# Upwork Reviews **Vendor:** Upwork Inc. **Category:** [Freelance Platforms](https://www.g2.com/categories/freelance-platforms) **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 3,184 ## About Upwork Upwork is a freelance hiring platform and work marketplace that connects businesses with independent professionals across more than 10,000 skill categories. It functions as an end-to-end solution for sourcing and managing contingent workforce needs — from project specialists to long-term contractors — without the overhead of full-time hiring. Businesses of all sizes use Upwork to fill skill gaps, execute complex projects, and scale results without adding headcount. Creating an account and posting a job is free. You pay only once a contract begins. Most clients hire within three days of posting. There's also no need for a fully defined scope to get started. You can browse freelancers by skill, experience level, location, and availability, review work histories, and save profiles as you define your needs. Upwork covers a broad range of disciplines, including web and app development, AI engineering, design, finance, customer support, marketing, writing, and consulting. You can hire individual freelancers or assemble multi-person project teams. Upwork is particularly well suited for businesses that need specialized expertise quickly, including freelancers who combine deep domain knowledge with AI tools to amplify their output and deliver results more efficiently. Key platform capabilities include: AI-assisted matching — Uma™, Upwork's Mindful AI, analyzes project details like skills, budget, scope, and timeline to surface relevant freelancers. You can also search and filter independently and invite specific candidates to apply to your job. Transparent freelancer profiles — Evaluate candidates through detailed profiles, portfolios, verified work history, client feedback, skill certifications, and badges. Message or interview freelancers before starting a contract. Flexible contract types — Choose between hourly contracts, billed weekly based on logged hours, or fixed-price contracts funded in milestones, depending on how the work is structured. Built-in payment protection — For fixed-price projects, funds are held in escrow and released only upon client approval. For hourly projects, logged hours can be reviewed before billing is finalized. Centralized project management — Contracts, messaging, milestones, timesheets, and payments are managed from a single dashboard, with dispute assistance available if issues arise. Upwork is primarily used by business owners, hiring managers, and procurement teams looking for a faster, lower-risk alternative to traditional staffing or full-time recruitment, whether for a single project or an ongoing contingent workforce strategy. ## Upwork Pros & Cons **What users like:** - Users appreciate the **ease of use** on Upwork, finding it simple to manage jobs and secure payments. (670 reviews) - Users appreciate the **abundance of job opportunities** on Upwork, finding diverse clients and secure payment methods. (367 reviews) - Users appreciate the **global client connections and secure payments** of Upwork, enhancing their freelance experience and opportunities. (362 reviews) - Users love the **time efficiency** of Upwork, benefiting from flexible pay schedules and seamless work connections. (296 reviews) - Users value Upwork for its **global client connectivity and secure payment protection** , fostering a professional and flexible freelance experience. (268 reviews) - Talent Quality (239 reviews) - Payment Reliability (217 reviews) - Convenience (193 reviews) - Many Options (190 reviews) - Helpful (150 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users find Upwork's **high service fees** quite burdensome, impacting net earnings and limiting project viability. (479 reviews) - Users express frustration over the **high fees** on Upwork, which significantly diminish earnings on smaller projects. (456 reviews) - Users face **job scarcity** on Upwork, struggling to secure callbacks and high-paying gigs amidst competitive bidding challenges. (208 reviews) - Users feel that the **intense competition** on Upwork limits visibility and undervalues experienced freelancers. (155 reviews) - Users express frustration over **limitations in talent quality and cumbersome processes** that hinder their freelancing experience on Upwork. (123 reviews) - Hidden Fees (114 reviews) - Freelancer Issues (108 reviews) - Lack of Information (94 reviews) - Payment Issues (94 reviews) - Users report a rise in **scams** on Upwork, with fake accounts and untrustworthy freelancers causing financial loss. (93 reviews) ## Upwork Reviews ### 1. Structure, Security, And Visibility In One Place **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Adeel M. | Virtual Assistant, Information Technology and Services, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 30, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** The escrow-based payment system removes the biggest freelance headache, funds are secured before work begins, so chasing invoices isn't a thing anymore. The Work Diary surprised me. Automatic screenshots during tracked hours have actually resolved disputes without a single argument clients see exactly what was worked on. Saved search filters changed how I prospect. I set them once for e-commerce and Amazon roles, get notified when matches appear, and skip the daily scroll entirely. Before applying to any job, I check the client's hire rate, average pay, and total spend. Ten seconds and I know if it's worth my time. The profile doubles as a portfolio without extra effort, past contracts and reviews build up into something credible you can link to directly. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** Connects pricing is the most frustrating part. Spending credits just to apply, with no guarantee the client even views your proposal, feels like paying for the chance to be ignored. A refund system when proposals go unread for 14+ days would make this fair. The search algorithm buries newer profiles. Without a job history on the platform, getting visibility is genuinely difficult regardless of your actual experience. A verified skills badge or short assessment option could level that playing field faster. Service fees are steep, especially early on. Giving 20% on the first $500 with each new client stings when you're building a client base. Reducing that threshold or rewarding long-term platform activity would help retain serious freelancers. Client quality is inconsistent and hard to filter properly. Some listings have vague scopes, unrealistic budgets, or go silent after initial contact. Messages and contracts live in separate places, so tracking a full client relationship requires jumping between sections. A unified client view showing conversation history, contracts, and payments in one place would cut that friction significantly. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Before, late payments and scope creep were constant risks with new clients. Now every contract runs through escrow or milestone releases, which means I've had zero unpaid invoices since using the platform something that used to happen at least once or twice a year. Previously I was prospecting across multiple channels with inconsistent results. Upwork's saved filters and role-specific search narrowed that down I now spend roughly 30% less time prospecting and focus that time on actual work. The contract and invoicing admin dropped significantly. What used to take 2–3 hours a month managing separate invoices and payment follow-ups now happens automatically through the platform. ### 2. Strong Freelancers, Great Ratings, and Secure Escrow Payments **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Education Management | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 24, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** Each freelancer I have hired have had strong communication skills and competence in their field of expertise. Upwork's rating system for freelancers is an excellent start. I appreciate being able to pay the contract fee to the Upwork escrow fund, so that I am able to review and have the work modified before payment if necessary. The drag and drop function and messaging make it easy to create and respond to project refinement. The options to meet with our freelancers via video is a great way to dig deeper into a project and make revisions with clarity. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** There is no downside for me using Upwork. I tried to think of one but for my purposes it works great as a digital contract provider. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** We are a small company. Upwork provides access to high quality freelancers with skills and expertise that we do not have in our company. For example we have had contracts with a Trademark lawyer, content developer, foreign language subtitles for videos and graphic artists as well as experts in advanced excel spreadsheets for financial modelling. ### 3. Time-Saver with Top-Notch Freelancers **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Lauren H. | Founder, Organic Marketing Manager and Content Creation Specialist, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 14, 2025 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like that I've found really great editors on Upwork at fair prices, which has helped build up my long form content database. I appreciate being able to filter through and look for editors who are proficient in Adobe Premiere Pro and motion graphics, which has really elevated my content. It's nice to find the perfect fit for what I'm looking for. I found Upwork to be the best option out of the different freelance platforms out there, and I even recommended it to multiple people. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** Knowing that these are freelancers working on multiple projects at once, sometimes it does take a little bit to get the project back for review. So sometimes timelines might be delayed. And I wish that it would be a little bit faster of a turnaround. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork frees up time for me to focus on short form content while hiring talented video editors at fair prices, enhancing my long form content efficiently. ### 4. My experience on Upwork as a Virtual Assistant **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Nabari I. | Project Manager Assistant || Virtual Assistant, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2025 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I love Upwork cause it's easy to set up your profile and start searching for jobs without being redirected to different sites. Additionally, Upwork offers numerous security features that help protect my account from scammers. Once Upwork notices a job that seems tricky, they will remove the job post, and if I have already applied, my connections will be returned to me. Another interesting thing I love is that Upwork has lots of clients, lots of job posts are posted every minute, I don't need to go looking for jobs, I just need to buy connects and apply. Upwork has good customer support; they always assist when I reach out. I also love that they have a in-built time tracker; I track my work with ease. I use Upwork always. I currently have two long-time clients that I've been working with fr months. I love that I can use Upwork both on my phone and on my laptop too. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** Recently, Upwork has increased its percentage, which is quite high. I also don't like the fact that some jobs require a high amount of connects to apply, I sometimes can't apply for a job I am fit for cause the connects is too high. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork makes my journey as a freelancer very easy, Upwork is bridging the gap between clients and freelncers, It connects the job seekers to clients/employers with ease, I get to see job post every minute, its not that easy on some other platforms, when you though you have seen a job post and click on it, it will keep taking you to other unsecure sites, Upwork is entirely different. Payment is also easy and secure on Upwork. ### 5. Upwork Makes Finding Gigs and Freelancers Simple—and Worth the Fees **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Michael M. | Copywriter, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 22, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** It’s easy to find both gigs and freelancers on Upwork. I’ve used the platform as both a freelancer and a client, and I really appreciate how straightforward the site is to use and how reasonable the fees feel. In both roles, it has provided a strong return on my investment. Support has also been helpful the few times I’ve needed it, although I haven’t had to reach out often. Overall, the platform has performed well for me—both for finding work and for finding freelancers to collaborate with on projects. My overall experience with Upwork has been very positive, and it’s especially helpful to be able to see a freelancer’s experience. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I've not had any issues with Upwork or found it lacking in features that have had any effect on my work or my use of the platform. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Integrating AI intelligence into its use has helped keept Upwork current on the industry. It's moving in the right direction on that, as AI is a part of our everyday life now. I use AI as my agentic desktop assistant and so am comfortable with using AI within Upwork as well. ### 6. Building a Verified Reputation and Reliable Income on Upwork **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Rodnie S. | Founder, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 26, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** What I like about Upwork is the ability to publicly showcase what I call verified reputation, where businesses can clearly see your track record, skills, and results. Unlike traditional freelancing, every project contributes to your profile through reviews, earnings, and long-term client relationships, and that compounds over time. I also value how direct the communication is. You can negotiate clearly with clients, build trust, and structure agreements properly, including upfront payments to cover business costs and investments. This platform goes beyond basic freelancing. It allows real operators and consultants to work professionally, with the added security of escrow protection, where funds are secured and only released upon completion and client satisfaction. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** Upwork has been a powerful mechanism to showcase who you truly are. However, competition continues to increase. Even though I have strong rapport and proven results, the final decision always comes down to the client and their personal preferences. In some cases, hiring decisions can be influenced by factors like demographics or appearance rather than a freelancer’s actual reputation and performance. I do appreciate the ability to put yourself in front of clients, but that often requires purchasing connects, and there is still no guarantee of being hired. It becomes an investment with uncertain returns. There are also inconsistencies in job quality. Some job posts appear low-quality or even questionable, showing patterns that feel automated or not entirely genuine. This creates unpredictable cycles where one month can be very successful and another can be slow. From a system perspective, I believe there is room for improvement in how talent is discovered. Upwork seems to rely heavily on profile titles rather than fully understanding a professional’s complete skill set. For example, positioning myself as an Amazon Growth Strategist reflects a broader, more advanced capability, including SEO, PPC, optimization, account management, and creative direction. However, the platform tends to favor more generic, keyword-heavy titles for visibility. As a result, highly capable professionals may need to simplify their positioning just to match search behavior, which doesn’t always reflect the full scope of what they can deliver. Even after testing different titles and optimizing for keywords, it can still be difficult to appear at the top of search results, even when investing in boosted profiles. Overall, I believe Upwork could improve how it matches clients with experienced operators by better recognizing depth of expertise beyond basic keyword signals. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork solves two major problems: trust and payment security. It creates a structured environment where both freelancers and clients can work with confidence, knowing that funds are secured and released based on agreed milestones. For me, Upwork has become a valuable asset. It allows me to showcase years of results, metrics, and client feedback in a public and verifiable way. This builds credibility and makes it easier for new clients to trust my work without hesitation. It also benefits me by acting as a reliable middleman for payments. I know that once a client funds a project, the system protects both sides, which removes a lot of the risk that typically comes with independent freelancing. Beyond that, it gives me the ability to bring in external clients, manage contracts professionally, and still operate within a secure framework. Over time, it has become more than just a platform. It’s a foundation I can leverage to grow my business and even guide others on how to use the system to advance their own careers. ### 7. Problem-Solution Framing "Upwork Solves the Small Business Talent Gap" **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Daphne D. | CEO, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** Upwork's clean, intuitive interface makes it easy to post projects and review proposals quickly. The platform's AI-powered matching connects me to the right talent fast, and integrations fit smoothly into my existing workflow. Performance is consistently reliable, onboarding is straightforward, and the ROI speaks for itself — quality talent at rates that make sense for a small business. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** While Upwork's interface is functional, the dashboard can feel cluttered and search results aren't always the most relevant. The AI-powered matching is helpful but doesn't always surface the best fit, and integrations with outside tools are more limited than expected. Service fees can add up quickly, which impacts ROI for smaller engagements, and support response times could be faster when issues arise. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** As the founder of a WBE-certified management consulting firm, Upwork solves my most pressing challenge — accessing specialized talent quickly without the overhead of full-time hires. The clean interface and AI-powered matching help me identify the right contractors fast, whether I need technical support for a fintech platform or project-based delivery resources. Integrations fit naturally into my workflow, and the platform consistently delivers strong ROI by keeping engagement costs lean while maintaining quality. The onboarding experience is smooth, making it easy to mobilize talent and drive results from day one. ### 8. Excellent Freelance Platform For Freelance Workers and Clients **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Adebayo A. | Mr, Health, Wellness and Fitness, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 23, 2025 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I received a gift card for sharing my honest review. Upwork is an excellent freelance platform, especially if you have some experience. Having used it for years, what I like most about Upwork is the ease with which a freelancer can get paid for the work they've done. The time tracker for hourly jobs works excellently, and earnings are accurately computed based on hours logged. And the pay is always released on schedule after a period during which the client can review it. The protection offered for fixed-price jobs also gives the freelancer peace of mind. Once a contract or milestone has been funded, the freelancer is certain that their pay will be released once the contract is completed. And any dispute is resolved by Upwork Upwork also has multiple payment options that allow freelancers from all over the world to withdraw their earnings. These options include a Direct to Bank option that allows freelance to get their earnings directly into their local bank account without jumping through multiple hoops. This feature is very important for freelancers in countries that do not support PayPal or Payoneer. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I received a gift card for sharing my honest review. The amount of spam/scam jobs on Upwork is a big concern, and it's one part of Upwork that I know can be improved upon. It's very frustrating to craft a proposal and spend precious connects to bid for a gig only for it to turn out to be a spam or scam. To be fair, sometimes, some of these clients are banned and the connects returned, but this doesn't always happen. Also, the availability of low-priced jobs is very concerning and allows some clients to exploit freelancers, especially those just starting out. This is can be discouraging for new freelancers and frustrating for older and experienced ones alike. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork helps to connect freelancers and clients offering safe and effective way for both parties achieve their objectives. As a freelancer, I can get jobs that align with my skill set and pays my going rate. It also allows my to get jobs that fit my availability. With Upwork, I can charge clients in a transparent way by using the Upwork Time Tracker for Hourly jobs and milestones for Fixed Jobs. I can also collect my earnings with ease using the various payment methods supported by Upwork. This is actually a very important feature for freelancers in countries that do not support Paypal, Payoneer e.t.c They also have great customer support and a vibrant community where experienced users share tips on how to win work ### 9. Time Management and Cost Efficiency with Upwork **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Stephanie C. | Owner-Senior Public Adjuster, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 14, 2025 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I use Upwork to write insurance claims for me, which helps me manage my time and secure new business while someone else handles the data entry. The person I work with is punctual, has great communication skills, and is very good at writing estimates. Upwork allows me to hire top talent without having to keep someone on payroll. It saves me money since hiring a full-time estimate writer would probably cost me about $4K a month, but I only spend about $1K per month and rehire my talent only when needed. I recommend it all the time and would rate it a 10. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I found it problematic that I couldn't talk or reach out directly to the person without going through the app, which led to missing a deadline. The first time I hired someone, things didn't go well because the person wasn't on the system, and I had no way to contact them. I also find some items hard to navigate, though I can't point to anything specific. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to manage my time by outsourcing data entry, allowing me to focus on securing new business. It helps me hire top talent without needing to maintain someone on payroll, saving me around $3K monthly. ### 10. Overreliance on AI Makes Support Hard to Reach and Ads Get Rejected **Rating:** 1.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Phillip D. | CEO, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 11, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I've worked with a work for many years. Probably around 15. I was very grateful to find on the have enjoyed my experience with them up until recently. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** It seems that recently they're becoming very relying on AI. It's becoming increasingly difficult to talk to a real person in chat or on the phone. This used to be a whole lot simpler. But now they've made it very, very difficult to get to a real person. I've had several experiences where I posted ads for freelancer only for them to be taken down a few minutes later. I had one experience where I kept posting an ad and it was taken down three or four times by of work. I'm not quite sure the reason I could ever find out why. Every time I asked all I get was a canned response that was pretty much useless. I wound up having to have to put way more detail into the doctor description was necessary and even put things in there that weren't necessarily what I needed. But I had to provide way more detail than I should've had to so they had wouldn't be rejected again. I try to be pretty thorough with my ads, but your system just seems to be very critical. I've also had several problems with that work going down and throwing up very errors. Again, though I don't have any proof for this I would probably attribute to an over-reliance on AI. I had pretty good experiences with customer service in the past and even up until it was almost impossible to get a hold of anybody. But your AI is horrible and I would strongly recommend moving away away from so much dependent on it because it's only causing more and more problems. I've even heard about freelancer that have been kicked . One of the people that was kicked off with someone that worked for me. He kept asking for review and what happened but he never got an answer. So unfortunately, I ended up no longer being able to use this guy. I have no idea if it was his fault or just a problem with AI. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Hiring more real customer service, representatives, and get rid of AI ### 11. Great for non-profit leaders who need time back! **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Lauren R. | Executive Director, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2025 **What do you like best about Upwork?** What I like best about Upwork is the way it helps build capacity for my nonprofit. Leading a small team means we often wear many hats, and it isn’t always feasible to bring on full-time staff for every need. Upwork allows us to access highly skilled professionals on demand—whether it’s for grant writing, design, data analysis, or specialized projects—which strengthens our ability to deliver on our mission without overextending our team. It’s an incredible tool for nonprofits looking to scale impact while staying lean and efficient. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** “What I find least helpful about Upwork is that it can sometimes be overwhelming to sort through the large pool of freelancers to find the right fit for our needs. As a nonprofit leader with limited time, I wish there were even more tailored tools to help match us quickly with professionals who understand the nonprofit sector. Occasionally, the fees also make it a bit harder for us to stretch our budget, which is always top of mind in the nonprofit world **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork is solving the problem of finding and managing high-quality talent outside of our small staff team. We use Upwork for our web designer, and having the ability to pay him through the platform makes the process seamless and automated. Instead of worrying about invoices, contracts, or chasing down payments, we can focus on the work itself. For a nonprofit with limited administrative capacity, that efficiency is a huge benefit. ### 12. Effortless Hiring with a Vast Talent Pool **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Nees C. | Director of Ecommerce, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 11, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I use Upwork to hire freelancers for projects, and it really makes hiring much easier by helping me find professionals without needing to interview or find people locally. I like the range or variety of professionals available, as there are so many intelligent freelancers to choose from. My favorite tool is posting a job, which allows creators to find me based on their skills, minimizing the small talk and run around. Switching to Upwork from Fiverr was a great decision for us, and the initial setup was really easy and straightforward. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I think Upwork fees could be improved. Some fees are high. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork helps me hire professionals easily without local interviews, offering a wide variety of skilled freelancers. The job posting tool lets creators find me, reducing unnecessary communication. ### 13. Effortless Hiring, Quality Talent Fast **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Mariah V. | Founder of Life by Design, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 21, 2025 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like how easy Upwork is to use and how quickly I can start working with a contractor on projects. This is especially useful for last minute projects. It's simple to type in job search exactly the type of skills or job I'm looking to hire for. I love how easy it is to view contractors' profiles and check out their successfully completed jobs and reviews. This makes me more confident in using the platform. Setting up Upwork was very easy as well. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** It's a little hard to read the timesheets and reporting - I wish that part could be a bit more simple. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork helps me find vetted talent fast, making it easy to hire for various projects. I appreciate the simplicity of browsing profiles and starting work quickly, boosting my confidence in using the platform for last-minute projects. ### 14. Decent Candidates, But Fees and Poor Contractor Vetting Undermine Trust **Rating:** 2.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Andrew T. | Owner/Events Director, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 11, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** It’s great to be able to usually find pretty good contract candidates. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** Extremely high fees and membership costs. There also seems to be a lack of proper vetting of contractors: we’ve worked with multiple contractors whose work was atrociously poor, and some lied and acted deceitfully. Many also claim they’re based in the USA, but I’ve been told numerous times by contractors themselves that they use someone else’s ID to fake their profile location. We’ve used Upwork multiple times and have spent thousands of dollars, yet lately the overall quality has felt close to what I’ve seen on other platforms like Fiverr, which are typically far cheaper. Upwork also consistently lies to the cashback platforms they partner with, telling them that we didn’t make a purchase when that is blatantly untrue. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Web design and production, graphic design, and video editing. ### 15. Flexible Global Freelancing with Secure Payments and Reliable Opportunities **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Muzammil M. | Founder – Muzammil Graphic | Interior and Graphic Designer | Transforming Spaces and Brands Visually , Graphic Design, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** February 18, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** Upwork provides excellent flexibility and global exposure for freelancers. The platform makes it possible to connect with clients from different countries and industries, which has helped me expand my professional network and gain diverse project experience. It allows me to showcase my skills, portfolio, and client feedback in a structured way, helping build long-term credibility. The secure payment system is another strong advantage. With fixed price and hourly contracts, milestone tracking, and payment protection, I feel confident working with both new and returning clients. The built-in messaging and contract management tools keep communication organized and projects streamlined in one place. There is also a wide variety of projects available, from short-term assignments to long term collaborations. This flexibility allows me to select work that matches my expertise, availability, and career goals. The review and rating system promotes transparency and encourages professionalism on both sides. Upwork has played an important role in helping me grow my freelance career by providing consistent opportunities, reliable payments, and access to a global client base. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** One of the main challenges on Upwork is the high level of competition. Many freelancers apply for the same projects, which can make it difficult to stand out, especially for newer profiles. The cost of Connects to submit proposals can also add up without guaranteeing work. Additionally, service fees reduce overall earnings, particularly on smaller projects. Sometimes clients post unclear job descriptions or have unrealistic expectations regarding budget and deadlines. The proposal process can be time consuming, and not all clients respond after receiving applications, which can be discouraging for freelancers investing effort into detailed proposals. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork solves the major challenge of connecting skilled professionals with clients worldwide in a secure and structured environment. Before platforms like Upwork, freelancers had to rely heavily on personal networks, local markets, or inconsistent referrals to find work. This often limited opportunities and created uncertainty in income. Upwork removes geographical barriers by providing access to a global marketplace where clients actively search for talent based on skills, experience, and reviews. One of the biggest problems it solves is trust between freelancers and clients. Through verified profiles, transparent ratings, detailed reviews, and clear work histories, both parties can evaluate each other before starting a contract. The platform’s payment protection system, milestone tracking, and escrow services reduce the risk of non payment, which is a common concern in freelance work. This gives me confidence to work with new clients without worrying about payment security. Upwork also simplifies project management. Built in messaging, time tracking for hourly contracts, file sharing, and contract management tools keep everything organized in one place. This reduces misunderstandings and helps maintain professional communication. Instead of juggling multiple tools, I can manage proposals, contracts, and payments within a single platform. Another important problem it addresses is career growth and visibility. By allowing me to build a strong profile, collect client feedback, and showcase completed projects, Upwork helps establish longterm credibility. This has benefited me by bringing repeat clients, higher-value projects, and more consistent work opportunities. Overall, Upwork creates a structured, secure, and global ecosystem that supports freelancers in building sustainable careers while giving clients reliable access to skilled professionals. ### 16. Secure and Seamless Freelance Hiring Platform **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** J M. | Functional Health & Wellness Coach, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 05, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I use Upwork for finding professionals to help me in various areas of my online business. I like that Upwork can hold payments until work is appropriately completed, which makes me feel safer in this world of scamming. I also like that I can have video meetings with those I hire and that everything is documented. These features make me feel more confident in the hiring and completion of projects. The initial setup was very easy, and I am so pleased with Upwork that I rate it a 10 out of 10 and have referred it many times. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I haven't found anything I dislike up to this point. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to find professionals for web design, technical setups, and social media needs. I like that Upwork holds payments securely, allows video meetings, and documents everything, making me feel more confident in hiring and project completion. ### 17. Upwork: A true Blessing for Freelancers **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Alan A. | Podcaster, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 24, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I love Upwork because the turnaround time is quick, and they usually stay within that time frame. They really get things done and communicate well, so I experience nothing but greatness with them. Upwork has been a true blessing, definitely helping me out with my social media marketing and building up my social media presence. I also appreciate their customer service, which is at its finest. The initial setup was very easy and straightforward, with direct questions that made it simple. I recommend Upwork to just about anybody. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** There was a time where Upwork changed the fee, it was roughly about $5 and change, which spiked up about a week or so. But it went back down, and I'm glad they did. As long as they keep the fees low, we're good to go. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork has boosted my social media marketing and presence. It offers quick turnaround times, effective communication, and professional service. If something's not perfect, they fix it quickly. ### 18. Account Closure Issues Tarnish the Experience **Rating:** 0.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Tayfur Y. | Web Developer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 05, 2025 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I found Upwork to be very well constructed, allowing me to complete setup processes quickly and focus on my work. The platform's ability to access current jobs and connect with customers from all over the world has been particularly useful. I appreciate the support for working on hourly projects, a feature not available on most other platforms. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I am frustrated about my account being closed and not receiving a refund of $641.99 that I deposited. I can't get a response regarding this issue.","I am disappointed with the unresponsiveness of customer support, as they have not addressed my concerns or provided any assistance with my account closure or the missing refund. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I find Upwork beneficial for connecting with global clients through hourly projects, a feature not available on many platforms. ### 19. Streamlined Freelancer Hiring with Superior Quality **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Christian G. | Director, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 22, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I appreciate that Upwork provides fast access to highly qualified and affordable freelancers, making it very transparent and easy to identify who is available and can do the best work. As a freelancer, I find it a great channel to acquire new customers and build relationships through small gigs, which helps me get more work. The quality of freelancers is much higher than what I've seen on Fiverr. Also, as a buyer, the onboarding process is very convenient, and overall, the setup process was straightforward, transparent, and seemed great. Upwork facilitates my day-to-day life in a great way, both as a seller and a buyer. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** What happens quite often on the seller side is that when engaging with potential clients, their preference might switch between fixed price and hourly rates depending on the feedback you provide. The lack of flexibility in switching from hourly pricing to fixed pricing and milestones is kind of limited, which sometimes creates extra burden back and forth with a potential client. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork provides fast access to highly qualified and affordable freelancers, and is a great channel for acquiring new customers. It's a transparent platform that facilitates both buying and selling seamlessly in my day-to-day life. ### 20. Fast Access to Freelance Talent, but Clunky Interface **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Geoffrey S. | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 22, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I use Upwork to find freelance marketing talent to augment our team. It allows us to test new marketing talent in limited situations to evaluate their quality of work before executing a longer engagement. I find new marketing talent quickly and it reduces the amount of time we have to spend looking for marketing talent because we can just go right to Upwork to find them. We're able to avoid costly mistakes where we hire a full-time employee that ends up not working out. With Upwork, we're able to give limited scope of work projects that give us a better evaluation of a professional's true capabilities. The initial setup was very easy, which was also a plus. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** The interface is a bit clunky, scheduling meetings through Upwork is a pain, and trying to figure out how to re-engage talent on new projects can be obnoxious. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to find freelance marketing talent quickly, allowing us to test new talent in limited situations and evaluate their work quality before committing to longer engagements. It reduces time spent searching and avoids costly hiring mistakes. ### 21. Wide Professional Network with Streamlined Hiring **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Vendor R. | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 21, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I use Upwork to hire contractors for task-specific items. It helps me with legal documents, graphical content, and video content, allowing me to locate any professional in any field. I like the wide range of pros available and the ability to sift through their profiles to determine which ones are best suited for my tasks. It allows me to find what I need in a pro and shows me relevant tasks they have completed in the past. The initial setup was extremely easy, and I suggest Upwork to anybody who is looking for a pro to complete a hands-off task. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I guess you could suggest tasks that should be done based on business type. For me, I am E-commerce, it would be helpful to know of what tasks are completed to improve an E-commerce business then show people to hire out for this task. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to hire contractors for task-specific items, like legal documents and graphical content. It helps me find professionals in any field, with a wide range and the ability to sift through profiles to choose the best fit. ### 22. Instant Access to Specialized Talent with Upwork **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Chuck G. | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 21, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I use Upwork to source specialized talent for building and scaling my brand, from design and packaging to development and operational systems. It's been valuable for quickly finding skilled professionals across different functions without the friction of traditional hiring. Upwork solves the speed and accuracy problem. Instead of spending weeks recruiting or committing to full-time hires too early, I can quickly find specialized talent for specific projects and move forward without delays. What I like most is the ability to access specialized talent on demand. Instead of being limited by geography, or traditional hiring timelines, I can find people with very specific skill sets exactly when I need them. The initial setup was pretty straightforward. The platform does a good job guiding you through the basics, so it's easy to get started. Upwork helps us leverage professional skill sets as we scale. It saved us thousands of dollars on vetting and hiring full-time employees. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** One area for improvement is quality consistency. While there is a lot of strong talent on the platform, there's also a wide range in experience levels, which can make vetting more time consuming than it should be. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to source specialized talent quickly and accurately, which helps in building and scaling my brand without delays or the friction of traditional hiring processes. ### 23. Streamlined Talent Search but High Fees **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ada P. | Fractional Marketing Director + Founder, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like that Upwork solves the problem of talent searching and finding the right freelancers with credentials I can vouch for and see. I appreciate being able to find freelancers with feedback visible to me, which allows me to see the rating for each freelancer and understand what they're good at and what they're not good at. I'm also able to see their rates and compare, giving me a wide pool of freelancers to choose from. The initial setup was fairly easy. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I believe that the fees are extremely high and unfair. I didn't realize that the freelancers also pay a fee on top of the fees that we have to pay. So oftentimes, working on Upwork is for short projects, rather than long term because of the high fees. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork solves the problem of talent searching by allowing me to find freelancers with visible feedback and ratings, which helps me choose from a wide pool of candidates. ### 24. One-Stop Shop for All Freelancing Needs **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Tara P. | Digital Marketing Director, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 14, 2025 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like that there's so many people to choose from on the Upwork platform. It makes it easy to be like a one-stop-shop for the different tasks I mentioned. Whether I need someone to help with editing a video or someone who's more analytical or focused on website design, I can find them on Upwork. It's nice that there are all different types of professionals with different types of focuses. The initial setup was pretty straightforward and easy. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I find the interface when I am trying to find someone to work with a little confusing. I have to post the job and then get the contractor from there. it's hard when I find people I like, and then I wanna keep working with them, but then I have to post another job. Feel like I haven't really quite figured that out. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** At Distillery, we use Upwork to handle ad hoc marketing and sales requests our team can't manage due to limited bandwidth. Upwork acts as an extension of our team, expediting tasks and ensuring timely completion. ### 25. Efficient Freelance Platform, But Unfair Boosting System **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Kristen A. | Professional Freelancer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like that Upwork allows you to explore and apply for the latest jobs at any time of day, providing the convenience of saving jobs you're interested in. Everything happens quickly, and there's a wide range of different job categories. As a client, I appreciate the variety of talented people I can choose from for my projects. The setup was very easy for me, and I'm not a super tech-savvy person, so getting it up and running within minutes was impressive. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I personally don't really like that people can boost. So if you have a lot more money and you can keep buying a crazy amount of connects, you can boost your proposal to be seen first. I don't really like that. I just think everybody should just be able to put in their proposal, and then the client can decide. On their own from there who they would like. I don't think that just because you put in five times the amount of connects that you should be able to have that advantage. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to find jobs in book reviews, editing, and transcription. It also helps me as a client for editing and proofreading my book, and even for designing a book cover. ### 26. Effortless Hiring, Overwhelming Responses **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ellie S. | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like Upwork's ability to make hiring really easy. It's great to find the best person for the job without having to search through Google. I just post the job, and people come to me, which I really like about it. The crowdsourcing aspect is something I appreciate, especially being able to see that people have done successful projects and have positive reviews from clients. It's comforting to know that I'm not going into a black hole wondering if the person is going to do a good job. Also, the setup was really easy for me since I can't even remember doing it, that's how easy it was! **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I guess sometimes when you post a project, you get kind of spammed by too many people, and I find it really difficult to sort through them. Like, posting to redo my website, and I've just gotten so many responses that I can't even sort through them. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork solves my problem of finding the best person for a job. It's easy to hire someone who is well-reviewed without searching through Google. I just post a job and people come to me. ### 27. Efficient Talent Sourcing with Great Support, High Fees a Drawback **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Tracilee H. | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I was warned by many people that it would be hard to find good talent on Upwork, but I haven't had that problem at all. The people I have worked with have all been responsive and helpful. They are good at the things they say they are good at, and I think it's nice that they also tell you what they don't do instead of pretending to know everything. I use their app, which is pretty good. I like the function where I can specify what I need to do next, and then people respond to tell me if they can or can't do the task. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I get frustrated about having to pay a fee to Upwork every time I pay my freelancers in multiple parts for long projects. It's honestly terrible, and the one thing that makes me maybe wanna pull away from Upwork for that. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to handle technical tasks I can't do myself, like website tracking and converting Figma designs into WordPress. It saves me time and effort by allowing experts to respond to my needs. ### 28. Simplifies Client Outreach with Impressive Security **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Adam S. | Founder & CEO, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I use Upwork for identifying great work opportunities in my industry and for meeting and working with great clients and people across the world. I like the simplicity and protection it offers for both clients and contractors. It's very simple to communicate, create contracts, and I feel very protected when I'm actively in those contracts. I find that Upwork solves the problem of finding clients who are willing and ready to pay. The UI and UX of the platform are very intuitive. The initial setup was also very easy and straightforward. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** Probably just the fact that clients have a lot of leverage over contractors. I think the fees are a little bit high as well. But overall, no major feedback points. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to find clients who are ready and willing to pay, solving the challenge of getting paying clients. The platform is simple for communication and contract creation, with strong protection for both sides. ### 29. Upwork for help with all my websites **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Richard M. | Owner, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** July 17, 2018 **What do you like best about Upwork?** Easy to find the right people to accomplish the job. Pricing varies depending on budget and quality of work is great. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** Bombardment of requests for work from all over. **Recommendations to others considering Upwork:** Make sure you vet your candidates, Many claim to know everything but do not. Make sure they are responsive, many are half way around the world and many not get back to you if you need them. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** When I need help I have found many qualified candidates on the site. Many are from other countries so they get work done while I sleep. They have all cost levels so I can pick according to budget. Candidate are extremely knowledegable especially with technical issues. ### 30. Flexible Global Projects with Strong Payment Protection **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Doaa Y. | Recruiting Team Lead, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 30, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** Varieties of the projects and getting to work with clients from different parts of the world beside able to work on your own terms like if you want to work on hourly or fixed type of projects you get to choose as well the hours you can work per week and able to find the good or bad reviews on the clients feedback and able to differentiate those clients with payment verified vs those who doesnt have one to make sure your payment will go through smoothly. Also upwork payment protection is amazing as long as you track your hours for work related and adding memo notes.Upwork changed my life to be better and able to know many team members across the world and learn about their culture beside flexibility schedule. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** No of connects are now slim and you have to purchase them now if you want to submit proposal and each client requires no of connects to be submitted unless you are invited directly. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork payment protection for hourly projects as long as the hours tracker properly upon rules and upwork policies, Upwork makes sure to protect your hours if the client claims you didnt do anything. ### 31. A Reliable Platform for Finding Flexible, Secure Freelance Work **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Diyosa M. | Customer Service, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 28, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** What I like best about Upwork is how it makes finding and managing freelance work simple and secure. It brings clients and professionals together in one place, with built-in tools for proposals, communication, and payments, so you can focus on delivering work instead of chasing clients or worrying about getting paid. The flexibility to choose projects that match your skills and schedule is also a big plus. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** One thing I dislike about Upwork is the level of competition, which can make it harder—especially for new freelancers—to stand out and win projects. The service fees can also feel high at times, and some job postings attract low budgets or unrealistic expectations, which means you have to be selective and spend time filtering for quality opportunities. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork solves the problem of finding reliable clients and getting paid safely as an independent professional. It reduces the friction of outreach, contracting, and payments by putting everything—job discovery, proposals, communication, and escrow protection—into one platform. This benefits me by saving time, lowering the risk of non-payment, and giving access to a global pool of clients. Instead of spending energy chasing leads or handling contracts and invoicing manually, I can focus on delivering quality work and choosing projects that fit my skills and schedule. ### 32. Great platform for finding global freelance opportunities **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Qazi E. | Software Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 02, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** What I like best about Upwork is the flexibility to work with clients worldwide, choose projects based on my skills, and build a strong professional profile while earning independently. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** One thing I dislike about Upwork is the high competition, which makes it difficult for new freelancers to get started, along with service fees and sometimes clients with unclear requirements. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork solves the problem of finding reliable clients and remote work opportunities by connecting freelancers with businesses worldwide. This benefits me by giving access to global projects, helping me earn independently, build experience, and grow my professional network without needing a traditional office job. ### 33. Not Interested! **Rating:** 0.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Roman S. | Agent, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 07, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I thought I used to like something about it, but for the past few years the membership pricing has increased. Clients' jobs and payments have decreased, and there is no proper screening of the clients, so there are lots of scammers. Thank you. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I thought I used to like something about it, but for the past few years the membership pricing has increased. Clients' jobs and payments have decreased, and there is no proper screening of the clients, so there are lots of scammers. Thank you. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** As of the current state, it only connects you to low‑paying jobs. ### 34. Access Global Talent Effortlessly, But High Fees **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Arlen F. | Marketing Director, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2025 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like that as a small to medium-sized business in the US, I can access talent across the world at rates that I couldn't get here. The time journal or workers' journal is very helpful as it lets me see partial progress on a project. The ability to give workers a bonus also helps. It was pretty easy to set up, as I was able to hire someone within the first hours of signing up. The platform is great, and the people on there are very good at what they do. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I think the fees could be improved. You know, I feel like I'm paying a high marketplace fee every time I hire talent or pay my workers. I think I've spent more than a 100,000 US dollars to date on Upwork. And I could imagine a smaller percentage going to the marketplace fee so I can get more work done. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to access a global pool of talent that I couldn't get otherwise, and it's cost-effective for my business needs. ### 35. Great tool for outsourcing technical and administrative tasks **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Wid C. | manager, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** Upwork makes it incredibly efficient to find specialized talent for different areas of my business. I’ve successfully hired both technical roles (like a developer for an Algolia search widget) and administrative roles (like a Virtual Assistant for day-to-day tasks) on the platform. The interface allows me to vet candidates quickly by reviewing their past job history and ratings. I also really appreciate the time-tracking features for hourly contracts; it gives me peace of mind knowing exactly what hours are being billed and allows me to verify the work before releasing payment **What do you dislike about Upwork?** The main downside is the volume of generic proposals I receive when posting popular jobs. When I look for general help like a Virtual Assistant, I often have to sift through dozens of copy-paste applications from freelancers who didn't read the specific requirements of my job post. Additionally, the client-side processing fees on top of the freelancer's hourly rate can add up quickly over time, making the total cost of hiring a bit higher than expected **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork solves the challenge of finding specialized talent quickly without the long-term commitment of hiring full-time employees. It allows me to scale my business operations efficiently by outsourcing both complex technical tasks (like implementing search widgets) and daily administrative duties. This benefits me by freeing up my time to focus on high-level strategy while ensuring that specific operational tasks are handled by skilled professionals ### 36. Quick Access to Reliable Freelancers at Budget-Friendly Rates **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Kelly D. | Small Business Owner, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like that you can quickly find talented, reliable freelancers (as long as you know how to evaluate proposals). It's also helpful, as an American, to be able to save on labor costs by hiring professionals in lower-cost countries. I have had freelancers in Latin America and Eastern Europe who did excellent work at rates lower than U.S.-based freelancers. The reality for many of us is that our budget is modest and we need to keep expenses low or we'll be in the red. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I think that Upwork reviews for freelancers are slightly inflated for the same reason Airbnb reviews are inflated. Clients are hesitant to write candidly negative reviews about an individual because it feels awkward, or they fear retaliation (like one-star Yelp reviews about the client's business). I myself have given lukewarm 3-star reviews to freelancers I was disappointed with. Interestingly, after one of them I actually received a message from Upwork offering to help in any way--they acknowledged that even though I hadn't complained about anything, they were aware that this project might not have met my expectations. Also: Within the last couple years, I've had issues with logging in to the platform on several occasions. For a few months I couldn't log in at all. I know my username and password and everything, but there would be some technical glitch. The last couple times I logged in, it worked fine, so it might be resolved now. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork solves the problem of needing labor for one-off projects, but most importantly it makes the hiring process faster and easier. Instead of having to reach out to businesses or freelancers by phone, LinkedIn, or company websites, you can simply post your project and wait for the bids to roll in. ### 37. Efficient Hiring, Needs Better Communication Flexibility **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Vince D. | CEO, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like the ease of use of the Upwork platform overall. It allows me to invite specific talent with ease and they usually rise to the top of the invite list based on keywords or the job description I put up. Oftentimes, I'm just able to invite many of the freelancers that we end up hiring, and direct invites definitely help get the best results. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** I think the platform and how you communicate with a freelancer back and forth is not all that flexible. I don't like to have another app on my computer for messaging or for email communication and having to go into Upwork to message instead of being able to take it out of the platform is a bit prohibitive. I understand the constraints, but yeah, that's one area of friction. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork allows me to hire on demand without needing a full-time position. It gives me access to worldwide talent without spending much on recruiting ads. ### 38. Efficient Hiring with Global Reach **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Keith H. | Owner, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 22, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I find Upwork very easy to use for the most part. Creating a job and getting it posted within minutes, then receiving replies shortly after, is great. It's fantastic to have an immediate issue solved pretty quickly. I didn't face any challenges setting up my Upwork account; it was a pretty simple process. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** Just every once in a while, I'm messaging somebody I'm working with, and Upwork comes up with messages saying that I can't say certain things on there, which I understand. But sometimes it doesn't really have anything to do with privacy policies or any issues. It's just the way that the website flags certain words in my messages. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to find good developers quickly for both long and short-term projects, enabling me to reach talented individuals globally who can start immediately, which isn't easy to find locally. ### 39. A useful platform, but potentially expensive for freelancers without repeat customers **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Denise T. | Copy editor, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 19, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** It's easy to use. It gives you access to a much wider variety of potential clients than you'd be able to find on your own. I also appreciate that you can log your hours daily instead of billing clients individually, which, for me at least, is an onerous job that I tend to procrastinate on. Despite my criticisms of Upwork, it's still one of the few freelancing games in town. I've recommended it to friends, although I tell them about the fact that you have to pay for "connects" that allow you to apply to jobs, which I think is one of Upwork's worst features, especially for freelancers who haven't yet established a roster of repeat customers. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** The "connects" system is pretty terrible. You used to be able to apply to jobs without having to pay anything. But now you must pay up to $3 or $4 for every job you apply for...or even if you just want to ask a question of a potential client who has posted a job. (Lots of potential clients post jobs with inadequate descriptions, and before you decide whether or not to invest in the effort to develop a proposal for the client, you used to be able to ask questions. For example, I'm an editor, and many clients just say "I need an editor!" instead of revealing what the project is, how many words it is, etc. So, because I don't want to waste my connects (which cost 15 cents each, and each job in my field typically requires 15 to 30 connects, or $2.25 to $4.50), I miss out on jobs because even asking a basic question will cost you the connects. It feels pretty unconscionable that you have to PAY to apply for jobs. This is pure wage extraction, and yet another example of Upwork monetizing just about everything on the platform to squeeze money out of workers. They already take 15% of your earnings, which is the price of using Upwork, so it feels extra petty to have you pay to apply for jobs, with no guarantee that anyone will even look at your proposal. I understand that they don't want you to spam potential clients, but there has to be a better way than to charge already poor people to apply for a job. And when a job has, say, 50 applicants, Upwork thus gets about $3 from each applicant (so, $150 there) plus 15% of the winning freelancer's pay. You do get 10 free connects per month, so that means you get—whoo!—to apply to half a job for free per month. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** At the moment, nothing that I can think of. Over the years Upwork has made the platform more expensive for workers to use. ### 40. User-Friendly Platform with Delayed Payment Processing **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** David C. | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 03, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I find Upwork very simple to use with its friendly interface. I appreciate that there are a lot of job possibilities on the platform. It's extremely easy to set up an account, and I would recommend it to everyone who wants to start a freelancing career. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** For me, the only thing that could be improved is the fact that receiving the money after the client pays it almost takes more than seven days. I have waited the max time of twenty days to get the money on my bank account. That's the only issue I have found onboard. It would be very nice for Upwork to improve that. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork solves the lack of work opportunities in Ecuador for me. It's simple to use with a friendly interface and offers many job possibilities. ### 41. High Cost Detracts from Usability **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Bamidele Clement O. | Senior Geographic Information System Consultant, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 03, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I use Upwork as a client and as a freelancer. It's popular, which is something I like about it. I use the public profile feature the most because it allows me to showcase my expertise and experience. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** The connects are becoming unreasonably expensive. I buy connects to apply for jobs, and when I work, Upwork still takes a whopping percentage of my income. This is not fair. Upwork also takes money from the client. Upwork should make connects more affordable for freelancers or let us apply to jobs for free. When we get a job, their percentage is already waiting for them. Additionally, new people I introduced to Upwork now say it is hard to set up. Upwork even charges them money for identity verification now, which is ridiculous. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork for getting jobs and finding talents. I showcase my expertise on my public profile. ### 42. Hire Top Freelance Experts in Minutes—Easy, Global, and Reasonably Priced **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jose V. | Art Director, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** A place where I can find easily an expert (domestically and internationally) in many services and help I need for my business or work. As a magazine art director I always looking for freelancers such as design, programming, consulting, etc and here I can post a job, send proposals and hire experts in minutes! The cost is very reasonable and contract are clear. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** This is not my experience, but I share a comment from a professional colleague. He said that sometimes is more effective to hire freelancers outside of upwork because the cost is less, in comparison with upwork platform fees. Also, he found sometimes more qualified freelancers outside Upwork. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** In my case, issues with website security, google analytics where I need quick solutions and the flexibility of my schedule. I can communicate with the freelancers easily anytime, anywhere in the world. ### 43. Great Variety of Projects, but Service Quality Often Falls Short **Rating:** 2.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Nick K. | Senior Delivery Manager, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 23, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like that Upwork gives access to a wide range of clients and projects from around the world. It makes it easy to find opportunities that match my skills and manage work in one place. I also appreciate the flexibility it offers to choose projects and build long-term client relationships. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** The main issue I’ve experienced is a lack of consistent quality. Many freelancers do not meet the expected skill level, which often leads to disappointing results. Overall, the quality of the services provided is frequently below expectations. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I can find various professionals in one place ### 44. Quick Access to Top Talent, Needs Contract Process Improvement **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Dallin K. | Independent Contractor, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I use Upwork for web development and motion graphics. Upwork allows me to fill skill gaps within my organization and team. I like that Upwork lets us find the right people quickly and provides all the tools needed to make that as seamless as possible. The initial setup was very easy. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** Some of the processes like closing contracts can be a little clunky. It can be confusing going from step to step. Like opening the contract, reaching milestones, and closing the contract. It would be nice if you all would rework that entire process to make it more user friendly. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork allows me to fill skill gaps within my organization and team. It lets us find the right people quickly and provides all the tools needed to make that as seamless as possible. ### 45. Unmatched Opportunities and Smart Tools for Every Freelancer **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Kaushik M. | Frontend Team Lead | UI/UX Designer | Freelancer, Information Technology and Services, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 10, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** The best part is the sheer scale of the platform. No matter what our specialty is, there are always active job postings from startups to huge companies. The buit it tools like "Uma" also help us write better proposals and find the best project matches much faster than searching manually. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** The worst part is the high competition and rising fees. because it is so large, we often compete with hundreads of ther people for one projects, which can lead to a race to the bottom on pricing. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork solves the problem of finding new clients and projects without having a massive sales team. It gives my company access to a global pool of businesses that need our skills. This benefits us by providing a steady stream of leads and protecting our payments through their escrow system, ensuring we get paid for the work we deliver. ### 46. Seamless Hiring Experience with Global Reach **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Kate S. | President and Chief Color Expert, Trainer and Speaker, Design, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 14, 2025 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like the breadth of skilled workers on Upwork and how quickly I can narrow down my choices. I appreciate the platform's ability to keep communications organized and the convenience of file sharing. Upwork's payroll service is crucial for me, as it handles paying people and handling taxes correctly around the world. This is something we wouldn't have taken on otherwise. Having everything in one place helps us keep the project organized. The initial setup of Upwork was seamless, and switching to Upwork from Fiverr has been a better fit for my business. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** We often have projects with multiple parts, with one person working on several pieces at once. It would be helpful to be able to have a thread for each part rather than a single thread. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork gives me access to specialized skills without needing full-time staff, organizing communication and file sharing, and handling global payments and taxes, saving time and reducing risk. ### 47. Trustworthy Payments and Flexible Hours with Global Client Opportunities **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Noorain F. | Officer, Biotechnology, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 20, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** We get opportunities to work with clients from all over the world. The payment system feels trustworthy, and it gives us the flexibility to choose the hours we want to work. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** Getting work at the beginning is pretty tough. There aren’t many jobs available, and the work that does come up is often low quality. On top of that, the payment is quite low. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** It helps me connect with clients and find suitable work from all over the world. It also helps me build long-term relationships with clients, with a steady flow of income. ### 48. Best platform for expert designers **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Rizwan L. | Head of Product Design, Computer Software, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 12, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** Very secure payments and top-tier clients **What do you dislike about Upwork?** The Pay-to-Play Barrier (Connects Inflation) **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork basically takes a lot of the stress out of finding and managing clients. Instead of worrying about whether a new client will actually pay, or spending time hunting for work on social media, the platform handles the contracts and holds the money in a secure account until the job is done. For someone running a design business, that’s a huge time-saver. It keeps all the boring admin, like invoices and time-tracking, in one place, so I can focus on the actual design work and on leading my team. The best part is how it helps me find high-quality projects without having to constantly market myself. Because it has a reputation system, my years of experience and successful past projects work like a magnet for bigger companies that are looking for experts rather than just cheap labor. It also makes it much easier to scale from small tasks to major branding or UI projects, since the infrastructure for managing larger contracts is already built in and ready to go. ### 49. Broad Talent Access, But Costly for Long-Term Use **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Alex C. | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 11, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like Upwork for its largest selection of talent. Their escrow and hourly payment tracking is really nice. I don't have to worry about setting up escrow services or dealing with unclear delivery. Once I have a contract, I can put the money for the milestone and have peace of mind that I will get it back if the freelancer can’t deliver. Also, the initial setup was super easy, and they are the only real option for the breadth of talent you might be looking for. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** They nickel and dime to a degree it’s more painful to use them long term than set up your own contract with the freelancer. It is good for finding people, but a pain to keep working on. Their quest to be a publicly traded company has made them push away the clients and made keeping work on the platform more trouble than it’s worth. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Upwork to find the right talent for anything I need and pay them seamlessly. I like the vast selection of talent and the peace of mind with their escrow and hourly payment tracking. ### 50. Seamless Hiring Experience on Upwork **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Rajasekar R. | Director of Product & Growth Data Science and Analytics, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 11, 2026 **What do you like best about Upwork?** I like that Upwork is set up for doing small work like this, end to end. From discovery to delivery of a project, the whole experience is pretty seamless on Upwork. I appreciate how it's easy for me to find the best lawyer by browsing through a list of attorneys, checking their past projects, and seeing how much they charge. I can easily sign a contract and pay via Upwork, making the process seamless. The tool provides a way to set up meetings, facilitating an intro brief meeting even before getting alignment. On an ongoing basis, communication via chat or meetings is made convenient. The initial setup was pretty easy, and I could quickly explain what the project is. The features are really good as soon as I prompt something, the AI picks it up and creates a nice project description for me. This made creating a project straightforward. **What do you dislike about Upwork?** So things that have not worked well for me is more from a worker standpoint. I put my profile on Upwork, and I haven't been able to get any projects. So at least for me, there is not a good match. **What problems is Upwork solving and how is that benefiting you?** Upwork makes it easy to find the best lawyer for my case by providing a list of attorneys, showing their past projects, and pricing. It allows me to sign contracts, pay seamlessly, set up meetings, and communicate easily for ongoing projects. ## Upwork Discussions - [Is Upwork better or Fiverr?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/upwork-is-upwork-better-or-fiverr) - 3 comments, 4 upvotes - [As a new user of Upwork, how can I effectively use its proposal bidding system to increase my chances of winning projects?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/as-a-new-user-of-upwork-how-can-i-effectively-use-its-proposal-bidding-system-to-increase-my-chances-of-winning-projects) - 2 comments, 1 upvote - [What is Upwork used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-upwork-used-for) - 2 comments, 1 upvote - [How Can I grow more on Upwork?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-can-i-grow-more-on-upwork) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [Is there any plan to reduce/increase the service charge by Upwork?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-there-any-plan-to-reduce-increase-the-service-charge-by-upwork) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [View Upwork pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/upwork/reviews?section=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-05-13+12%3A31%3A13+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=f9f7c38c-98ce-4706-9b71-45b9cc9822c0&secure%5Btoken%5D=9081dab009491cb7cdd0e7f7ffef3887021b235ba2db1aafd1938465b3645bd5&format=llm_user) ## Upwork Integrations - [Adobe Acrobat](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-acrobat/reviews) - [Adobe Illustrator](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-illustrator/reviews) - [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-photoshop/reviews) - [Agentforce 360 Platform (formerly Salesforce Platform)](https://www.g2.com/products/agentforce-360-platform-formerly-salesforce-platform/reviews) - [Asana](https://www.g2.com/products/asana/reviews) - [AWS Auto Scaling](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-auto-scaling/reviews) - [AWS Lambda](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-lambda/reviews) - [Behance](https://www.g2.com/products/behance/reviews) - [Calendly](https://www.g2.com/products/calendly/reviews) - [Canva](https://www.g2.com/products/canva/reviews) - [ChatGPT](https://www.g2.com/products/chatgpt/reviews) - [ClickUp](https://www.g2.com/products/clickup/reviews) - [Dropbox](https://www.g2.com/products/dropbox/reviews) - [Fiverr](https://www.g2.com/products/fiverr/reviews) - [GHL](https://www.g2.com/products/ghl/reviews) - [Google Analytics for G Suite](https://www.g2.com/products/google-analytics-for-g-suite/reviews) - [Google Workspace](https://www.g2.com/products/google-workspace/reviews) - [Labelbox](https://www.g2.com/products/labelbox/reviews) - [LinkedIn Job Search](https://www.g2.com/products/linkedin-job-search/reviews) - [Literatu for Google Docs for G Suite](https://www.g2.com/products/literatu-for-google-docs-for-g-suite/reviews) - [Microsoft Excel](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-excel/reviews) - [Microsoft Word](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-word/reviews) - [monday Work Management](https://www.g2.com/products/monday-com/reviews) - [Payoneer](https://www.g2.com/products/payoneer/reviews) - [QuickBooks Online](https://www.g2.com/products/quickbooks-online/reviews) - [Slack](https://www.g2.com/products/slack/reviews) - [TimeTracker.pro](https://www.g2.com/products/timetracker-pro/reviews) - [Zapier](https://www.g2.com/products/zapier/reviews) - [Zoom Rooms](https://www.g2.com/products/zoom-rooms/reviews) - [Zoom Workplace](https://www.g2.com/products/zoom-workplace/reviews) ## Upwork Features **Platform Basics** - Payment - Project Management - Dashboard **Generative AI** - AI Text Summarization **Hiring** - RFP Creator - Messaging - Freelance Screening - Freelance Profiles **Platform Performance** - Interoperability - Performance **Project Management** - Calendar - Guidelines and Policies - Workflow Builder - Digital Asset Management **Platform Content** - Contracts - Request Tool - Selection Management - Invoicing Tool - Proposal Tool **Payment** - Payment Automation - Secure Payments - Multi-Currency Payments - Multiple Payment Methods **Platform Additional Functionality** - Reporting - Mobility - Portal ## Top Upwork Alternatives - [Fiverr](https://www.g2.com/products/fiverr/reviews) - 4.3/5.0 (455 reviews) - [Bark.com](https://www.g2.com/products/bark-com/reviews) - 1.6/5.0 (322 reviews) - [Toptal](https://www.g2.com/products/toptal/reviews) - 4.7/5.0 (269 reviews)