**Client Plan Selections

Client plan information will be housed under the section “Own Companies” on a client’s profile in OBO.

• Segment (VSB, SB, MM, LB)
• Plan type (Legacy, Basic, Plus Trial 1-month, Plus Trial 2-month, Plus paid, Business)
• Trial end date (if on a trial)
• Trial auto-charge (will the client be auto-charged at end of trial Y/N)
• Payment cycle date

1-Month Free Trial on Plus:

2-Month Free Trial on Plus:

Paid Plus:

Legacy:

Basic:

Legacy clients who are on the LC $25/month plan:

No Plan:

Client plan information will be housed under the section “Own Companies” on a client’s profile in OBO.

You will see

• Segment (VSB, SB, MM, LB)
• Plan type (Legacy, Basic, Plus Trial 1-month, Plus Trial 2-month, Plus paid, Business)
• Trial end date (if on a trial)
• Trial auto-charge (will the client be auto-charged at end of trial Y/N)
• Payment cycle date

Definition of Legacy Clients

• “Active” Legacy client - Active clients are defined as those who registered during 2018 OR had spend in 2018 OR registered in 2019 before Plus launches. These clients will continue to have the exact same experience on Upwork that they do prior to Plus’s launch. The only small change is that they will lose access to the Rising Talent freelancer search filter, otherwise, nothing else will change for them as they are being retained into their current experience.

After launch, these will be known as Legacy in OBO.

• “Inactive” Legacy client - Inactive clients are defined as those registered prior to 2018 AND did not spend in 2018. These clients will be automatically migrated to the new Basic plan. All migrated users will need to agree to our new Terms of Service before they can continue using their account.

What are the plans for clients?

Thanks for your question. When you join Upwork today, you’ll have the choice of three plans:

1. Client Basic: There is no monthly fee for this plan. You will be charged a 3% payment processing fee for all payments made. Upwork Basic has the essentials to help you get started hiring.
2. Client Plus: This plan is $49.99 per month. Upwork Plus is made for teams who are looking to stand out to top talent and scale their hiring fast. With it, you will receive dedicated support from an Upwork account manager and talent specialists, one free Featured Job post each month, 30 job invites per job post, special badging so freelancers know you are an active client who hires and other perks . Also, payment processing fees for bank account payments are included in the monthly fee so no additional fees will be charged if you qualify for and pay by bank account; if not, a 3% fee will be charged on all payments.
3. Upwork Business: This plan is $849 per month with a 10% client fee on payments to freelancers. Upwork Business is a flexible talent solution that scales with your business and gives you access to a team of dedicated advisors who can help you find quality talent faster and more affordably than traditional staffing providers. You will have access to services like white-glove talent sourcing, client success managers, consolidated billing and invoicing, detailed reporting and more. To learn more, contact us.

Already an Upwork client before Feb. 25, 2019 and active in the previous 15 months? Nothing will change for you unless you switch to a new plan.

I’m an existing client, what is my payment processing fee?

Thanks for your question. If you had a client account on Upwork before Feb. 25, 2019 and were active in the previous 15 months, your payment processing fee will remain the same as long as you don’t change client plans.

I’m a new client, what is my payment processing fee?

Thanks for reaching out. This depends on which client plan you select. With our Client Basic plan you’ll pay a 3% fee on all payments. If you upgrade to Client Plus, payment processing fees for bank account payments are included in the monthly fee so no additional fees will be charged if you qualify for and pay by bank account. If not, a 3% fee will be charged on all payments.

Why did you change the fees/membership plans?

Thanks for your question. Because we know clients have different needs, we want to give you options so you can choose the best plan for your business. You’ll still have a free option that offers you all the essentials to find and hire top talent, and if you need a higher service level you can upgrade to our paid Client Plus plan for more perks.

If I upgrade my existing account to the Plus or Business plans, do I have to pay the new payment processing fee?

CLIENT PLUS: Thanks for your question. If you upgrade to Client Plus, the 3% payment processing fees for bank account payments are included in the monthly fee so no additional fees will be charged if you qualify for and pay by bank account. If not, a 3% fee will be charged on all payments.

BUSINESS: Thanks for your question. No payment processing fees are charged for Upwork Business users.

I’m an existing client, why don’t I qualify for the (paying by bank account) $25/month fee?

Thanks for your question. We are no longer offering this plan. Only those who signed up and qualified for it already will be able to continue using this option (as long as they don’t change plans). As an alternative, you can sign up for Client Plus . With Client Plus, some payment processing fees are included in the monthly fee and you are not charged the standard 3% payment processing fee if you qualify for and pay by bank account (plus you receive other great perks).

I’m a Plus plan member, how do I qualify for the $25 bank account plan?

Thanks for your question. We are no longer offering the $25 flat fee option for payment processing fees. However, if you qualify and use your bank account for payments, you will not be charged payment processing fees because it will be included in your Plus membership. If you have a Plus membership and choose to use a different billing method, you will be charged a 3% processing fees on payments. If you were already signed up for the $25 bank account plan, you will not see any changes.

I know that others can use their Local Currency cards to skip the payment processing fee and pay $25 a month. Why can’t I?

Thanks for your question. We are no longer offering the $25/month fee and only those who signed up and qualified for it already will be able to continue using this option (as long as they don’t change plans).

I’m a [Basic] plan member, why can’t I add more billing methods?

Thanks for your question. Clients with our Basic plan may only use one billing method at a time but can always add back-up billing methods in case there’s an issue with their primary billing method. If you want to add additional billing methods, you can upgrade to our Client Plus plan at any time.

As a client, how do Featured Jobs work?

If on existing and Basic Plan:

Thanks for your question. You can pay to upgrade any job post to a Featured Job for a one-time fee of $29.99 per job post. When you do, your job post will include an eye-catching blue badge to stand out. It will also be showcased in emails sent to Top Rated and Rising Talent freelancers and one of our talent specialists will send you a list highlighting three to five freelancer proposals. To learn more, click here.

If on Plus plan:

Thanks for your question. As part of your Client Plus plan, you’ll automatically receive one “Featured Job” per month for your account. After that, you can pay $29.99 to upgrade other job posts that month, if you like. Note: You can see whether you’ve used your free Featured Job listing by visiting your “My Jobs” dashboard. The free Featured Job option does not roll over to the next month if unused.

As a client, what is the benefit of Featured Jobs?

Thanks for your question. In addition to standing out among other jobs thanks to an attention-grabbing blue badge, we also offer Top Rated and Rising Talent freelancers a reduced service fee on these jobs to make them extra appealing. Overall, Featured Jobs attract 50% more proposals from our marketplace’s top talent. Additionally, when you pay to feature your job, one of our talent specialists will send you a list of three to five top proposals. Clients tell us this cuts their hiring time in half so they can get their project started sooner.

I upgraded to a Featured Job for the unlimited invites, and now the product is telling me that I can't invite more freelancers!

Thanks for your question. Featured Jobs do give clients unlimited invites on that job. However, Upwork has a daily security limit on invites to avoid spam and fraudulent activity. If you hit your daily limit you will be able to send additional invites in 24 hours. Pro tip: Be selective about which freelancers you invite to your job. When you only invite freelancers whose skill set, rate and availability match your job requirements, you increase your chances of having your invite accepted and finding the perfect freelancer for your project. Plus, you won’t need to send dozens of job invites and sort through a large number of proposals, making the selection process faster.

What is the Plus badge?

Thanks for your question. Clients who pay for a Plus plan will have a special Client Plus badge added to their account. This badge will show freelancers that you are an engaged and active client who is serious about hiring and pay for a monthly membership fee to work with top talent.

Why can’t I add more admins to my account?

Thanks for your question. If you have the Client Basic plan, you can set up one user to serve as the admin on your account (you can still have as many hiring managers as you like). With our paid Client Plus plan, you can add multiple admins to your company account.

Why can’t I send more than 15 invites to freelancers?

Thanks for reaching out. If you have the Client Basic plan, you can invite up to 15 freelancers to submit a proposal for your job. To be able to send unlimited* invites for a job post, you can upgrade it to a Featured Job for a one-time fee of $29.99. *Note: For security purposes, a maximum of 70 invites can be sent per job post, per day.

How do I get access to more invites?

Thanks for reaching out. To be able to send 30 invites per job post, you can upgrade to our Client Plus plan. To receive unlimited invites, you can upgrade your job post to a Featured Job for a one-time fee of $29.99.

Can I create teams?

Thanks for your question. With our Client Plus plan, you can create as many teams as you like. Our Basic plan does not allow teams to be created. Note: If you have a Plus plan and downgrade to the Basic plan, any existing teams will remain, however you will not be able to create new ones.

What happened to the Work Diary? Do I no longer have access to it on Basic?!

Thanks for your question. While the Work Diary no longer appears in your Reports tab, you still have access to view it, and all contract details, on a contract by contract basis in the Contract Room. You can access the Contract Room from two places: My Jobs>Contracts for active contracts or Jobs>All Contracts.

I can’t see Weekly Summaries anymore. Do I have to upgrade to see that information?

Thanks for your question. The Weekly Summary report is now only available for Upwork Plus customers. Upwork Basic customers will still be able to see their weekly transactions through the Weekly Summary email. For more information, please visit this Help Center article.

Upwork is taking away reporting from Basic accounts. How am I supposed to get work done without reports?

Thanks for your question. As part of the Basic plan you have access to several reports:

• Transaction report. This gives you a detailed view of all your Upwork transactions.
• Freelancer work diaries. Visit the Contract Room for any project to see a freelancer’s Work Diary.
• Weekly Summary email. Account admins will get this weekly email report, which includes details such as the hours logged by your freelancer(s).  The email report is able to show up to 10 contracts. If there are more than 10 contracts to display, the email will display the total team spending, instead.

Based on data about how clients use reports, we expect that the tools above will give the majority of clients the information they need to manage their projects. However, in cases where clients need more information, we are offering the paid Client Plus plan.

What is Premium Talent? You’re limiting the quality talent I’ll be able to find!

Thanks for your question. Premium Talent is a program where Upwork identifies freelancers who have demonstrated their expertise in key skills and have proven their ability to conduct business professionally by passing a behavioral video interview. Clients can pay for Talent Services to short-list these freelancers as part of the talent sourcing services we offer. While freelancers aren’t marked as “Premium Talent” in search results, they all are included within the pool of freelancers and agencies available to all clients. You always have access to this group of freelancers and agencies through search, and you can review their profiles to see their skills, reputation on Upwork, background and more before deciding on the right freelancer(s) for your project.

I used to be a Jumpstart member, but no longer have access. What should I do?

Thanks for reaching out. Our Jumpstart program has ended but our Client Plus plan will allow you to enjoy the same perks. You can learn more here.

Upwork is starting to charge for everything! This is ridiculous!

Thanks for reaching out. Any changes we make are to improve the Upwork experience for all customers so that we can continue to be a leader in helping freelancer and clients connect. In this case, we know clients like you have different needs and we wanted to give you options so you can choose the best plan for you. You’ll still have a free option (Client Basic) but can also upgrade to our paid Client Plus plan or Client Business plan for more perks at any time.

Paying $49.99 a month! How is Client Plus worth it?

Thanks for your question. Upwork Plus is designed with growing businesses in mind. It gives you dedicated support from an account manager and talent agents so you can find and hire freelancers faster. You’ll receive 24/7 chat, phone or email support, 30 freelancer invites per job post, a monthly Featured Job, a special Plus badge to help you stand out to in-demand freelancers, and much more. Additionally, if you qualify for and pay by bank account, your payment processing fee of 3% is included in your monthly membership fee and you won’t pay any additional fees.

[Legacy Client] I heard there was new pricing plan for clients. Are you raising my fees?

Thanks for your question. Yes, we have added some new plan options for clients to choose from. However, as an existing active client nothing will change for you unless you switch to a new plan.

[Legacy Client] If I switch to Plus and don’t like it, can I have my old plan back? Basic is a worse deal that I am getting now!

Thanks for reaching out. If you switch to our new Client Basic or Client Plus plan you cannot return to the existing plan you had before we announced the new plans in February 2019.

How do I reach Upwork support via chat/phone? I used to be able to but I don’t see an option now.

Thanks for reaching out. You can still contact us the same way as always by visiting: https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us

[Inactive legacy clients] Why did my experience change? I’m now on the Basic plan.

Thanks for your question. We have made some changes to the Upwork client membership plans since the last time you were on Upwork. In order to continue using Upwork, please accept the updated Terms of Service when you log in for the first time.

I heard about a free Plus trial, and I want it / I want to try Plus out before I pay for it. Do you offer a free trial?

CS agent please follow these steps:

1. Check to see if this is a new client or an existing client
2. Then follow the chart below to determine next steps

Macro responses

1. New clients - free trial: Thanks for your question and your interest in Upwork Client Plus. We can offer you a one-month free trial to Upwork Plus. After the trial ends, you will be billed the monthly subscription fee of $49.99.
2. New clients - free trial & business domain: Thanks for your question and your interest in Upwork Client Plus. It looks like you’re using a personal domain email address (for example, @gmail, @yahoo, @hotmail, etc.) for your account. If you update your email address to a business domain (@yourcompanyname.com) and verify it, we’ll be able to offer you a free one-month trial to Plus.
3. New clients - no free trial: Thanks for your question and your interest in Upwork Client Plus. We are currently offering a free trial to select customers only. Unfortunately, you are not eligible for a free trial.
4. Existing clients: Thanks for your question. Upwork Client Plus is still in beta, and is not yet optimized for clients with existing accounts. For that reason, we recommend that existing clients do not switch to it yet. If you are interested in experiencing the Upwork Plus beta now, we can offer you a one-month free trial. Please note that you will not be able to transition back to your original account, and once the trial is over, you will be charged the monthly subscription fee, or can choose to move to our new, free Upwork Basic plan.

I accidentally downgraded my free trial to Client Basic plan, can you put me back in the trial plan?

Yes, we are happy to update your account so you can take advantage of the free trial.

Note: Request for a Team Lead to enable trial

As a top freelancer, how do Featured Jobs work? What do I get out of them?

Thanks for your question. If you win a Featured Job and you are a Top Rated or Rising Talent freelancer, you will be charged a lower freelancer fee on your earnings on the contract. To learn more, click here .

What is the Plus badge?

Thanks for your question. Clients who sign up for a Plus plan will have a special Client Plus badge added to their account. This badge indicates that the client pays for a monthly membership fee for the opportunity to work with top talent.

I heard you’re charging clients more fees now, making it even more expensive to use Upwork. Isn’t this going to drive clients off the platform? You’re making it harder for me to find work!

Thanks for your question. Our goal is to give clients more options to choose from when it comes to using Upwork. Clients can still use our free Client Basic plan to find top talent in our marketplace, and we now offer a Client Plus paid plan for clients who have told us they’d like to use Upwork, but need more support from us. In general, we anticipate these options will allow more clients to use Upwork and, as a result, bring more jobs to our site.

I see that a Plus client doesn’t have a verified billing method, which means they aren’t a paid client!

Thanks for your question. While having the Plus badge displayed is beneficial for all users, freelancers should still follow the same best practice steps in reviewing new job posts. We recommend that freelancers check the client’s payment method status, since there are instances in which a client could have a Plus badge displayed and not yet verified their payment method (for example, their credit card is expired).

What is the Business Corner? What type of resources can I find in the Business Corner?

Thanks for your question. The Business Corner is an exclusive Community forum for Client Plus members. There you can connect and learn from other like-minded, growing businesses. You’ll be able to:

• Access members-only announcements and information
• Learn more about Upwork best practices
• Ask questions and share feedback with the Upwork team
• Network and share tips exclusively with other growing businesses

How do I access the Business Corner?

Thanks for your question. If you’re a Client Plus plan member, you will see a link to the Business Corner on your dashboard in the section called “Upwork Plus” box. If you are not a Client Plus member, please upgrade to the Plus plan to receive access to the Business Corner.

I am a business. How come I don’t have access to the Business Corner?

Thanks for your question. The Business Corner is a private community forum for Client Plus plan members. To receive access to the Business Corner, please upgrade to Client Plus.

How do I start a thread/post a question?

Thanks for your question. Simply start typing your question or statement in the search box, and click on “Ask a question.” Or click “New Topic” at the top of a board.

I downgraded to Client Basic. Do I still have access to the Business Corner?

Thanks for your question. When you choose Client Basic you will no longer have access to the Business Corner. Please upgrade to Client Plus to gain access to the Business Corner again.

Accounts on Business: Most questions should be answered by the client’s account executive. Please direct them to reach out to their AE with any questions.

Prospects/Those not on Business yet:

What is the 10% client fee?

Thank you for your question. The 10% client fee is a service fee that is applied to the amount you are billed by your freelancer(s). For example, if your freelancer invoices you for $500, you’ll pay a fee to us of 10 percent ($50).

Do I have to pay a payment processing fee on Business?

Thanks for your question. No payment processing fees are charged for Upwork Business users.

I’m interested in Business. How do I sign up?

Thanks for your question. Simply start typing your question or statement in the search box, and click on “Ask a question.” Or click “New Topic” at the top of a board.

Thank you for reaching out. You can go to this contact form to request a call from an account executive.

I’m currently on Business. How do I cancel my contract?

Thanks for your question. Please contact your account executive to discuss ending your contract.

What is net 30?

Thanks for your question. Net 30 is a standard industry term for a type of trade credit where the payment is due in full 30 days after the transaction was made. At Upwork, clients on Upwork Business or Upwork Enterprise have net 30 billing terms as part of their plan. Because Upwork does not typically receive funds from Business or Enterprise clients by the time that they are due to the freelancer, Upwork steps in to pay the freelancer up front on behalf of the client, and the client receives a monthly invoice to reimburse Upwork for the charges.

For Clients: About the change/our rationale

Why am I now being charged a payment processing fee? I never used to be charged.

Thanks for your question. We have updated our client membership plans and all clients must choose a new plan. If you choose the free Client Basic plan you will pay a 3% payment processing and administration fee on all transactions. If you choose Upwork Client Plus and use your bank account or local currency card (billing method options can vary by country), you won’t be charged the 3% payment processing and administration fee. The Plus plan also includes access to an account manager, talent sourcing, one free Featured Job per month and more.

Why are you making this change?

Thanks for your question. Our goal is to help businesses attract and hire top-quality talent so that you can get your projects done successfully. In the past, we offered a one-size-fits-all model which didn’t cater well to businesses of different sizes using Upwork. With this change, clients now have the option to choose the best membership plan for their business needs whether that is for individual use or with teams of coworkers. The new memberships plans also give professional freelancers and agencies a new way to identify high-potential clients.

These changes allow us to offer a better, more consistent experience and will make Upwork an even better place for business clients and professional freelancers to work together.

When is this starting and for whom?

Thanks for your question. We are asking all clients who are on our legacy pricing account type to move to one of our new plans, and will be rolling this out over the course of several weeks. If you’re account is one of the accounts affected by this change, you will receive notice via email and when you log onto the website starting in June.

I’m an ACH client, what will happen to my account? What are my options now?

Thanks for your question. This change means the $25/month flat fee option is being discontinued and you will be charged a 3% payment processing and administration fee on all payments if you’re on Upwork Basic. Depending on your monthly spend, you may want to consider moving to our $49.99/month Upwork Plus plan. With Upwork Plus you won’t be charged the 3% payment processing fee when you continue to pay using your bank account (ACH). The Plus plan also includes access to an account manager, talent sourcing, one free Featured Job per month and continued access to tools like teams, reporting, and multiple billing methods.

I’m an LC client, what will happen to my account? What are my options now?

Thanks for your question. This change means the $25/month flat fee option is being discontinued and you will be charged a 3% payment processing and administration fee on all payments if you’re on Upwork Basic. Depending on your monthly spend, you may want to consider moving to our $49.99/month Upwork Plus plan. With Upwork Plus you won’t be charged the 3% payment processing fee when you continue to pay using a local currency card. The Plus plan also includes access to an account manager, talent sourcing, one free Featured Job per month and more.

I’m a CSM client, what will happen to my account? What are my options now?

Thanks for reaching out. This change means that you will begin to pay a 3% payment processing and administration fee on all payments if you’re on Upwork Basic. Depending on your monthly spend, you may want to consider moving to our $49.99/month Upwork Plus plan. With Upwork Plus you won’t be charged the 3% payment processing and administration fee when you pay using your bank account (ACH) or local currency card (billing method options can vary by country). The Plus plan also includes access to an account manager, talent sourcing, one free Featured Job per month and more.

What plans can I choose from now? Thanks for your question. Below are the client membership plans that you can choose from.

• Upwork Basic
• Upwork Plus
• Upwork Business
• Upwork Enterprise

Where can I share my feedback and suggestions about this change?

Thank you for contacting Upwork. We always welcome your feedback. Please feel free to leave your feedback and/or suggestions via the “Feedback” link, which is located at the bottom of nearly every Upwork page. Simply log into your account, scroll to the bottom and click "Feedback.” Once you type in your feedback, suggestions or ideas, make sure to click the “Send Us Feedback” button so that we receive them.

Is the new pricing mentioned in Upwork’s Terms of Service?

Thank you for your question. Yes, we have updated our Terms of Service in relation to this change.

I didn’t get an email about my account changing, but I know some others have. What does that mean for me?

Thanks for reaching out. We are rolling this out to clients over several weeks and not everyone will see changes to their account at the same time. Don’t worry - we will be sure to send you an email when the changes apply to your Upwork account. You will also see a notice about the change when you log into the website. Thanks for your patience!

For Clients: Challenges to our rationale

I don’t want any of the other plans. Can I stay on the plan I have now?

Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, we can no longer support your plan and will require you to move to one of our other options. You now have more plans to choose from, including Upwork Basic, which is our new free plan option.

Why should I stay on Upwork?

Thanks for your question. The goal of this change is to help businesses like yours attract and hire top-quality talent so you get your projects done successfully through Upwork. In the past, we offered a one-size-fits-all model which didn’t cater well to businesses of different sizes using Upwork. With this change, clients now have the option to choose the best membership plan for their business needs -- whether it’s occasional or ongoing hiring, for individual or company-wide use. The new membership plans also give professional freelancers and agencies a clearer way to identify active clients who are serious about using Upwork.

This is ridiculous. You just repackaged what I already had! Why should I pay more?

Thanks for your question. The new memberships are designed to give businesses who use Upwork more options. For example, Upwork Plus and Upwork Business include more advanced tools and services and we expect businesses who use Upwork more frequently to take advantage of the services that are bundled into those plans. We also have Upwork Basic, our new free plan, that includes all the essentials for individuals or those who only hire occasionally. These new plans make it easier for businesses to be flexible and select the plan that works best for them at any given time.

I’m a long time Elance/oDesk/Upwork client and have spent a lot on the site. Why are you making me pay more? I’m going to cancel my Upwork account!

Thanks for your question. The new memberships are designed to give businesses who use Upwork more options. For example, Upwork Plus and Upwork Business include more advanced tools and services and we expect businesses who use Upwork more frequently to take advantage of the services that are bundled into those plans. We also have Upwork Basic, our new free plan, that includes all the essentials for individuals or those who only hire occasionally. These new plans make it easier for businesses to be flexible and select the plan that works best for them at any given time.

Have you beta-tested?

Thanks for your question. Yes, we launched our new client membership plans in February 2019 after beta-testing the Plus features with a group of clients. Since the launch, we’ve used the time to solicit feedback and learn from the experience of clients choosing to adopt Plus, and are continuing to incorporate changes based on those learnings into the new membership plans.

You just went public and now you’re charging for everything in 2019? Greedy!

Thanks for reaching out. At Upwork, we know that our success goes hand-in-hand with yours. If freelancers and clients don’t trust and use Upwork, we as a business fail. Our motivation with this change -- as well as others we make -- is making sure Upwork is the best place for freelancers and clients for many years to come.

Why did you have to charge more to achieve this? Isn’t there another way?

Thanks for reaching out. Before we made this decision, we weighed many options and sought advice and input from clients and freelancers who use Upwork, and reviewed industry best practices. Our motivation with this change -- as well as others we make -- is making sure Upwork is the best place for clients and freelancers for many years to come.

What will happen to my active contracts at the time of the plan change?

Thanks for your question. If you move to Upwork Basic or Upwork Plus the payment processing fee will increase from 2.75% to 3% on any existing contracts going forward. Note: Upwork Plus members who pay with a bank account will not have to pay the 3% fee.

Do I get a trial for Upwork Plus? If so, how long is it?

Thanks for your question. If you choose to upgrade to Upwork Plus for clients, you will receive a free trial. To see the duration of your free trial and to start your free trial, go to Settings>Membership>Change plan.

Why does paying for a Plus membership make me stand out to freelancers?

Thanks for your question. Top freelancers want to work with clients who represent the most opportunity for them, and knowing that a client has paid or qualified for a membership helps give freelancers that security. Additionally, top freelancers also typically look for clients who have a “Payment verified’ badge as that helps signal to them that the client has the intention to hire.

What if I upgrade to a new plan but decide I don’t like it. Can I have my original plan back?

Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, your original plan is no longer available. You must choose a new plan from the list of membership plans.

The biggest flaw of Upwork is there are too many awful freelancers... it has taken an immense amount of time to find the good ones.

Thanks for reaching out. Upwork Plus is one of many changes we are introducing to help match the right freelancers on Upwork with the businesses that are looking for them. With new programs designed to encourage more targeted proposals, more relevant invitations, and more precise and accurate categorization for jobs and skills, we expect it to become easier and quicker to find the right match for your project.

You expect me to pay a 3% processing fee, a 20% freelancer fee and now for the Client Plus plan?!?!?! Upwork is too expensive!

Thanks for your question. We understand your concern about expenses and the fact that not everyone has the same budget for projects. Fortunately, we also know the Upwork marketplace offers a variety of freelancers who offer a variety of rates. As a client on the free Upwork Basic plan, the only fee you must pay is the 3% payment processing and administration fee. This fee is calculated as a percentage on top of the payment you are making. For example, if you make a $100 payment for a project, Upwork will charge an additional $3 processing fee. Upgrading to Upwork Plus or Upwork Business is not required, and Upwork Basic includes all the essentials for those who hire occasionally on Upwork. Also, regarding the 20% freelancer fee, that fee is only charged to freelancers (and gradually is reduced as a freelancer earns more with a client). While we know freelancers consider their expenses -- such as fees, supplies, computer/internet costs, etc. -- when determining their rates, as doing so is a standard part of running a business.

The price of the Plus and Business memberships is too high, aren’t you worried about clients leaving the platform?

Thanks for reaching out. The new memberships are designed to give clients and businesses who use Upwork more options. For example, Upwork Plus and Upwork Business include more advanced tools and services and we expect businesses who use Upwork more frequently to take advantage of the advanced services that are bundled into those plans. But we also have Upwork Basic, our new free plan, that includes all the essentials for those who only hire occasionally.

What happens if I move from legacy to Upwork Basic?

Thanks for your question. If you choose to move from the discontinued plan to the new Upwork Basic, all your work will be saved, however you will no longer have access to the following features: teams, activity codes, multiple billing methods, company reports, multiple admins and unlimited freelancer invites. Additionally, anything you’ve created in the past will remain unchanged. For example, if you have Teams set up already, you will still have access to your team, but you won’t be able to create any new ones going forward. You will also pay a 3% payment processing and administration fee on all your transactions.

Is it true there is no access to Premium Talent for Basic accounts?

Thanks for your question. Premium Talent is a special program where talent is vetted by Upwork. All premium freelancers and agencies are in the marketplace, but are not badged or searchable as 'premium'. The only way to ensure you're inviting premium freelancers or agencies to your job is to work with a Talent Specialist.

You said that nothing would be changing for existing users. I thought I was getting retained into my plan!

Thanks for your question. When we first launched the new membership plans, we did retain all existing clients into their legacy pricing plans, and clients saw no changes from February to June 2019. That allowed us time to make sure our new plans would meet the needs of both clients who use Upwork occasionally and those who use our marketplace often. We’ve also reviewed client feedback and looked closely at how clients use Upwork. While we know this change is significant for some users, we believe the current membership plans give clients choice while also continuing to give them a no-cost option.

For Freelancers

Why should I trust Upwork Plus clients? What makes them so special?

Thanks for your question. A client having an Upwork Plus membership is often a signal that the client is serious about using Upwork and plans to hire frequently, but you should always carefully review a job post and client details before deciding whether to submit a proposal. Check out How to Spot a Great Job Post on Upwork Before You Submit a Proposal to learn more.

Internal processes questions

How will this affect OBO?

The Upwork client legacy plan will no longer be a client plan option.

How do we handle chargebacks?

Same as before.

How do we handle refunds?

Same as before - treat as a subscription refund.

How do we handle clients who downgraded and need to make changes to their admins?

Same as before. Agents can adjust admins in OBO.

If a user goes from Legacy to Basic, but then decides they want Plus, they still have the option to get a free trial in-product.

Direct users to their Membership page to upgrade to the free trial. If that doesn’t work, reach out to a Team Lead to request a free trial (only if this user has never received a free trial before!)