Upwork Fees 2026: What Clients and Freelancers Actually Pay
Upwork raised its client fee to as much as 7.99%. Here is every fee on both sides of a contract, with the math on a $100, $500, and $1,000 job.
Selling templates, presets or a course too? On a $10 product you keep $7.91 on Gumroad but $8.91 on Payhip’s free plan. Compare platform fees →
As a client on Upwork’s free Basic plan, you pay a Client Marketplace Fee of up to 7.99% on every payment (3% if you are an eligible US client paying by bank account), plus a one-time contract initiation fee of $0.99 to $14.99. As a freelancer, you pay a service fee of 0% to 15% per contract, shown before you accept.
Client fees
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| Fee | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Client Marketplace Fee | Up to 7.99% | Every payment to a freelancer: fixed-price, hourly, bonuses, Direct Contracts, Project Catalog |
| Bank account discount | 3% | Eligible US clients who pay with a bank account |
| Contract initiation fee | $0.99 to $14.99 | Once per new contract, including rehires; varies by contract type, account history, and hiring activity |
| Business Plus plan | Higher marketplace fee | Upwork says the fee is higher on Business Plus |
Neither fee is refunded if a payment is reversed or refunded, and the initiation fee is not refunded even if you win a dispute.
What a client pays, by job size
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| Job price | At 7.99% (card) | At 3% (US bank account) |
|---|---|---|
| $100 | $108.98 to $122.98 | $103.99 to $117.99 |
| $500 | $540.94 to $554.94 | $515.99 to $529.99 |
| $1,000 | $1,080.89 to $1,094.89 | $1,030.99 to $1,044.99 |
The range comes from the contract initiation fee. 7.99% is Upwork’s stated maximum; your exact rate is shown at checkout. Before tax.
Freelancer fees
- Freelancer Service Fee: 0% to 15% of earnings per contract. You see the percentage when a client sends an offer or when you submit a proposal.
- Example: on a $500 contract at a 10% fee, you receive $450.
- If a client is refunded, Upwork says it returns the matching service fee to you.
- Upwork says it does not offer regular discounts on this fee.
Is Upwork still cheaper than Fiverr?
Not at the maximum rate. Fiverr adds 5.5% plus $3.50 on orders under $200, so a $500 job costs $527.50 on Fiverr against $540.94 or more on Upwork at 7.99%. Upwork comes out ahead only when you qualify for the 3% bank rate. Full comparison: Fiverr vs Upwork fees.
Run your own numbers: try the free Fiverr vs Upwork fee calculator.
Sources: Upwork: Client Marketplace Fee, Upwork: Contract Initiation Fee, Upwork: Freelancer Service Fee. Fees change; check before you hire.
Related: Fiverr vs Upwork fees · Fiverr fee calculator · Fiverr vs DIY
Templates, presets, ebooks or a course: the platform you sell on takes a cut of every sale. On a $10 product you keep $7.91 on Gumroad but $8.91 on Payhip’s free plan.
