What changed? 

We're thrilled to announce our first-ever installment of Upwork Updates, our new semi-annual product release. This release, for all Upwork customers, introduces Uma, Upwork’s Mindful AI, designed to help you work smarter in your everyday workflow; upgrades to our Freelancer Plus subsc

What changed? 

We're thrilled to announce our first-ever installment of Upwork Updates, our new semi-annual product release. This release, for all Upwork customers, introduces Uma, Upwork’s Mindful AI, designed to help you work smarter in your everyday workflow; upgrades to our Freelancer Plus subscription, such as exclusive access to Upwork Chat Pro for enhanced productivity; Managed Services for Enterprise, enabling you to outsource entire functions with the help of our team of experts; and much more. 

How does it work? To learn more about all new releases included within Upwork Updates, please visit: http://upwork.com/updates/spring-2024 

Who is impacted? All Upwork customers.

Release date: April 30, 2024

What does it solve? For businesses, our goal for Upwork Updates: Spring 2024 is to create a more streamlined and intuitive experience throughout the hiring journey, so that they can find the solutions and talent they need faster. For freelancers, our goal is to provide tools that help you connect and collaborate with your clients. 

What changed: New talent lists carousel, additional task cards, company quick links, enhanced onboarding checklist

We’ve made several enhancements to the Enterprise Dashboard to make hiring independent talent and managing contracts easier. 

• New talent lists carousel
• Company-specific links

How doe

What changed: New talent lists carousel, additional task cards, company quick links, enhanced onboarding checklist

We’ve made several enhancements to the Enterprise Dashboard to make hiring independent talent and managing contracts easier. 

• New talent lists carousel
• Company-specific links

How does it work: 

• New talent lists carousel: A new talent list carousel of your hires, company hires, BYO talent, and saved talent that is accessible from your dashboard. When an Enterprise user is on their Enterprise Dashboard they will now see a Talent list carousel and are able to click on and view a list of their hires, company hires, BYO talent, or saved talent as well as message them from the list view. 
  
• Company quick links: Upwork Support can set up customizable company quick links within Settings that provides users with access to their company’s specific processes and guidelines for hiring on Upwork directly from their Enterprise Dashboard. This capability is not automatically  available for all Enterprise customers. Please reach out to Support to enable. 

Who is impacted: Enterprise customers 

Release date: 

• Talent list carousel: Currently available 
• Company specific links: Currently available (This capability is not automatically  available for all Enterprise customers. Please reach out to Support to enable.)

What does it solve? 

• Talent lists carousel: This improvement helps hiring managers easily navigate to talent lists of their hires, company hires, BYO talent, and saved talent so they can seamlessly rehire talent they’ve used in the past.
• Company-specific links: The ability to access company-specific guidelines and resources provides hiring managers with the information they need to move forward with hiring talent. 

What is changing: Beginning March 19, 2024 we are changing the way Direct Contracts work. 

How it works: Contract proposals for Direct Contracts can still be sent to clients who aren't on Upwork yet, but starting on March 19, 2024:

• Freelancers will pay a 5% freelancer service fee on the earnings

What is changing: Beginning March 19, 2024 we are changing the way Direct Contracts work. 

How it works: Contract proposals for Direct Contracts can still be sent to clients who aren't on Upwork yet, but starting on March 19, 2024:

• Freelancers will pay a 5% freelancer service fee on the earnings made on these contracts.  Additionally, we’ve eliminated the 3.4% payment processing fee. Learn more
• Clients invited via Direct Contracts will be asked to create an Upwork account. This will allow Direct Contracts to be accessed alongside regular Marketplace contracts. Standard contract initiation and marketplace fees will apply. Learn more

Who is impacted: Freelancers and clients with new or existing Direct Contracts. Learn more

Release date: March 19, 2024

At a glance

What changed: Starting February 16, 2024, the monthly subscription price for Freelancer Plus will increase to $20. If you subscribe to Freelancer Plus through the Apple App Store, different pricing and conditions apply. Check your app for the latest pricing.

Our mission is to help you ac

At a glance

What changed: Starting February 16, 2024, the monthly subscription price for Freelancer Plus will increase to $20. If you subscribe to Freelancer Plus through the Apple App Store, different pricing and conditions apply. Check your app for the latest pricing.

Our mission is to help you achieve your goals with access to cutting-edge technology and exclusive resources. Get exclusive access to 2 new perks designed to enhance your skills and efficiency:

• Increase to 100 Monthly Connects: Giving you more opportunities to connect with potential clients and land the jobs you want. 
• Upwork Chat Pro: Now available exclusively to Freelancer Plus subscribers. Upwork Chat Pro is an AI app powered by GPT-4 and enhanced with insights from Upwork data that helps you start and complete your work faster. 

Subscribers will automatically receive these new benefits when their subscription renews at the new price. If you have an active subscription, no further action is required.

Upgrade or make changes to Freelancer Plus: 

1. Go to Settings › Memberships & Connects
2. Select Change Plan

Who is Impacted: Freelancer Plus subscribers

Release Date: February 16, 2024

What Does it Solve: Upwork's Freelancer Plus subscription provides freelancers with Connects and tools to develop new skills, increase their visibility, customize their settings to grow their business, and improve their efficiency with AI. Upwork Chat Pro works like a powerful project assistant, helping you brainstorm, review, analyze, write, code, and more to get your projects on Upwork done faster and even better.

What changed: Boosted Proposals are available to freelancers meeting specific job criteria to help you rise to the top of the client’s list. To promote a quality match with the client, the boost table appears if you are a relevant match for the job. Eligible freelancers will see this option, while o

What changed: Boosted Proposals are available to freelancers meeting specific job criteria to help you rise to the top of the client’s list. To promote a quality match with the client, the boost table appears if you are a relevant match for the job. Eligible freelancers will see this option, while others can apply organically. The boost option will appear during the proposal submission process.

Place a bid when the boost table appears by following the steps below:

1. Enter a bid amount for the top four spots
2. Click “bid” and then send your proposal
3. Check if you’ve won the auction for one of four boosted spots 

Who is impacted: All freelancers 

Release date: January 26, 2024

What does it solve? Boosted Proposals allow freelancers to stand out from the competition and take control to win the work you want. Win more jobs that match your skills and experience.

What changed: We updated the qualifying criteria and some logic of our Job Success Score calculation to improve score accuracy and speed up the time to match clients with the right independent professionals or agency talent.

How does it work:

• A Job Success Score now appears once freelancers compl

What changed: We updated the qualifying criteria and some logic of our Job Success Score calculation to improve score accuracy and speed up the time to match clients with the right independent professionals or agency talent.

How does it work:

• A Job Success Score now appears once freelancers complete 2 or more projects with 2 or more clients anytime within 24 months. (Previously: 4 or more projects with 2 or more clients within 24 months)
  
  
• More weight on public feedback in scoring, which will make it easier for freelancers to tie outcomes with their score and improve their understanding of it.

Who is impacted: All freelancers and agencies on Upwork.

Release date: December 11, 2023

What does it solve: This update makes Job Success Scores even more helpful for clients, agencies, and freelancers alike. Freelancers may notice their scores shift after this change. Read more in our Community and in our Help Center. 

What changed: Boosted Profile is now generally available, enabling freelancers and clients enhanced discovery across all work categories and job types.

Boost your profile to reach more clients who are actively hiring in the work categories you target. Once boosted and after you set your budget, bi

What changed: Boosted Profile is now generally available, enabling freelancers and clients enhanced discovery across all work categories and job types.

Boost your profile to reach more clients who are actively hiring in the work categories you target. Once boosted and after you set your budget, bid amount, and work category, you'll receive priority positioning at the top of search results where clients invite freelancers to their new job. And when you’re invited, there’s no cost to apply. Save time and boost your productivity by letting clients find you more easily. You only pay for a client’s first profile click on that job post, no matter how many times they engage your profile.  

Turn on ‘Boost your profile’ by selecting the pencil icon from the homepage. 

Who is impacted: All freelancers 

Release date: December 6, 2023

What does it solve: Boosted Profile promotes your visibility on Upwork in a targeted way to increase your chances of getting hired for your desired work category. Clients view Boosted Profiles after they post a job.

We’re updating our Dispute Mediation Policy. These changes are effective as of January 12, 2024.

What’s changing?

• Upwork will only review the last 30 days of milestone payments prior to the date the customer contacted Upwork. For qualifying Fixed-Price Contracts, payments outside the 30-day win

We’re updating our Dispute Mediation Policy. These changes are effective as of January 12, 2024.

What’s changing?

• Upwork will only review the last 30 days of milestone payments prior to the date the customer contacted Upwork. For qualifying Fixed-Price Contracts, payments outside the 30-day window cutoff can be resolved through Arbitration.
• Either party will now have the option to pay the full Arbitration fee if one side chooses not to pay. 
• Accounts will only be suspended if the Arbitration ruling isn't upheld or there is evidence of another violation of our Terms, such as fraudulent activity.

For detailed information, please refer to sections 6 and 7 of our Fixed Price terms and conditions found here.

What changed: Filing disputes, submitting supporting evidence, and viewing status updates for fixed-price contracts are now all done directly within Upwork instead of through email with customer support. Freelancers must file a dispute within 7 days of the contract ending, and clients have 5 days to

What changed: Filing disputes, submitting supporting evidence, and viewing status updates for fixed-price contracts are now all done directly within Upwork instead of through email with customer support. Freelancers must file a dispute within 7 days of the contract ending, and clients have 5 days to either accept or decline the dispute.

How does it work: Upwork protects your payments. Funds for fixed-price contracts are held in escrow and are automatically released to freelancers 14 days from submission if your client does not approve the work or request changes.

If a client chooses to withhold funds or refuse payment, a freelancer can initiate a dispute within Upwork when a contract is ended. 

Clients can accept the dispute and release additional payment or decline payment and provide their own supporting evidence, all directly within the platform. 

Once both parties have submitted their supporting documents, one of our dispute mediation agents will review the information and recommend a proposal via email within 2 days. Then, both parties will have 2 days to accept or decline our proposal via email.

Who is impacted: All freelancers, agencies, and clients who want to initiate or respond to fixed-price contract disputes.

Release date: December 5, 2023

What does it solve: This streamlines the fixed-price contract dispute experience for freelancers, agencies, and clients. The change makes it easier to manage any active disputes through the Upwork platform and speeds up the time to a dispute resolution. Learn more about the new dispute process here.