Upwork Review (2023): Scam or Legit?

Should you offer services on Upwork or find freelancers on Upwork? This comprehensive Upwork review is going to answer all the questions for freelancers.

There are more than 16 million freelancers working on Upwork, the biggest online freelancing platform.

Whether you are just starting out or already have plenty of experience, you’ll find a variety of job openings on the site that match your skills. Approximately 3 million jobs are posted on the platform each year, with a combined value exceeding $1 billion.

However, it’s normal to wonder if a particular freelance website is both reputable and worthwhile before signing up, because scams and predatory activities are still commonplace for freelancers.

In this review of Upwork, I’ll go over all of that and more to help you decide if the platform is perfect for you and your freelancing business.

What is Upwork?

In 2015, Upwork was formed through a merger of Elance and oDesk. Having gone public in October 2018, it is now a publicly traded company. I find it interesting, however, that it has yet to become profitable.

Basically, it is a freelancing website where companies can find and work with the best independent professionals in the world. The freelancing platform also ranks among the top freelance platforms according to the total amount clients spend.

Since its rise to popularity, Upwork has been dubbed the ‘eBay for freelancers’, due to its resemblance to the thriving online marketplace. Even today that title would be appropriate since it primarily acts as a platform through which buyers and sellers are connected online.

In addition to offering freelance services throughout the world, Upwork is an old and popular market connecting millions of employers and independent contractors.

Upwork’s talent pool consists of freelancers in almost every country in the world due to its immense presence.

The Upwork platform facilitates the recruitment of freelance professionals in more than 50 industries. Their website offers a wide range of services, including freelance developers, designers, consultants, copywriters, and editors.

New freelancers or those in new fields can gain valuable experience without repeatedly pitching clients. But new workers can limit your earning potential since they’re willing to take jobs at a cheaper rate.

In today’s freelance marketplaces, Upwork is the best example of a “generic bidding marketplace.”. 

This model has proven popular for some, but throughout the years, both freelancers who get jobs from Upwork and clients who want to hire remote or part-time workers have discovered that it also has some downsides. 

You can a brief idea about Upwork if you are not familiar with it.

 

Recommendation: Make Passive Income Online

Upwork And Gig Economy

We live in a rapidly changing world. The gig economy has evolved beyond the idea of an independent workforce to a place where it deserves to have its own title – the gig economy. Often referred to as DIY economics

According to an opinion piece by Thomas Friedman in the New York Times, this increase has been triggered by the availability of inexpensive and powerful devices with cheap connectivity, such as smartphones and computers 

Changing values such as simplicity and working from home, combined with a weakening economy, have led to a generation of gig workers who no longer rely on the traditional work environment 

The evolution of Upwork has paralleled this trend. Businesses and clients now have an easier time finding independent workers. The site has also allowed gig workers to showcase their skills and find employers.

How Does Upwork Work?

Upwork serves as a freelance marketplace – which means they connect employers with independent contractors who are looking for work.

There are no restrictions on the work of upwork freelancers. They are free to work on any project remotely 

So Upwork is a platform for freelancers in general. The most popular platforms today are specialized, meaning they target a specific type of freelancer. A pure developer company like Lemon.io or a pure designer service like 99designs are examples.

In the Upwork marketplace, freelancers can bid on jobs without being vetted.

Bidding means that Upwork works like any free market: Sellers set a price they think is fair, and buyers choose the price they find most attractive 

So there are no “Upwork prices”: you can set any price you think is fair and appropriate for the project.

For example, you can hire a freelance developer to create a mobile app by posting a job on Upwork, along with the requirements for the candidate to apply.

Freelance developers on Upwork looking for work can see this job. The person who reads your project description can send you a quote. The most important information in an Upwork quote is the offer and some information about the candidate.

It is possible to get quotes in hourly or fixed price format – whichever is best for the project.

On Upwork, there are significantly more freelancers than clients, so you are likely to receive a variety of quotes ranging from extremely low to exceptionally high.

Finally, “not vetted” refers to the fact that Upwork judges the pool of freelancers they want to bid for based on whether or not they have enough professionals in the areas in question 

There is no rigorous vetting process or test for those applying to Upwork to prove that they are indeed qualified professionals with the required experience and skills.

Below are the steps of the matching process:

  1. Individuals and companies looking to hire freelancers must first register on the site and provide their work and job details.
  2. Once the project is added to Upwork, freelancers can review it and submit their bids. Basically, they charge the client the lowest price for getting their work done.
  3. Clients can then rate the proposals (or bids) from the various freelancers. Freelancers on Upwork have their own profiles where information such as their experience and reviews from previous clients are displayed.
  4. In short, the client can shortlist and evaluate the developers after reviewing the proposals by conducting interviews, testing, etc. Since Upwork cannot manually review the freelancers, the client has to perform this step by himself.
  5. After the evaluation, the client can decide which freelancer is best suited for the job and start working on the project immediately.
  6. With Upwork’s apps, users can access additional features such as chat/video calls, file sharing, and a task tracking system while on the job.

Payment models available on Upwork include fixed rates and hourly rates. The freelancer is paid after the client accepts the work they have done.

Recommendation: Make Passive Income Online

How Can Freelancers Make Money On Upwork?

1. Create an honest and comprehensive profile

Profiles have the same function for potential employers as a resume. You can not get a job without one.

Describe the type of job you are interested in and the specific areas in which you are an expert 

Be honest, as all of this information is self-disclosure. If you are hired for a position you cannot fulfill, your account could be put on hold or closed.

If so, include a photo of your head and describe your background in detail. If you want to include links to your portfolio or specific work samples, you can do so.

You can also include your education, work hours, work location, and salary requirements. Check the rates of similarly experienced freelancers on Upwork if you are not sure what to charge.

Complete your profile to the best of your ability, or at least until Upwork confirms that your profile is 100% complete.

A verified and correct profile is usually approved on Upwork within 24 hours. After that you are ready to work.

2. Find a membership plan that suits you

There are two Upwork membership rates for freelancers: Basic and Plus.

The Basic plan is free for most companies. The main features of Upwork are accessible through it.

Users of the Plus plan have access to more premium features.

They have access to more reliable reports, improved customer support, and tools to quickly find freelancers 

For companies that need this type of service, the Plus plan costs $49.99/month and the Business plan costs $849/month.

Basic Plan 

To contact potential clients you have to pay, but this plan is free. With the basic plan, freelancers pay $0.15 per “connect,” the platform’s internal tokens that they can use to make offers to clients. Each month, you can transfer up to 140 Connects.

You do not have to use the Connects when someone contacts you. You are much more likely to receive job offers from potential clients if your profile looks solid 

It helps if you show your best work or highlight special experiences. Volunteer experience also counts if you are new to the field.

In addition to hourly and project-based payments, the basic plan includes payment protection.

Plus Plan 

With this Plus plan, you get everything included in the basic plan, plus:

  • 70 Connects per month.
  • Access to the prices offered by competitors.
  • Earnings can be kept confidential.
  • You can customize your profile URL.
  • Inactivity never causes a profile to be hidden.

3. Connect with employers who are legitimate

Put your connects to work by submitting proposals for jobs that fall within your area of expertise 

The proposal should include a brief introduction, your desired fee, and answers to any questions the client may have. If you believe your work is relevant, please include examples.

Before applying for a job, find out about the employer’s reputation. A search on Google for news reports is a good place to start to learn about the company’s history.

After the contract is finalised, both parties evaluate each other. Each employer’s status is displayed on their website, and their rating is based on a five-star rating system 

The Job Success Score reflects your clients’ ratings, displayed as a percentage on your profile, showing how many jobs you’ve completed to their satisfaction. This allows other people to see if they’d like to work with you.

Keep payments and communications within the site, even if everything seems fine. A documented contract prevents fraud because if a client makes shady payment arrangements or requests work without on-site documentation, you will hold them accountable.

To find your first client, you’ll need to apply for jobs. There are always new jobs in Upwork’s job database for you to apply to.

Until you prove yourself in the company, you may have to accept a lower wage for your first jobs. After a few clients and some good reviews, you can increase your rates.

4. Set your price and get to work

Upwork takes a cut of your earnings. The fees are based on the amount of time you spend with a client, so the more you work with them, the smaller the share. As a rule, Upwork:

  • 20% for the first $500 you bill a client.
  • 10% for total billings with a client between $500.01 and $10,000.
  • 5% for total billings with a client that exceed $10,000.

You can be paid in one of two ways: hourly or fixed rate. Upwork’s fees are the same for both.

Upwork charges you the hourly rate before deducting service fees. If you charge $20 per hour for your first job, you’ll earn $16 per hour after deducting the 20% fee. With this client, you earn $18 per hour once you’ve billed $500. After that, the fee drops to 10%.

As with negotiating a rate for a fixed-price job, if you get $400, you get $320 after the 20% cut. After you bill that client $500, the fee drops to 10%.

If you’re offered a low-paying job with more difficult work, don’t take the offer at face value. Find a price that fits the client’s budget by negotiating.

Let me explain the difference between hourly and fixed price projects:

Hourly projects

Upwork’s work diary, which is integrated into the desktop app, tracks hourly projects. When enabled, this feature keeps a detailed record of how far you have come with a project 

Your time is recorded in 10-minute billing cycles. You can record keystrokes, scrolling, clicks, and active windows. A screenshot is also taken at regular intervals.

However, by using the tool, you can qualify for a service called Hour Protection. Although you can also use the tool manually, it is easier to manage. If you use this service, you can be sure that you will be paid for the work you have proven to have done, regardless of what a client may say.

Fixed-price projects

With a fixed-price project, payments are less complicated. You must agree to set aside certain funds when you enter into a contract 

In addition to milestones, an employer must also establish specific deliverables to achieve the end result. Once you reach these checkpoints, some or all of the down payment is paid, and the balance is paid at the end.

4. Get paid

Payments can be made to Upwork freelancers via PayPal, bank transfer or wire transfer.

Your hourly projects will be billed weekly. At the end of the billing period, you will be paid after you and the client review the work 

Milestones and hourly protection are handy if a project is cancelled before it is completed. You can dispute your compensation with Upwork if you believe it was unfair.

When you reach milestones on fixed-price projects, you receive initial payments. An unpaid milestone or work you believe is completed may be grounds for a challenge.

Here is a YouTube video where Abbi Perets explains how you can earn money on Upwork.

 

What types of freelancing jobs are available on Upwork?

It does not matter what your skills are or what your interests are, Upwork has something for you. At Upwork, you can offer everything from graphic design to courses.

Since there are hundreds of Upwork options for you to earn money, this list is by no means exhaustive, but it’s a small sampling that comes up whenever you search for jobs on Upwork.

1. Graphic Design

Graphic design is a booming field on Upwork, and you earn most of your income this way.

Graphic designers work in almost every field and medium, from print layouts to posters to simple graphics for YouTube thumbnails and social media.

If you have experience in graphic design, you can make a lot of money on Upwork if you know your way around it.

2. Virtual Assistant

More and more small business owners are recognizing the need for a virtual assistant to help them keep things running smoothly. As a virtual assistant, you can manage emails, follow up with clients, plan projects, and use social media.

People who are well-organized and do not mind doing a number of small tasks during their workday are ideal candidates for jobs as virtual assistants.

3. Social Media Marketing

The number of job openings for social media marketing alone is close to 3,000 on Upwork. As one of the most lucrative jobs on the platform, this is an extremely lucrative position 

If you use the right strategy and apply to jobs that match your qualifications, you can make a lot of money with social media marketing.

4. Blog Writing or Copywriting

Copywriting usually earns more than blog writing, and both are usually fixed-price jobs 

Unlike most clients who pay you based on the length of an article, some clients offer to pay you per word or per 100 words; it really varies.

5. Website Design

About 3,000 clients are currently looking for web designers, and if you’re good, they’re willing to pay a lot.

One fantastic aspect of web design is that there are so many subsectors: If you’re familiar with Elementor, you can find jobs that work with it, and if you’re familiar with Squarespace, you can also find jobs that work with that platform.

6. Video Editing

High-priced clients are also willing to pay for video editors, especially if you can travel to a location and even help with the shoot.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an expert in documentaries or YouTube videos, there are many offers for you on Upwork.

What is Upwork’s Rate For Freelancers and Clients?

As of now, the platform charges fees to both the client who posts the job and the freelancer who receives it.

A 2.50% processing fee will be charged for payments from clients to freelancers.

In addition to the fee you pay the freelancers, a percentage is added to the payment. Clients paying $1000 for a project will be charged a $27.50 processing fee.

Previously, clients were not charged a fee.

Customers spending more than $910 per month in the US, Canada, Australia, UK and certain Eurozone countries may be charged a flat monthly fee of $25 instead of 2.75% per payment. You must request approval from Upwork to use this fee structure.

Upwork Fees Paid by Freelancers

Fees from Upwork are mainly paid by freelancers.

  • 20% for the first $500 charged to a client
  • 10% for lifetime billings between $500.01 and $10,000
  • 5% for lifetime billings over $10,000

In addition to the above fees, freelancers must also incur withdrawal fees. This depends on how they withdraw money.

The platform also requires freelancers to spend Connects when they apply for jobs. Connects cost $0.15 each, and packages of 10 to 80 are currently available. The cost to apply for a job ranges from 1 to 6 Connects.

In the past, freelancers paid only 10% in service fees for each job.

Upwork’s new pricing model encourages longer-term, higher-value projects, according to the company.

Several freelancers have expressed dissatisfaction with the pricing change 

The price of a job may need to be adjusted with the processing fee, resulting in a lower rate for the job. The cost of some very tedious proofreading jobs can be as high as $10 per hour.

Meanwhile, freelancers charge a higher rate depending on the profit margin they want to make once the service fees are paid.

This can lead to companies indirectly paying higher fees without gaining access to good talent that is not interested in cheap deals.

What I Like About

1. Many Opportunities For Remote Work

You can work wherever you want. Upwork jobs are all location-independent (unless a job isn’t), so you can practically travel from place to place while keeping your job 

It doesn’t matter where you work, as long as you get your work done, whether it’s in a coffee shop, at the beach, or at your desk at home.

2. Many New Job Openings

There are always new job openings. With new job postings coming out all the time, you are bound to get at least a few messages back from potential clients. Apply again if you have not heard back from a client!

3. Expand Your Portfolio By Working With International Clients

By working with customers around the world, you expand your portfolio. Your audience grows in ways you couldn’t if you worked somewhere else.

4. Payment Guarantee

Upwork guarantees that you will be paid for your work. This aspect is the reason why I like to work with Upwork. With Escrow, you can be sure that your client’s funds are in escrow at all times 

If you have submitted your work and the client does not approve it within two weeks, your money is automatically released.

5. Save the Trouble of Preparing Legal Contracts

You do not have to worry about contracts. It saves you from having to figure out how to create contracts for every new client and project you work on.

What I Don’t Like About

1. High competition

The Upwork market is highly competitive. The number of freelancers on the site exceeds the number of active clients by at least three times, according to available statistics 

Competition is good for both the buyer and the seller – it leads to higher product quality and lower prices. However, as we’ve seen over the years, the clash between freelancers from the United States and freelancers from countries with a lower cost of living has led to two major problems: an insurmountable barrier to entry into freelancing and dumping.

Those with more professional skills have left freelancing sites like Upwork for good, not wanting to compete with less skilled contractors offering much lower rates, which has led to an overall decline in the quality and success rate of Upwork jobs.

2. Poor support for freelancers

Upwork was regularly criticized on several platforms for its support. There were complaints about the company’s slow response times and inability to resolve issues. In addition, Upwork has been accused of harassing freelancers who submit complaints on its community forum.

3. You can get kicked off the platform at any time

By signing up for Upwork, you agree to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. Your Upwork account may be suspended or even closed if you do not comply.

This may not happen that often, but I am sure it has happened to someone. It’s likely that in some cases this happens for unfair reasons as well 

It’s likely that all business accounts, like LinkedIn, YouTube and PayPal, are at risk of being shut down unexpectedly 

Instead of avoiding Upwork because of this, be aware that this can happen and take steps to protect yourself.

5. Upwork charges high fees

There are many disadvantages to using Upwork, and this is one of them. Upwork charges a fee of 20% of your first $500 that you earn.

The fee drops from 20% to 10% once you earn $500 with that client. With one client, you get 5% after you earn $10,000 

I am not going to sugarcoat it. Upwork fees are terrible 

Still, Upwork is a very convenient way to find clients because it takes very little time. Plus, every milestone is funded from the start, so you are guaranteed to get paid when you get a new client.

6. Some Clients Are Scams

There are some customers who try to cheat you. You should always follow security protocols. This includes never taking messages off the platform and never submitting work in the chat box instead of through the official submission portal 

The only way to avoid this is to be smart. However, it is outrageous that this happens on Upwork.

Recommendation: Make Passive Income Online

How To Get A Good Job On Upwork?

When you apply for a job, we all know that you need to present an offer that will catch the client’s attention. However, on this platform there are some tricks that can make a big difference.

Answer the additional questions

After you write your Cover Letter, you will be required to answer one or more of the company’s ‘additional questions’. Do not ignore these ‘questions’ or treat them as an afterthought. When a client receives your proposal, he gets to see them first. Last is the cover letter.

Address the client’s points in the proposal and cover letter

Keep your generalities to a minimum. Even if you are the most inexperienced and expensive bidder on a job, you will win if you understand the customer’s needs and convey them in your bid.

Look like a professional at all times

The words you write in a proposal are not all you need to do. Make your picture look professional by uploading it 

To know if you look competent and influential, use websites like Photofeeler. Even though uploading a picture is not required, it does make a difference.

Research the Market Hourly Rate 

Do not sell yourself short, but be competitive with your hourly rate. You can research hourly rates for your expertise by looking at profiles of other freelancers. Make sure you know how much you would get paid for the same work in a regular office.

Pay Attention to the Headlines of Jobs

Browse the headlines of all jobs in your category instead of using keywords and filters to search for jobs. Look beyond the headlines that seem promising if you find a few. There are many problems with Upwork’s keyword filters, and sometimes clients don’t categorize good projects correctly.

Take Qualifications Tests on Upwork

To prove your skills, you can take qualification tests on Upwork. Only take tests if they are relevant to your field. To skip tests in which you did poorly, you must retake them and improve until you can improve.

Research Your Client Before Accepting the Job

To find a good match, you also need to research your customer. You need to interview the customer while they’re interviewing you to make sure you understand what they want. Don’t take on the project if you don’t think it’s a good fit for you.

Is Upwork a Scam?

Upwork is certainly not a scam. The Upwork marketplace connects clients with freelancers and is a legitimate service.

There’s nothing illegal about Upwork. They have been featured on Forbes, Business Insider, and Wikipedia. ​

Nevertheless, I understand your concerns. There may be shady characters, scams, and schemes in the money-making world.

Although there are quite a few complaints and bad reviews, few would argue that Upwork is a scam. Upwork has been around for over 20 years now (if you count its time as Elance and oDesk).

However, that doesn’t mean the platform is free of scammers. It can be. The same is true for freelancer marketplaces and job boards.

Numerous reviews confirm that Upwork is reputable and serves the freelancer market well.

Like most companies, they also receive some negative reviews. While I don’t want to sugarcoat this review, I’m not going to badmouth it for the sake of it either.

Recommendation: Make Passive Income Online

Upwork Alternatives

Upwork vs Fiverr

When it comes to freelancers and freelance work, Fiverr is right up there with Upwork in terms of popularity and number of jobs available.

There are many similarities between the two. They share the common goal of matching independent contractors with clients and streamlining all phases of the working relationship, from the initial meeting to final payment and communication.

Both Fiverr and Upwork deduct a 20% fee from payouts (with a sliding scale on Upwork’s side) and have caps on the number of tasks you can apply for (via Connects and a hard cap on Fiverr’s side, respectively).

In the early stages, before a contract is signed, Fiverr starts to differentiate itself from Upwork by offering freelancers a more passive experience.

Freelancers (referred to as “sellers” on the platform) create a series of service proposals and wait for clients to contact them directly.

Freelancers on Upwork, on the other hand, spend a disproportionate amount of time actively searching for opportunities and submitting bids.

Freelancers can also browse and apply on Fiverr, but this part is much smaller and less active. Also, on Fiverr you can only apply for a maximum of 10 tasks per day.

Both sites are known for their fierce competition, but they also offer plenty of opportunities for freelancers to earn money in a variety of disciplines.

Upwork vs Freelancer.com

The freelance platform Freelancer.com is also very popular and has many parallels to the work environment on Upwork.

Both sites are two-sided marketplaces. On one side, clients search for freelancers they prefer, while freelancers on the other side browse and bid on clients’ projects in a variety of work categories.

Freelancer.com, however, is far more competitive and has almost as many freelancers as Upwork on its site, but far fewer projects on offer.

Freelancer.com’s bidding system is identically priced. Freelancer.com calls its connects “bids” and provides you with 6 of them for free each month, with the option to buy more.

There are some subtle differences in the overall pricing structure. You pay a 10% fee on some projects and contest winnings, and a 20% fee on your regular services, among others.

There are also four different memberships offered that you can pay for monthly and that offer freelancers other bonuses like additional bids and free contest entries.

Freelancers cannot participate in more creative contests like these on Upwork. The contests are a great opportunity to showcase your talents, network with professionals in your field, and win cash prizes.

By and large, Freelancer.com’s core function is very similar to Upwork’s: they guide you through every step of your freelance assignments and try to provide a simple and safe process from start to finish.

Final Verdict

Upwork is a great platform for both beginners and experienced freelancers to make money and grow their business online, as there are a variety of jobs and projects available.

Getting a foothold on the platform takes time and effort, but freelancing is still work, albeit work on your own terms.

Upwork lets you take control of your career by connecting with other professionals in your field, expanding your portfolio and setting your own prices for your services.

Upwork is worth a try if you’re willing to invest the time and energy to succeed.

FAQs 

Is Upwork Good for Beginner Freelancers?

The Upwork platform is highly competitive and can be difficult to master, but it can be a good place for beginners to get started. If you are a freelancer and do not have your own network or clients, you can get access to hundreds of potential clients here.

For a new freelancer, Upwork is a great place to hone your skills and develop your network and lead generation methods.

For freelancers who do not know where to look for clients, Upwork is a great option.

Are freelancers with experience worth using Upwork?

If your business offers a high-priced service or if each project is worth thousands of dollars, Upwork is worthwhile for experienced freelancers 

Upwork may also be worth it for you if you work in a field where you receive recurring projects from each client.

For those who have established themselves on another freelance marketplace like Freelancer.com or Toptal with lots of reviews and clients, it’s probably not worth starting over on Upwork unless you have done the appropriate research and feel that your ideal type of client will be much more likely to be found on Upwork 

Upwork is still a major source of leads for large, successful agencies. Even as an experienced freelancer, it can be worth your time.

How Much Money Can You Make on Upwork?

Freelancers who succeed on Upwork can earn between $100 and $175 per hour 

Freelancers often earn more than $250,000 in their lifetime, sometimes even more.

You don’t have to be in a specific niche to earn this kind of income. If you’re an expert in a field that helps businesses, you can charge a high hourly rate 

I generally recommend staying in business-to-business (B2B). To be a top earner, you should never offer business-to-consumer (B2C) services.

How do you get paid by Upwork?

Upwork offers a variety of payment options that may appeal to you.

Upwork currently accepts the following payment methods with their associated fees:

  • Direct to local bank (non-US): $0.99 per withdrawal
  • Deposit to your local bank account
  • Wire transfer: $30 USD per wire to any bank; Up to 7 business days to receive funds
  • Direct to U.S. bank (USD): Free payments to US banks; Deposit to a US bank account in USD
  • PayPal: Immediate transfer; Minimum of $1 and a maximum of $10,000 per transaction; $1-$2 fee depending on location
  • Payoneer: Transfer can take up to 2 days; $2 fee charged by Upwork (Not available to freelancers in the US and India)

Is Upwork’s “Freelancer Plus” Worth It?

Upwork’s premium membership, called “Freelancer Plus,” may be worth your while if you are serious about landing jobs on the site or building a steady client base 

For $14.99 per month, you can see competitor bids for each job, among many other benefits.

If you are just looking for more connections, it may be cheaper to purchase them separately. Connections are available for $0.15 each in packages of 10, 20, 40, 60 and 80.

So the 70 connections you get with an Upwork Freelancer Plus membership is only $10.50 per month.

Connections are important to get jobs because you need them to submit a bid for an open position. Most high value jobs seem to require 4 connections. There are some that require less. However, I have also seen jobs that require 6 connections.

Why did Upwork reject my profile?

Upwork occasionally rejects accounts from new freelancers after reviewing their profiles.

This usually happens because you’ve not filled out your profile completely or because there’s no demand for the service you offer.

Is it worth buying connects on Upwork?

The connections at Upwork are definitely worth it, especially since they only offer 20 free connections per month.

Upwork connections are similar to tokens for submitting bids.

Most high-paying, long-term jobs cost six connections.

The good thing about an Enterprise Talent Cloud (a pool of freelancers for enterprise clients) is that you do not have to use a connection when you are invited to bid, receive a proposal, or are asked to submit a proposal.

Right now, each connection costs $0.15 USD and can be purchased in packages of 10, 20, 40, 60 or 80 connections.

Basically, you would have to spend a dollar for a quote after exhausting all your free connections – with no guarantee that you will get the job.

How to spot a client scam on Upwork?

It doesn’t matter how good the scammers are, there are telltale signs you should look out for. You’ll know a scammer if they ask for bank or card information, a processing fee, or ask you to sign without sending a contract or quote.

For example, customers inquire about your credit card or bank account information. Upwork pays you by bank transfer when you sign a contract on Upwork.

Customers don’t need to know sensitive information such as bank or card details.

You can also be tricked by other scammers into working for free. The usual method is to send you a list of services to be provided without signing a contract. This usually happens with fixed price contracts.

What happens after you submit the deliverables? Your client will follow up with you.

Recommendation: Make Passive Income Online

How Do I Make Money from Home?

If you want to make a stable and secure stream of passive income, I would suggest you start an affiliate marketing business online.

Affiliate Marketing is perfect for anyone who is new to online business. 

In fact, of all the online business models I’ve tried, affiliate marketing is the easiest and most rewarding so far.  

In affiliate marketing, you can actually run your business almost with zero cost and achieve a steady and sustainable passive income to pay for your bills. You don’t need any initial capital and can even do it as a side hustle.

And if you really want to learn affiliate marketing and build a business from scratch, I’d recommend you to get started with the most reputable platform for affiliate marketing: Wealthy Affiliate.

Wealthy Affiliate is an all-in-one platform for building your affiliate marketing business from scratch. It offers you a free account (including a free website) with comprehensive training on SEO (free traffic methods), which enables you to get started with affiliate marketing right away without paying a penny.

But How Much Can You Earn with Wealthy Affiliate?

A 21-year old student from Wealthy Affiliate was able to earn $7,395 in just 1 week, which means he made more than $1k a day…all while using free traffic methods.

If you want to feel about Wealthy Affiliate, you can sign up for the free starter membership here (no credit card required). You can select to be a free member with no time limit.

Upwork Review

Recommendation: Make Passive Income Online

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