Upwork Review for Clients (Plus Recent Platform Changes)
As an Upwork client myself, here are a few things to know about Upwork before you sign up for a client account.
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Upwork has both good and bad reviews, so what’s the real deal about Upwork client accounts?
We’ll work through the costs and benefits of using Upwork, especially if you’re looking to streamline your hiring and find high-quality talent.
Find more details about Upwork client account pricing, fee structure and features here.
There is no point in hiding it…
As you sift through various Upwork reviews, you’ll see a mixed bag of opinions about good and bad experiences. Some clients love it – including 30% of the Fortune 100 – and others note their concerns about scams and projects gone awry.
Some of the biggest sticking points potential Upwork clients have include the cost of the platform, the value it brings to hiring and the quality of the freelancers.
And maybe you have similar hesitations.
In this post, I want to highlight the pros and cons of Upwork, debunk a few rumors and give you additional insights to help you make a decision about whether an Upwork client account is right for you.
My Experience Using Upwork as a Client, Freelancer and Hiring Manager
Before we dive further, let me introduce myself so you understand my experience with Upwork.
My name is Amanda. I’m an SEO copywriter who started using Upwork in 2017 as a freelancer. I currently hold Upwork’s highest freelancer status (Expert Vetted) after successfully completing nearly 70 short- and long-term projects.
However, as my own business expanded, I also signed up for an Upwork client account to hire freelancers in 2022. Nowadays, I use the platform as a freelancer, hiring manager (for other companies) and client.
Since 2017, I’ve gained complete clarity about the platform and have seen it undergo major changes, some good and some bad.
There are a lot of mixed messages out there, so that’s why I wanted to create this comprehensive Upwork review for clients.
Why Has Upwork Become So Popular?
Upwork works with all sorts of clients, from single-person startups to 30% of the Fortune 100 companies. Once a little-known platform, Upwork is now a billion-dollar business. It even runs Super Bowl ads now!
In my time using the platform, I’ve seen it flourish from a pool of small companies and solopreneurs to massive brands needing to source thousands of freelancers.
So the real question is this: Why has Upwork surpassed other client-freelancer platforms like Fiverr, Freelancer and PeoplePerHour?
I firmly believe Upwork is the best talent-finding platform for a variety of reasons, which we’ll discuss next in the “Upwork pros and cons” section.
Pros of Upwork (for Client Accounts)
Here are the most notable and universal benefits of using Upwork to find and source freelancers.
The Advantages of Using Upwork as a Client
Upwork is free until you hire. Yes, you can pay $0 until you are ready to hire your favorite candidate. That means you’ve already vetted a group of freelancers, interviewed them and selected your top choice for the job.
This is a great, risk-free way to post a job on Upwork and use the platform (not just a “demo”).
Candidates are all housed in one place. This is a huge perk for recruiters and HR managers! Whether you want to post a job and bring candidates to you – or you want to search and seek out specific freelancers yourself – all of that can be done within Upwork using search filters, keywords and job descriptions.
And don’t worry, the job descriptions don’t have to be long or formal. All you need is a few bits of information, and freelancers can find you.
Messaging, hiring and payments are secure. One of the biggest hesitations clients have about signing up with Upwork is the (misguided) perception that Upwork is a scammy platform. However, when all of your messaging, hiring and payments are made through Upwork, all parties have security and protection safeguards.
For example: Once clients hire a freelancer, they must fund the job. However, if the freelancer does not deliver, there are ways for clients to recoup that money. It’s a nice mix of protecting both the freelancer and the company.
Protections are in place for clients. Since you can’t always directly oversee your freelancers, Upwork has additional safeguards like Hourly Payment Protection, dispute resolution and freelancer badges (which are based on vetting criteria, past reviews and job satisfaction).
Project management tools make collaboration seamless. Over the years, Upwork has increased their offerings of project management and communication tools, all housed within the platform.
For example: You can quickly get in contact with your freelancers via project chatrooms. You can also lay out contract scope, phases and timelines so everyone is on the same page.
Hiring tools expedite and streamline hiring. Aside from directly messaging potential candidates and hired talent, Upwork also enables video conferences and contract creation directly within the platform. If you have additional hiring requirements (e.g., NDAs, COIs), these can also be automated into your hiring process.
Clients have flexible ways to pay freelancers. Since the nature of your talent needs can vary, Upwork offers various ways to set up contracts and pay your freelancers.
For example: If you need someone to work hourly, you can set up an hourly contract that requires the freelancer to log their hours within Upwork. These hourly logs track the number of clicks, amount of working activity and capture screenshots so you can see just how hard your freelancer is working. You can also pay freelancers by the project or phase of the project.
Jobs can be short- or long-term. One of the biggest benefits of Upwork is the transparency regarding scope. If you just need a one-off project, you will find plenty of freelancers willing to do the work. Or, if you are looking for a long-term, go-to freelancer, you will also find plenty of candidates to choose from.
Cons of Upwork (for Client Accounts)
I’d be remiss if I failed to address the cons of Upwork as well. No platform is perfect, but these cons are important to address before you decide to sign on with Upwork.
The Disadvantages of Using Upwork as a Client
Clients pay their share of service fees. Upwork fee structures have changed drastically over the years. For the most updated fee structure, click here.
While Upwork service fees for clients may be higher than other platforms, Upwork typically offers more features. On a positive note: With a client account, you don’t pay monthly membership fees. Instead, you pay service fees that are directly attached to whatever contracts you create with freelancers. It’s more like a time-of-service fee structure.
Not every client gets access to Upwork’s top 1% of freelancers. Clients with a Business Plus plan or Upwork Enterprise plan gain access to Upwork’s top talent. Choosing one of these plans may be worth it if you’re not looking for the cheapest labor.
Upwork is strict about their Terms of Service. On one hand, it’s a good thing that Upwork takes their Terms of Service seriously since it can offer protections for clients. However, clients also see limitations with what they can and can’t do in their freelancer relationships.
Clients and freelancers have to stay on the platform for a specific period of time. Per Upwork’s current Terms of Service, client-freelancer relationships that start on Upwork have to remain on the platform for 2 years until they can be “taken off” the platform.
There are a few exceptions, especially if you are willing to pay a conversion fee.
Quality of talent can vary. This is a huge point of resistance for clients (and rightfully so). Some people say the Upwork talent pool is full of cheap amateurs, beginners and college students wanting a quick buck.
However, I can attest that there is a significant portion of high-quality, professional talent as well. The key is finding the diamonds in the rough (often using easy search filters by the way.)
Freelancers have certain protections. Just like clients have certain protections, freelancers also have protections, especially if clients fail to review the work and pay in a timely manner.
Clients also can’t rate or review freelancers until they’ve actually had a working contract. So if you get on a call with a freelancer you didn’t like – but didn’t hire them – the freelancer can go on their merry way to someone else.
There is a learning curve. All business tools have a learning curve, but the learning curve I’m referring to is simply getting a feel for how the platform works and how to move through the entire hiring process and project process.
As both a freelancer and client myself, I’ve learned a few things about what I want and don’t want in the client-freelancer relationship.
Upwork can’t protect clients completely. While most of the communication, payment and hiring happens on the platform, you and your freelancer may share work using external tools (e.g., Google Docs). This can create some risk in terms of sharing and availability.
More Upwork FAQs
I wanted to include some additional FAQs in this Upwork review, since many of these can be the deciding factor about whether or not to sign on with Upwork.
What Upwork Client Membership Plans Are Available?
Currently, Upwork offers three different plans for client accounts: Marketplace, Business Plus and Enterprise.
In lieu of monthly membership fees, clients pay service fees once they hire and start working with a freelancer. So technically, clients pay $0 until they are ready to hire their favorite candidate.
Marketplace memberships are the most basic, offering a select key features. However, you still gain access to a wide range of freelancers, even those who have higher-than-average client satisfaction scores.
The Business Plus plan offers a few more notable features, including access to Upwork’s top 1% of freelancers.
Upwork’s Enterprise plan is highly customizable, offering various support and hiring features depending on the needs of the company. This plan also has the most access to the top freelancers, payment protections, dispute resolution, hiring support, applicant tracking and more.
Is Upwork Trustworthy?
Upwork Inc. is a reputable company and is trusted by 30% of the Fortune 100 companies. In business since 2013, Upwork maintains an impressive client list, including Microsoft and Airbnb.
One of the biggest factors in their trustworthiness is their secure messaging and payment systems. With Upwork, much of the administrative tasks are kept securely within the platform. And if you run into issues with a hired freelancer, Upwork’s resolution center and support team are there to help.
Is It Safe to Hire from Upwork?
Yes. Upwork strictly enforces their fair Terms of Service, which protects both businesses and freelancers. So, if you play by the rules and conduct business dealings within the Upwork platform itself, you have specific protections.
How Upwork Protects Client Accounts
Clients securely deposit payments within the platform. Depending on the contract type, clients either pay the exact amount on tracked freelancer hours – or – you fund the contract with an escrow account that cannot be accessed by the freelancer until their work is approved.
Clients have a lot of power in approving freelancer work. What if a freelancer delivers work you’re not happy with? Upwork enables a grace period to review the freelancer’s work and ask for revisions. If the freelancer still cannot deliver on what was promised, everything is documented within your account, and the resolution center can intervene.
Clients are never “on their own” to fix issues. Upwork has a robust customer support center where disputes can be resolved. Most issues can be resolved by referring to Upwork’s Terms of Service, however, there are nuanced situations as well.
Client and company information is not shared publicly to everyone all the time. If you’d rather keep some company information reserved only for viable freelancers and people you trust, Upwork offers some protections.
For example: You can post a job without sharing tons of information about your company, even your company name. That reduces the risk of your company being hassled off-platform from freelancers who try to circumvent the system. Later on in the hiring process, your chosen freelancers have access to more information.
Is Upwork Good for Clients?
In most situations, Upwork is a great choice for hiring freelancers. Upwork can help you eliminate long hours of finding and soliciting individual freelancers on their websites, social media or talent directories.
Tapping into a massive (filtered) pool of available freelancers can save you weeks of work and effort. Plus, clients are in complete control of who they hire.
You can easily see freelancer rates, availability, previous work and skill sets. From there, clients can create a shortlist and interview those top candidates.
Along with several contract safeguards, Upwork’s Terms of Service protects all parties from being taken advantage of. So, in terms of hiring convenience and security, Upwork is a great option.
What Are the Upwork Fees for Client Accounts?
As I’ve mentioned before, Upwork continues to change their pricing structure, even well into 2025. For the most updated Upwork client fees, click here.
Upwork does not charge a monthly fee for client accounts. Instead, clients pay service fees at the time of service (once they’ve initiated a contract with their chosen freelancer).
Upwork Fees for Client Marketplace Accounts
Currently, client Marketplace accounts have a 5% service fee. However, there have been some recent changes in that an additional fee will apply to low-cost contracts under $100.
Click here for Upwork’s newest client pricing structure.
Upwork Fees for Client Business Plus Accounts
Business Plus accounts have a service fee rate of 10%. That means if you sign on with a freelancer for a $3000 project, your service fees will be $300 on top of the contract amount.
For reference, the freelancer also pays service fees (usually around 10% as well), which comes out of the $3000 you pay them. So in this example: You as the client pay $3300, and the freelancer nets $2700.
There are some instances where you can decrease your overall service fee amount, including paying via a bank account rather than a credit card.
Learn more about Upwork client pricing and payments here.
Upwork Fees for Client Enterprise Accounts
Upwork Enterprise clients are offered a wide array of features and services. Depending on their needs, pricing structures and service fees will vary. Other fees may also be waived if you sign on as an Enterprise client.
Upwork Enterprise clients can receive full hiring and freelancer management, or they can take a more hands-on approach.
Learn more about Upwork Enterprise plans here.
Upwork Review: Final Thoughts for Potential Clients
Upwork is one of the largest and most trusted freelancer and talent marketplaces. It is trusted by both large and small companies alike.
And with their “pay $0 until you hit hire” pricing strategy, even budget-conscious businesses can use the platform before they have to pay anything.
Most businesses pay $0 until they’ve already vetted, interviewed and offered work to their top candidate, so the risk is really low. I don’t pay any monthly fees to stay on the platform, so I truly only pay for what I need.
While I can’t personally make any decisions on behalf of your business, my Upwork client account has enabled me to precisely find and hire freelancers as I need them.
I encourage you to explore the Upwork client platform and decide for yourself.
Upwork Reviews for Clients
