What Changed About Upwork in 2024

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Emir H.

Has Upwork remained the top choice for freelancers in 2024? The introduction of the Freelancer Plus subscription, enhancements to profile features, and a redesigned interface have left many questioning the potential impact on freelancers and businesses. How will these modifications influence your prospects and the level of competition? Discover the latest developments and their potential impact on your freelance career!


What is Upwork?

In 2013, Elance and oDesk, two well-known online freelance platforms, joined forces to create Elance-oDesk, which was later renamed Upwork in 2015. Upwork Global Inc is described by the company as “the leading platform for top businesses to hire and collaborate with the most skilled independent professionals worldwide”.

The company has roughly 145.4 thousand active clients who spend a minimum of $5,000 annually. In 2020, about 1,500 freelancers had participated in projects on Upwork.

How much does Upwork charge?

Upwork has updated its fee structure, now charging both clients and freelancers. Clients pay a 7.99% fee per transaction (3% for eligible U.S. clients via ACH), whereas freelancers face a sliding service fee ranging from 20% to 5%, based on their lifetime billings with a client. Freelancers are also charged VAT depending on their country’s rate.

This change aims to encourage long-term projects, but some freelancers find it challenging to reach lower fee tiers, while others see potential. Clients may adjust job rates to offset fees, leading to higher costs and fewer quality offers.

Freelancer Plus: A game changer for visibility


The introduction of Freelancer Plus in 2024 is a significant development, offering a premium subscription tailored for freelancers seeking greater visibility in a competitive market.

Freelancer Plus provides users with advantages such as increased profile visibility, advanced proposal viewing reports, and more Connects to apply for jobs. These features can be particularly beneficial for individuals aiming to enhance their profiles and secure higher-value projects.

Upgraded talent profile features


The platform has now introduced customizable portfolio sections, allowing freelancers to personalize and showcase their top work in a manner that reflects their professional story.

This gives freelancers the ability to spotlight particular projects that showcase their abilities, addressing the requirements of potential clients.

In general, these enhanced talent profile features significantly improve freelancers’ capacity to promote themselves effectively, resulting in more opportunities to attract clients and secure projects that suit their skill sets. 

Expansion of Upwork enterprise

In 2024, Upwork Enterprise has seen significant expansion, establishing itself as a crucial option for big companies looking for adaptable talent initiatives. Utilized by organizations such as Microsoft and Airbnb, it allows businesses to smoothly incorporate independent contractors and agencies into their staff. The platform now offers improved team collaboration tools, enhanced project management features, and integrated compliance solutions.

These enhancements assist businesses in efficiently overseeing projects and aligning with the growing need for flexible workforce solutions. Upwork Enterprise continues to develop, providing businesses with a holistic strategy for talent management in the current dynamic work environment.

Security measures


Upwork enforces high-level security measures and follows best practices for privacy to create a secure, compliant, and dependable marketplace for businesses of any size. The system uses multi-factor authentication, customizable session timeouts, and proactive fraud detection algorithms to safeguard user data and transactions.

These increased security measures aim to protect the platform’s integrity, creating a secure and reliable space for freelancers and clients alike. Upwork’s dedication to ensuring security is always improving, as it adapts to industry norms in order to reduce risks and uphold the platform’s dependability.

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