Who are the Upwork Clients?

sourceprouk · ‎09-08-2021

The people who buy services from the Freelancers or the Freelancers?
Who pays more to Upwork?

roberty1y · ‎09-08-2021

Federico D wrote:
The people who buy services from the Freelancers or the Freelancers?
Who pays more to Upwork?

Without a doubt, the freelancers. Clients usually pay nothing to Upwork in commission or any other form. The reason is simple. The demand for work greatly exceeds the supply. Those who seek work must pay.

sourceprouk · ‎09-08-2021

Robert Y wrote:
Federico D wrote:
The people who buy services from the Freelancers or the Freelancers?
Who pays more to Upwork?
Without a doubt, the freelancers. Clients usually pay nothing to Upwork in commission or any other form. The reason is simple. The demand for work greatly exceeds the supply. Those who seek work must pay.

Agreed. I am a client sometimes and I do not get charged anything by Upwork: either for posting the job or a percentage of the money I pay the Freelancer.

petra_r · ‎09-08-2021

Federico D wrote:
The people who buy services from the Freelancers or the Freelancers?
Who pays more to Upwork?

All the money except for the minimal amounts for connects and memberships come from the clients. So it's clients.

Every Cent that a client does not pay, is a Cent that a freelancer doesn't earn and Upwork doesn't earn a fee on.

So it's clients. Clients bring (virtually) all the money.

Robert Y wrote:

Who pays more to Upwork?
Without a doubt, the freelancers. Clients usually pay nothing to Upwork in commission or any other form.

Clients pay 3% on top of the entire payment, a percentage of which is the Upwork fee. To think that it is freelancers who pay the fee is simply clever marketing to make clients think it isn't them, when in every real way clients are who pay the lot. Think about it logically...

hglewis · ‎09-08-2021

Hello Federico!

Federico D wrote:
The people who buy services from the Freelancers or the Freelancers?
Who pays more to Upwork?

Since Upwork doesn't publically disclose that information, there are opinions and speculations on both sides.

Here's what I pay.

$14.99 per month + Tax

Some would argue I also have to pay the job fee, e.g., 20%, 10%, and 5%.

It may feel like I'm paying for it, but technically I'm receiving the balance of the job's budget.

Nothing came out of my pocket. But therein, some would argue it did.

Personally, I don't see it as paying, merely receiving my portion of the job's overall budget.

prestonhunter · ‎09-08-2021

Upwork's customers are the clients.

Freelancers are NOT Upwork's customers.

Freelancers are Upwork's partners in earning money.

Like when you go to see a movie:

The theater makes money.

The film studio makes money.

The theater and the film studio are partners in earning money from the moviegoers.

Upwork and freelancers are like the theater and the film studio.

moonraker · ‎09-08-2021

Clients put the money into the system.

Freelancer's take it out, minus Upwork's share.

sourceprouk · ‎09-08-2021

Jamie F wrote:
Clients put the money into the system.

Freelancer's take it out, minus Upwork's share.

Not really, the clients do not put money in the system for nothing. Freelancers take it out, in return for the equivalent amount in work and pay Upwork for finding the client for them.

moonraker · ‎09-08-2021

Federico D wrote:
Jamie F wrote:
Clients put the money into the system.

Freelancer's take it out, minus Upwork's share.
Not really, the clients do not put money in the system for nothing. Freelancers take it out, in return for the equivalent amount in work and pay Upwork for finding the client for them.

Yes, really.

I didn't say the clients put money in 'for nothing'. I said they put the money in - which they do. The reason they do so isn't really relevant.

And, yes, freelancers take the money out in exchange for services rendered - but they do take it out (minus Upwork's fees). I've never known a single freelancer to deposit so much as a penny (as a freelancer).

Asides from other revenue streams like connects, etc, 100% of the money that Upwork and freelancers make has come from the bank account of a client. None of it has come from the bank account of a freelancer.

petra_r · ‎09-08-2021

Those who have been around long enough may remember when (on paper) the client paid the fee, and when it changed (in 2013). In any REAL term the clients have always paid the lot and continue to do so to this day. All that changed in 2013 was where on paper the fee appeared. Nothing else changed and hasn't changed to this day. 100% of the Upwork fee comes directly from the client and always has done.

sourceprouk · ‎09-08-2021

"It may feel like I'm paying for it, but technically I'm receiving the balance of the job's budget".

I wish I could put it in my mind that way, especially about taxes

prestonhunter · ‎09-08-2021

re: "I wish I could put it in my mind that way, especially about taxes"

Upwork doesn't levy taxes.

sourceprouk · ‎09-08-2021

Preston H wrote:
re: "I wish I could put it in my mind that way, especially about taxes"

Upwork doesn't levy taxes.

That is not what I meant. Oh dear.

hglewis · ‎09-08-2021

Hello Federico!

Federico D wrote:
"It may feel like I'm paying for it, but technically I'm receiving the balance of the job's budget".
I wish I could put it in my mind that way, especially about taxes

It's easy for me. I remember the days of paying for retail locations, phones, merchandise, inventory, utilities, insurance, and payroll. 👀