Changes to Upwork’s client membership plans

[John S]

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Filip K wrote:

400 connects are 36 dollars. How are you going to possibly spend 500? 

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What's that nonsense?

Did you bother reading the announcement? There's nothing about connects there.

Clients will have to pay $499/month (if you insist on being punctual) to get the same features they now get as standard. To use advanced search filters and send unlimited job invitations - which are a must for any sensible talent search - we will have to pay $499/month!

For some of us (and dare I say, most of us) that's just too much to justify using Upwork.

I've said that before and I'll say it again - ever since oDesk became Upwork things have only gotten worse. I've been looking around for alternatives ever since that merger with Elance and that $500 price tag is the last straw for me - that fee is a 100% definite no-go for me!

[David M]

Isn't it $49.99 per month? Where are you getting $500 from?

$49.99 is still absurd though. Watch as our beloved clients move to fiverr.

EDIT: Just read about the $500 month plan. Jesus christ, that is ridiculous.

[#3]

It is $49.00/m for Basic and $499/m for Business. 

For large companies $499/m is pocket change to be able to invite unlimited FLs - they do not have the overhead of a regular in-house employee would cost them. The people it will drive away are the scammers that send 100 invites, hoping to hook a few FLs that fall for their fake projects.  

Smaller businesses are being given the option to downgrade to free or Basic at a much lower cost, and it requires them to be more selective in who they invite. 

[Alan H]

I'm a freelancer and a client, so I got this disappointing announcement last week. 

The new Basic (free) client plan lacks "Access to Premium talent."

As a freelancer, I am "top rated." So, if most of the clients opt for the free plan, will they not be able to see my freelancer profile?

Should I start asking my clients to give me poor ratings so I can improve my visibility? 

The mind boggles. 

[David M]

Premium is invite only, and only available in a few niches (data entry and customer support I think)

Check this out

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/115006099287-Freelancer-Programs-and-Perks?flash_digest...

[Alan H]

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David M wrote:

Premium is invite only, and only available in a few niches (data entry and customer support I think)

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Thanks for this, David. Now I remember this. I was invited, completed the application, then received a follow-up email explaining that it was restricted to four categories of essentially clerical labor, so I did not pursue it.

And thank goodness I didn't, because if I had joined the Premium Freelancer program, my profile would soon be made invisible to all clients on the Basic plan!

But seriously, let's hope for the best regarding the new client plans. 

The new free client plan limits clients to sending just three invitations per job post. 

On the client side, I recently invited 27 freelancers to a writing and research job and only one accepted the interview.

[John S]

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Alan H wrote:

I'm a freelancer and a client, so I got this disappointing announcement last week. 

The new Basic (free) client plan lacks "Access to Premium talent."

As a freelancer, I am "top rated." So, if most of the clients opt for the free plan, will they not be able to see my freelancer profile?

Should I start asking my clients to give me poor ratings so I can improve my visibility? 

The mind boggles. 

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You should start looking around for alternatives, and fast - the changes will be enforced in less than 2 months!

[Anthony L]

Yes, not happy with this annoucement. Amazed not many other "client" accounts have complained about this.

[John S]

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Anthony L wrote:

Yes, not happy with this annoucement. Amazed not many other "client" accounts have complained about this.

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They're probably rolling it out gradually - hoping it will go unnoticed.

My guess is they now have enough "big" clients who can easily afford the $500/month fee they don't need to bother with us anymore, so it's a way of getting rid of us.

[Al S]

It seems Upwork tries to (mis-)use their market power. This means, it is time to find another platform or to build a new competition.

I have no understanding, that I should pay USD 49.- / month just to have advanced filters. As well the other features I had up to now.