More Connects to win more of the work you love

[katbenjamin]

UPDATE: This is already live. You’ll see these free Connects added to your account at the start of your next billing cycle. You can find this date on your Memberships and Connects page under User Settings.

In December, we’re upgrading Connects to provide you free monthly Connects and bonus Connects for interviews you win. You’re doing amazing things on Upwork, and more Connects means more chances to do the work you love. 

We’ve seen a huge surge in client activity, and our work marketplace is full of opportunities for all the incredible talent on our platform. We can’t wait to watch you use these Connects to win your share of these opportunities, form stronger relationships with clients, and grow your career on Upwork.

We introduced paid Connects to keep spam from crowding out your proposals and help you win the jobs you want. But we want to ensure connecting with clients is exciting and affordable, so we’re changing our program to provide you with the Connects you need to build deeper relationships and unlock the best opportunities.

Here’s exactly what you can expect:

Freelancer Basic Plan	Receive 10 free Connects per month (according to billing cycle)
Freelancer Plus Plan	Receive 80 Connects per month (70 + 10 free Connects) (according to billing cycle)
Connects Rollover Limits	The Basic and Plus roll over limit is now 200 Connects
Interview Requests	Freelancers receive free Connects (the number may vary) when they win an interview with an established client on Upwork**

In December, you’ll see these free Connects added to your account at the start of your next billing cycle. You can find this date on your Memberships and Connects page under User Settings. You’ll also receive an email when your Connects are available for use.

These changes will create more opportunities for everyone in our community, and we’re continuing to explore other ways to show our appreciation for everything you do. Your success is our success, and we’re proud to provide a home where you can do the work you love, form lucrative relationships, and build an amazing independent business.

Learn more about how Connects work here. 

* Update 7/23/2021: Note that when Connects are awarded for interview requests this will show up as two transactions in the Connects History. There is no change to how these are awarded, this is simply done for accounting purposes.

** Updated 1/2/2023

[bryankeleman]

Awesome! I always thought it was a bit unfair that freelancers have to spend so many connects without any guarantee of landing a job. 

And while I'd like to see the whole connect system replaced, that is a bit unrealistic. This is getting closer to a fair middle ground.

[afshan-zahid]

Yeah, My account is not brand new, Are you not awarding connects every
month to each freelancer?
Thanks

[sabir211]

There are projects for that  6 connects are required  to submit proposal. So 10 connects per month are very little to move on.

[localseoexpertes]

awesome news

[azzuero]

“We introduced paid Connects to keep spam from crowding out your proposals“? How can a freelancer with a good reputation and lots of successfuly completed jobs offer a “spam” proposal? Perhaps an idea around “the more you earn the more free connects you receive” would work better? It means Upwork gives exponentaly more trust to hardworkers. Also, what if there would be a kind of returning used connects principle? There’re many posted jobs that finished up by not hiring anyone. They also could be considered “spam” created jobs. What if all freelancers who submited a proposal for such jobs could receive back their invested connects?

[jose_monteiro]

Viva Carlos,
I would not consider only the "noise" about the 10 credits, I think that the awakening of consciences that the fact that there are credits that remain in limbo when there is no response from the contracters is a dubious situation (who the hell are those contracters that publish the work they receive proposals and are then left in the void preventing the return of credits). There is also a concern about the lack of responses to published works, which leads to a departure from the platform's contractions.
Whether or not one wants to see this small step as a step backwards from the decision taken for more than a year, it is in itself an indication that the warnings made at the time were accompanied by reason.
UpWork needs freelancers and vice versa, the slots policy certainly does not benefit us at all.
- Freezing the account to those who do not respond to proposals that do not indicate a return is certainly not good for anyone.
The success of some leads to the success of others.
We have to hope that the CEO will have access to these posts and those of the past as well.
Of course UpWork is suberano, but I believe that the interest is to generate revenue for everyone.

[jnusrat11]

Hi,

I found this information in a recent Upwork notification.

"Connects to Get Started

When a new freelancer successfully registers on Upwork, they’ll receive 80 Connects to start building relationships. They’ll also be rewarded with more Connects for taking the Upwork Readiness Test and earning a Rising Talent badge" 

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/360057604814-11-24-FREE-Connects-to-Do-More-on-Upwork-

I am a new freelancer and successfully registered, but haven't got 80 free connects, only got 10 free connects.

[amralaa60]

This is a great step toward encouraging me and the people to spend more time in UpWork, thank you all and I, personally appreciate this help.  

[kochubei_valeria]

Thanks for following up, Afshan. The change announced on this thread goes live in December and that's when freelancers on Basic Membership will start receiving 10 free Connects per month and freelancers on Plus Membership will start receiving 80 free Connects per month.

[afshan-zahid]

I see, Thanks