There is no doubt that UpWork is one of the most popular freelancing platforms available today. Millions of freelancers and businesses use UpWork to connect and work together on a variety of projects.
But what many people don’t realize is that there are fees associated with using UpWork. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the UpWork fees and how they can impact your business.
UpWork Fees for Freelancers
As a freelancer, you’ll be charged a fee of 20% on all hourly projects, and 10% on all fixed-price projects. That means that if you’re working on an hourly project with a client that pays you $100 per hour, you’ll actually only receive $80 per hour after UpWork takes its cut. Similarly, if you’re working on a fixed-price project that pays you $1,000, you’ll only receive $900 once UpWork’s fees are taken into account.
UpWork Fees for Clients
Clients are also charged fees when they use UpWork to hire freelancers. For clients paying hourly rates, there is a 3% fee added on to the total cost of the project.
While Upwork does have a free option for clients, there are also two paid options:
– The first is a 10% fee for clients who use an Upwork freelancer for the first time.
– The second is a 5% fee for clients who have used an Upwork freelancer before.
These fees can add up, so be sure to factor them into your budget when using Upwork.
So if you’re hiring a freelancer for an hourly project that costs $100 per hour, you’ll actually be paying $103 per hour when all is said and done. For clients paying fixed rates, there is a 2.75% fee added to the total cost of the project. So if you’re hiring a freelancer for a fixed-rate project that costs $1,000, you’ll actually be paying $1,027.50 when all is said and done.
How to Avoid UpWork Fees
There are a few ways that you can avoid paying UpWork fees altogether. The first is by using an alternative platform such as Fiverr or PeoplePerHour. These platforms don’t charge any fees to either freelancers or clients, which can save you a significant amount of money in the long run.
Another way to avoid paying UpWork fees is by finding clients that are willing to pay you outside of the platform. This means that you won’t be able to use UpWork’s built-in tools and features, but it can be worth it if it means saving on fees. You can use sites like Craigslist or Freelancer to find these types of clients.
Conclusion
The UpWork fees can be quite costly for both freelancers and clients alike. However, there are ways to avoid these fees by using alternative platforms or finding clients that are willing to pay outside of UpWork. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether the costs associated with using UpWork are worth it or not.
