Updated on 19 November 2023

Upwork Review

Item: Upwork
Rating: 4.9
Author: The Logician

If you want to use Upwork to either work as or hire a freelancer, check out my full Upwork review to learn how the platform works.

Updated on 19 November 2023

4.9

Good Choice for Everyone
Huge Number of Opporontunities In Various Industries
Good for Finding High-Paying Jobs

Starting From

$0/free

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Recommended: Most Popular Option

Upwork is the most popular freelancing platform in the world. It has excellent reviews and thousands of satisfied customers and has proven to be a legitimate platform full of good opportunities. On Upwork, you can both find a freelance job and hire freelancers to work for you.

Cost	Charges a 10% Fee for Freelancers
Customer Support	Support Is Available 24/7 via Live Chat, Phone, Email, Help Center, a Community Forum
Number of Projects Posted	Over 10,000 Daily
Number of Freelancers	Over 18 Million
Reputation	Excellent

Most Popular Freelancer Platform Among Freelancers

In the freelance industry, there are numerous obstacles you must overcome – competition, gaining knowledge, providing others with the best skills, completing other projects timely and effectively, etc. Due to this, the need for a freelance platform was undeniable. But only one stands out from the rest.

I’m talking about Upwork. This amazing freelance platform is the most popular choice among freelancers. The main reason for this is that you can find a freelance job or hire freelancers to work for you. Through the years, Upwork has managed to satisfy millions of clients, and it has proven to be a legitimate platform full of good opportunities.

In my Upwork review, you’ll learn more about the company in general, explore the most crucial aspects of this freelance platform, find some pros and cons, discover its standout features, and understand whether this is the right platform for you.

So, I think we need to start. There’s a lot to learn about Upwork!

Upwork At A Glance

Upwork began with their work two decades ago. However, in the beginning, it was operating as two different companies – Elance Inc. and oDesk Corp. In 2013, these two companies merged and became Upwork.

Note

The merged company was rebranded to Upwork in 2015.

Today, Upwork is one of the oldest and most popular freelance marketplaces. It connects millions of employers and independent contractors from all over the world. More precisely, there are over 18 million freelancers on the platform.

Important

Upwork is a generic bidding freelance marketplace that consists of non-vetted freelancers.

If you go through the Upwork review for freelancers, you will learn that they love it because Upwork clients are already ready and willing to hire. In other words, freelancers consider it as a sure option where they’ll find a job.

On the other hand, the Upwork good reviews for clients reveal that clients love Upwork because it enables them to find the best talent in any possible niche. In addition, the hiring process is a piece of cake.

Speaking of jobs, niches, and talents, Upwork comes with 10 categories and 20 sub-categories in each category. But let’s focus on the categories now. You can hire a solopreneur or a whole team that specializes in:

Development & IT
AI Services
Design & Creative
Sales & Marketing
Admin & Customer Support
Writing & Translation
Finance & Accounting
Legal
HR & Training
Engineering & Architecture

Due to this, you will be able to find a job specifically for your skills, such as graphic design, machine learning, data analytics, mobile development, video production, search engine optimization (SEO), web development, and copywriting.

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Now that you are aware of just a scratch of Upwork, I think it’s time for me to move on with my review and explain each aspect of the platform in more detail.

Upwork Features, Pricing, & MoreFees

Freelancers usually use Upwork to hire web and UX designers and developers, virtual assistants, content writers, video editors, marketing experts, etc. This is because you can utilize Upwork for any project that requires a specific skill set and level of expertise but doesn’t oblige you to pay other freelancers for a full-time job.

Tip

Upwork freelancers can do any work remotely – there are no limits.

But to understand the platform better, I decided to test its type of platform, availability of work, project types, number of freelancers, client demographics, fees, payment terms and protection, skill tests and certification, support and resources, entry barriers, user experience, and reputation and trustworthiness.

Note

These are not the only elements you may consider. If you look for additional stuff, you can also check them out.

Now, let’s get more in-depth insights!

Type of Platform

Since finding the perfect platform depends mainly on your expertise, Upwork may be the right choice for you.

Due to its numerous categories, such as development & IT, AI services, design & creative, sales & marketing, admin & customer support, writing & translation, finance & accounting, legal, HR & training, and engineering & architecture, Upwork is a general platform.

Warning

This might not be suitable for you if you are trying to focus only on a particular niche and find experts only from that area.

As a result, you will be able to try different freelancer jobs and choose the one that fits you best. Additionally, you will only upgrade your skills and become a specialist in your business, which will attract a lot of customers.

Availability of Work

If there is one thing that Upwork is good at, that is its work availability. This element is tightly related to the type of platform, and as Upwork is a general one, you can find a job in some of the most popular freelancer fields. For example, you can excel in email marketing, web design, finance and accounting, engineering, etc.

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Project Types

Another thing you must consider when selecting the best freelance platform is the type of projects it offers. More precisely, you should find a platform with short-term or long-term projects. Luckily, Upwork has them all! Basically, you will discover from one-off copywriting projects to long-term web design ones.

Note

There are 10,000+ projects that freelancers publish daily on the platform.

Number of Freelancers

While competition is a good thing to some extent, as it motivates you to work harder, it can often cause issues. For example, a lot of freelancers means that you may get confused when looking for a job. Or even worse, clients may not be sure whether you are the one for them.

Currently, there are 18+ million freelancers on Upwork. But how trustworthy are they? As the competition is at such a high level, it means that entering Upwork is easy, and there are no significant entry barriers. This can negatively affect the reputation of the platform and other freelancers in the event of a scam activity.

Note

The number of freelancers exceeds the count of active clients at least three times.

Client Demographics

The client demographics refer to the type of freelancers on the platform. What I’m trying to say is that if your chosen platform is known for its highly skilled freelancers, even the not-so-experienced one will benefit from the overall reputation. Trust me when I say it: this plays a huge role in the freelancing industry, which is why Upwork is a good choice.

Warning

Only a single bad activity can harm the reputation of the whole platform and the freelancers on it.

Fees

One freelancing platform can be with a flat fee rate or a percentage according to the price of the project you want to engage in. Luckily, Upwork has a flat rate of 10%, which doesn’t change no matter how much the project costs.

Tip

You can set the price of your project according to your wishes and needs.

However, there are three different rates when it comes to how much you receive. Here are the fixed charges:

Payment Terms and Protection

Upwork freelancers can receive their secured payments via PayPal, direct deposit, or wire transfer. But you can also choose how you want to get paid:

Hourly
Fixed-rate

If you choose hourly, then you will get your money after the seller and the client review the work. The transaction period takes ten days after the billing period ends.

On the other hand, if you work on a fixed-price project, you will receive your money when you achieve predetermined milestones. The payroll is available five days after the payment has been made by the client.

Tip

Upwork has a dispute process for freelancers who feel they didn’t receive a fair payment.

Skill Tests and Certification

While some platforms provide thorough tests and screening processes, that’s not the case with Upwork. Therefore, you need to be very careful when choosing your freelancer or client.

Tip

Always review their Upwork profile.

One of the biggest issues that arise from this is that not all of the freelancers will have the same level of expertise as yours, which may hold your business in the same place. Unfortunately, you may even run into a scammer.

Support and Resources

As freelancing requires a lot of knowledge, you need to select a platform with highly reliable customer support. But that’s not the only requirement. Customer support needs to be available through various channels.

Fortunately, you can reach the Upwork support experts via live chat, phone, email, a help center, and a community forum. Therefore, you will find an answer to all of your questions and issue-solving tips. You will also get in contact with similar freelancers and their experiences.

Important

Upwork’s customer support services are available 24/7.

Entry Barriers

As I mentioned above, Upwork doesn’t come with lengthy screening processes or skill tests, which means that there are no strict entry barriers. You can also see this because of the huge number of freelancers on the platform.

User Experience

The user experience is something that each platform should prioritize, and trust me when I say Upwork indeed does. Thanks to its huge range of job positions and incredible freelancing services, you will get the best experience in the industry.

It also tries to support all of its customers and help them achieve their goals, which is why you’ll be able to contact the support team at any time.

Reputation and Trustworthiness

Last but not least, selecting a reputable freelance platform is a must. Upwork won’t disappoint you in this aspect. With its 20-year experience and efforts, the platform established an excellent reputation and now caters to the needs of millions of freelancers.

Tip

To get the best overview of Upwork, I suggest you read the many expert and user Upwork reviews. It will significantly help you make the right decision, especially if they are from people in your business area.

Upwork Pros & Cons

Best for

Large and active pool of talents
Getting offers within minutes of posting a job
You can set up a job within minutes
Intuitive messaging platform for collaboration
Possibility to automate contracts
They handle most of your paperwork
Simplifying the hiring process

Not good for

/You have to pay a commission fee
It obliges you to keep your clients on the network for 2 years before working with them in person
No selection process

Upwork Standout Features

Upwork has already shown some pretty fantastic perks and elements. But the platform comes with extra features that add more spice to its work. Are you ready to discover what those features are? Let’s have a look:

Enterprise Suite
Talent Marketplace
Upwork API
Connects
Project Catalog

Who is Upwork Best For?

Upwork is the most popular freelance platform on the market. It has a lot of opportunities and different gigs, which makes it the perfect solution for everyone. However, I decided to point out a few of its best usages:

Startups that want to set up a job quickly
Beginners who are trying out freelancing
Individuals who wish to make money without working full-time
Businesses that try to sell their established skills
Smaller organizations that try to figure out their specialty

Conclusion

Freelancing can be tough, especially until you prove your skills. Thankfully, Upwork is an amazing platform with a lot of opportunities for both freelancers and clients. In other words, Upwork is a great choice for everyone, provides a lot of options in various industries, and is excellent for finding high-paying jobs.

So, if you think that Upwork has what you are looking for, rest assured and give it a try. I hope my review was helpful!

Best By The Logician

Discover my personal recommendations in my Best By section, ranked in quality according to my experience with the products.

Best By The Logician

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Upwork is good for beginners. The main reason for that is because it has a straightforward sign-in process, simple navigation, and, most importantly, a lot of job opportunities that enable you to make the right choice.

Yes, Upwork is free. There is absolutely no starting cost, which means you will create an Upwork profile and account for free. Also, you will receive 40 Connects in order to start bidding immediately.

Upwork charges freelancers a 10% fee. This is a flat fee you need to pay as a freelancer on all your contracts, regardless of whether they are hourly, part-time, full-time, or a Project Catalog project.

Yes, Upwork is good. What’s more, if you are an experienced freelancer and you have top skills, you can receive thousands of dollars from only one project.

Yes, Upwork is reliable. Although in many Upwork bad reviews, you can find that people have experienced scams, the platform itself is not a scam. This issue arises because the platform doesn’t have a mechanism to stop fraudulent freelancers.

Yes, Upwork really works. You can easily find a job, engage with many clients, work on reliable projects, and make a lot of money while working highly flexibly.

Yes, Upwork can be trusted. The website is legit, and you can find trustworthy work that will provide you with a solid income.

Yes, Upwork is a good idea. This is because the platform allows you to find client engagements in your niche, specialize, and become an expert.

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The Logician

Trademark of a Living Legend

Upwork Review

4.9

$0/free

Recommended: Most Popular Option

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Upwork Good for Beginners?

Is Upwork Free?

How Much Does Upwork Charge?

Is Upwork Any Good?

Is Upwork Reliable?

Does Upwork Really Work?

Can Upwork Be Trusted?

Is Upwork a Good Idea?

The Logician

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