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Nikola's avatar
Nikola S Community Member

paid by milestone or project

Hello to everyoneI

 

I got my first job interview and I an asked in `Terms`, how do I want to get paid: by milestone or by project and I don`t now which one to choose? It is a fixed price job but i will be paid by entries....

7 REPLIES 7
Alexander's avatar
Alexander F Community Member

Each entry would be a milestone.

 

If you decide to get paid by project, you will receive the total amount in one single payment once the job is 100% finished.

 

Vladimir's avatar
Vladimir G Community Manager

Hi Nikola, welcome to Upwork!

 

This feature allows you to propose Milestones, which are key dates for delivering work and getting paid for the portion of the contract agreed for a specific Milestone. the Milestone system allows you to break up the job scope and deliver the work in stages. Each stage would be represented by a Milestone, funded for the appropriate amount and paid for after the client reviews the delivered work. The system ensures the dynamic of the contract and allows for a much greater flexibility since the work is done in stages. 

 

I'm not familiar with the job requirements and scope, but if you're paid by entries you can tie one or more of those with a single Milestone, depending on the workload and time it takes to complete an entry.

 

Note that you can discuss the Milestone set up and modify it later with your client before a contract is created, after you've discussed all the details during the interview.

 

Please review the freelancer resources we shared here for more information about Upwork's features and processes.

~ Vladimir
Upwork
Raof's avatar
Raof A Community Member

Hello,

 

I just started out on upwork and am selecting the payment upon project completiong option. Is this safe? What if the client does not pay after all work has been completed and delivered?

 

Thanks

Joanne's avatar
Joanne P Moderator

Hi Raof,

 

Fixed-price contracts do not bill to your client automatically, but are covered by Upwork Fixed-Price ProtectionThe client makes a deposit into escrow and sets up a milestone. When you submit the milestone deliverable, the client releases the funds. They can choose to release the full amount, more, or less than the deposit. Please check out this help article for more information. 

~ Joanne
Upwork
Preston's avatar
Preston H Community Member

re: "I just started out on Upwork, and am selecting the payment upon project completion option. Is this safe? What if the client does not pay after all work has been completed and delivered?"

 

That CAN happen!

 

Working with a client you haven't worked with before MAY NOT BE SAFE.

 

That is why I never do a big fixed-price milestone with an unknown client.

 

Start small. Why risk working for a month on a project for a client who might not release payment?

 

Instead, I insist on breaking the work into smaller chunks. To start, I will accept a milestone/contract that will take me no more than an hour or two to do.

 

If the client honors the contract and doesn't give me the runaround or ask for a bunch of revisions or additional work, then I know she can be trusted, and I will work on increasingly larger milestones/contracts.

Abidemi's avatar
Abidemi A Community Member

I have considered this too. Better chunks than full without fullfillment of payment.

Seeb's avatar
Seeb B Community Member

Thats up to yourself. I think it is best to go with milestone. This is a win-win for both.

You get let's say 50% upfront what makes you motivated to get the job done. Which helps them trust you.

 

But I would understand that if you are new on Upwork you use by project so you kind of get the "trust" from potential clients. 

 

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