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Direct Contracts now live for all freelancers

lenaellis
Community Member

To help grow and support your freelance business on and off Upwork, we are releasing Direct Contracts to all Upwork freelancers today. With this new release, we have also expanded the functionality to now include multiple milestones. 

 

Direct Contracts allows you to enter into fixed-price contracts with non-Upwork clients, offering access to Upwork's safety and security features with greater flexibility for your business. Freelancers can access their Direct Contracts by clicking on the new paper airplane icon next to notifications or directly here.

 

Direct Contract Icon.png

 

Here’s how it works: 

 

On the Direct Contracts page, freelancers will see the option to start a new Direct Contract and a list of all existing Direct Contracts along with the status of that contract.

 

The steps to start a new Direct Contract are very simple:

 

1. Enter your client’s details

1. Create.png

 

2. Add either a single amount or create milestones with each amount

MM - Collapsed.png

 

3. Review and send the contract

3. Review.png

 

4. An email is sent to your client to begin

4. Confirmation.png

 

 

Your client will receive an email notifying them of your detailed proposal, along with some guidance on how the product works. 

 

Just like your other fixed-price contracts on Upwork, your client deposits project funds in escrow before the contract starts. You will see the status of the milestone listed below each one, so you will know when to begin working. When you’ve completed the contract or each milestone, you’ll request payment from your client. And with Direct Contracts, once they’ve accepted your request, the funds are released to you immediately, with no security period.

 

5. - Active - m1.png

 

As a freelancer, you’ll pay a processing fee of 3.4% of the total contract amount, but you won’t pay any freelancer service fees to Upwork. It’s easy for your clients because they won’t have to create an Upwork account.  And with payment protection and dispute assistance, you can work confidently with your clients who are not on Upwork. 

 

Let us know if you have any questions.

 

405 Comments
AleksandarD
Community Manager

Hi Justin,

 

Has your client tried to clear their cache and cookies or using a different browser? If that doesn't help, you can let us know here so that our team can reach out to the client.

 

Thank you.

e97a4133
Community Member

My client can't accept the direct contract that I sent, what should I do? I really want to use Upwork for my project..

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

AndreaG
Moderator

Hi Novreza,

 

I can see you were able to submit a support ticket with our team regarding this. Please allow some time for our team to review and they will update you directly via ticket as soon as possible.

 

Thanks!

justin-hammond
Community Member

Hi Aleksandr, I'll ask them to try in a different browser and clear cache first and see if that works 🙂

 

Thanks for the help!

ahmadwaly
Community Member

I have a client , i got him outside of upwork .. i wanted to create a direct contract with him to get paid , i found out that he is an existing upwork client.

so should he create a job and hire me instantly by invitation and pay me ? 

 

petra_r
Community Member

Ahmad W wrote:

should he create a job and hire me instantly by invitation and pay me ? 


 

He can just go to your profile and click on "Hire".

A Direct Contract won't be possible, so the usual fees apply.

e97a4133
Community Member

Still errorimage (17).png

AleksandarD
Community Manager

Hi Novreza,

 

I already followed up with the team handling your case and you can expect an update on your support tickets very soon.

 

Thank you.

ssilviuss
Community Member

Hello,

I recently see that Upwork takes a 3% fee for me as a client.

 

I want to ask other clients here if they have encountered this situation, as Upwork marketizes itself without fee for direct contracts clients.

Thanks!fee.png

g_vasilevski
Retired Team Member

Hi Silviu,

 

We will be asking clients who start new Direct Contracts to begin paying a small processing fee on the payments they make to their freelancer(s). We are currently building this option into our site, and testing it out with select Direct Contracts to start. In the future, a payment processing fee for clients will be added to all new Direct Contracts. When that occurs, we will be sure to update all communications, Help articles, etc., to share the fee amount that we decide upon. Thank you.