Upwork

As long as Odesk & Elance lasted, they were good platforms with excellent and genuine projects for freelancers. However, a clever shark seems to have taken over and blended into the current Upwork format. They never allow projects to be awarded to you if you are from outside US and can perform better than US freelancers. They somehow surreptitiously curtail and edit the client-freelancer communication. And then like predatory hyenas wait to suspend freelancer's account after a superficial review where they entice you to reveal and send them your degrees. Beware, their practices reflect they are about to finish as an honest business platform.

This website has become worst after the merger of odesk and elance. Both platforms were great until some fool gave them an idea to merge them together. Now they don't know what they are doing. No planning, no management, no customer support, nothing. They are taking people's lives as a joke.

Upwork won't give me my earnings. The only way to reach a human is on a subdomain with an HTTP login prompt that belongs in the 1990s, like they're trying to make it more difficult for users to reach any actual support. They provide certification for race and orientation. I didn't know I was joining the Nazi Party. They withhold earnings without warning for no good reason. They are some lying woke thieves at Upwork.

This website is a scam! The 'customer service' is offshore in India and the Philippines. They suspend people's paid memberships for no reason, take money that belongs to the freelancers. The management ignores complaints- and most of the jobs are scams run by blackmailers.

No professional in their right mind should consider using Elance, as you will regret it!

I have been on Upwork for almost 5 years and it has skyrocketed my business. I find the clients are ready to order, so it's just getting the right match. I have had excellent customer service as well and my questions get answered in a very timely manner. I appreciate the fact that their commission fees reduce when you have more business from the same client. Other sites do not have this.

Upwork is challenging, smart and always available. This is how I personally feel!
Upwork opened a new door for me, even though sometimes it is frustrating to deal with freelancing issues (especially JSS), this experience has changed my life, after being an employee for long years I am now free happily doing what I love with more passion and creativity.
Thank you Upwork and thumbs up for the continuous support whenever needed.

Like what everyone is saying, lots of bugs, terrible customer support, it took over a week to get any response, terrible dispute system (you have to pay $250), etc. Stay far away from Upwork.com Lots of spammers on here now as well.

Think you're able to rely upon freelancers' past client feedback? Think again.

From an upwork support agent: "Top Rated freelancers and agencies have the opportunity to remove feedback from one job so that it is not listed in their profile or considered in their Job Success Score. They can only do this once every 10 jobs had ended and after 90 days."

So my written feedback and scoring left for a provider was deleted by the provider. I wasted my time crafting my considered feedback, and now prospective clients to this supplier will be none the wiser.
What a JOKE upwork's feedback system is!

On a more minor note, upwork's practice of making you click on a button each and every time you click a provider's link to check their sample work is a frustrating waste of our time. Do upwork not know how the interwebs works?

I've used Upwork as a freelance software engineer for the past few years. Upwork as a service does a good job of protecting both freelancers and clients during disputes and their customer service is fast and efficient. The chat, video and phone call services have all been good when I've used them. No complaints here! I would (and do) recommend Upwork to friends and family.

Upwork is a business platform that benefits from connecting freelancers and clients. For me, it essentially does 90% of the work for my business's inbound marketing by finding amazing clients and actually having them come to me. They have some fair built-in protections for both sides. I have personally benefitted quite a bit from it, though I understand that isn't everyone's story. The fees and rules seemed a bit steep and strict at first, but they make sense from a business point of view. The platform seems to reward proactivity and consistency through certain badges and the lowering of fees. In this way, the best can hopefully rise. I recommend giving it a try and then forming your own conclusions.

If you're very skilled based on something precise, it's obvious that Upwork provides you tons of opportunities where ever you live in this world. If you're not skilled or if you're not specialized in something (super star. As clients like to say it) even then you have a chance to build your remote carrier. This can take time but it is possible if you're motivated.

As a business owner, I considered Upwork as an unreliable and unsecured platform to hire freelancers. Do NOT waste your time using this platform. It is too risky, and I won't recommend it to anyone. A total waste of time especially when you're running a business. Lots of scammers at this platform and this platform do not have a real dispute resolution procedure. I contacted Upwork's staff, but they were very unprofessional and failed to assist with the issues that I've raised to them.

Freelancer, Malek A, overcharged me for work that there is no way to check. Went on vacation in middle of job. Then when it came to testing his work took it offline and blackmailed me to only restore our server to test it if we pay full overcharged amount. Asked me to pay not on upwork but with bitcoin. Upwork customer support did nothing and took his side. The freelancer only had a couple of small jobs for little money, which were probably planted reviews. Got scammed but very dissappointed because upwork didn't do anything. Still lost a lot money that I paid directly through paypal because upwork won't ask back for money from freelancer. Never in my 70 years have I been treated so poorly by a company. See screenshot of my chat with customer support where they say they can't do anything.

I haven't used my account for months and I got a notification that I was violating terms of service with "high activity". Depending on the two different emails received. I asked because I'm concerned for my private information and due to "privacy and safety" they won't answer any of my questions. Not only do I have no way of knowing what they are doing with my information, I have no way of contacting them. BEWARE

I finished a project fair and square and they sent me an email saying that I have violated their Terms of usage and my account has been suspended forever for fake feedback. No asking for an explanation, no chance to explain, nothing.
I did not get my payment and got suspended... Very disappointed...

As an employer there's many scammers and real bad freelancers, who's making quick money and run.
As a freelancer you competing with millions of other freelancers, with no chance to get any work.
So either way I wouldn't use this platform.

Here or elsewhere isn't easy at the beginning, any successful freelancer will tell you that; but at least in here you can't throw an excuse about few job posts: at this time, Is the Internet's crowdest point of intersection between freelancers and work to be done.

Im growing my business and feel leveraged by Upwork. They guide me and care for their freelancers. Specially when it comes to disputes and money.

They are very serious about identity and much much more serious than other freelancers apps.

Its great to find the kind of places to work like upwork.

Thanks!

This company is a scam and a waste of time. They give you all these jobs you can apply for but wont let you. I am constantly told i have to update my profile (which i daresay costs money, i wouldnt know the option to do anything with your profile is not there! Also its damn near impossible to contact them directly which also waves red flags. I would stick with online surveys etc. At least they pay out even though its rubbish pay.

Absolute privilege to be part of Upwork for last 5 years. Earned thousands of dollars and helped number of businesses around of globe providing accounting and taxation services. Thank you for adding value in my business by providing an excellent platform.

I`m yet not sure this platform is better than the older ones were, but the policies are definitely more strict than there were on the former sites. I`m still working for them at times and will update the review if necessary.

Upwork is an excellent platform that helps freelancers to connect with clients. I have been working on Upwork for more than 3 years, and I appreciate Upwork for providing me a great opportunity to keep my freelancing career up and running.

I started using upwork last week, so far I am not impressed. I have been trying to get my payment but it has taken me a week with no success. I do not know if this is the same for everyone but, if that is the case, I do not see the reason for its existence. Either improve on the treatment towards freelancers or get off the web. Patricia