**Top Rated Plus

Updated badges (July 10, 2023 update)

Freelancers and Non-exclusive Agency Members:

• Earn and maintain Top Rated requirements
  • See My Stats for check next to 'Top Rated'
• $10k+ earned in the last 12 months
  • Check in OBO > Financial Summary (top left) > 12-month Total Earnings OR see My Stats for check next to 'Earned over $10,000+ in the past 12 months
• 1+ Large Project in the last 12 months without a bad outcome
  • “Large Project” amount varies by Category (L1), based on contract sizes we see in these categories:
    
    • $5k: Design & Creative, Engineering & Architecture, Legal, Translation, Writing
    • $10k: Accounting & Consulting, Admin, Data Science & Analytics, IT & Networking, Sales & Marketing
    • $15k: Web, Mobile & Software Dev
    • $20k: CS 
  • See My Stats > "Check to see if your large contracts qualify" button.

Agencies and Exclusive Agency Members:

• Earn and maintain Top Rated status
  • Check for Top Rated badge
• $20k+ earned in the last 12 months
  • Check in OBO > Financial Summary (top left) > 12-month Agency Total
• 1+ Large Project in the past 12 months with <10% bad outcomes
  • “Large Project” amount varies by Category (L1), based on contract sizes we see in these categories:
    • $10k: Design & Creative, Engineering & Architecture, Legal, Translation, Writing
    • $20k: Accounting & Consulting, Admin, Customer Service, Data Science & Analytics, IT & Networking, Sales & Marketing
    • $30k: Web, Mobile & Software Dev
• Click Profile link within Contractor section and sign in with Upwork login info associated to Dash account > scroll down and click Agency on the right of profile > click “Work History”
  • Review jobs (closed & open) from the past 12 months for projects where the earnings have reached one of the dollar amount thresholds listed above. If they meet, verify the job category to determine if it qualifies:
    • Copy the job title from the freelancer profile
    • OBO > Invited to Team box > ‘Show agency assignments’ under the proper Agency > uncheck “hide ended”
    • “Control + F” for search bar (“Command + F” for Mac) and paste the job title in the search bar to locate (job title & contract title may differ, so be cautious of looking at the start date to get the correct job)
    • Click contract ID link > within Assignment click Related Opening link > within Opening view Ontology to see the category!

Agents: the Zendesk tag when serving Top Rated Plus talent is: Tag Only::Top Rated PLUS

FOR AGENTS:

Can a freelancer lose Top Rated / Top Rated Plus status and move back into Rising Talent status?

Yes. Please see the **Rising Talent KB > “The Basics” drop-down for more details.

FOR CLIENTS:

How do I find Top Rated Plus talent?

Thanks for your question. In order to see Top Rated Plus talent you must have an Upwork Enterprise, Business, or Plus membership. In those cases, you’ll see the badge on a freelancer’s profile with “Top Rated Plus” beside it.  

INTERNAL NOTE: To start on 8/13, clients on Basic plan will not see badges due to an engineering issue. Please advise these clients that badges will be visible to them soon.

What is Top Rated Plus?

Thanks for asking! Top Rated Plus freelancers have earned Top Rated status on Upwork and also have met the following criteria:

Criteria for freelancers and non-exclusive agency members:

• Total earnings over $10,000 in the past 12 months
• Worked or working on one or more large* contracts in the past 12 months without negative outcomes
  • You must earn funds on your large contract within the past 12 months for it to remain qualified. Otherwise, it does not qualify for Top Rated Plus.
• Maintained Top Rated status

*What is considered a large project can vary depending on skill category. For example, in certain categories a large job might be one with earnings of $5,000 but in others it might be a $20,000 or $30,000 contract. 

Why was Top Rated Plus created?

Thanks for your question. Clients have told us that they  have a difficult time finding talent that are both interested in larger, more complex projects and also have a track record of working on them on Upwork. This badge, which is visible to Enterprise, Business, and Plus clients, helps you connect with freelancers who have a history of both.

What is the criteria to become Top Rated Plus?

Thanks for asking! Top Rated Plus freelancers have a great reputation on Upwork and also have met the following criteria:

Criteria for freelancers and non-exclusive agency members:

• Earned more than $10,000 in total earnings (all contracts included) the past 12 months

• Worked on one of more large* projects in the past 12 months without negative feedback

• Maintained Top Rated status

What is the definition of a large project?

Thanks for your question. What is considered a large project can vary depending on skill category. For example, in certain categories a large job might be one with earnings of $5,000 but in others it might be a $20,000 or $30,000 contract. 

What’s the difference between Top Rated and Top Rated Plus talent?

Thanks for your question. In addition to meeting the requirements of being Top Rated, Top Rated Plus freelancers also have a proven track record of successfully working on larger projects. Freelancers with a “Top Rated Plus” badge have earned more than $10,000 and completed one or more large projects in the past 12 months with positive feedback. Note: To be eligible for Top Rated Plus status, freelancers must have a personal Upwork profile.

FOR FREELANCERS:

What is Top Rated Plus?

Thanks for your question. Top Rated Plus is a new variation of Top Rated status. It’s especially for freelancers who not only have a history of delivering great work to their clients on Upwork, but have also taken on larger projects. To earn the badge, a freelancer must meet the following criteria:

• Total earnings over $10,000 in the past 12 months

• Worked or working on one or more large* contracts in the past 12 months without negative outcomes

  • You must earn funds on your large contract within the past 12 months for it to remain qualified. Otherwise, it does not qualify for Top Rated Plus.  
• Maintained Top Rated status

*What is considered a large project can vary depending on skill category. For example, in certain categories a large job might be one with earnings of $5,000 but in others it might be a $20,000 or $30,000 contract. 

Why was Top Rated Plus created?

Thanks for your question. Clients have told us that they  have a difficult time finding talent that are both interested in larger projects and also have a track record of working on them on Upwork. This badge, which is visible to Enterprise, Business, and Plus clients, helps clients connect with freelancers who have a history of both.

What is the criteria to become a Top Rated Plus freelancer?
Thanks for asking! Top Rated Plus freelancers have earned Top Rated status on Upwork and also have met the following criteria:

Criteria for individual freelancers and non-exclusive agency members:

• Total earnings over $10,000 in the past 12 months
• Worked or working on one or more large* contracts in the past 12 months without negative outcomes
• You must earn funds on your large contract within the past 12 months for it to remain qualified. Otherwise, it does not qualify for Top Rated Plus.
• Maintained Top Rated status

Criteria for agencies and their exclusive agency members:

• Agencies have total earnings over $20,000 in the past 12 months
• Worked or working on one or more large* contracts in the past 12 months without negative outcomes (<10% for agencies)
• Maintained Top Rated status

*What is considered a large project can vary depending on skill category. For example, in certain categories a large job might be one with earnings of $5,000 but in others it might be a $20,000 or $30,000 contract. 

What is  the criteria to become a Top Rated Plus agency?
Thanks for asking! Top Rated Plus agencies have earned Top Rated status on Upwork and also have met the following criteria:

• Criteria for agencies and their exclusive agency members:

  • Agencies have total earnings over $20,000 in the past 12 months
  • Worked or working on one or more large* contracts in the past 12 months without negative outcomes (<10% for agencies)
  • Maintained Top Rated status

*What is considered a large project can vary depending on skill category. For example, in certain categories a large job might be one with agency earnings of $10,000 but in others it might be a $20,000 or $30,000 contract. 

If I have a Top Rated Plus badge will I only show up to clients looking for large projects in search?

Thanks for your question. No, all clients will be able to see your profile. And clients who have Plus, Business or Enterprise plans will be able to see your Top Rated Plus badge regardless of the size or budget of their project. 

Will there be a negative impact on freelancers that do not receive Top Rated Plus status?

Thanks for asking! No, your Top Rated status will still set you apart as a freelancer who has a great reputation on Upwork. Plus, only a very small percentage -- we expect about 3% -- will be awarded the Top Rated Plus badge. This means most clients will still be considering Top Rated talent for each job.

Who can see the Top Rated Plus badge?

Thanks for your question. Business and Enterprise clients, along with Plus clients,  will see your Top Rated Plus badge. We eventually plan to roll it out to all Basic clients too.

Can I lose my Top Rated Plus status?
Thanks for your question. Yes, you must continue to meet the required criteria to maintain your Top Rated Plus status. 

Will I still be able to have feedback removed if I move from Top Rated to Top Rated Plus?

Thanks for your question. Yes! It will work the same as it does now with Top Rated status. Learn more here.

IMPORTANT for CS - If a FL is requesting for removal for only their public feedback, please let them know this feedback removal perk can be used in one of two ways: (1) removing feedback from their Job Success Score only OR (2) removing feedback from their Job Success Score and from their profile, while also educating that if the contract happens to have a positive impact on their JSS, the removal will not actually remove the positive impact and will end up only impacting their public-facing profile.

What about the Premium talent program?

The Premium Talent program was designed to distinguish expert talent via an assessment process. We are currently working on improving upon that program separately.

This isn’t fair to Top Rated freelancers, it lowers the value of our badge!
Thanks for reaching out. We understand your concern and we definitely considered how adding this new tier would affect those with Top Rated and Rising Talent status. Only a very small percentage -- we expect about 3% -- of freelancers will earn the Top Rated Plus badge. As a result, your Top Rated status will continue to set you apart from most freelancers on Upwork. 

What’s the difference between Top Rated and Top Rated Plus?
Thanks for your question. The Top Rated Plus badge is a new variation of Top Rated status that signals to clients that a freelancer has a history of working on large jobs on Upwork. These freelancers meet and maintain all the traditional requirements of being Top Rated and also have:

• Earned more than $10,000 in total earnings (all contracts included) the past 12 months

• Worked on one of more large* projects in the past 12 months without negative feedback

*The definition of a large project can vary depending on skill category. To see the amounts for each category, click here. 

I work in the XXXX category. What is considered a large job in this category?
Thanks for your question. To see the amounts for each category, click here.

What if I work in different skill categories? What will be considered a “large” project for me?

Thanks for your question. To earn the Top Rated Plus badge you only need to meet the required criteria in one skill category.

How can a freelancer with a lower JSS than me be Top Rated Plus when I’m only Top Rated?
Thanks for your question. The Top Rated Plus badge is a new variation of Top Rated status that signals to clients that a freelancer has a history of working a large job on Upwork. The badge does not mean the freelancer’s JSS is higher than other Top Rated freelancers.

How can I ever earn the Top Rated Plus badge if there aren’t any/many large jobs in my skill category? It’s unfair!

Thanks for your question. We understand this and are always working to bring more large jobs to the Upwork marketplace. However, we only expect about 3% of freelancers to earn this variation of Top Rated status.

Why would any client pick a Top Rated freelancer over a Top Rated Plus freelancer? I’m Top Rated and this makes my badge meaningless now!
Thanks for your question. Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had total earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. It does not mean these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score. Plus, since we only expect about 3% of freelancers to earn this variation of Top Rated status we know the Top Rated badge will still set you apart as having a great reputation on Upwork.

Clients think Top Rated Plus freelancers have better feedback or skills than Top Rated ones. It’s not fair, they only are Top Rated Plus because they had a large contract!
Thanks for your question. We are taking steps to educate clients so they understand that Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had total earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. It does not mean these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score than those with traditional Top Rated status.

I see a freelancer who is Top Rated Plus but has a lower Job Success Score than the Top Rated freelancers I saw. How is this possible?

Thanks for your question. Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had total earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. It does not mean these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score.

If a Top Rated freelancer has a higher JSS than a Top Rated Plus freelancer should I pick the one with the highest score?
Thanks for your question. Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had total earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. It does not mean these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score than freelancers who have Top Rated status (without “Plus”). As always, you should carefully consider a freelancer’s profile, JSS, and feedback before interviewing and selecting the right person for your project. 

I hired a freelancer you told me was Top Rated Plus but they were lousy. Now I see they had a lower JSS than regular Top Rated freelancers. Why did you tell me they were the best?
Thanks for your question. We are sorry to learn of your negative experience. Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had total earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. It does not mean these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score than freelancers who have Top Rated status (without “Plus”).

What if a client posts a small job and doesn’t need someone with large-job experience like a Top Rated Plus freelancer? They are still going to choose the Top Rated Plus freelancer!
Thanks for your question. We are taking steps to educate clients so they understand that Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had total earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. It does not mean these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score than those with traditional Top Rated status. Plus, since we only expect about 3% of freelancers to earn this variation of Top Rated status the Top Rated badge will still set you apart as having a great reputation on Upwork.

I have this new Top Rated Plus badge and I’m getting too many job invites. I don’t want these because I already have a large contract with a steady client. Can I opt-out of this status?
Thanks for reaching out. While we can’t remove the badge, you can easily update your availability and select “Not Available” if you aren’t looking for new contracts right now. if you prefer. To learn how to set your availability, click here.

Does the addition of Top Rated Plus mean Upwork really only wants freelancers who can work on larger projects?
Thanks for your question. No, we still have many clients who need small- and medium-size projects done too.

With everything going on in the world, why are you messing with our profiles! First you change TOS/contact rules, now this. Are you going to mess with everything?

Thanks for reaching out. While we are certainly aware that COVID-19 has greatly impacted the world, we also are committed to continuing to grow Upwork so even more clients and freelancers around the world can connect and collaborate. This is just one step we are taking to reach this goal.

What exactly does “past year” mean? Is it calendar year (Jan. to Dec.) or a rolling year (always 12-months back from today)?
Thanks for reaching out. The “past year” is rolling, meaning it is always 12 months back from the current date.

I have a contract that I think is large enough to qualify me for Top Rated Plus status. Why don’t I have the badge? [version for individual who does not meet the “large job” definition for their category]

Thanks for reaching out. You’ve earned [[ADD AMOUNT]] on a [[CATEGORY]]  contract. The amount required to be eligible for a Top Rated Plus badge for that category is [[ADD AMOUNT]], so you have not met the requirement. You can see the earning amounts needed for Top Rated Plus here. 

I have a contract that I think is large enough to qualify me for Top Rated Plus status. Why don’t I have the badge? [version for individual who does not meet the “large job” definition because it was spread across several contracts]

Thanks for reaching out. To be eligible for a Top Rated Plus badge you must earn a certain amount on one contract. For example, if you work in the “Translation” category you must have worked on a single large contract totaling at least $5,000 in the past year. If you work two $3,000 contracts in the category -- even with the same client -- you are not eligible because the amounts are spread over two contracts. Once you earn $5,000 on one of the contracts, you’ll be eligible to obtain Top Rated Plus status. 

I have a contract that I think is large enough to qualify me for the status. Why don’t I have the badge? [version for individual who does not meet the recent earnings requirement]

Thanks for your question. To be qualified for Top Rated Plus status, you must have earned a set amount (based on the category of work) on a single contract in the past 12 months. Learn more here. 

I’m working a long-term agency contract. When do I become eligible for Top Rated Plus status? 

Thank you for your question. If you are an agency-exclusive freelancer (meaning you don’t have a personal Upwork account) you must earn the larger amount required for agency contracts. If you are a non-exclusive agency freelancer (meaning you work contracts for an agency but also have a personal Upwork account) then you will be eligible after earning the smaller required amount. Learn more here. 

I just reached the large contract threshold on a job and the TRP badge is not showing up on my profile.  How long will it take to show up?

Thanks for your question. Please allow 48 to 72  hours for the badge to be added to your profile.

Why does Upwork care about FLs who have a large contract? My client has to close my contracts on a regular basis for compliance reasons/I have worked with the same client for many years but the contracts are all small.
Thanks for reaching out. We know long-term relationships with a series of small contracts work best for certain clients and freelancers. We are considering future improvements to consider these for Top Rated Plus status, but it is not on our agenda for this year.

I am an agency. I have contracts/jobs that are split between multiple FLs. Does it still count as a large contract/job?

Thanks for reaching out. Yes, these count as a large contract/job.

I meet all the requirements for TRP. I can see it on My Stats. Why am I not getting the badge? [FL has a large contract but none that lasted > 3 months yet]

INTERNAL NOTE: We are creating a My Stats section that will be displayed to FLs who are not TRP but are TR and have a $5k contract. It will show them whether or not they meet the $10k earnings requirement and the large contract requirement.

However, it will NOT let them see if they meet the "no negative outcome" requirement so some people will look at it and think they qualify. There's two reasons they might not:

1) Their job hasn't reached the 3-month mark yet: we will address that soon as mentioned above, only ~90 users fit this

2) They actually got negative feedback on a job. We can't tell them this in a way that would reveal the private feedback on that job (e.g., if they have 1 large job and we tell them they didn't get TRP because of negative feedback, they'll realize it's on that job). So we'll have to be vague and just remind them of all the requirements, maybe bold the part about not having negative feedback? only ~30 users fit this scenario. CX will know that's the reason because we are creating a daily report they'll receive with all the FLs who almost qualify for TRP but not quite, and it'll have columns for each requirement including "no negative outcome"