We have increased the fee on smaller projects and decreased the fee when a relationship crosses important thresholds. New service fees will not apply to freelancers working with Enterprise clients or Enterprise BYO (bring your own) freelancers. The FAQs below will help agents answer related questions.
Why am I not eligible for a fee decrease as an Enterprise freelancer?
If you work with an Enterprise client, this new pricing does not apply. This is because we negotiate individual contracts with those companies on a case by case basis.
Why doesn’t the lower freelancer fee apply to Upwork Enterprise clients?
The new sliding fees don’t apply to Upwork Enterprise clients because these contracts have different terms, depending on the unique mix of features, functionality and services purchased by the client. Upwork Enterprise contract terms are accordingly determined on an individual account basis.
Why does a flat 10% (sometimes higher) service fee apply to all Enterprise contracts? I'm concerned why we can't reach the 5% fee.
Enterprise freelancer fees are set at specific negotiated rates which may differ from typical marketplace rates to avoid cost fluctuations among engagements, as this predictability is preferable to many of our clients. Enterprise clients also have value-added services such as dedicated account support and access to other professional services, which are supported by these freelancer fees.
How are Upwork Enterprise client contracts different from non-Enterprise client contracts?
Upwork Enterprise is Upwork’s premium offering for larger clients. Due to their size and complexity, these clients require additional features, functionality, and services. These can include consolidated invoicing and reporting, as well as recruiting, project management, account management, and compliance services (where Upwork helps the client engage freelancers according to state, federal, and international laws as well as that company’s own unique policies and procedures). Upwork Enterprise contracts include different service fees, depending on the needs of the client, and may depend on the size of the company as well as the volume of work done on the platform. For more information about Upwork Enterprise, please see our blog and/or help article.
I’m a freelancer with a mix of both Enterprise and non-Enterprise clients. How am I supposed to know which rates apply to what client?
It’s now much easier to distinguish an Upwork Enterprise client from non-Enterprise clients so you’ll know when sliding fees apply. First, we’ve added the Enterprise badge to job posts. Second, your interview invite and offer emails will also look different, and clearly state that your client is an Upwork Enterprise client.
How will the fee change affect Enterprise clients working with new freelancers (instead of freelancers in their Talent Clouds)?
The fee change should have no effect on whether Upwork Enterprise clients want to work with new freelancers outside of their Talent Clouds, since sliding service fees don’t apply to this work.
Why does a flat 10% (sometimes higher) service fee apply to all Enterprise contracts? I'm concerned why we can't reach the 5% fee.
Enterprise freelancer fees are set at specific negotiated rates which may differ from typical marketplace rates to avoid cost fluctuations among engagements, as this predictability is preferable to many of our clients. Enterprise clients also have value-added services such as dedicated account support and access to other professional services, which are supported by these freelancer fees.
Freelancer fees are just passed on to clients in the form of higher rates. Why wouldn’t Upwork award Enterprise clients with long relationships with their freelancers?
Freelancer fees aren’t always passed on to the client – hourly rates and fixed fees for projects should be negotiated according to the unique circumstance of each engagement. Both parties are responsible for the terms that they agree to. Often freelancers won’t raise or lower their rates to correspond with Upwork’s service fees. Thus, even if the freelancer qualified for the lower service fee, these savings would not necessarily be passed on to the client.
Will the fee change impact whether freelancers will want to work with Enterprise clients?
Freelancers should want to work with Enterprise clients regardless if their service fees remain constant. Working with an Enterprise client means access to more project opportunities with other Hiring Managers in the same company, which can lead to steadier streams of work. In addition, large Enterprises tend to want to engage freelancers who have experience working with similar companies, so experience with one Enterprise client, can lead to opportunities with others.
How are freelancers who work with me and non-Enterprise clients supposed to know which rates apply to what engagements?
It’s now much easier to distinguish an Upwork Enterprise client from non-Enterprise clients so freelancers know when sliding fees apply. First, we’ve added the Enterprise badge to job posts. Second, freelancers’ interview invite and offer emails also look different, and clearly state that the client is an Upwork Enterprise client.