Note: The visual stars display based on the rounded feedback e.g. if greater than or equal to 4.5, 5 stars will display & if less than 4.5 stars, 4 stars will display. When hovering over the stars, it will show the actual star rating:
Internal Info Only: We should not be disclosing the feedback computation formula mentioned below. We can communicate the info in the FAQs below.
The 5-star feedback is not a simple average of all the 5-star feedback given to a client from all their freelancers.
The high level: A script to calculate the client score is quite complicated, but logical, and uses average scores of all client teams. The score per team is calculated using freelancers' feedback weighted by cost per project, per team.
This means that a client that has 2 contracts of $1 USD with 5 stars and $1,000 USD with 2 stars is likely to have a score closer to 2 stars. A client with contacts of $1 USD and 2 stars and $1,000 USD and 5 stars is likely to have 5-star feedback.
Also, we only show up to 50 job postings from Upwork and up to 50 job postings from Elance on the client work history. Due to that, the client overall rating might not match the scores seen from the work history as it shows less data than we’re using for the calculation.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How is the 5-star feedback score for freelancers computed?
While we can’t share all the details, in general, clients score freelancers on six different attributes: Skills, Quality, Availability, Deadlines, Communication, and Cooperation. The overall 5-star feedback is a combination of all of these from all contracts. The attributes are not weighted equally.
How is the 5-star feedback score for clients computed?
Thanks for your question. The number of stars a client receives on the 5-star feedback scale is based on several factors. While we can’t share all the details, in general, the score is calculated based on freelancer feedback, which is then weighted by the project’s total cost. For example, say a client has used Upwork for two projects. On one project, which cost $20, they receive a 5-star rating from the freelancer. On the other, they get a 2-star rating on a $500 project. This client will likely have a score closer to 2 stars because the larger contract carries more weight.
Why can’t you give me the formula to the feedback computation?
To preserve the integrity of the marketplace and the accuracy of the score, we cannot give you the specific formula. Please focus on delivering great outcomes to your client and checking in routinely to ensure you are meeting expectations. Freelancers who do this will see a score that is representative of their success.