• Upwork

Upwork

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Overview

Upwork has a rating of 2.5 stars from 2,117 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Upwork most frequently mention customer service, credit card, and job success problems. Upwork ranks 7th among Freelancing sites.

  • Service
    475
  • Value
    457
  • Shipping
    251
  • Returns
    287
  • Quality
    451

This company does not typically respond to reviews

Positive reviews (last 12 months): 22.7%
Positive
5
Neutral
0
Negative
17
270
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How would you rate Upwork?
Top Positive Review

“Unlocking Freelance Opportunities with Upwork”

पपीता म.
4/23/24

Upwork has been my trusted platform for finding freelance opportunities and connecting with clients from around the world. The platform's vast network of clients and freelancers, comprehensive job listings, and secure payment system make it easy to find meaningful projects and build a successful freelance career. I appreciate Upwork's commitment to transparency and professionalism, as seen in its dispute resolution process and feedback system, which ensure fair and equitable transactions for both parties. Moreover, the platform's collaboration tools and communication features enhance teamwork and streamline project management. With Upwork, freelancing is not just a job—it's a rewarding and fulfilling career.

Top Critical Review

“Not worth it”

P X.
9/10/24

Business practices are arbitrary and unfair with the cost for freelancers of doing business on the site constantly increasing and various services and perks taken away. Not worth it for freelancers--and clients don't fare much better.

Reviews (2,117)

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Reviews that mention popular keywords

customer service (91) freelancing platform (135) credit card (22) customer support (43) payment protection (24) freelancing site (80) bank account (20) freelancing career (24) post jobs (16)
Thumbnail of user chibuezei
1 review
0 helpful votes
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April 24th, 2021

I am glad I was introduced to Upwork and I am also glad that the whole system works. Big ups to the people behind this platform. 10 stars deserved. Used it as a side hustle and I have a plan to make it my main hustle soon. Sign up, deliver and get paid globally... Nice.

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Thumbnail of user lauryny
1 review
5 helpful votes
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February 12th, 2017

This is the first time I heard company rejected your "SIGN UP" due to overcrowded. What a joke. Tell us UPFRONT we spent hours to prepare the profile and work, that would be great.

Complete waste of time.

Thumbnail of user zoranm10
1 review
1 helpful vote
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April 20th, 2021

My experience with Upwork is great so far.
Thee weeks ago I started applying activilly to jobs and found a few.

There is a lot of jobs and Upwork has great filters - by price, client reputation, number of freelancer that applied to that job so even new freelancers that don't have reputation on the platform can found a job
And get selected.

I'm planning to continue to work on upwork :)

Thumbnail of user annat85
1 review
12 helpful votes
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June 29th, 2017

This site is totally against employees. Even if you are a good professional, if you don't have high upwork rating, you will have to chase employers and beg them to give you a chance to make their job done. If you are a beginner, better never login on upwork.

Thumbnail of user jeffs225
1 review
9 helpful votes
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April 13th, 2017

Has to be the worst, most incompetent, scamming company in the history of scamming companies.
The Freelancer I hired was obviously working on other things while supposedly working on my site and yet Upwork would still not refund any of my money. Even though there are clear screenshots of him working on things other than my site, and it took him 6 hours, over a 1 week period to do 30 minutes worth of work, in such a shoddy manner that it had to be redone, they still refused to refund me anything. On top of that they accused me of trying to pay the person offline, without any evidence whatsoever. The other freelancer I was working with at the same time was a bit better, but I have to say, if you ever hire someone to work on your site, never pay them by the hour. Always insist on a flat fee with a guarantee of what will be done and insist on a set refund if it isn't and pay as they go with strict milestones. Such a ripoff!

Tip for consumers:
Avoid at all costs, but if you do go with them. Insist on paying by the job and not by the hour and insist on them completing milestones before they receive pay.

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Thumbnail of user sarahs618
1 review
1 helpful vote
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June 30th, 2018

I see a lot of negative reviews. I've been on the platform two months and am happy, overall. I think a lot of the negative reviews are left by those who break TOS, or who are inexperienced and/ or don't take the time to understand the ins and outs of the platform. Yes, Upwork fees feel ridiculous at first, but the longer I use the system, the more I understand the need in place. Clients must verify their payment, they offer payment guaranteed jobs, and I am often approached by Upwork with jobs they matched me up with. The system also organizes my jobs, offers security by lightly screening clients enough to verify they are real people and not bots, and there are a lot of checks and balances along the way that helps me avoided being, well, screwed over. I'm doing well and am happy with UpWork and don't plan on switching platforms anytime soon.

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Thumbnail of user sohaila33
1 review
0 helpful votes
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February 21st, 2021

Upwork is wonderful platform to show your skills. Skills can be utilized for earning. Upwork always tries to secure the freelancer income and provide guidance to boost income and to make good reputation on Upwork platform. So don't waste your time and skills. Join Upwork to make your future bright.

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Thumbnail of user melissah768
1 review
0 helpful votes
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October 8th, 2020

I've been using Upwork as a Freelancer to find remote work for awhile now. It has been a very reliable source for finding remote work and usually when one contract ends I'm able to find work with in 2-3 days. The support staff are always quick to reply with questions and I'd defitnally recommend Upwork!

Thumbnail of user sandeepp40
1 review
0 helpful votes
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August 20th, 2020

Upwork is Really Good Platform for Freelancers and Agencies but they have lots of conditions if you violate them by mistake they can terminate our account without giving any second chance. That's the main issue I found in their privacy policy and lots of people discussing this topic on the Upwork community.

Thumbnail of user marcr148
1 review
0 helpful votes
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May 19th, 2020

I started in upwork as a lead generation specialist it was wonderful of being part of this platform. As a freelancer they offer a secured payments on every project that I have. Wish to have more years on this platform.

Thumbnail of user manojm24
1 review
0 helpful votes
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July 8th, 2020

It's a platform where you can earn more, learn more and have variety of different people to work with. Their website is easy to learn and you can easily get clients to work on them.

Really a great platform for everyone.

Thank you Upwork!

Thumbnail of user chrish3231
1 review
2 helpful votes
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February 19th, 2023

Its shocking the level of incompetency exhibited by the support of a company this size. Tickets last DAYS in the queue and in my situation didn't event get resolved. Their language towards clients is impersonal and the chatbot is horrible. I have worked with freelancers since 2014 on various platforms. My review is not to do with talent on the platform. This is about the worse company I have had to encounter on that freelance space in terms if support. I will recommend you look somewhere else.

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Thumbnail of user alberta166
1 review
0 helpful votes
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January 6th, 2021

Upwork is a great platform to start if you're new to freelancing! "Never give up" in finding clients and Upwork will give you a lot of help in order for you to win job proposals. They will help you achieve your dream.

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Thumbnail of user stepheno252
1 review
0 helpful votes
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June 21st, 2020

I have had a great time working at Upwork, the flexibility, you can work anywhere with a laptop and internet connection. There are a lot of jobs which give you a lot of options. The pay and fees are okay depending on the jobs you bid for

Thumbnail of user waheduzzamanm
1 review
0 helpful votes
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June 10th, 2020

I was started my professional life in Graphic Designer at local city. But I was unhappy with it. After a long time I found Upwork and It just changed my thought about job in professional sector. I found here what I expected.
Thanks Upwork!

Thumbnail of user anas305
1 review
0 helpful votes
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November 6th, 2020

I've been in Upwork for almost two years now, you need to know what clients are the best fit for you, some clients stop responding and Upwork lowers your score (and preventing you from getting more jobs) but if you build relationships with clients and choose the ones that are a good fit then it will run smoothly. Ive been frustrated for some time because of this and no response from Upwork. There are very bad clients that just use you, say didnt like your work (beacuse they don't want to pay) and your only option is to give a refund because if not they would leave you a bad review. Upwork should really work on the review system, it SUCKS.

Thumbnail of user divyeshk
1 review
13 helpful votes
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November 10th, 2019

It inspires to work for free and beg clients to have them to provide 100% Ratings. Its really worst. And Rs. 20 to Rs. 65. And taking 20 % commission and Agency Plan for adding a team mate $20 per month. For submitting a job. Its crazy!

Thumbnail of user biga12
1 review
14 helpful votes
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December 11th, 2016

I have been working via upwork and one day they suspended my account without any tiny reason. And when I asked WHY? They said "Our decision is final" thats it.
What a brainless company, they even dont release that 1 suspended account equals a disappointed freelancer, and 1 disappointed freelancer equals a bad review, and a bad review equals many lost potential clients.

Tip for consumers:
I don't recommend UPWORK. Be careful!

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Thumbnail of user nancyb231
1 review
4 helpful votes
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August 17th, 2017

This review is NOT FAKE. It's impossible to contact any live person if you have any issues with a Freelancer. Wish I had found this site before I paid a Freelancer $750... to build a website that was full of errors

Thumbnail of user shuaibb
1 review
0 helpful votes
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September 1st, 2020

I am a Mechanical Engineer and I have managed to get my skills noticed on upwork, the platform incorporates a secure payment system and the performance algorithm is brilliant. Upwork is the future of freelancing!

Thumbnail of user shahzadir
1 review
0 helpful votes
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April 22nd, 2021

Upwork is an awesome platform for freelancers. I have been working with Upwork for 6 months now and I must say this platform is very reliable, organised, well maintained and efficient. Thank you team Upwork!

Thumbnail of user muhammadb70
1 review
0 helpful votes
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November 30th, 2020

Up work is the best place to find the client and gets the project. It is best platform for online business. I will tell my friends to become the part of this awesome and good platform. I want to give special thanks to up work that they gave me a chance to earn online. I request to all the other people who will see my review that they should become the part of up work urgently so that they become successfully. I want to thank again so much that they gave me a chance to become the part of such very good platform. Up work is my hope. I hope that soon all the other persons will also become part of this beautiful and nice platform. Thanks very much up work. I feel lucky to become the part of this very unique and best online platform.

Thumbnail of user helenp249
2 reviews
17 helpful votes
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March 23rd, 2020

If I didn't have such strong principles I would have just let them keep my money the mediation process was not worth the abuse I endured at the hands of the con and the one sided devious UpWork employee mediator. Of course upwork doesn't get paid anything if the freelancer doesn't get paid so naturally they will side with the Freelancer, Even after I eventually won my right to a refund I had to again call email and fight to get it returned to my bank account. And still waiting 60 days later.

Thumbnail of user georgiosm4
4 reviews
24 helpful votes
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January 15th, 2019

You have to be very specific about what you want. Otherwise you will pay for nothing. Because from the seller point of view, they cannot work for days in order to satisfy you. On the other hand as a buyer you except something that the seller must do it in a big percent of of what you expect. And if the seller is not be able to do it? Have not the skills? If the product delivered is not what you expect you will pay for it... and you will not be able to argue or get a refund. Just be careful. I would put average to good, but because I ordered a work I paid a lot and I received nothing that I can use, and I have to pay again for something and start it from the beginning I put 2 stars.

Thumbnail of user pask1
1 review
4 helpful votes
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June 16th, 2015

Elance have overcharged me months ago and if I didn't look back at my bank records I would not have known. They advised they charged one figure and a larger figure was actually charged. They have not at all addressed the issue. If anyone knows who/where I can go to escalate this issue let me know. Extremely poor experience!

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