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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 Aitzaz,

 

We'll have one of our agents reach to your client directly to assist them further with the contract.

 

Thank you.

aitzaz_nasir
Community Member

Hello Aleksandar D,

 

Thanks for your response. I want to ask something that how long will he take to reach my client. 

 

Best,

Aitzaz **Edited for Community Guidelines**

AleksandarD
Community Manager

Hi Aitzaz,

 

Our team already reached out to your client. If there's anything else you need help with, please let us know.

 

Thank you.

vonome
Community Member

Hi,

I have a client. And they have also an Upwork account, How can I add him as direct contact?
Note: I had introduced him from another platform.

AndreaG
Moderator

Hi Rashedul,

 

Please know that Direct Contracts cannot be used with clients who already have an account on Upwork. You can share your profile link with them so they can hire you directly.

 

be3aa5c0
Community Member

Hi, I'm trying to fund a direct contract for one of our freelancers, after introducing the code and accepting the contract (Yes, I understand and agree to the Upwork Terms of Service, including the Direct Contracts Terms and Privacy Policy) and making click in the continue button, a spinning circle appears and nothing happens after that.

 

LuiggiR
Moderator

Hi Jorge,

 

It sounds like you're asking about the Direct Contract feature. In general, I'd like to clarify that this feature is designed for talent to manage contracts in the Upwork platform with their clients who don’t have an Upwork account. It's not meant for managing contracts between talent and clients who both have full accounts on Upwork. We will have one of our agents reach out to you directly with more information and assistance.

machin86
Community Member

Hi,

 

Last year on the month of Sep. 2020 it was working since then till now I have requested more than 7-8 direct contract it's not working, they tried with paypal, credit/debit card but not working they said that there is an option to pay through net banking however they haven't tried that.. so most of them they pay me through paypal... but the direct contract is secure for both entity that they funded the money and release after completing the project...

Need to escelate this case to the higher authority...

 

Thank! 

machin86
Community Member

Hello,

 

I might be also be the one who raise concern since 2020 Sep but they informed me that one of your team will reach out but as according to my client they just received email how to make payment but not solving the issue which client face, for instance like most of the client aware how to make payment but the error is from upwork... they can pay through Paypal, Pioneer etc... but those payment method doesn't have services that can withdraw after completing the job so we refer the cleint to Upwork but sadly it was unsuccessful ....

marketingadvent
Community Member

Hello All,

I have contacted the client to work from the direct contract. Upwork mentioned that no fee will implement on client's end however when the client go for payment then Upwork added 3% of the total amount. Can you clear things if something happens to you?

 

Also after deducting the amount from client's end, they did not show the money in escrow.

This is ridiculous!