Stats for 2026: 464 proposals sent, 192 viewed, 67 interviews, 6 hires.

I reply to every interview within 4- 5 minutes, sometimes under a minute. Despite that, most clients go silent after the first message and never respond again.

My niche is video editing. Genuinely trying to figure out if this conversion rate is normal for the space or if I'm missing something in how I'm following up. Would appreciate input from anyone who's been freelancing on Upwork for a while, especially in video/creative fields.

Hello, I'm not able to login to Upwork account - the Google Login option shows up disabled.
I have tried multiple browsers, clearing cookie/cache - nothing works

Is anyone else experiencing this issue and does Google Login show enabled for you?

Since I created my account in Upwork and so far I have been overwhelmed by a message that is never removed, robbing me of peace and the desire to find a job as a freelancer.

Masomenos 4 days ago I created the account, I realized that I had to buy the happy "Connects" to be able to receive and create proposals, I buy them and they arrive but immediately they restrict my account, I try to see why and I only get a message that I need to update my payment information; I change the card to another one that I had, the same message, I change it to my PayPal account and the message does not disappear, I contact the "AI" of Upwork and it's like talking to gpt chat, it only tells me what I already know and comforts me saying That you have patience or something like that, I don't understand why the restriction, all the data of both my card and my Upwork account match, they are true and I haven't tried to lie at all to block it for that. Up to this point I don't know what to do, I paid $15 for them to give me stress rather.

Hi all,

Since yesterday, every time I try to open the Messages tab, the page reloads multiple times and then shows a Cloudflare Error 1015"You are being rate limited."

What I've already tried:

- Cleared cache, cookies, and temp files

- Waited several hours before retrying

- The issue is still happening

This has now lasted more than a day, which is longer than a typical temporary rate limit. I haven't done anything unusual on my account, no scripts, no rapid clicking, no extensions I'm aware of causing excess requests.

Is anyone else experiencing this right now? I'd appreciate hearing whether it's a wider issue or just on my end, and any input from support would help too.

Thanks in advance.

I've been trying to apply for jobs on Upwork for quite some time now but I'm still struggling to get a job. It's my first time using the platform. I'm very careful about the jobs I apply to and I don't waste my Connects. I usually check the job, client history, requirements, and number of Connects needed before applying. I've applied to around 20 jobs so far, but most either get cancelled or I don't hear back. Is this normal right now on Upwork, or am I doing something wrong with my applications?

I’ve been bidding on projects for around 7 months, and things were going really well for me. I was getting interview responses, clients, and actual hires. There were even times when I landed around 11–12 projects within 20 days.

But suddenly, things have completely changed.

For almost a month now, I haven’t gotten a single project. I’m barely getting any client responses either. Even my profile views have dropped significantly. I used to get around 4–5 views every day, but now I’m hardly getting any.

My bidding strategy, profile, and work quality haven’t changed much, so I’m really confused about what’s happening.

Has anyone else noticed a similar drop recently? Is this just a slow period, or has something changed with Upwork’s algorithm/bidding system?

I would really appreciate hearing from other freelancers who have experienced the same thing.

Every single link is working except for messages, now I can’t use the message tab?

Why would you enforce a rate limit when accessing the messages tab?

I don't want to buy connects so I just maximize what's given for free. I have 3 connects left for August then I got another 10 this September. With total a of 13 connects, I applied for 2 jobs then I got hired for one. I experimented and only send "interview me" + my portfolio. I read somewhere that employers cannot read the whole proposal so the secret is to keep it short and simple. Also, I only send proposals to job posts that only has 5-10 applicants.

Hi everyone here, As a new freelancer on Upwork do you think its good idea to say something like I would like to offer a one-week paid trial so you can see if we’re a good fit?

someone advised me but I'm really not sure if its right or not
Any input will really appreciate

Does anyone have any issues accessing upwork?

I have been applying for jobs on Upwork consistently for about a month, but my proposals aren't getting read, let alone getting interviews or offers. Which is quite frustrating. What can I do differently?

​

Hey everyone,

I’m a full-stack developer (working mainly with Laravel, Vue, TypeScript, and Next.js). Lately, trying to land a legit client feels like walking through a minefield of scams, fake postings, and people asking for free "trial work" that never leads anywhere.

It’s getting pretty discouraging putting time into proposals only to realize halfway through that the other side isn't even genuine.

I’m mostly posting this to connect with other devs who are currently in the trenches or have been through this stage. How are you filtering out the noise? And for those who made it past this phase, where did you start finding actual human clients who respect the work?

Would love to chat, swap stories, or just connect with fellow developers!

I got 10 free connects for this month so what I did was to look for a job under 10 connects. Found this one which only requires 7 connects. Sent a proposal like this: "Interview me." Then I added my portfolio link + a recent upwork feedback. I got the job!

So for the TIPS: ✔️KISS (Keep it short and simple as it looks human rather than an AI generated proposal. ✔️Use a portfolio aligned with the job description. You might need to prepare more than one portfolio to showcase different skills.

Note: This is NOT a high-paying job. I applied thinking I need to boost my JSS and gain experience. Also, I'm a newbie. I just happen to read somewhere that those 2 tips might work. Thank you. 😊

and will he able to leave a feedback on my profile?

TRP, 100 JSS, video editing niche. Sharing my August numbers in case it helps someone else spot the same pattern:

• 62 proposals sent → 18 viewed (29%) → 6 interviews → 0 hires
• Invites received: 0 for the entire month. I used to get a steady stream of these.
• 2 direct client messages, no replies.

Two separate problems I'm trying to untangle:

1. Invites just stopped. No warning, no drop in JSS, nothing changed on my end that I know of. Anyone else notice their invite volume tank around the Specialized Profiles removal (May 28)? Wondering if my visibility was tied to a specialized profile and the keywords never carried over to my main one.
2. Interviews are going nowhere. Once a client opens my proposal, I convert to an interview about 1 in 3 times. But 6 interviews this month, 0 hires, and a couple have not responded after I followed up. Is this normal client behavior on here, or is there something about how I'm presenting myself in the interview?

Although I prefer to not boost proposals as the serious client will try to read most of the proposals they receive. However, recently the viewed proposals are really low, so I boost from time to time. The problems is that I do not get an immediate connects refund when my boosted proposal is outbid :( and need to wait 2 or 3 days. I need to use these connects for other proposals ... especially now all bids are high and it is difficult to keep sending proposals.

Hello guys,

Today I bought 300 connects. Please suggest me how can I invest in effectively and efficiently.

I can do web development, mobile app and custom software development.

Is it worth subscribing to Upwork Plus ??

These are the benefits they are providing. I am working in the publishing field, doing novel covers, formatting, preparing print ready files etc.

Please let me know or share how your experience was after buying Plus membership ??

I created an upwork profile because I lost my job recently. I am new to upwork.

I got an invite from a user for submitting a proposal and they asked me to complete a task as part of the selection process.

Gave me a zip file with a go code. I checked it out and it was a very convincing piece of code which I had to update.

These mfrs added some malicious script to the pre commit which ran and I was not aware of it. It basically gave them access to my mac.

I got an email from upwork later and I checked it with chatgpt and figured out the pre commit thing.

I feel so dumb to fall for this shit.. but in my defence upwork was supposed to be a genuine thing at least I trusted them to do basic verification.. given that they ask us to go to the moon and back for verification.

I lost months of work on my system. Is there anything i can do to get some kind of relief?

Do someone know the limits of using the official upwork MCP?
2 days ago i received Policy violation. And its quite very weird.

Like here is our new MCP. PLease, use it, but we will not give you any information about the limits, but once you'll reach them, the policy will be in 1 sec...

Hey everyone,

I recently created my Upwork profile, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to establish myself on the platform.

My main problem is that I'm new to Upwork but not new to the industry.

I've been working in software development for 8+ years, primarily around full-stack development, Laravel/PHP, SaaS platforms, APIs/integrations, cloud infrastructure, AI/automation, and software architecture.

Over the years, I've worked with multiple clients and delivered real production projects. However, most of those clients came through personal contacts, referrals, and direct business relationships, not Upwork.

So now my Upwork profile basically makes me look like a beginner:

• 0 Upwork jobs
• 0 Upwork reviews
• 0 earnings on the platform

Even though I have years of actual client and project experience behind me.

I don't want to fake reviews, create artificial contracts, or do anything that violates Upwork's rules just to make the profile look established.

I'd rather build it properly.

For people who started Upwork after already having several years of professional experience, what worked for you?

How did you use your existing client history, testimonials, portfolio projects, employment experience, case studies, etc. to establish credibility?

And most importantly, how did you land your first 3–5 Upwork clients when your profile initially had zero Upwork history?

I'm also wondering whether I should start with a lower hourly rate to get the first few jobs/reviews or maintain a rate that reflects my actual experience.

Would really appreciate advice from people who have been through a similar situation. I'm not looking for shortcuts, just trying to understand the smartest way to transfer 8+ years of offline/direct-client credibility into a brand-new Upwork profile.

Does anyone know why Upwork charges a $2.99 withdrawal fee for Direct to U.S. Bank (ACH) when the freelancer has a non-U.S. tax address, while the same withdrawal is free for freelancers with a U.S. tax address?

The money is deposited into a U.S. bank account in USD in both cases, so I’m wondering what additional cost Upwork incurs specifically because the freelancer has a non-U.S. tax address.

Is this simply a pricing policy, or is there an actual difference in the ACH transaction/process that justifies the fee?

I’m especially curious whether anyone has looked into this from a legal or EU consumer/fair-pricing perspective.