My Month-Long Adventure Freelancing on Upwork

Sep 21, 2023 | Freelancing | 39 comments

My Month-Long Adventure Freelancing on Upwork




I Spent 30 Days Freelancing on Upwork: A Reflection on the Pros and Cons

The popularity of remote work has exploded in recent years, and freelancing platforms like Upwork have become a go-to option for freelancers seeking new opportunities. Intrigued by the promise of flexibility and independence, I decided to embark on a 30-day journey freelancing on Upwork to see if this platform lived up to its reputation.

Upwork provides a platform where freelancers can connect with clients from all around the world, offering services in a wide range of industries, from writing and design to programming and marketing. With so many types of projects available, I was excited to see what I could find during my month-long experiment.

One of the biggest advantages of freelancing on Upwork is the ability to work from anywhere at any time. As someone who loves to travel, this was a game-changer. I was able to work from the comfort of my own home, a coffee shop, or even while lounging by the pool on vacation. It allowed me the flexibility to manage my own schedule and prioritize projects based on my availability.

Moreover, the income potential on Upwork is virtually limitless. With access to a global client base, the opportunities for finding high-paying projects are abundant. I was pleasantly surprised at the diversity of clients I encountered, ranging from small businesses to large corporations. Additionally, I found that many clients were willing to pay a premium for top-quality work, which motivated me to deliver my best.

However, freelancing on Upwork is not without its challenges. One of the main obstacles I faced was fierce competition. With millions of freelancers registered on the platform, standing out from the crowd can be difficult. It took time to build up a reputable profile and secure my first few projects. Gaining positive reviews and feedback from clients became crucial in establishing credibility and attracting new opportunities.

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Another drawback of Upwork is the platform’s fee structure. Upwork charges freelancers a percentage of their earnings, ranging from 5%-20%, depending on the total value of the project. While this is a reasonable cost for using the platform’s resources, it does impact the net income one can earn.

Additionally, the inconsistency of workload was something I had to adapt to. Like many freelancing platforms, there are times when project offers are scarce, while other times there’s an overwhelming demand. This feast-or-famine nature of freelancing on Upwork made it necessary to continually market and promote my services to ensure a steady stream of work.

Overall, my experience freelancing on Upwork was positive. The platform offers an opportunity to showcase your skills, network with clients from all over the world, and earn a decent income. It’s important to keep in mind that success on Upwork requires dedication, persistence, and exceptional work quality.

If you’re considering freelancing on Upwork, I would recommend doing thorough research and honing your skills to ensure you stand out from the competition. Investing time in improving your profile, seeking positive reviews, and building relationships with clients will significantly increase your chances of success.

While freelancing on Upwork has its challenges, it remains an excellent platform for those willing to put in the effort to establish themselves as professionals in their respective fields.


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39 Comments

  1. Whatever

    That is not worth it. Now you have to pay taxes on it. So you made even less.

    Reply
  2. OvSki house1

    Music streaming app!
    Are there another gigs!? please list them here

    Reply
  3. Amine

    1 week on Upwork for me but still nobody has SEEN my profile nor my proposals

    Reply
  4. Femi Oladipo

    From a 3rd world country the competition on Upwork is insane. The fact that I also have to pay money to get gigs just makes it less desirable.

    Reply
  5. Heki Laon

    It seems that upwork is either very situational, or mainly good for a dedicated freelancer, otherwise, it is kind of a waste of time, since you can get a much more profitable skills and get a higher paying job, with career opportunities and perks, instead of all the time you spend on searching for jobs, applying, waiting, competing with "I will_do_it_for_1_dollar" folks, discussing, etc.
    – Another thing about Upwork that wasn`t mentioned – is that it is actually rather risky to put all eggs in that Upwork basket – there are many cases of freelancers being banned with all their hard work , connections and reviews disappearing, because Upwork actively prevents you from creating an independent brand, and ties you to their platform.

    So, even if you are dedicated freelancer – you should be very careful with Upwork.
    I consider my time on Upwork a mistake, since later I just realized, that learning and career building can bring a lot more money and more stability in my life.
    ps. Ofc if you live in a total S***hole – upwork could end up more profitable that actual job on your local market. *

    Reply
  6. Awaken child Of god

    Bro I'm getting some people together to build an app and I really really need your help this is very important I have an idea that I would like to talk to you about what I think if we work together on we can change the world make it a better place and make a lot of money thanks please write me back think you might now what to do!

    Reply
  7. ThePierre58

    Great video. i am researching Upwork and this is one of the best presentations.

    Reply
  8. Rain Oppus

    Thanks for the honest review! This is great and helpful review of upwork.

    Reply
  9. Miss Kristen

    Struggling to get hired on upwork

    Reply
  10. Amona Lysa

    please explain more about the exact works what you did

    Reply
  11. René

    In my opinion, anything that is highly regulated ist okay at the end. New ideas, plattforms are the way of choice.

    Reply
  12. RazGaming

    I think the issue with these sites for anyone working in a first world country is that you are competing with people globally a lot of whom might live in third world countries and can afford to undercut you by ridiculous amounts as average pay in their countries will be so far below what minimum wage in a first world country is that even charging those ridiculously low prices they'll still be able to live better than if they did any regular job.

    Reply
  13. Bebe Louie

    I'm starting to feel unmotivated to continue working on Upwork. I got 5 star for my latest project. My Job success score before is 94%. But instead of getting my score up, upwork reduce my score to 93. I'm also tired to always getting ungrateful client. I'm considering to apply office inhouse job.

    Reply
  14. Caleb Stevens

    That’s more like 250$ after taxes

    Reply
  15. Rachel RRT

    im in Healthcare, ok, and make very good money, I am also a bit of an introvert. You mentioned having to do job interviews (yuk). Im living paycheck to paycheck. With Upwork csn i avoid talking with people ( for the most part) or avoid video meetings?

    Reply
  16. David Schiop

    Any tips for a beginner? I just found out about upwork, next week i ll buy a new laptop and start the work, i m not really sure how tho, my knowledge is only from ytb and i don t really know how to start

    Reply
  17. awais raza

    I haven been hiring since 2015. Honestly it has become really bad. It's basically a money grab situation there now.

    Reply
  18. Bat Man

    After 3 weeks he gets a contract for 50$/h. Jeah right kid…

    Reply
  19. troop_

    15 an hour? Wow. Horrible.

    Reply
  20. Michael Yolch

    One of the major problems with ANY freelance site is that there are people willing to work for slave wages.

    Reply
  21. Imagination Marketing

    UPWORK IS A SCAM… The rating system is fraud for many clients as well as freelancers – UPWORK suppresses bad ratings to make bad people look good , and con more victims. The entire payment system is a money grab for them with no accountability to you. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS.

    Reply
  22. start project

    Upwork told you to do this video?????. Your face shows you are struggling. Not excited or happy to work with upwork.

    Reply
  23. Chicago Mike

    I can’t stand Upwork. It’s ok for third world people, but for Americans it’s a joke, I have a 100% score but the clients are shitty. Very cheap. No budgets. Kind of odd.

    Reply
  24. Simon Mulquin

    Hmm 21 an hour is half european freelance rate, even worst in united states I guess. Over a month you still loose money, this may be good for side work maybe and as you say it's a grind, but there are a lot of platforms such as upwork and you want to to quickly find one you will focus on so feedback over 6 months of grinding is quite a bad option for anyone who actually need to get paid.

    Reply
  25. flobba123

    I Spent 30 Days Freelancing on Upwork what i got? nothing i just got in contact with unserius people and scammers.

    Reply
  26. Web Dev Pro

    I started on UpWork and spend some money, then because of bad clients they broke my acc, UpWork doesn’t have any stuffs to back acc, good rate

    Reply
  27. Ren Bias

    $10 just to apply? Wtf?

    Reply
  28. Justin Wells

    I’ve been considering upwork, but have ultimately decided to just try to get my own income and apps going.

    I’ve got a full time job paying $55/hour USD, in a low cost of living area so I’m just looking to add more income streams. I think since it’s purely supplemental income it’ll be better for me in the long haul to get passive income from already developed apps.

    Reply
  29. lulubeloo

    been on upwork for a month and I barely got a 30 dollar animation project. I'm not sure it's worth it, but i still want to try for another few weeks.

    Reply
  30. dvrk

    wasn't worth your time? you said 15$/hour and you made 75 which means you only worked 5 hours. what do you mean not worth your time

    Reply
  31. Ateisme

    Upwork is fucked up

    Reply
  32. BeGoodNow5

    Great video, very useful info. Thank you!

    Reply
  33. 369 369

    Hey bro the music is so annoying
    It made me nervous
    ❤❤

    Reply

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