Today I want to tackle a topic that makes me a little nervous. I want to talk about the global freelancing platform Upwork.com, and why I continue to use it to find new freelance writing jobs.

I got my start as a freelance writer using Upwork, and I still use it to this day. Last month, over a third of my income came from Upwork clients.

My goal with this article is to give you a realistic picture of what it looks like to find clients on Upwork. That way, you can make an informed decision and figure out whether it’s the right choice for you.

What Exactly Is Upwork?

Upwork is a freelancing marketplace that connects clients and freelancers.

Clients post new jobs stating what they’re looking for and their estimated budget, and freelancers can send proposals and bid on the job.

The client then chooses the freelancer they want to work with.

You can look for work, get hired, message back and forth with clients, share files, and even get paid all within the platform.

The platform makes it easy for freelancers to find and work remotely with clients.

To get started, you’ll visit Upwork.com and click the “sign up” tab.

From there, you’ll enter your name and work email address. From there, you’ll create a password and specify that you want to create an account as a freelancer.

After you’ve created your account, you’ll verify your email address. Now you’re ready to create your profile!

Upwork is free, but they do have to approve your application before you can get started. So don’t rush through the application process, or Upwork will likely deny your request to join.

Is Upwork Legit?

Yes, Upwork is a legitimate freelance marketplace that connects clients and freelancers. Period. I’ve earned over $100,000 just from Upwork alone.

So I would consider it a legitimate way to make money. That number is probably higher if you count the clients that I’ve been referred to by people I met on Upwork.

But if you seek coaching from other freelance writers, many of them will tell you to stay as far away from the platform as possible. Some express outright hatred for Upwork and make some pretty bold claims.

And the thing is, there is some level of truth to every complaint about Upwork. So let’s look at some of the biggest arguments against using Upwork, and my response to each.

5 Common Complaints About Upwork

Claim #1: You can get kicked off the platform at any time

This claim is 100% true.

When you sign up for Upwork, you agree to the company’s Terms of Service.

And if you don’t comply, Upwork can suspend or even close your account without warning.

I don’t know how common this is, but I’m sure it’s happened to someone.

And you know, I would be willing to bet that in some cases, it happens for unfair reasons.

However, did you know that Facebook can unexpectedly shut down your business account? And if you run a Facebook group, the company can shut it down as well.

I know multiple people who have had their Facebook business accounts or groups closed without warning.

I know one girl who had her paid Facebook group shut down twice.

A coach I know had her Facebook page shut down for an entire month.

I’m willing to bet that LinkedIn, YouTube, PayPal, and pretty much any other account you use for business could be unexpectedly shut down as well.

My point is, instead of seeing this as a reason to avoid Upwork, go into it knowing this could happen and take steps to protect yourself.

Add your client as a connection on LinkedIn, and make sure you have all their necessary contact information.

That way, you’ll have a way to get ahold of them in case your Upwork account ever does go south.

Claim #2: Upwork charges hefty fees

This one is true, and it’s one of the biggest disadvantages of using Upwork. For the first $500 you earn with a client on Upwork, you get charged a 20% fee.

Once you’ve earned $500 with that client, the fee drops to 10%. Once you’ve made $10,000 with that client, the fee goes down to 5%.

I’m not going to beat around the bush -- the Upwork fees suck. I recently finished a contract for $2,400, and I paid $240 in fees. Yep, that makes me cringe a little.

But I deal with the fees because Upwork continues to be a way to find clients that takes very little time. And when I take on a new client, I’m guaranteed to get paid because the milestone is funded right from the start.

So for me, it’s worth the trade-off.

You’ll have to decide for yourself if that’s true for you.

Claim #3: Upwork never worked for me

I’ve noticed that many freelancers who bag on Upwork have never even used it.

But those that have usually say that they tried it and couldn’t find even one decent client.

They typically conclude that the platform “didn’t work for them.”

Translation: It didn’t work as well or as quickly as they were expecting, so they quit and moved onto something else.

To be clear, I’m not bagging on people who decide not to stick with Upwork.

It was probably the right decision for them.

I just want to point out that Upwork doesn’t work for you or against you.

It ”works” depending on the level of effort you put into and how consistently you stick with it.

Claim #4: Upwork is a race to the bottom

Late one Friday afternoon, I had a potential client contact me on Upwork. He wanted me to write five 500-word blog posts for him. Sounds good, right?

Not really. His budget was $50 for the entire project, and he wanted all five blog posts finished within 48 hours.

Yes, he wanted me to spend my entire weekend hustling for $50. I declined his offer and moved on.

In comparison, last summer, I found another client who pays me $300 per 500-word blog post.

The topics are pretty easy, so I get the work done relatively quickly.

So far, I’ve made nearly $9,000 from this one client.

And that particular client is not a fluke. I regularly find clients who are willing to pay between $500 and $750 for longer blog posts as well.

So if you’re willing to accept pennies for your work, then Upwork can be a race to the bottom.

I decided not to waste my time with low-paying clients, and my client track record proves it.

Claim #5: Success on Upwork is the exception, not the rule

This next point is something I’ve thought about a lot.

Is my success on Upwork a fluke?

Did I happen to sign up at the right time?

Could other freelancers replicate my success?

And what I realized is that it’s probably true that my Upwork results are the exception, not the rule.

But the thing is, any kind of success is uncommon.

Most people who say they’re going to be freelancers will either quit or make very little money.

The point is that anyone who earns six-figures or more as a freelance writer is an exception to the rule.

Anyone who achieves an unusual amount of success in their life is the exception, not the rule.

So...why not just decide that you’re going to be the exception?

Is Upwork the Right Choice for Me?

Maybe, but maybe not.

I didn’t write this article to convince you to use Upwork.

I care about helping you find freelance writing clients, but I don’t care whether you use Upwork to find those clients.

I am well aware that many successful freelancers never set foot on the platform.

And many of them have probably made more money than me.

My only goal in writing this article is to show you that if you want to, you can be successful on Upwork.

If you do decide to give Upwork a try, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Always ask for a client’s contact info: Upwork does have the power to shut down your account if they deem it necessary. Do not ask clients to move off the platform because that’s violating the Terms and Services. But you should ask your client for their email address and connect with them on LinkedIn.

Don’t rely solely on Upwork: It’s okay to focus on one strategy in the beginning, but once you’re regularly bringing in clients, start branching out and looking for work in other places. If you need some ideas, you can check out my blog posts on the best sites to find freelance writing work.

Ignore the Upwork haters: And finally, don’t get discouraged by freelancers who try to make you feel stupid for using Upwork. Most people who bag on Upwork haven’t used it for more than a week, which is why it “didn’t work” for them.