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

[shovon421]

I Understand upworks policy, the more free connects the freelancers get, more calously they apply for jobs, giving too much free connects creates a mess for the clients as too many people apply without the fear of losing connects

[2936895c]

Awesome,a great news to heard.That is very helpful for those whose have no money to buy connects.

[nabeelnasir0932]

Here what we are getting, 10 connect. Waaao boom!

We can also purchase 10 connects and more. If you have to provide connects on monthly, than why you don't provide 60/ month?

[simic_dusan]

Great!
Thank you!

[irajeman]

Thanks for connecting with me and thanks for upgrading Connects to give you free monthly Connects, it is a good chance for more work on the Upwork platform and for a candidate facility that works on this platform.

Thanks & Regard 

iraj

[donalddesign]

Good one. This gives us the chance to bid for my gigs. but i'm still having a big challenge, i'm still not getting any jobs yet, is there something i'm not doing right.

[bebacf25]

Totally agree.
I did join this platform almost one year and pause for a while since it costs too much for bidding.

The first month, I spend 15$ to take 30 connects. Luckily I got two smally projects and I earn > 50$. All of them + my credit, I spend like 150 $ and work without getting any more projects.

Upwork should at least provide like 30 connects/month for free.

Many project posted with very low project fee. Let say, a project is post with fix price is just 15$. You have to spend 2 connects to bid it. And you know that number of freelancers bidding the project is from 40-50. Wow? how much do the platform receive base on the bid connects?

It is very hard for a new freelancer to be survive since they have less rating and experience?

Please Upwork grant more free connects per month, so freelancer can find more match projects and 20% project fee is good. The platform will have more traffic.

Anyway, this is a sign for changing. 
Good to see this,

[e167809e]

My journey on upwork was shortlived when I run out of connects as a beginner. For some reason, I only had 20 free connects when I joined as a beginner. Since march 2020, I have never visited this platform because, I had no connects to work. Up till now, I still haven't landed any jobs yet. I was happy when I saw your "free connects every month" policy but I immediately lost interest when I realized it was just 10. For me, it appears I can never make it on upwork. Because when I compare peopleperhour to upwork, there is a vast difference. The fact that you even consider different amount of conects for different jobs is enough reason to quit upwork. All jobs are jobs and should be charged 1 connect each...... Some shouldn't be 6 and others 1....... If you really want to stick by the 10 connects, at least, make every job equivalent to 1 connect. Because I can't afford to waste 6 out of 10 connects on one job.

[abinadab-agbo]

I hope you're having an abundance of clients on PPH.
PPH charges both clients and freelancers pretty exhorbitant fees.
For clients it's a whopping 10% disclosed with much underhand in the interface, not inclusive of card processing fees.
For freelancers it's up to 20%.
Overall over 30% of the money gets lost along the way on PPH.

Serious clients who care about the impact they make on freelancer's lives do not use PPH.
But if you're making it over there, you should keep using PPH then.

[bf6a6ccc]

Good decision to give at least some chance to those unfortunate freelancers who are joining now vs several years ago. I will not be getting any connects from this, as I stopped bidding right after free connects were removed.