UpworkReviews 2,128

I joined upwork group and searched for jobs. I found a job to get ******* website URLs with googl scholar search and update in excel file. When i bid the project, i got reply from poster of the request to test my skill by having 50 samples size file. I did it in 30 minutes and uploaded to his mail box. Finally he took the file and blocked me. When i contacted upwork helpdesk., the said it is my fault to chose wrong seller, so they cant do anything. Seems like there are lot of scam post in the site. Be very careful. Dont be busy fools.

I've been working with my team on Elance since 2008. It was not perfect, it even had some major issues, but still we could find clients there, and it worked OK overall.
When Elance announced the "merger" with oDesk, I didn't think it's going to end that bad.
In brief, Upwork is awful. It's terrible. It's annoying.
Now I see that Elance was simply perfect compared to what I have to use now.
Upwork simply doesn't work:
- it has numerous technical and logical issues: so far I reported around 20 bugs (and that's only a part of what I discovered)
- it doesn't have proper support for teams, it seems to aim at low-cost individuals and low-budget projects (but on the other hand, it charges 20%(!) fee on small projects)
- it has a lot of trash projects: it was hard to search through low-budget projects and compete with low-budget low-quality providers even on Elance, and now things got about 5x times worse.

Upwork is a low quality marketplace, and I with that:
- either Elance gets back
- some new marketplace appears, and at least does what Elance did

Upwork may remain a sort of a trash can for $5 projects and providers. This is what it does best.

I got lucky. My client and I got "flagged" for "suspicious activity" after I'd made 50$ on two other odd jobs. They locked down my account and spent the last week doing nothing but asking us for screen shots of various things(email, the work, etc.) At one point, they started pasting the stock reply into our Zendesk ticket to keep as satisfied. I've given up.

I'm very glad I didn't get a chance to bill this client the 1,000$ through the platform, because I'll never get the 50$ back that is already in escrow there. Part of the suspension is the inability to withdraw your money. I think that's why they do it.

The last job posting I put on upwork resulted in multiple DIRECT calls to my phone, work email address, skype address, personal email address, google chat. They all mentioned they saw the job posting on upwork and its the only place I posted. Its overwhelming and I will not use upwork again for a job posting. They found the email of a consultant to my business and emailed him.

Unless you are lonely and like contact from strangers who want you to hire them, stay away.

UPDATE: Upwork finally paid me the money it owed me as of April 29... on June 15. After taking its $150 fee for "facilitating" the project. I don't know if I'll ever take a job through Upwork again. Too much headache, no accountability.

ORIGINAL POST: Upwork is currently withholding $1,500 that I earned a month ago and refusing to transfer these funds to my bank account. I completed 25 hours of legal research work for a client through Upwork at the end of April 2016, relying on the fact that Upwork showed the job was funded for the agreed upon $1,500 project fee, signaling to me that the client had placed the money in escrow with Upwork and I would be paid promptly upon successful completion of the project. I completed the project end of April and the client authorized the $1,500 payment in early May, then Upwork notified me that due to unspecified "issues" with the client's account, they will not transfer funds to my bank, "in case we need to reverse funds from your client's payment that do not qualify for the Upwork Payment Guarantee." Don't take jobs through Upwork. They clearly do not have your back as a legitimate knowledge worker.

Hello
My name is Rupinder Singh from India and I am freelancer in website Designing and development. I am use upwork for find work. When i get work from upwork and i am done work of my client he send me $500 and upwork cut $50 of fess and left $450 in my upwork account but they set my account in limited and close the facility of withdraw and ask some very verification and submit legal document. I am submit my one is voter card and second is Bank copy with latest transaction copy. But the can't satisfied and ask resubmit new document then i am send Adhar card and Bank statement but they can't be satisfied. Upwork team my both legal document not accept without any reason.

Its totally fraud nothing more my suggestion never use upwork web site for work

I have encountered two scams so far on the upwork.com platform for freelancers. One where I even even lost money because you want to believe that such platforms do adequate screening of clients and freelancers, alike. After my ordeal it was then I found sites such as sitejabber.com and even the upwork.com community blog section report cases of clients who are offering bogus work. Very disappointed as I am an individual who is honestly looking for legitimate work, willing to give her all. If this is also you, look elsewhere to showcase yours skills and look elsewhere for freelance work.

Yet again, upwork.com taking advantage of it's freelancers. This time they limited my financial account because my employer, in LA, who I travelled to and met with and did their work, got limited. This got limited even AFTER the project was closed. This is very unprofessional and not able to continue working till this is resolved which could take weeks. They need to simply bite the bullet, go after these people and don't get us involved with it or have any payment delays.

I was doing quite well on upwork, then one day a client's payment didn't go through. Both my account and the client's account was suspended. Now I don't have any access to my funds (still don't up to this day) just because a client screwed up!
They really take long to reply every time I ask them how the investigation is going; and even then they just reply "We're still looking into it".
Rather just stay away!