How to Get Started on Upwork (2026): Profile, Fees & Connects

Updated September 12, 2026 · 6 min read · How we research

Compiled with AI-assisted research from the official help pages and sources listed at the end of this guide. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

To start on Upwork, create one freelancer account, build a 100% complete profile, verify your ID, then send targeted proposals using Connects. New applications are reviewed before you can bid, the Freelancer Service Fee is 0% to 15% per contract, and Connects cost $0.15 each. Move quickly, because a new profile that sends no proposal in its first 90 days, or earns nothing within 90 days of its first proposal, is switched to private.

Eligibility: you must be 18 or the age of majority in your country, whichever is older. Upwork works in more than 180 countries but not in Russia, Belarus, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Crimea or the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
One account: a single Upwork account can hold a freelancer profile, an agency profile and client profiles. Running a second freelancer account breaks the rules, and any new account opened after a suspension is closed.
Documents: have a valid government photo ID ready (passport, driver's license, a national ID such as a CNIC, or NBI Clearance in the Philippines) and a phone with a camera. The names on your ID, tax info and withdrawal account must match.
VPNs: allowed only if the VPN location matches your real country. Rapid country switching can trigger verification holds.

Step 1: Build a profile that gets accepted

Upwork reviews new freelancer applications, and you can submit proposals once yours is accepted. Specialized Profiles were retired on May 28, 2026, so you now keep one profile and Upwork automatically puts your most relevant work first for each client.

Photo: a clear, current headshot of you. Logos, group shots, sunglasses and edited images are not allowed.
Title: name one core service rather than every skill you have.
Overview: only the first 250 or so characters appear in search results, so open with the result you deliver. Never include contact details.
Skills and categories: add up to 15 skills in priority order and pick up to 4 categories at sign-up. Categories can be changed later in Profile settings.
Rate: when you set an hourly rate, the form shows the Freelancer Service Fee and what you will receive. Upwork's minimums are $3 an hour and $5 for a fixed-price project.
Proof: add employment history, education and portfolio items (images at least 400 x 300 pixels, ideally 1000 x 750).

A profile counts as 50% complete once it has a photo, an overview, one employment history item and one skill. Portfolio items, extra jobs, education, a video, certifications and a linked account make up the rest, and you need 100% to qualify for Rising Talent and Top Rated. Upwork says complete profiles are 4.5 times more likely to get hired.

Step 2: Verify your identity

Upwork asks new freelancers to verify by email or an in-account notice, and you then have seven days before the account may be put on hold. Verification combines your government ID with a short video or photo check, and most people are verified within minutes. Until you verify, you cannot submit proposals, accept direct offers or withdraw earnings, and pending proposals are deleted without refunding their Connects.

The blue identity verification badge is a separate step. It costs 35 Connects under Account settings > Identity Verification, lasts three years and is required to apply for U.S.-only or U.K.-only jobs.

Step 3: Know your costs (as of September 2026)

Cost	Amount	Notes
Freelancer Service Fee	0% to 15% per contract	Shown on the proposal or offer before you commit and locked for that contract
Direct Contracts	5%	For clients you bring to Upwork, 0% with Freelancer Plus
Connects	$0.15 each	Sold in bundles, a verified billing method is required
Proposal	Varies by job	Shown on each job post, based on project size, scope and demand
Identity badge	35 Connects	Needed for U.S.-only and U.K.-only jobs
Freelancer Plus	Monthly plan, price shown under Membership plan	90 extra Connects a month, competitor bid visibility, 0% Direct Contracts fee, profile never set to private

Free Connects come from talent badges (30 each for Rising Talent, Top Rated and Top Rated Plus), onboarding tasks, some interviews with established clients and occasional offers, including 10 free Connects a month for some accounts. Connects come back only if the client cancels the job before hiring or Upwork removes the post, not when you are declined or the job expires. Freelancers in Kenya (16%), Nigeria (7.5%), Egypt (14%) and the Philippines (12%) also pay VAT on the services Upwork charges them.

Estimate your take-home pay with our fee calculator and set a sustainable rate with the hourly rate calculator. Upwork's own example: to net $20 an hour at a 10% fee, bill $22.22.

Step 4: Send proposals that win

Shortlist jobs you fully match, then check the client's hire history, reviews and how many proposals and interviews are already active.
On the job post, click Apply now, set your rate or bid, choose milestones for fixed-price work and estimate the duration.
Write a short cover letter that addresses the client's problem in the opening lines and suggests a next step, such as a chat in Upwork Messages.
Answer any screening questions and attach relevant samples through Profile highlights.
Decide whether to boost. A boost is an extra Connects bid for one of the top four slots, charged only if you finish in the top four or the client interacts while you are boosted. The auction closes after seven days or at the first hire.
Proofread and send. Most of a proposal can still be edited for six hours or until the client views it.

Keep every conversation and payment on Upwork. Moving a client off the platform without paying the Conversion Fee (13.5% of a year of estimated earnings) can result in permanent suspension.

Step 5: Protect your first contracts

Hourly work is covered by Hourly Payment Protection only when you track time in the Upwork Desktop App with memos, stay within the weekly limit and have a verified identity. Manually added time is not protected.
Fixed-price work should start only once the milestone shows Funded. Deliver through Submit work, which starts the client's 14-day review window.
Your Job Success Score appears after contract outcomes with at least two clients within 24 months. Rising Talent needs an invitation, or a 4.8+ rating and $250 earned in 12 months, plus a complete profile, the identity badge and a withdrawal method. Top Rated needs a JSS of 90% or higher, $1,000 in 12-month earnings and a first project more than 90 days old, and it brings hourly payouts about five days sooner.
Add tax info and a withdrawal method early, because new methods take three days to activate. Outside the US, Direct to Local Bank ($0.99 per transfer) and Payoneer are the main options, although Payoneer is not offered in India.

Common problems and fixes

Application pending or declined: Upwork does not publish its approval criteria, so the safest path is a complete, specific profile with portfolio proof.
Profile switched to private: log out and back in to restore your visibility setting, or change it in Profile settings. Freelancer Plus prevents this.
Can't apply to a U.S.-only job: you need the identity badge, and some U.S. jobs also require location verification.
Account on hold: open your profile picture > Account health to see holds and file an appeal. Most appeals are reviewed within two business days.
Connects keep running low: set a reserve balance of up to $250 in Settings > Withdrawals so earnings stay available for Connects purchases.

If bidding for posted jobs doesn't suit you, compare Fiverr, where clients buy packaged services, and the other Upwork alternatives in our directory.

Sources

Upwork fees, payouts & alternatives