a result, clients have to suffer at the hands of unprofessional and unqualified freelancers. Since Upwork only gets paid when the freelancer does, they often side with the freelancers. 

Shady Freelancers

Some clients have been scammed by freelancers who are running fake accounts, are not sufficiently qualified, or lack the skills needed for the projects they bid on. This reviewer was lucky to get their money back as many other clients were left with nothing. 

Hiding Negative Reviews

Some clients reported that they couldn’t see negative reviews of the freelancers who have bid on their proposals. Instead, they can only see positive reviews and are often misled into choosing the wrong person for the job. As this reviewer mentioned, Upwork is misleading clients by doing this. 

Upwork Reviews on Social Media

You can also find several Upwork reviews on social media channels, such as Quora, Twitter, YouTube, and Reddit. 

Reddit Reviews

Freelancers on Reddit don’t seem to have any luck on Upwork as most of them have some sort of complaint about the website. Here are some good and bad Upwork reviews on Reddit. 

Good for Freelancers With Realistic Expectations 

We find this review to be very well-balanced. On the one hand, the reviewer admits that Upwork is problematic since many projects go to freelancers who bid low rates. However, if you know your worth and have realistic expectations, you’ll have better luck on the platform. 

Hard to Find Work 

Like freelancers on other websites, Reditters also complain about the tough competition on Upwork and how this makes finding work a challenge. Freelancers have to be okay with many low-paying and awful jobs in order to get better ones. Beginners can rarely bag high-paying jobs. 

Good for Top Rated Freelancers

If you manage to become a top-rated freelancer, things can get easier for you. However, the journey to becoming a top-rated freelancer is quite challenging. Once you get there, it is worthwhile, though. 

This is quite alarming! A data scientist earning only $3.5 an hour is cruel. But that’s the kind of grind you might have to go through if you want to make it on Upwork. 

Most Jobs Are Specific for US Talent

Many clients set restrictions on who can apply for the gig. While some clients only want to hire native freelancers, others prefer freelancers from smaller countries since they charge less. In both cases, it’s unjust to other qualified freelancers who have to wait for months to get their first project. 

Bidding System Is Inefficient 

The new bidding system allows everyone to bid for the job, even those who might not fit the requirements. For instance, if the client specifically needs someone from the U.S., even non-American freelancers can also bid. 

As a result, clients end up with dozens of bids in just an hour or two of posting a job. That makes the freelancer selection process very lengthy and tedious. 

Twitter Reviews

Scammer Alert 

Even on Twitter, people are complaining about getting scammed on Upwork. Sadly, it goes both ways. Clients scam freelancers and freelancers scam clients — it’s a vicious cycle. 

Unvetted Freelancers 

Since Upwork does not appropriately vet freelancers, clients are often stuck with people who don’t have the knowledge required for the project they are bidding on. On top of that, when clients report these freelancers, they end up getting in more trouble. 

Suspended Accounts

It’s almost a bit too common how many people get their accounts suspended by Upwork. To make matters worse, Upwork hardly ever gives a reason for suspending users' accounts. Their support team doesn’t respond in time, leaving the complainants hanging. 

Quora Reviews

Ideal for Hardworking Freelancers

While it’s true that finding your initial gigs on Upwork can take time, once you start getting clients, your earnings increase substantially. Many freelancers from smaller countries state that they earn more from Upwork than they were getting from their nine-to-five jobs. 

Hard To Win Recurrent Clients 

Like many other sites, freelancers on Quora have also complained about the tough competition on Upwork. Getting projects is quite difficult, especially if you’re looking for long-term tasks or clients that keep coming back with more work. 

Allows Everyone To Bid

Many clients are concerned about the new bidding and freelancer selection process on Upwork. Previously, the platform only allowed freelancers to join if the category wasn’t saturated enough. However, they currently allow pretty much everyone to enter the platform and bid on every project. 

On the one hand, this has led to a saturated market. On the other hand, it makes the selection process laborious and difficult for clients — they have to go through a lot of useless and irrelevant bids before finding the right person for their task. 

Account Suspensions 

It seems as if Upwork suspends the users' accounts for trivial reasons. That means your payment isn’t always safe. Therefore, many users recommend getting your payment out of Upwork as soon as possible and to make sure you don’t deviate even slightly from the platform's rules and guidelines. 

Use Your Sixth Sense 

The only way to beware of scams on Upwork is to use your intuition. It’s easy to spot suspicious activity, such as someone asking you to do free work or demanding payment for assigning you to work. 

However, the trouble here is that Upwork's support team doesn’t respond to these issues as is required. This is why they have persisted for so long. 

Fake Reviews

Many clients complain that some freelancers have fake reviews that they have bought from somewhere or have asked their friends and family to post. As a result, it becomes difficult to filter capable freelancers from unreliable ones. 

At the moment, Upwork doesn’t have a system in place to fix this problem. So, your best bet is to be careful about who you work with. 

YouTube Reviews

Common Beginner Mistakes 

The reviewer talks about how many freelancers sign up on Upwork expecting to land a project the very first day. But since the platform is very competitive, it can sometimes take freelancers months to get their first project. Plus, Upwork has a client-first approach, which can often put freelancers at a disadvantage. 

Both Good and Bad 

Upwork may have its flaws, but it has allowed many people to earn thousands of dollars sitting at home. You just have to decide if the pros are worth bearing the cons. 

Opportunity for Income 

If you put in your heart and effort, you can make Upwork work for you. However, bear in mind that the process will be rocky, and you might have to wait for weeks — sometimes even months — just to get your first reply from a client. 

Upwork's Assessment on Consumer Review Sites

Now that you’ve read specific reviews from users on different sites, let’s assess the overall sentiment towards Upwork on popular consumer review sites. 

BestCompany Reviews

Upwork has a rating of 1.5 on BestCompany, receiving negative reviews from many users who claim the platform doesn’t provide value, quality, or service. However, there are also some positive reviews from freelancers and clients who have found their matches on the platform.

Clients are also satisfied with the Enterprise plan since it allows them to sit back and relax while a project manager takes charge of everything.

BBB Reviews

Upwork isn’t accredited by Better Business Bureau , and it has a terrible rating of 1.1 on the platform. Upwork has only closed 46 complaints in the past year and 150 in the past three years. 

Many users have reported getting their accounts suspended and being victims of scams. The trends seem to be similar across all consumer review sites. Here are some user reviews on BBB: 

Capterra Reviews

Upwork has 82 reviews on Capterra with a solid 4.5 rating. Most users have highly rated the ease of use and overall efficiency of the platform. However, customer support has the lowest rating of all metrics, just like all other consumer review sites. 

This review sums up the overall sentiment of Upwork users on Capterra: 

ConsumerAffairs Reviews

Upwork has a rating of 4.0 on ConsumerAffairs. Although most users seem happy with the service Upwork provides, the same complaints of scamming and accounts getting suspended plague ConsumerAffairs. More importantly, the inefficiency of the support team has been highlighted by many freelancers and clients. 

Upwork has a rating of 4.6 on G2, and many users have mentioned ease of use, availability of global talent, and payment protection to be some of the pros of the platform. 

Some users were dissatisfied with the new bidding system, but other than that, they are happy with Upwork's services. 

Gartner Reviews

Upwork has a rating of 4.2 on Gartner. While most users are happy with the variety of talent and work opportunities available on the website, some have complained about getting scammed by unvetted freelancers or clients who never wanted to pay in the first place. 

The trend of users being inconvenienced by the support team's late response is consistent across all consumer review sites. 

Pissed Consumer Reviews

Upwork has a rating of 2.1 on Pissed Consumers, which is apt considering the platform's name. Some reviewers have expressly advised others to “run far away.” 

Meanwhile, some clients have mentioned "dishonest freelancers" to be a con of the platform. Clients are charged for certain hours even when freelancers aren’t working, and the support team is too slow or unresponsive to resolve these issues. 

Review.io Reviews

Upwork only has five reviews on Review.io, with an overall rating of 2. Some freelancers said they had a good experience on the platform. 

Meanwhile, one client mentioned how they had been scammed for $27,000, and the customer support did nothing to help them get out of this problem. 

Again, there was a complaint of a user whose account was suspended for no reason. Users were also appalled by the 20% commission fee. 

Sitejabber Reviews

With 2,618 reviews, Upwork has a rating of 4.37 on Sitejabber, indicating the satisfaction of most users with the platform. The satisfied users mention the website's variety of job opportunities and income potential for people from smaller countries. 

Clients are also happy with the talent they hire from the platform. 

Meanwhile, most freelancers believe Upwork is an excellent platform since it offers a safe place to find work. Moreover, you can choose how you want to be paid, which is a popular feature among reviewers on this website. 

Trustpilot Reviews

Upwork has a rating of 4.5 on Trustpilot, where most reviewers are happy with the way Upwork offers its services and guarantees payment to freelancers. The common complaints mentioned in negative reviews were scams, unnecessary account suspensions, and unvetted freelancers. 

TrustRadius Reviews

Upwork has a rating of 8.7 out of 10 on TrustRadius. Clients are satisfied with Upwork's Work Diary that lets them monitor any ongoing project the freelancer is working on. On the other hand, the common problems discussed by reviewers revolve around the difficulty in filtering people to find the best freelancers for the job. 

Yelp Reviews

Upwork has a 1-star rating on Yelp. While freelancers say that there are many job opportunities on the website, most complain about Upwork favoring the clients more than freelancers and the extreme competitiveness that makes it challenging to score jobs. 

One reviewer also rightfully said that Upwork exploits the workforce by charging them money for Connects to bid on projects. The platform is already taking 20% in commission fees, so there should be no room for additional burden on the freelancers. 

And again, to no one's surprise, there were mentions of scams. 

Upwork Employee Reviews

Up to here, we’ve only looked at the reviews of clients and freelancers about Upwork. Let’s take a look at Upwork employee reviews now. 

AmbitionBox Reviews

Upwork has a rating of 4.3 on AmbitionBox, and most employees state they are happy with the work culture, job security, career growth, skill development, benefits, and salary. 

Blind Reviews

There are 22 Upwork employee reviews on Blind, and the site has a 3.3 rating. Although employees are happy with what they are being paid, the company culture has been called toxic by many workers. 

Many employees also seem to be reminiscing about what the company used to be as it has apparently fallen into the hands of the wrong leadership now. 

Comparably Reviews

With 62 Upwork employee reviews, the platform has a rating of 4.1 stars on Comparably. Again, most employees are happy with the salary and benefits but believe the team leadership could be better. 

Glassdoor Reviews

With 74 Upwork employee reviews, the platform has a 4.2 rating. 74% of the reviewers will recommend the organization to their friends, while 87% of them approve of the CEO, Hayden Brown. 

Most reviewers say that the company has a lot of intelligent people who are a delight to work with. Plus, the salary and benefits are decent. However, the leadership lacks people suited for success, which is why the platform has lost its charm. 

Indeed Reviews

Upwork has a rating of 4.0 on Indeed, with the highest rating being for the metric "work-life balance." Although employees are satisfied with job security, advancement, and salary, there are some concerns about company culture and management. 

Upwork Myths: Fact-Checking Common Beliefs

Let’s debunk some Upwork myths that might be making newbies reluctant to join. 

Only Cheap Projects Are Available

Not true. Upwork has a lot of high-paying projects , mainly in the following fields: 

• Objective-C $66
• Windows PowerShell $62
• Excel VBA $60

The prices next to each gig represent the hourly rate. 

It's Too Competitive To Find Work

While that’s somewhat true, you shouldn’t let it discourage you from getting started on the website. You will soon get your first job if you write stellar proposals and bid on the right projects. 

Freelancers Can Only Make So Much

As a beginner, you shouldn’t expect Upwork to make you six figures in your first month. However, there are many freelancers on Upwork who earn a lot from their online jobs. 

An example is Danny Marguiles, who is a copywriter charging $250 an hour .

Freelancers Should Take Any Job Starting Out

Not necessarily. Although the common trend is beginners charging low rates to get their proposals accepted, you don’t have to do this if you believe you deserve to earn more. Know your worth and explain to the client in your proposal why you are charging what you are. 

Is Upwork Good for Freelancers?

It depends on how much hard work you are willing to put in. Since Upwork is very competitive, you need to give it your best. 

The Positives

• Higher paying projects as compared to other freelancing sites 
• Two options of getting paid 
• Facilitates working from anywhere in the world 
• Access to clients from renowned companies 

The Negatives

• A recent increase in scams 
• Unexplained account suspensions 
• Fierce competition makes it difficult to land jobs 

How To Get Hired on Upwork?

If you want to get hired on Upwork, you need to send in proposals every single day. Don’t copy and paste proposals from the Internet. Instead, make sure you read the client's needs and explain how you can fulfill them. 

Upwork Connects Explained

Connects are sort of like tokens that you need to submit proposals and bid on jobs. You get 60 free Connects every month and can buy more in bundles if you need. Depending on the payment a client is offering, you need 1 to 6 Connects to apply for a job. 

Skill Certifications

Upwork skill certifications indicate that you are proficient in the skills listed in your Upwork profile. However, these certifications are only available for creative fields and mobile or web software development. 

By taking a certificate, you become a Talent Specialist, and Upwork gives priority invitations to specialists for submitting proposals. 

Resume Review

After you have created your account, you need to ensure your profile is at 100% completion. Add your past works and other details that are important for the clients to know. Your resume should have everything from reviews from previous clients to your samples. 

Proposals That Work

According to Upwork , your proposal is bound to get accepted or at least viewed by the client if:

• It is straightforward and addresses the client's core problem or need. 
• It has a clear statement telling the client how you can solve their problem. 
• It is a short pitch, comprising two to three sentences. 

You should also add attachments, such as your sample work or links to your portfolio. 

Upwork Hourly Rate

Your minimum hourly rate on Upwork should be more than $3 since the platform doesn’t accept anything below that. You can choose your hourly rate after viewing the profiles of other professionals in your niche. 

Upwork Fees

Upwork charges hefty fees to both clients and freelancers, especially those working on smaller projects.

Fees for Clients

Clients have to pay a 3% fee on all payments. 

Fees for Freelancers

The Upwork fees for freelancers are the same for all types of contracts: 

• $0-$500: 20%
• $500.01-$10,000: 10%
• $10,000.01 or more: 5%

It’s understandable why Upwork reviews for freelancers mention high fees. 

Upwork Time Tracker

Upwork's Desktop App lets you log in the number of hours you’ve worked as per an hourly-based contract. Here’s how you can log your time: 

• Open the app and log in to your account.
• Select the contract you are working on. 
• Turn the Off toggle to On. 
• If you want to add an activity label or memo, write it in the "what are you working on" box. 

How To Get Upwork Reviews

Let’s cut to the chase — the best way to get Upwork reviews is to actually work on the platform and satisfy your clients. Every other way will land you in trouble or get your account suspended. 

Feedback Example

On Upwork, both clients and freelancers write reviews for each other. Here’s an example: 

Buying Fake Reviews: Resist the Temptation

Finally, and most importantly, don’t buy fake reviews. That will get your account suspended. Plus, most clients are smart enough to see through the shady reviews and might flag your account. Instead, work hard and earn good reviews by working as per your clients' expectations. 

Best Upwork Alternatives in 2021

Let’s bring everything to a close by briefly discussing some Upwork alternatives that you can try in 2021. 

Here is a comparison table showing the merits and demerits of both platforms: 

FlexJobs is also expertly curated and comprised of vetted freelancers. This means that you don’t have to worry about scams. As opposed to Upwork, the platform is subscription-based, and you can cancel your subscription if you aren’t happy with the service. 

Freelancers also have access to resume review and career coaching for a one-time fee, which increases their chances of landing a job. 

Guru offers no-cost job posting for clients and has additional features like E-Check support, messaging, time tracker, and wire transfer support. Compared to Upwork, Guru can get quite expensive for freelancers since the subscription plans can be as high as $49.95. It’s important to note, though, that both platforms have scamming concerns.

Although Thumbtack is similar to Upwork in many regards, it’s superior because job posters do not have to pay anything. Also, there are over 2000 services on the platform. The drawback is that it’s exclusive to the US, whereas Upwork is available worldwide. Thumbtack is better for labor-intensive local jobs, while Upwork should be your pick for remote jobs. 

Freelancer and Upwork have a lot in common, although in a negative way. Both platforms are infamous for scams and account suspensions. However, if you want access to more jobs and better rates, Upwork should be your pick. On the other hand, Freelancer's interface can be helpful for beginners who are just entering the gig economy. 

Gigster is ideal for freelancers or clients working in software and mobile development niches. Unlike Upwork, where you have to do most of the work yourself unless you have an Enterprise account, Gigster assigns a project manager to make sure your projects are going as planned. 

Gigster also gives you periodic reports on your project's progress — on Upwork, you have to do this yourself. But then again, Gigster is focused on development projects while Upwork has a wide range of categories. 

Both 99designs and Upwork allow clients to find freelancers in two ways. Upwork lets you find a freelancer or post jobs, while 99designs lets you find a freelancer or host a contest. 

Both platforms have high-paying projects. Whereas 99designs is specifically for design-related tasks, Upwork is ideal for freelancers with varying backgrounds. 

Final Words 

With that, we’ve come to the end of this article about Upwork reviews . We mentioned Upwork reviews for freelancers to determine the desirability of working through the site. 

We’ve also compiled Upwork reviews for clients from different consumer review sites and social media to alert job posters of the hiccups they may face on the platform. 

All things considered, this comprehensive guide should have prepared you for your freelancing or hiring journey on Upwork. 

Need to source and hire remote software developers?

Get matched with vetted candidates within 3 days ..

Why Choose Revelo

Quick time-to-hire

Time-aligned Devs

Expert talents pre-vetted for technical and soft skills

Subscribe to the blog that stamps out your hiring bugs!

Related blog posts.

Outsourcing Software Development to China: Everything You Should Know

Characteristics of High-Performing Teams

Accelerating Digital Transformation

Subscribe to the revelo newsletter.

Subscribe and be the first to hear about our new products, exclusive content, and more.

This post may contain affiliate links. See our affiliate disclosure for more.

6 Winning Upwork Profile Examples from Six-Figure Freelancers

Soubhik Chakrabarti

A prolific writer and a Top Talent on Upwork with over $200,000 in earnings, Soubhik is both a journalist and an entrepreneur. With a journalism degree from Langara College, Vancouver, Soubhik today helps companies focus on their SEO efforts through SEO consulting, and also owns websites like icytales.com - which today has more than 150,000… Learn more »

Adam Wright

Adam Wright is the Content Manager at Millo, in addition to running his own graphic and web design business, Adam Wright Design. When he's not working on his business, you can find him watching hockey or just about any type of racing. Learn more »

Upwork Profile Examples to Help You Land Clients

Sections that make up your upwork profile, tips to create the best upwork profile, step by step instructions for creating an upwork profile, how a premium upwork profile can help you, wrapping up.

BIG NEWS! We just released The Freelance Files , a collection of professional done-for-you email scripts, contracts, invoices, and more for smarter freelancing. The first 50 customers, save 50% with this link .

Upwork profile examples can inspire you when creating your own profile. And because creating an attractive, well-curated Upwork profile is crucial to landing more jobs, this article will share a few examples of Upwork profiles from six-figure freelancers so you can update your profile to get more clients.

Upwork provides freelancers with specific sections and categories when creating their accounts. But within each section there is flexibility to increase your profile appeal.

Along with the hourly rates, companies and individuals on Upwork will be paying close attention to this section. When looking for remote workers, clients tend to zoom in on profiles with reliable, experienced profiles.

Aside from a good Job Success Score (think 90% +), a polished profile page is the most important thing to recruiters on Upwork. To help you land better-paying jobs, this article shows examples of the best profiles for the most popular categories on Upwork. It also highlights the sections involved as well as tips on how you can up your profile-curating game.

Be it software development, video editing, content writing, or account reviewing, sites like Upwork allows freelancers to get their feet into the game. From flexible working hours to customizable rates, remote working on these platforms affords freelancers a lot of freedom.

In a saturated marketplace, it is crucial that your account stand out. A polished, reliable-looking profile is the first step to acquiring this – like a cover letter; it highlights your work experience, skill set, and overall professional portfolio.

Since your client will be looking to grab the best talent at the most profitable rates, your account must stand out from the competition with an attractive hourly wage and polished profile. To attract prospective clients, your Upwork profile must be:

• Professional
• Informative
• Skill-Highlighting

Even as a beginner on Upwork , you can easily land high-paying jobs with a professional-looking profile. This platform offers services as varied as copywriting, fiscal auditing, or app development, thus ensuring that all niches and categories are covered.

Besides this, it is essential that your page include all the relevant information demanded by clients. When looking for freelancers, companies look for profiles with specializations in their field.

Pinning highlights from older projects, reviews from satisfied clients, and info about specialized skill sets on your page can help enhance your account appeal with clients. The following are examples of such profiles.

Upwork Profile Example for a Graphic Designer

Antonette C is a 5 Star Graphic Designer for a reason. Her profile uses clear tags about her skills, highlighting even areas adjacent to her skill set. From Flyer Design to Logo Creation, her skills as a graphic designer are highlighted using the relevant tags.

This tool makes it easy for clients to find her services. In addition, Antonette uses a clear, professional profile image that is warm and approachable simultaneously.

Upwork Profile Example for a Social Media Manager

New freelance Social Media Managers on Upwork can refer to Josiah R’s page as a prime example of a great profile. Instead of long sentences, he highlights his skills in bullet points and eye-catching symbols. To improve his page, he also uses positive reviews and feedback from past clients on his overview page.

Upwork Profile Example for a Marketing Specialist

Anybody looking for a Marketing Specialist would book Rachel F in a second. Her profile grabs attention instantly as she uses Web Analyst as the Role Title instead of just Marketing Specialist. This move stamps that she is skilled in Data Analysis, Web Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and more.

Her $300/hr rate proves her skill set, and she uses the Overview to punctuate this point. In precise, direct sentences, Rachel talks about her 15+ years of field experience while punctuating the statement with relevant work deals like GA4 assistance, Tableau reporting, and more.

Upwork Profile Example for a Web Developer

Jason V’s page offers several pointers for a great profile for a Web Developer. He uses highly specific tags from the get-go to highlight his skill set. The skills used on his account include CSS, JavaScript, HTML, and more. For IT-based work, such specifications are crucial to land the right jobs.

Jason’s per-hour rate also reflects his expertise and experience, as he seems to have successfully completed over 153 jobs on the platform.

In his overview, he also talks of his 9+ years of work experience while specifying his expertise in creating Squarespace sites for businesses. Such employment details help land clients dealing in similar projects.

Upwork Profile Example for a Content Writer

Loren’s profile makes it clear from the first line that he is a literature enthusiast. As a Content Writer, this interest serves his role well – using a quote from British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge enforces his writing skills. This trick shows that subtly alluding to relevant interests can help draw in more clients.

Aside from his expertise in content-specific tools like MS Word, Loren also discusses his prestigious educational background. This factor can help put many recruiters at ease. If your school has such a reputation, you can add your qualifications to your profile, like Loren.

Upwork Profile Example for a Video Editor

Abode Photoshop, Abode Premiere Pro, Video Color Correction – Jacqui W’s profile informs clients about her great skill set from the get-go. Her profile uses the Overview section to summarize her prolific employment history.

Jacqui uses precise, detailed, short sentences to discuss her stint in PBS-WTTW programming. The page also highlights her specialization via her major in college, which talks about her field knowledge.

Being specific and precise is essential when choosing your tile on your Upwork profile. Many beginners need to be more specific with their headlines. Doing so can deter potential clients looking for people with specific skills.

For example, you may add “Software Developer” as your Upwork title – while not incorrect, using a more detailed headline like UI/UX Designer/Full Stack Developer may help you draw in more relevant projects.

From info about your specialization to details about successful projects, the overview provides a summary of your professional history. Use this section to highlight your strengths by emphasizing your skills, relevant training, areas of expertise, and more.

Instead of long sentences, stick to short, precise wording to help clients retain their attention.

When showing off your skills, it is important to pick and choose. Adding too many irrelevant topics can make you seem like a jack of all trades.

Instead, choose the aspects of your training that best fit the client’s criteria. Another thing is to specify your niches and areas of specialization. Doing so may help you land a long-term client, which is essential to having longevity on the Upwork platform.

Your certifications, employment experience, and work portfolio should follow this tip about relevancy. Editing is crucial before uploading your work history onto your page. Pick and choose only those certifications and reviews/testimonials that highlight your expertise and skill set. Staying client-relevant is the most important rule when creating your Upwork freelancer profile.

Profile Photo /Introductory Video

Professional yet approachable – that’s the balance you want to strike when choosing your profile photo. Since it’s the first thing about you that clients notice, your picture should be clean and sharp. A high-quality, professionally shot image would be best, as blurry, unfocused images can be a turnoff. Prospective clients may also be deterred if you use too casual an image as your profile picture.

Since many freelancers overlook this tool, creating a self-introduction video can make you seem more personable to clients. Use the upload video feature o the Upwork profile page to give recruiters a glimpse of your personality. Tips to remember when shooting the video are – to be enthusiastic, enunciate clearly, and be informed about the projects.

You should use this tool to talk about past projects, personal skills, and areas of expertise.

Set Appropriate Rates

A competitive yet profitable rate is key to a long-standing client relationship. Since the Upwork marketplace tends to be wildly saturated in certain categories, you should familiarize yourself with the competition before setting up your rates.

Look up the top earners in your category and assess your skill levels. These steps help you develop a rate that aligns with the marketplace average and your work skill set.

Your profile must have an hourly wage that matches your competitors while not undercharging. If your rates are too low, the client may deem your work quality to be substandard – it is thus crucial to maintain this delicate balance.

Show Off Good Reviews from Past Clients

Want to make an instant impression on a client? There are few things as effective as a good review to boost your chances with a prospective client.

Use testimonials and references from older projects to highlight your experience and competency. You can charge higher rates for your work if your profile has positive feedback from relevant sources. Any client reading these reviews will also find your account more attractive than a profile without feedback pinned.

Long, rambling sentences are a big no-no when creating Upwork profiles. To ensure that you attract and retain your client’s attention, the information on your page must be precise and to the point. Refrain from extended ramblings and instead use bullet points and short, informative sentences to highlight your point.

Your Upwork profile should also cover relevant points – for example, if you pitch to a company, your account should reflect your work with similar clients.

To attract more attention from prospective jobs, your profile should be targeted, highlighting your unique skill sets instead of being random and generalized. This way, you may even be able to charge more for tasks you specialize in.

Have a Targeted Skillset

As much as a well-rounded skill set is important, clients will always choose vendors offering specializations over freelancers with a generalized experience. To attract prospective deals, you should thus have a targeted approach when creating your Upwork work profile.

The platform has tools that let you select specific categories when creating your account. Depending on your skills and experience, you can choose from fields ranging from development, analytics, copywriting, video creation, and more. Use this as a strategic build-up to your profile – see which (relevant) categories are the best-paying and suit your expertise best.

Now that you have a focused clientele set up, you can curate your profile with relevant data. Use specific client reviews, training, and specializations to highlight your unique skill set to clients.

Instead of a generalized Upwork title, you should use a professional headline that suits your expertise. For example, writing iOS Architect on your Upwork profile instead of Software Developer makes your account more attractive to clients.

Step 1: Choosing Job Title

For the main profile section of the Upwork system, adding your Job Title is the first step. Here you need to specify your role and choose the role that fits your skill set best.

Step 2: Highlighting Work Experience

Next, you must add relevant work experience, showing off your past projects. After this, you will be directed to the Education section of your profile.

Step 3: Language Proficiency

You will also need to specify your English skills from basic/conversational/fluent/native, depending on your proficiency. Info about other languages can also be highlighted here.

Step 4: Choosing a Skillset

Next, you will have the option to choose 15 relevant skills from the list. The system has many options available – you only need to type in the first letter of your skill to see the list. After this, you must fill out your bio, showing off your specializations and experience.

Step 5: Finalizing Service and Specializations

This step is among the most important as you must choose your service from the 12 options provided. Depending on your skills, you can choose from Translation, Accounting, Legal, IT, Writing, Admin Support, Sales and Marketing, and more.

Once you choose your category, you will be directed to another subcategory, which you can use to specify your unique area of expertise.

Step 6: Add Other Certifications

Have a Hubspot certification to show? Upwork accepts many certifications from Credly, and you can import it directly. Even if you have a certification that Upwork isn’t able to recognize as of now, you could still upload it to showcase on your profile. This adds to your profile credibility, and helps client know more about your skill sets.

Step 7: Setting Up a Custom rate

After this, you will need to set a custom rate for your services on the Upwork platform. Upon completion, you will be directed to the next page, where you can upload your profile photo, contact info, and location.

Step 8: Creating Specialized Profiles

You can also create specialized profiles to showcase your different skill sets. For instance, you could create a profile on copywriting and other on marketing. Both these profiles will showcase your client reviews that you’ve earned for those respective skill sets.

Want to up your freelance game even more? Switching to Upwork’s plus plan is a great way to bag more clients. On an account, your monthly “Connects” are limited to 10 – no matter how polished your profile, you can only reach out to ten prospective clients in a month.

The platform’s premium plan, available at $14.99/month, lets you connect with over 80 accounts – this way, you can take full advantage of your well-curated, thriving profile. With this extra help, you may be on your way to becoming a top Upwork freelancer in no time.

When it comes to creating an Upwork profile, you need to showcase your best skills. Highlight your expertise. Let potential clients know about the projects you’ve worked on, as well as display relevant reviews.

Have a About Us description that talks about your skill sets, and don’t shy away from listing your work experiences and certifications.

Keep the conversation going...

Over 10,000 of us are having daily conversations over in our free Facebook group and we'd love to see you there. Join us!

Freelancing Growth

Written by Soubhik Chakrabarti

Staff at millo.co.

A prolific writer and a Top Talent on Upwork with over $200,000 in earnings, Soubhik is both a journalist and an entrepreneur. With a journalism degree from Langara College, Vancouver, Soubhik today helps companies focus on their SEO efforts through SEO consulting, and also owns websites like icytales.com - which today has more than 150,000 pageviews a month.

Soubhik's Articles

Reviewed & edited by Adam Wright , Editor at Millo.

At Millo, we strive to publish only the best, most trustworthy and reliable content for freelancers. You can learn more by reviewing our editorial policy .

27 Sample Messages To Ask Your Clients For A Review On UpWork

Many freelancers are asking for feedback from their clients . They want more and more reviews. The question is ‘why?’. Therefore, I want to share with you some of the best messages, so you can use them when you ask your client for a review on UpWork or other freelancing platforms.

Table of Contents

Asking For Reviews 1

Hey [name]!

If you are not planning to use my services again, I’d appreciate it if you could close out our contract on Upwork and write me a review there. If there’s anything else you need from me before we wrap up, please let me know! Thanks again, and I hope we can work together in the future!

When it comes to receiving feedback from clients on Upwork, knowing how to write a great client review can make a significant impact. Check out our article on how to write a great client review on Upwork to access 30 sample templates and improve your review-writing skills.

Asking For Reviews 2

Asking for reviews 3.

Hello [Client name], I hope you’re doing great!

I just finished working on the [project name] project and was wondering if you could please leave a review on my UpWork account.

Asking For Reviews 4

Hi [client name],

I hope you are well! I wanted to check in with you because I know that we ended our last project together a few weeks ago.

Asking For Reviews 5

Thanks for your time!

Client feedback is a valuable asset for freelancers on Upwork. Discover why asking for client feedback on Upwork is crucial and how it can help you enhance your reputation, attract more clients, and succeed in the freelancing world.

Asking For Reviews 6

I just wanted to follow up with you and see if you had a chance to review me on Upwork. If you have, thank you so much! If not, I’d love it if you could take a few seconds to do so now.

Hey [client name], I just wanted to ask if you had a quick moment to leave me a review!

I know you’re super busy, so if you don’t have time, no worries at all!

Asking For Reviews 7

Asking for reviews 8.

It was a great pleasure working with you, and I would be more than happy to help you again in the future!

If you had a good experience with me, could you please leave me a review on UpWork so that other clients can see it? This will help me to get more work in the future.

Asking For Reviews 9

I would greatly appreciate it if you could leave me a review and let other clients know what they can expect if they hire me. It helps me get more work here on UpWork so I’ll be able to continue doing what I love!

Are you a freelance writer interested in exploring unique niches for writing opportunities? Learn how one writer secured freelance writing jobs in the agriculture field by checking out our article on getting freelance writing jobs in agriculture . Gain insights and inspiration for expanding your writing career.

Asking For Reviews 10

Great working with you! I’m so grateful to have gotten the chance to collaborate on this project.

Any feedback is welcome, good or bad. Your honest opinion is greatly appreciated 🙂

Asking For Reviews 11

I hope you’re doing well. I’d love to hear your feedback on the work we did together, and ask if you might be willing to leave me a review on Upwork.

Asking For Reviews 12

Hey [client name],

[Your name]

Asking For Reviews 13

Thanks for the opportunity to work with you on this project! It was great working with you, and I hope we can work together again in the future.

[your name]

Asking For Reviews 14

Also, if you have time, would you mind leaving a review? Reviews are an important part of my business, and I’d be so grateful for your feedback.

Asking For Reviews 15

Journalism jobs may be on the decline, but freelance writing is flourishing. Discover the top 10 reasons why freelance writing is thriving in our article. Explore the advantages of freelancing and why it can be a rewarding career path for writers.

Asking For Reviews 16

I’m always looking for ways to improve my business and would love to hear your feedback! If you have 30 seconds, could you please leave me a review on UpWork? Here is a link directly to my profile where you can leave a review: [link]

Asking For Reviews 17

Thanks so much for your time and consideration, and I look forward to working with you again in the future!

Asking For Reviews 18

If you have a few seconds, could you please leave me an honest review of this job?

Asking For Reviews 19

I hope that you’ll have more projects for me in the future!

Asking For Reviews 20

[Your Name]

If you’re considering a career as a freelance writer, our ultimate guide on how to become a freelance writer in 2022 provides comprehensive insights and tips to help you get started. Discover the essential steps, valuable resources, and expert advice to launch your freelance writing journey.

Asking For Reviews 21

Working with you has been a great pleasure, and I am glad you’re happy with the results.

If there’s anything I can do to make your experience better in the future, please let me know.

Asking For Reviews 22

I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed working with you on [project type]. You were a pleasure to work with, and I hope we can work together again sometime in the future.

Asking For Reviews 23

I would love to get more reviews on UpWork, and I was hoping you could help me out by writing one for me.

If you could write something nice about my work and give me five stars, that would be awesome!

Asking For Reviews 24

I hope you are well. Just stopping by to check-in, in and to say I’d be happy to work with you again!

Thanks so much for your time!

Asking For Reviews 25

Would you mind leaving me a review on UpWork ? It helps me out a lot, especially when I’m starting to work with new clients.

Asking For Reviews 26

Hey, [client name]! 

Asking For Reviews 27

I just wanted to ask if you could take a few minutes to write me a review on UpWork? I know it can be a bit of a hassle, but it really helps me out!

Why Would A Freelancer Need Reviews?

1. reviews can help you stand out from the crowd.

Reviews show potential clients what you are capable of and how you work, and they give them an idea of what it will be like to work with you.

2. Client Gain Confidence With Your Work

3. maintain a good reputation.

When people write reviews about their experiences with a business or person, these can be published online for anyone to see. If they are positive then it reflects well on the company or person being reviewed; if they are negative then this could negatively impact sales and/or reputation amongst others within that industry too!

4. Showcase Your Expertise

Reviews give you the opportunity to showcase your skills and expertise. When they are written by a third party, they help you establish trust with potential clients.

5. Get More Work

6. boost your seo.

Reviews can help you get found on Google’s search engine results page (SERP). Google will rank websites with positive reviews higher than those without them. This means that if someone searches for “freelancer reviews” and sees your website at the top of their results, they are more likely to click through to it than if it appeared lower down on their search results page or not at all.

7. Authority

Reviews help establish authority because they show off expertise in different fields or industries by highlighting specific projects that were completed successfully in those areas of specialization.

8. Feedback

Reviews can help you improve your skills. If a client leaves feedback on how you could have done a better job, it’s not just the client saying it—everyone will be able to see it, so other clients won’t be able to just write it off as an opinion. If many people say the same thing, it’s more likely that you actually can improve in that area.

9. Pricing Power

10. reviews are like social proof.

Social proof is when people go with the option that seems to have been chosen by others—it’s why people go to crowded restaurants or buy popular products. When people see that many others have had a good experience with your work, they’ll think that you’re a good choice too.

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources you can explore for further reading:

How to Ask Your Client for a Review with Email Samples : Learn effective techniques for requesting reviews from your clients. This blog post offers email samples and guidance on how to encourage clients to provide reviews that can boost your reputation and attract more opportunities.

People Also Ask

Why should i ask my clients for a review, what do i do if i get a negative review.

Ignore it. Don’t even read it! Some people just like to complain, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Plus, studies show that people actually trust businesses with a few bad reviews, because it makes the business seem more trustworthy and not fake or inauthentic.

Why is it a good idea to ask my clients for reviews?

It’s a great idea to ask your clients for reviews! The more reviews you get, the higher your profile will appear when people search for services like yours. This can help you get more clients!

How do I ask for reviews?

What if i already have a lot of reviews is there any reason to keep asking, what if i don’t want to ask my clients for reviews.

You don’t have to ask! We provide a number of ways for you to get reviews without having to ask, including the option to add links to your website and email signatures, as well as share them on social media. You can also share them as part of your first project kickoff meeting or at the end of every project

How do I encourage clients to leave a review for my business?

First of all, you just gotta ask! You’d be amazed at how many of your clients are happy with your service and would be more than willing to leave a review for you.

What do I put in the email?

We’ve got you covered! Just copy our template, paste it into an email, and fill in the blanks with your own information. You can also customize the message so that it sounds like you wrote it yourself.

What if I don’t like the review?

Do i have to share my full name on the review, do i need to ask my clients for a review.

If you want more reviews, then yes—you should be asking your clients for reviews.

What if my client won’t leave me a review?

What are reviews used for, how do i know if my client has left me a review.

You’ll be notified by email when your client leaves a review. 

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Upwork reviews: how to make the best out of it

You want to hire a talented but affordable graphic designer, and someone suggests Upwork.

All you have to do is register on this global freelancing platform, create a job posting, and then sit back as a slew of candidates jump at the prospect of working on your project. You choose the best or most experienced freelancer, and your project is good to go.

Simple, isn’t it?

Well, not exactly.

Here’s a comprehensive Upwork review to help you make the best of this digital freelance job site!

While Upwork has played a big role in helping companies and individuals find independent remote workers, the sheer size of freelancers bidding for a project makes it very difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

In other words, if you aren’t too careful, you may end up hiring an incompetent candidate for your project.

It works the other way round too!

As a freelancer, finding good paying projects on Upwork can be an uphill task. You need to outbid talented competition on the freelancing site and contest with freelancers who are willing to charge very low rates.

So is Upwork worth a try?

Absolutely!

To figure out why, check out our Upwork review below.

Table of Contents

What is upwork, how much does upwork charge, how do i make payments on upwork, how can i find good freelancers on upwork, how to get a great job on upwork, how to complete a project successfully, how do upwork reviews work, some common grounds for dispute, pros of using upwork, cons of using upwork.

Note: Time Doctor is an easy way for you to manage all of the freelancers and virtual assistants you hire on Upwork. You can get real-time insight into what tasks they’re working on AND see how long it takes to complete each task. Try it free for 14 days .

Read on to know what it does, how the platform operates, what are some of the pitfalls and how to avoid them so you can hire quality talent for your business (at the best price!).

In 2013, two popular online freelance platforms, Elance and oDesk, merged to form Elance-oDesk, later rebranded as Upwork in 2015. According to the company, Upwork Global Inc is “the premier freelancing website for top companies to hire and work with the world’s most talented independent professionals”.

The company has approximately 145.4 th o usand active clients spending at least $5,000 per year. In 2020, around 1,500 freelancers had worked on Upwork projects.

Freelance platforms are gaining popularity

With the advent of the ‘gig economy’ and people leaving the security of full-time jobs to pursue different opportunities in the form of freelancing work, many talented professionals are signing up on the freelance marketplace like Upwork to offer their services.

Even attorneys, CMOs, and consultants with world-class training are choosing to work independently.

Following this trend, by 2027, freelancers will make up 50.9% of the total U.S. workforce .

Freelancing is great for individuals as they get to choose their assignments and work schedule.

It is an excellent opportunity for organizations to hire quality talent from the freelancing platform that may not be available in-house or even in the same geography. In fact, the global freelance platform market size is projected to boom at a CAGR of 15.3% during 2021-2026 .

Upwork Global Inc has changed its fee structure and now charges both the client creating the job posting and the freelancer getting the gig.

For clients hiring any new freelancer, the company charges a fee of 5% per payment transaction to all clients (or 3% for eligible U.S. clients who pay via ACH).

This Upwork fee is calculated as a percentage on top of the payment you make to freelancers. For example, if the Upwork client makes a $1,000 payment for a project, the platform will charge an additional $50 processing fee.

Earlier, this platform did not charge clients any fee. 

Upwork charges VAT to freelancers and agencies in certain countries unless specific exemption requirements are met. The freelancing platform collects this tax and pays it to the appropriate government agency.

This tax rate varies by country, which means your tax percentage will depend on your country’s VAT rate. For example, the VAT rate for the United Kingdom and Germany is 20% and 19%, respectively. 

Note: The above Upwork fee doesn’t apply to clients who’ve signed a contract for Upwork Enterprise services or have another agreement that provides for different terms.

Freelancers pay a sliding service fee of 20% to 5% based on their lifetime billings of work with a specific Upwork client.

Freelancers pay 20% for the first $500 billed with the client across all contracts, then 10% for total billings between $500.01 and $10,000. When total billings with the client exceed $10,000, a 5% fee is charged.

Essentially, the more business you do with one client, the less fee you pay in the long run.

Earlier, freelancers only paid a fixed 10% service fee for all contracts.

According to Upwork, this pricing model incentivizes higher-value, longer-term projects.

Some freelancers who were earlier working on Elance and oDesk have found the pricing change disconcerting. James Duren, who has been getting work from Upwork since 2014 for offering his freelance writing services, said he would have trouble hitting the $10,000 lifetime total for his prospective clients to qualify for the 5% fee.

Others like Danny Margulies, a copywriter who moved to the Upwork platform from Elance, disagree. Margulies said he quickly got a request from a client who saw his $135-per-hour rate.

An increase in fees may not be a big issue on its own.

But sometimes…

Employers may want to adjust the ‘price’ of a job with the processing fee, reducing the actual rate of a job. There are some highly tedious proofreading jobs going for as low as $10 per hour.

On the other hand, freelancers may jack up the cost of the Upwork job according to the margins they want to make after paying service fees.

It may lead to businesses paying higher fees indirectly while simultaneously getting deprived of good talent that is not keen on lowball Upwork job offers.

Get your pricing right

As a client…

• If you want to attract good talent on the platform, be realistic about the pricing. You can’t hire good work at $2-$5 per hour rates.
• If you price a job too low, it will attract poor quality of freelancers and ‘spambots’ – that bombard potential jobs with low bids.
• Describe the project in detail, including skill requirements and the hours required to complete it. Categorize it accurately. It will prevent you from wasting valuable time shifting through large numbers of irrelevant proposals on the platform.

As a freelancer…

• Don’t price yourself low (or offer free work) to attract jobs, even if you are just starting.
• Whether you’re a freelance writer or developer, calculate your hourly rate (or price-per-job) accurately using a rate calculator to cover your cost and reflect the talent you bring to the table.
• Don’t just compete on price, show your potential client the time and resources that you spend on each aspect of a job and the value that you provide. It will help build trust and respect, which goes a long way in getting great offers on the platform.
• Don’t restrain yourself from applying for a job where the client’s budget is lower than your price. Sometimes, clients do not know the budget for a job but are happy to pay for good talent.

When you hire a new freelancer on this platform, there are two types of payment – for fixed price contracts and hourly contract gigs.

For fixed price contracts, employers need to make deposits in an escrow account. The money is released to the freelancer once the job is complete. Or it may be released when the freelancer reaches specific milestones in the project, as discussed with the client.

On hourly contract jobs, employers are billed every Monday for the previous week’s hours based on the freelancers’ work diary that records the number of hours put in a job with work-in-progress screenshots.

You can make payments through credit card, debit card, bank accounts (US clients only), PayPal, Payoneer (outside the U.S.), and M-Pesa (Kenya only). These payment accounts need to be verified by the Upwork platform.

As a freelancer on an hourly contract job , you need to log your work hours in your work diary. This tracked or manually added time is invoiced to your client according to the schedule below:

• Week 1 : Log time using the Upwork desktop app ( Time Tracker ).
• Week 2 : The tracked time is invoiced to your client on Monday, and they have until Friday to review your work.
• Week 3 : Your payment becomes available on the following Wednesday. 

For fixed price gigs , your client has 14 days to review and approve the milestone or request changes. Once they approve, the funds in escrow will be released to you. However, if your client takes no action for 14 days, the funds are automatically released to you.

The platform also offers the Upwork Payment Protection feature for clients and freelancers, enabling secure transactions between both parties.

As a client, you get to define milestones in fixed price jobs. Payment is released to the freelancer only after you’ve received and approved the work. For hourly jobs, you can check a freelancer’s work diary before approving payment.

Freelancers are assured payment for hours worked on the project using the Upwork Desktop App. The client deposits a milestone payment into escrow on fixed-rate projects before work begins.

For many freelancers, this system works better than running after a client to clear an invoice after completing a project.

However, it sometimes gets tricky.

There have been cases where a freelance developer or freelance writer has finished a job, but the client has refused payment on some pretext – like unsatisfactory quality. Similarly, clients sometimes make the final payment but aren’t given complete access to all deliverables of a project (code files, graphics, templates, etc.) by the freelance developer.

This means as a client, you don’t get access to the job you’ve paid for, and as a freelancer, you can’t get your money.

For hassle-free payments

• Release payment and close the contract only after you’ve received the final product from the freelancer and reviewed it to check for quality.
• Have clearly defined milestones and specify the payment associated with each milestone for the project.
• Don’t delay reviewing a completed job or releasing payment on the platform. It can create disputes, and your Upwork account can get blocked.
• Ensure that the clients’ payment methods are verified.
• Whether you offer freelance writing or accounting services, work only using Upwork’s desktop app. The work diary tracks your time and takes snapshots of your screen to avoid any conflict at the payment stage. However, this function is not yet available on the mobile app. 
• Adhere to deadlines as discussed with the client. If there is a delay, communicate it clearly to the client and get an extension.

Finding and hiring good talent on any freelance platform is a time-consuming job. It is no different for Upwork. 

Companies and entrepreneurs looking for freelancers on Upwork usually complain that good talent is hard to come by. There are too many mediocre applicants, and an Upwork scam can catch you unawares.

So how does the hiring process on Upwork work ?

You can try these tips to hire good talent at reasonable rates:

• One common mistake clients make is not writing detailed and clear descriptions in the job post. This is highly essential to attract even moderately fit applicants for your job.
• Chalk out objectives for the project, identify any special tools or skills needed, and describe the level of experience you’re looking for. Also include details like results expected in the form of deliverables and deadlines.
• When writing a description of your project, add a unique identifier like asking the applicant to use the word “blue” in their cover letter or ask an obscure question that the freelancer needs to answer. It will show you who has read your job description clearly and has sent a customized proposal. It can weed out people who make mass applications.
• Study each applicant’s Job Success Score – a measure of their overall freelance work history and previous clients’ satisfaction levels – to understand if they would be a good fit for your project.
• Avoid freelancer profiles which are sketchy or do not have a professional-looking picture.
• Use a paid test to qualify applicants. It dissuades the non-serious freelancers and gives you a fair idea about the capabilities of an applicant.
• Make sure you hold a video interview on Skype or Google Hangouts. Non-verbal cues during a video chat are invaluable when trying to separate a good hire from a bad one.
• In case a freelancer is not comfortable being interviewed (maybe it’s their first interaction with you), exchange messages through the Upwork Messenger to clarify all details before hiring. Upwork Messenger allows real-time communication. Since all conversation is achieved within the system, it creates a sort of paper trail for both parties, which could come in handy in case of dispute resolution.
• Post a fixed pay project only if you know the exact output and the number of hours it should take to complete that project. Clarify these with the freelancer. If you have any doubts or if the project is complex, you should post it at hourly rates.
• You can also consider hiring a few top applicants for a trial contract (like a paid test drive) to help make the final decision.

Seems like too much work?

You can also give Upwork Plus (formerly Upwork Pro) a chance. It’s a paid service from Upwork. The company says it helps busy hiring managers find, engage, and hire a talented freelancer from a group of handpicked, pre-vetted professionals.

Under this, the Upwork freelancer goes through a series of tests and interviews to qualify on technical skill as well as behavioral aspects that evaluates communication skills, teamwork, and professionalism to determine if they are fit for a role.

As a client, when you sign up for Upwork Plus, you get an account manager who works with you to understand your job requirements, including specific technical expertise, budget, etc.

The Upwork account manager helps you speed up the hiring process by assisting you with your job post and highlighting available freelancers and agencies who may be a good fit for your project. You can then sort through this selective list of Upwork freelancers, interview them, and hire the best candidate.

To avail these services, you’ll have to pay a monthly subscription of $49.99 per month, in addition to the 3% payment processing and administration fee. Such benefits of an account manager are exclusively available on Upwork and aren’t offered by leading Upwork alternatives like Fiverr , PeoplePerHour , etc. 

Similarly, Upwork Enterprise gives large businesses direct access to freelance talent on Upwork Plus. This way, businesses can source and engage Upwork freelancers from their private talent clouds.

The latest version of Enterprise also allows businesses to customize their onboarding processes with steps and checkpoints that could include skill tests and background checks.

Clients can also contact the customer service team for any personalized assistance. 

While we all know that when applying for a job, you need to write a top-notch proposal that attracts a client, there are a few tricks that could seal the deal for you on this platform:

• Most Upwork proposals will need you to answer one or more ‘additional questions’ after you write your Cover Letter. Don’t take these questions lightly, and don’t treat them as an afterthought. They are the first thing the client gets to see when he receives your proposal. The cover letter comes last.
• Write a customized proposal and cover letter that addresses the points made by the client. Don’t be generic. You can be the least experienced freelancer for a job and an expensive bidder, but if you take the time to understand the clients’ needs and communicate that clearly in your proposal, you’ll win the gig.
• Don’t forget to look the part of a professional on your Upwork profile. There is more to a proposal than just the words you write. Upload a good, professional-looking picture of yourself. Use sites like Photofeeler to know how competent and influential you look. Even though it’s not mandatory to upload a picture on your Upwork profile, it does make a difference.

Pro Tip: Check out Upwork’s Customer Service & Support page for a step-by-step guide on building an impactful profile. 

• Your hourly rates need to be competitive but don’t sell yourself cheap. Research other Upwork freelancer profiles to find out hourly rates for your expertise. Also, find out what you would be paid in a regular office for that same work.
• Instead of searching for jobs through keywords and filters, skim through the headlines of all the jobs in your category. When you find a few headlines that strike as promising, dive deeper. Keyword filters don’t work very well on Upwork, and sometimes prospective clients don’t categorize good projects accurately.
• Upwork lets you take qualification tests to show how good you are at something. Take only relevant tests that will impress any potential client in your area of expertise. If you’ve done below average in some tests the first time, hide them from your profile till you retake them and improve your score.
• You need to research your client as well to find a good fit. Interview the client while they interview you to make sure you understand what they’re looking for. If you think it’s not going to be the right match, don’t take the project.

Additionally, Upwork offers the Freelancer Plus plan to help you effectively advertise your services, submit meaningful proposals, and stand out from the rest. You can subscribe to the Freelancer Plus plan for $14.99 per month. 

As the client, you’ve found the best freelancer, and as an independent worker, you’ve found a well-paying, exciting job.

Now we can all sit back and relax.

Not so fast, though.

There’s more to getting a job done right than hiring a great guy. Here’s what you need to remember:

• Clear communication and effective team collaboration is the answer to most problems that crop up in a freelancing project. Upwork allows collaboration between client and freelancer through its desktop app for successful project management. Everyone can use it to send messages.
• However, Upwork in the past has penalized clients for ‘too much’ messaging. So, if a freelancer has too many questions, just hop on a voice call or video chat to hold a detailed conversation. Make a note in the Upwork messenger that you’re taking the conversation offline. 
• Any change in project deadline, details or payment when discussed and decided offline needs to be mentioned in Upwork messenger. Write a line or two putting the main points across.
• Set a schedule for regular updates from the freelancer. You can then quality check and give feedback to the freelancer if improvements are needed while the project is midway rather than after it has been completed. This reduces delays in final delivery.
• All details of freelancing project deliverables, deadlines, payment, files, etc. must be communicated through Upwork. This is essential for dispute resolution.

There are three important aspects to Upwork reviews :

1. Leaving a review

A 14-day feedback period opens at the end of the project when both the client and freelancer can leave each other a review. The review isn’t visible till both the client and freelancer have posted their review or the 14-day feedback period ends.

2. Changing a review:

There are a few ways to change how your Upwork reviews appear on the platform. Within 28 days of the end of the contract, you can post a follow-up comment to a review about you that will show up on your public profile. You can also work directly with your client to request feedback changes and revise the Upwork reviews. 

If you feel the review violates Upwork’s terms of service and you’d like to dispute a review, you can get in touch with Upwork’s customer support team.

3. Checking a review

All your public Upwork reviews will be available on your profile. If your contract just ended, it can take up to 14 days for the reviews to become public. You can also find your feedback for specific contracts in your contracts dashboard.

Next up, we’ll discuss some common grounds for dispute on Upwork that clients and freelancers should be aware of to avoid any hassles. 

Despite all precautions, sometimes disputes arise. Some common sources of dispute on Upwork include a freelancer billing you for more hours than necessary to complete the task or submitting subpar quality of freelance work.

In such cases, the client has time till the end of the review period (usually a week) to talk to the freelancer and resolve the issue or file the dispute. 

For hourly jobs, disputes must be based on hours billed, not the quality of the work.

For fixed price jobs, rules say that only freelancers can file disputes for the release of the escrowed funds. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot talk to your freelancer about a refund. Moreover, there have been cases where clients did dispute fixed price jobs and got a refund on the total payment.

As a freelancer, you must always work using Upwork’s time tracker on the desktop app. This is proof of the time spent on a job. Also for fixed hour work, negotiate on milestone based payments to ensure that you get partial payment for completing certain parts of the project.

Get into a dispute only if absolutely necessary. Dispute resolution is not one of Upwork’s major strengths and the customer support team tends to be subjective in this matter. Often, Upwork will turn over disputes to arbitration which entails a costly fee.

So is Upwork worth your time?

For better understanding, let’s explore some major pros and cons of using this freelance job site. 

Here are some benefits of using Upwork for clients and freelancers.

Pros For clients

• Access a large talent pool to find a suitable candidate with the right skills. 
• Hire as per your recruitment budget as different freelancers with varying years of experience quote different prices for the same task. 

Pros For freelancers

• Find work across multiple industries and specialties like finance, IT, social media marketing, customer support, etc. 
• Rest assured about payments for both hourly and fixed price projects with Upwork Payment Protection. 

Here are some Upwork cons that clients and freelancers may discover while using the platform.

Cons For clients

• You may get involved in an Upwork scam and run into unqualified professionals who deliver poor work quality. Upwork doesn’t have strict guidelines for vetting freelancers. 
• Getting in touch with customer support associates can be challenging as they mostly redirect users to the FAQs forum page for resolving queries. 

Cons For freelancers

• Stiff competition from hundreds of talented and experienced freelancers vying for the same project. 
• Tough to get the first job as your profile doesn’t have enough visibility without positive reviews from clients. 

Wondering if Upwork can help you secure good talent and work opportunities?

You may consider researching Upwork alternatives like Fiverr, PeoplePerHour, Freelancer.com, etc. 

Check out these 10 best freelance websites to connect with talented freelancers.  

Final thoughts

With the rise of the freelancer economy, many companies are finding it profitable to hire through online platforms. The talent pool of freelancers and remote workers on these platforms is bigger and also gives you a wider geographic reach. Moreover, you save on the additional costs associated with hiring an on-site worker like office space, workstations, insurance, etc.

With a freelance marketplace like Upwork expanding and improving its services to allow easy and efficient collaboration between a client and any talented freelancer, there hasn’t been a better time to source top performers for your projects online.

Will you be hiring your next graphic designer or copywriter from a digital freelance platform?

Go through our detailed Upwork review to make the right decision.

View a free demo of Time Doctor

6 productivity growth tools to help BPO firms recruit and retain top talent

15 useful mobile time tracking apps, related posts, timecamp vs clockify: a head-to-head comparison, desktime alternatives: details, pricing and features, 7 best rescuetime alternatives [review, pricing], 10 excellent clockify alternatives (features, pricing, ratings), 8 best tsheets alternatives (features, ratings, pricing), 5 printable time sheets you can download (free templates).

• Forums Forums Freelancers New to Upwork Clients Coffee Break Agencies Support Forum Get Profile Feedback
• Academy Academy Explore learning paths Work with a coach Upskill with our partners Attend an event Watch videos Learn from experts Get certified
• Programs Programs Ask Me Anything Guided Growth Podcasts
• Support Support Support Forum Known Issues & Workarounds Help Center Product Release Notes
• Freelancers
• New to Upwork
• Coffee Break
• Support Forum
• Get Profile Feedback
• Explore learning paths
• Work with a coach
• Upskill with our partners
• Attend an event
• Watch videos
• Learn from experts
• Get certified
• Ask Me Anything
• Guided Growth
• Known Issues & Workarounds
• Help Center
• Product Release Notes
• Subscribe to RSS Feed
• Mark Topic as New
• Mark Topic as Read
• Float this Topic for Current User
• Printer Friendly Page

• Mark as New
• Notify Moderator

Jul 10, 2018 08:21:24 AM  by  Rachel N

Being asked to write a review

• All forum topics
• Previous Topic

Jul 10, 2018 08:46:40 AM  by  Petra R

Jul 10, 2018 09:11:44 AM  by  Bojan S

• Upwork Dashboard
• Trust, Safety & Security
• Help & Support
• Upwork Foundation
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Accessibility
• Desktop App
• Cookie Policy
• Enterprise Solutions