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The Upwork Freelancer Hub is Continuously Improving
May 17, 2018

The Upwork Freelancer Hub is Continuously Improving

Benjamin E. Jerew | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Upwork

I have been using the Upwork freelance hub since 2012 (back when it was oDesk and Elance). Upwork offers good exposure to clients looking for contractors (freelancers). Over the years, Upwork has bettered itself, making it easier to bring together contractors and clients to work on projects big and small. It is a paid service, but I find I enjoy the security that comes with vetting contractors and clients to work together to get great things done.
  • Messaging service is available in a browser, Windows, and Android, so I can communicate with clients wherever I go.
  • Project searching is very powerful, which makes it easy for me to find projects to bid on.
  • Scaled project fees make great sense for long-term commitments.
  • Ratings and feedback system make it easier to spot good clients.
  • Tech support is active and always responsive.
  • Scaled project fees make it hard to get started with some clients.
  • Kinda wish we could chat with clients before making a bid, but it seems to make sense the way it is right now.
  • I've had few problems with clients or projects, which offers peace of mind hard-won elsewhere.
  • The cost of doing business is just that, and active tech support and active contract support seems to be worth it.
  • I have lost some clients in the past to fee fear, but most understand it's a necessary protection.
To be honest, I've lost track of how many freelance hubs I have my profile listed on. At last count, it was likely over 20, which is overwhelming, to be sure, but necessary to increase exposure to find quality clients and projects. Each of these has its pros and cons, and I think some of them don't even exist anymore. I would say you have to just set yourself up on all of them and make sure you have a consistent message across the lot of them. To date, I've had the most success in Upwork and Skyword, without paying any membership fees. Other hubs require membership fees to bid on certain projects, but I get enough exposure and work to keep me going.
Microsoft Office 2016, Google Drive, Todoist, Toggl, QuickBooks Self-Employed, Skype, Slack, UberConference, Skyword, Freelancer.com, Wix
As a freelance hub, Upwork seems to be a great place for individuals to get started in the freelance world. Compared to other options, Upwork makes it easy to set up a profile and gain exposure that might otherwise be impossible. At the same time, standing out in a sea of freelancers can be difficult, especially for one just starting out. Still, I can't recommend a better way to get started, really. There are paid memberships, but I get enough exposure without them.