What is Upwork?
Upwork is unique in that it has so many ways to filter and search for freelance developers to fill Upwork jobs – impressive because it boasts one of the largest pools of freelance software developers and talent in other areas. It offers several marketplace options and different ways to sort through, assess, and identify the right talent for your needs.
Searching and filtering developers on Upwork. Source: Upwork login.
Upwork pricing is assessed as a percentage of the project cost. There is a paid Enterprise plan for those companies looking for a white glove service and fully managed solutions.
Weekly company report. Source: Upwork login.
Upwork reviews indicate that most companies successfully use Upwork to find and hire quality freelance developers, while some gripe about sneaky hidden costs and no customer support.
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How much does Upwork cost?
Upwork plans start at 3%/project cost.
- Starting price:
- 3% per total project cost
- Free trial:
- Not Available
- Free version:
- Not Available
| Upwork Pricing & Plans | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Talent Marketplace | Project Catalog | Talent Scout | Enterprise |
| Starting at 3% per project cost | Buy pre-built project scopes starting $100 | Paid hourly per professional’s rates | Request pricing |
What’s included in every Upwork plan? Upwork has four ways to find freelance software developers: Talent Marketplace, Project Catalog, Talent Scout, and Enterprise.
In the Talent Marketplace, you can create a job posting and choose from the talent that applies for it. You will be charged three to five percent of the project cost. Using Project Catalog, Upwork already has pre-built projects – some starting less than $100 and you hire based on developers that offer these projects. The Talent Scout level means you are assigned a recruiter who gives you a short list of talent that meets your project needs. You pay the rate set by that freelance developer.
Finally, there is an Enterprise level that gives you higher tier customer service, more thoroughly vetted top talent, fully managed solutions, and team collaboration tools.
Which features does Upwork offer?
| Freelance Websites for Developers Features | |
|---|---|
| Quality of freelance software developers: developers must provide samples, show Upwork reviews for freelancers, and have their identity confirmed. | |
| Ways to search developers: Use Talent Marketplace, Project Catalog, or Talent Scout and various sorting filters to find talent. | |
| Other talent categories: hire cross-fuctional talent to carry even more projects over the finish line. | |
| Hiring locations: hire U.S based talent or worldwide | |
| Communication: Upwork provides messaging communication and video interview opportunities | |
Direct messaging with potential hires. Source: Upwork login.
Other notable Upwork features
- Premium 24/7 customer support
- Fully managed services
- Onboarding
- Team collaboration tools
What types of support does Upwork offer?
| Data Migration | |
| 1-on-1 Live Training | |
| Self-Guided Online Training | |
| Knowledge Base | |
| FAQs/Forum | |
| Email Support | |
| Live Chat | |
| Phone Support |
Upwork knowledge base. Source: Upwork login.
Upwork user review highlights
We analyzed 10,811 user reviews about Upwork from three third-party review websites to provide this summary.
Upwork reviews indicate that the platform works for most companies hiring freelance developers. Positive comments point to those that have been able to use Upwork to grow and scale on a lean operation thanks to hiring quality freelancers to complete their projects.
Users find it convenient to keep all communication, project tracking, and payments on one platform, and the ability to communicate with and interview potential hires is a big bonus.
Upwork dashboard showing company hires. Source: Upwork login.
Those unhappy with the platform point to zero customer support, a complicated pricing structure with sneaky additional costs, and a poor level of freelancers.
- Ease of Setup – it takes mere minutes to set up an account on Upwork, and you’re up and running from there. Users report no problems with this.
- Ease of Use – reviewers say that Upwork is easy to use and easy to access quality freelance developers.
- Features – Upwork stands out to reviewers in two main ways – the ability to filter potential hires and easy access and communication with said hires. One reviewer says Upwork makes it possible to find the needle in the haystack of freelance developers.
- Quality of Support – Upwork customer service seems to be the main issue. Users report that you can’t get a hold of customer support at all, so you better hope you don’t have any problems.
- Value for Money – reviewers find Upwork a great place to find quality freelancers that contribute to business growth and workplace efficiency, making it a valuable business tool.
Upwork Contact Information
- Parent Company:
- Upwork, Inc.
- Headquarters:
- San Francisco, CA
- Year Founded:
- 2013
- Website:
- upwork.com
- Facebook:
- facebook.com/upwork
- Twitter:
- twitter.com/Upwork
- LinkedIn:
- linkedin.com/company/upwork
- Instagram:
- instagram.com/upwork
- TikTok:
- tiktok.com/@upwork
- YouTube:
- youtube.com/@Upwork