# Upwork

> Global freelance marketplace connecting clients with independent professionals across diverse industries

Upwork is a large online work marketplace where businesses post projects and contract independent professionals across tech, design, marketing, and admin fields. Freelancers can create profiles, search for fixed-price or hourly contracts, submit proposals, and receive payments in USD. It provides built-in time tracking, invoicing, and escrow payment protection.

Website: https://upwork.com/

## What it is for

- Find remote contract work and freelance projects across various professional fields
- Hire freelance developers, designers, writers, and AI specialists for business projects
- Submit proposals and manage client communications and milestones
- Track billable hourly work with integrated time-tracking and payment protection

## Features

- Searchable job board for fixed-price and hourly contracts
- Freelancer profiles showcasing portfolios, past reviews, and job success scores
- Proposal and bidding system using Connects
- Built-in contract management, milestone funding, and escrow payments
- Work Diary desktop app for verifiable hourly time tracking
- In-platform messaging, file sharing, and video calling
- Catalog for pre-packaged freelance project purchases

## Pricing

Freemium. Free to join; freelancers pay platform service fees per contract (typically 10%) and purchase Connects to submit proposals

## Details

- Type: Website
- Category: [Business & Money](https://xiry.app/topics/business-money.md)
- Topic: [Freelance Marketplaces](https://xiry.app/topics/business-money/freelance-marketplaces.md)
- Open source: no
- Platforms: Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux
- For: Freelancers seeking remote client work and businesses looking to hire contract talent
- Alternative to: Fiverr, Freelancer.com, Toptal
- Tags: freelance, remote work, job board, contracts, outsourcing, gig economy

## Why it was saved

- [@python4dev, 29 January 2025](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFZsXKYSSkB/): Enables freelancers worldwide to find contract work, submit proposals, and earn in USD.

## Compare

- [Alternatives to Fiverr](https://xiry.app/alternatives/fiverr.md)
- [Alternatives to Freelancer.com](https://xiry.app/alternatives/freelancer-com.md)

## Related

- [Fiverr](https://xiry.app/resources/fiverr): Online marketplace for freelance digital services starting from fixed-price gigs (Website, Freemium)
- [99designs](https://xiry.app/resources/99designs): Freelance creative platform for custom graphic design contests and direct hiring (Website, Paid)
- [DesignCrowd](https://xiry.app/resources/designcrowd): Crowdsourced design marketplace for logos, websites, branding, and graphics (Website, Paid)
- [Freelancer](https://xiry.app/resources/freelancer): Global marketplace for freelance projects, contests, and remote work (Website, Freemium)
- [Hubstaff Talent](https://xiry.app/resources/hubstaff-talent): Free directory connecting remote freelancers and agencies with employers without markups (Website, Free)
- [PeoplePerHour](https://xiry.app/resources/peopleperhour): Online marketplace for hiring freelancers and finding remote project-based work (Website, Freemium)

Updated 3 October 2026. Page: https://xiry.app/resources/upwork

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