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Mark's avatar
Mark W Community Member

Change currency settings

Hello

 

Is there a way to change currency settings? Everything I see on the site seems to be set to US Dollars.

 

Thanks

Mark

25 REPLIES 25
Bojan's avatar
Bojan S Community Manager

Hi Mark,

 

All rates, budgets, payments, etc. are displayed in US Dollars on Upwork site. 

 

When direct to local bank account is the disbursement method, then the funds are converted automatically into your local currency. You can check out this article for more information about fees and timing associated with the direct to local bank method.

 

Thank you!

~ Bojan
Upwork
Jeet's avatar
Jeet K Community Member

Why can’t the uk have the display already in pounds, this causes a lot of confusion and client think on occasion clients think $800 is £800. Please change this Upwork
Petra's avatar
Petra R Community Member


Jeet K wrote:
Why can’t the uk have the display already in pounds, this causes a lot of confusion and client think on occasion clients think $800 is £800. Please change this Upwork

Upwork is a global Enterprise and everything is in US Dollars for a good reason. Clients and Freelancers are generally in different countries, so it wouldn't work if a contract is agreed at a price in one currency, and by the time the payment is made the exchange rates have changed.

 

As a freelancer, you are paid in US Dollars, and clients are billed in US Dollars.

Jonathan's avatar
Jonathan E Community Member

Hi,

 

This doesn't make sense or ring true. I think it is a case of American cultural imperialism. I use PPH, which is a global/international company and they can display dollars, pounds and euros.

 

Cheers

 

Jon

Maria's avatar
Maria T Community Member

I would also like them to work in more currencies, PPH does it in $, £ and € without problems. If the customer wants to pay in any of the currencies, he can do so.
The value of the dollar change is a pain.

Ali's avatar
Ali K Community Member

I totally agree with Jon. I am working with people in Australia and I am in Australia and just overpaid someone because it doesn't show anywhere it is USD. It just shows "$"

 

Even if you want to keep it American Dollars, at least mention "USD" next to the number, not just "$", so that we can do the calculations before we make payments not when I see I was overcharged after reaching an agreement with someone in AUD.

It is also so disrespectful to other nations, no other dollar is a dollar and only the American dollar is the "dollar"!!!!!

 

It could be a way to respect others as well.

 

Cheers

Matt's avatar
Matt W Community Member

Instantly has put me off using your site. I've just signed up, we're a big marketing company, but can't find a way of viewing prices in GBP. 

 

That's bonkers! 

 

Honestly, I'm on the cusp of leaving the site because of that. Surely there's a bigger benefit to you guys showing the correct currency for users?

Goran's avatar
Goran V Retired Team Member

Hi Matt,


I understand your concern with this and one of our team members will reach out to you via ticket and email as soon as possible to assist you further. Thank you.

~ Goran
Upwork
Petra's avatar
Petra R Community Member


Matt W wrote:

Surely there's a bigger benefit to you guys showing the correct currency for users?


US Dollar IS the correct currency as Upwork charges you in US Dollars and pays your freelancers in US Dollars, is based in the USA and the platform is global.

 

It would be impossible to create contracts in different currencies because the exchange rates change constantly so people would earn or pay amounts that differ from what was agreed.

Dominika's avatar
Dominika D Community Member

You don't have to create different contracts. For example, Airbnb does it- you can view  prices in selected currency so can be done and should be done for a platform that expands internationally.

Petra's avatar
Petra R Community Member


Dominika D wrote:

You don't have to create different contracts. For example, Airbnb does it- you can view  prices in selected currency so can be done and should be done for a platform that expands internationally.


That's not the same. Airbnb use the exchange rate that applies at the time of booking and the price of the property is fixed across the currencies. Upwork contracts can last for months or years and currencies fluctuate during that time so either the client or the freelancer will NOT get or pay what was originally agreed upon because since the contract was created, the exchange rate has changed.

Hermes's avatar
Hermes D Community Member

I am happy to pay in USD but I already have a USD account in UK but Upworks can't allow me to use USD from my UK account. They need the client to pay from USD account ONLY if:

 

- Total transactions so far exceed 1,000 USD

- USD bank account has USA address. This is crazy. The whole world doesn't revolve around US residents. So now I'm having to convert USD to GBP and then back to USD via upworks.

Nick's avatar
Nick S Community Member

Correct me if I'm wrong but the exchange rate will still fluctuate whether or not the freelancer is paid only in $ or not. That is an incorrect answer. The best way to safeguard against exchange rate differences is to pay in the currency of choice surely.

A's avatar
A S Community Member

Such a shame about the currency thing. Immediately sends me to other sites that do the same thing that have it mastered.

Nick's avatar
Nick S Community Member

They don't change that much. Unless you are expecting anohter stock market crash in the USA then exchange rates are pretty constant. Certainly for major world currencies like GBP and Euro.

Ian's avatar
Ian G Community Member

What you should do is convert the USD currency value on the fly, so if selecting £/€ etc it queries an API to get the exchange rate for that currency, it is frustrating, because I have to keep heading over to XE.com to convert $->£ to figure out the client budget and then also how much to charge by having to convert back and forth.... A suggestion 😛 

Christine's avatar
Christine A Community Member


Matt W wrote:

Instantly has put me off using your site. I've just signed up, we're a big marketing company, but can't find a way of viewing prices in GBP. 

 

That's bonkers! 

 

Honestly, I'm on the cusp of leaving the site because of that. Surely there's a bigger benefit to you guys showing the correct currency for users?


 

I agree that Upwork would benefit by allowing different currencies; however, despite the inconvenience, paying in dollars would probably work out in your favour. The UK and European clients who hired me months ago are actually paying me less now, because the value of the dollar has been falling.

 

When I bid on projects for UK clients, I usually quote my rate in pounds in my proposal text, just to save them the trouble of having to look it up. You could mention that you'd prefer this when you post a project.

 

Camila's avatar
Camila S Community Member

Hi Christine,

 

It sounds a good solution if one wants to keep using Upwork, since it seems like they are not willing to change that.

 

If I take on a work in USA, they are going to pay me in USD and that is great. But, what a nonsense if you provide services in New Zealand for a New Zealand company and need to convert currencies! It is ridiculous.

 

It doesn't make sense to mention where you live if this is a worldwide platform, then, does it? 

Leah's avatar
Leah B Community Member

Hi, I would also like help with this as I have been wasting way too much time trying to figure it out. My employer says he has also tried to change it on his side and has not managed to. Additionally when i change my fee it says it has updated but then goes back to original fee. Please advise. Would it be possible to actually speak to a human either via chat or the phone? 

Thank you!

Leah

Aleksandar's avatar
Aleksandar D Community Manager

Hi Leah,

 

I'm not quite sure what you're referring to. Could you please clarify? Please note that all the prices are in USD and there is no option to change it. Clients have the option to pay in their local currency and you may read more about this in this help article.

 

Thank you.

~ Aleksandar
Upwork
Jay's avatar
Jay M Community Member

I understand the need to keep it in USD but surely a currency conversion just for browsing is helpful? Any site can display prices in their base country currency and then use a very simple conversion to let the user display pricing in their local currency. That's been basic stuff in e-commerce for about 20 years... baffled by it. 

Matt's avatar
Matt W Community Member

Guys, I understand there’s different opinions on this but it’s not a discussion, it’s a point we’re making as a consumer in the U.K.

If we can’t see the rate in GBP then it’s more hassle for us to work it out, therefore you’ve lost a conversion (us as a visitor).

Now, the problem I highlighted is that you’ll be losing many, many more users because of the same issue.

Whether there’s different opinions on this doesn’t matter — it’s the problem itself which is losing business for you.

So, it either needs fixing or leaving. Leaving it will result in losing business to Fiverr. Simple.
Camila's avatar
Camila S Community Member

Exactly! That is all we are asking! 

Lucas's avatar
Lucas G Community Member

Is there a way we can atleast convert our earned $ to £? At the moment I am having to send the Dollars to Paypal and pay horrible conversion fees

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