Heard from a few of you today that Upwork’s gone wild with another fee increase:
Instead of the standard 10% fee, freelancers may see a higher or lower fee on new contracts.
This change is based on factors like supply and demand in the marketplace, with the goal of creating a more balanced and healthy environment for both freelancers and clients.
Lol what?
Let me translate that from doublespeak to plain English for you:
Instead of paying an ALREADY EXORBITANT 10% fee, freelancers will now pay 15% on all good contracts.
This change is based on factors like supply (of our revenue) and demand (for more revenue).
Our goal is creating a more balanced (bank account) and healthy (profits) for both our freelancers and clients.
(But mostly* us.)
*100%
Here’s the deal…
I like Upwork.
😱
I’ve used Upwork since 2014, back when “Upwork” was called “Elance.”
Sit around grandpa’s creaky Amish rocking chair and listen to his story…
It’s a tale of bountiful projects and low fees. Every freelancer was a millionaire, and we only worked 3 hours per week.
Every time you’d get a 5-star review from a client, the CEO of Elance would personally visit your home and present you with a plaque to recognize your service.
Clients felt honored to receive your proposals, and would often name their children after favorited freelancers.
…
Of course, this is pure malarkey.
Elance 10 years ago wasn’t that much different than Upwork in 2025.
Yes, Upwork is more monetized now.
Can you blame them?
Upwork is a monopoly—name another job board site, and I’ll tell you how much worse it is compared to Upwork.
The fact is that there are only a handful of ways for freelancers to find clients:
-
Organic search
-
Paid ads
-
Cold outreach
-
Referrals
-
Get a full time job and pitch them on a retainer
Yes, that’s pretty much it.
Let me tell you something…I’ve tried all five. Got clients from all five. They are ALL better methods than Upwork.
However…
All 5 of those methods are out of reach for the average Upwork freelancer.
Organic search can take years to pay off.
Ads are far more expensive than Upwork connects, if you don’t have a marketing background.
Cold outreach? Need excellent data AND copywriting skills.
Referrals? You need good clients in the first place.
Pitch to retainer? So difficult if you’re not confident in yourself.
To make a long story short, no…Upwork shouldn’t be your ONLY source of clients.
Fees will rise. Clients will slide. And competition will multiply.
Learn How to Freelance Smarter—Not Just Harder
I send daily emails to freelancers who want to stop spinning their wheels.
Not surface-level advice. Not recycled tips from LinkedIn influencers.
Real, field-tested systems for writing better pitches, building authority, landing higher-paying clients, and managing the chaos that comes with being your own boss.
If you’re ready to treat freelancing like a business—and want emails that help you do it—join here:
Because once you start closing better clients, you won’t care whether Upwork takes 10%, 15%, or your firstborn child.
– Nick
Elance Medal of Honor Recipient, 2014
Render unto Upwork what is Upwork’s.
