Connects

[#1]

I submitted two proposals, but just as I clicked 'submit proposal,' I found myself outside of the top four bidding positions. However, I still haven't received my boosted connects back.

[#2]

Hello everyone, 

I am new to upwork and I have been having problems with connect. Is there a way I can get free connect?

Thank you. 

[#3]

Hello Ezeh,

You receive ten free Connects every month at the beginning of your billing cycle and bonuses for some interviews you win with an established client on Upwork. (To prevent gaming, we aren't sharing all the details of what we consider "established." In general, it's a client who has hired and spent on Upwork in the past). You'll also receive 30 free Connects when you earn a Rising Talent badge. We will send you a notification in Upwork (notification bell) and an email when you earn free Connects. For more information on how this works, check out our guide here.

[#4]

Thank you so much Luiggi.

[#5]

Dear Upwork Support,

I recently submitted two proposals and boosted my bids. However, immediately after clicking 'submit proposal,' I found myself outside of the top four bidding positions. Despite this, I have not received my boosted connects back.

Could you please assist me in resolving this issue and ensure that my boosted connects are refunded?

Thank you for your assistance.

Best regards,

Saweera

[#6]

hi

I read that I will receive 10 free connects for creating an account and my current balance is 0 connects.

I need help. 

thank you.

[#7]

Hi Chika,

Thank you for your message. I checked your account and can confirm that the free Connects are already credited to your Upwork account. You can check your Connects balance from the Connect History page.

- Pradeep

[#8]

Dear Upwork Team,

I made my upwork account in the start of june but still i did not recieve my initial 50 connects hence i am unable to use this platform. kindly help!

Regards,

Saba Zahid

[#9]

Read the articles in the moderator's post. You receive 10, and then you have to buy them.

[#10]

Good day, I registered in the middle of May, but the free connections were not counted. Please tell me how to do it, thank you

[#11]

Hi Yana,

Upwork currently requires new freelancers to do one of two things before being able to submit a proposal for a job: subscribe to our Freelancer Plus membership plan for $20 USD a month, or purchase 100 Connects for $15 USD. After you fulfill this requirement you will also receive 50 free Connects to further help you get started on Upwork.

[#12]

I signed up to upwork before 72 hours, but I didn't got my free connects. What should I do?

[#13]

when you recharge for your 1st 100 connects. you'll get all the free connects with it as well around 150 if you are new.

[#14]

when your account is approved, then you will get free connects every month.

[#15]

Hello, I was Invited by 2 clients on Upwork, and I sent proposals to both with Connects.

But I didn't receive any connects.

Why does this happen?

[#16]

you do not receive additional Connects for applying to an invitation.

[#17]

when applying, u don't receive connects.

[#18]

Hi, I just submitted a proposal to a client on a number of connects, then I bid 40 connects to it.
Now the job posting says "This job is no longer available.". The job was not in the "jobs in progress" of the client.

This was the job.

https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~015b48eae473542148

[#19]

He already hired someone as shown in the screenshot - it will showup in progress once the freelancer start working

[#20]

If you are now to Upwork, I would suggest you take your time to learn and understand how the platform works first. You can start with the academy courses and you can also learn from successful freelancers. 

With upwork, you cannot just bid your way through to succeed. If you do that, you will be very disappointed. Right now connects are very expensive and hiring rate is very low ( 17-20%).

With your case, the client has hired someone for the job posted meaning your connects are gone forever. Bidding higher does not give you any advantage if your proposal is poorly written, your profile title does not relate to the job posted and the client feels you are not a good fit.

Don't be desperate for jobs. Take your time to learn and freelance professionally. 

Wishing you all the best

[#21]

I've been away fro UpWork for a while and just joined back in with the idea to make some extra side money.

But I see every job requires me to buy credits to bid on them.

Does every bid require credits that I have to pay upwork for? Doesn't this seem a bit scammy?

[#22]

Every bid requires credits and its even worse now becuase previously bids were less than 10 credits but now they've all crept up to 22. Just be Very selective on what jobs you apply for. My tips are: (i) look at the client hire rate - if they post heaps of jobs but never hire, its a waste of time and the "client" is probably just fishing for cover letters to copy. (ii)look at the rate they have posted for the job. Its instant red flags for me when a see rates between $5-$200 or the client is offering say $80p/h but has only ever paid $5 p/h on all previous contracts (iii) Look at the previous reviews from other freelancers. Some clients are simply just a**holes and you'll tell straight away from the reviews.

Unfortunatley Upwork is on the downhill. They charge freelancers for everything and most of the time you get nothing in return.  The latest moneygrab is that they want freelancer to apply to become expert vetted - it will cost you 300 or 400 credits (cant remember shich one) and that doesnt guarantee you will get the expert vetted badge. 

[#23]

Appreciate the advice. That is very helpful.

[#24]

Every bid costs you money since day 1 of Upwork and its predecessor Elance, and also its competitors. What is scammy in it?

[#25]

The idea that you are required to pay Upwork for access to oppurtunities that may not pay off. That's what MLM's do lol.
It totally makes sense that they charge a percentage fee for jobs you win.... but charging for access to the chance of getting a job is used in a lot of MLM scams.

[#26]

Ramesh, I don't recall paying for submitting proposals (vs. bids), or for membership on Elance. There was a pro type of membership, it helped to see the proposals' range on any project (vs. job), but you could do very well without paying a dime to Elance BEFORE earning any money. The same was true for oDesk.

If I had to pay for the chance to prove my worth to clients, I couldn't start freelancing. Simply because I couldn't pay my bills, or buy a pair of shoes of proper size for my son when fall and school start approached.

Elance and also oDesk made freedom and opportunity part of their value proposition. Today, you won't hear much about Upwork's social responsibility, and could actually detect it even less.

Where cha-ching ($) becomes the only reason why a business, UW in this case exists, stakeholders (you, or me, clients and freelancers) who have no shares, are loosing importance.

I wouldn't call it a scam. It's all open, and compliant with the rules written by UW. But that doesn't mean it's good for freelancers and clients in the long run.