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4.3 347 Reviews

UpWork Complaints Summary

13 Resolved
53 Unresolved
Our verdict: When using services from UpWork with a poor resolution rate, be vigilant. Understand the common pitfalls other customers have faced. Prepare thoroughly for any interactions with their customer service, and consider alternative solutions if your issues are not addressed satisfactorily.
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8:29 pm EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

UpWork Illegal taxation

Elance.com charges a monthly fee to place an ad on their site in order for freelancers (like me) to find work. This is a common and reasonable business practice that pre-dates the internet (newspapers and trade magazines, for example). However, Elance also wants 6% of your wages! This is tantamount to a tax and I don't know how they legally get away with it! I've worked for staffing agencies in the past and if they take a percentage of your income, then they act as your employer and they withhold taxes for you, give you paid holidays, and in some cases, discounts on medical insurance as well. But all Elance does is host a website that allows you advertise (which you pay for, monthly), PLUS they want 6% of your gross earnings! I hope the justice department looks into this (it sounds like the electronic equivalent of indentured servitude). If there's nothing illegal about it, I hope that people aren't foolish enough to just hand over their income to these clowns for doing essentially nothing to earn it, except for allowing you to post an advertisement (which, as I pointed out previously, you already pay for separately on a monthly basis). Elance, shame on you for your greed!

Read full review of UpWork and 4 comments
Update by scott93933
Apr 21, 2010 10:50 am EDT

First off all, please refrain from referring to me as your "friend." I don't know you and you certainly aren't my friend.

Secondly, I do not have a screw loose and you certainly are not qualified to make such an assessment. When I see a personal attack like that in any dispute, it's obvious who has no real ammo and must resort to name calling. Grow up.

Yes, Elance IS taxing you. They're not operating as your employer by withholding taxes, social security, unemployment insurance, or worker's compensation insurance, and they don't offer you paid holidays, vacations, or sick leave, and they don't provide you with medical or dental benefits. In short, the only value they add is providing you a place online to find work. As I previously pointed out, they charge you a monthly fee for this (which is perfectly reasonable, and has precedent in print media such as newspapers and trade magazines). The problem is that in addition to this, they also take a percentage of your earnings. This is simply unfair and, possibly (if the attorney general's office had the bandwidth to review it) illegal. It certainly isn't fair.

Are you familiar with the concept of indentured servitude? Study a little history and you'll find out why "hey, it was in the contract and you signed it, so live with it" does not make something fair or right and, in the case of indentured servitude, legal.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you work for Elance and are not just some bored 15 year old waiting for your next Halo game to start and attempting an adult conversation with broad, vague, and sweeping dismissals that have no substance and the aforementioned name calling. You are forgiven. Back to Halo or to your next meeting with your bosses at Elance.

In general, my hope in posting this is that someone will create a good and fair alternative to Elance. A site with similar (or even better) search and business networking tools, and that has a price structure that is fair and reasonable. Perhaps several options, such as pay per ad, or pay per click (like Google), or levels of membership, etc. But under no circumstances should they take a percentage of anyone's earnings.

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retirement
, US
Aug 31, 2012 3:15 pm EDT

Before determining if an individual is privy to any fringe benefits (sick leave, vacation leave, health, etc.) one must first establish if an employer or employee relationship exists. Such relationships are determined by common law. This mean does an employer have the right to control the individual, such as: when and where to work, control lunches and breaks, request and individual to attend mandatory meetings, train the individual, etc. On the other hand an independent contractor is one who has the freedom to choose when and where to work, make their services available to the public, able to incur a profit or loss (e.g. Form 1040 Schedule C expenses). An employment agency normally has a contractual relationship with a company. An agreement is reached who will be the employer of record for "payment of wages" or the employer of record for "common law" purposes. Most employment agencies are the employer of record for payment; therefore, they are required to withhold the applicable payroll taxes. For further information regarding employer-employee relationships please refer to the Internal Revenue website, irs.gov and do a search on independent contractor vs employee. It should help you understand the payroll tax situation.

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nummy44
, US
Jan 28, 2010 6:10 am EST

Elance is a business that works like any other. You can choose to use it or not. very simple! LOL " I hope the justice department looks into it" you really have some screws loose my friend.

I can understand you not liking them taken money from both ends but thats up to them and its there business model, ( a very successful one) I cant see how any nut would say elance is TAXING you, they set up a price, they could offer it to you for free with no montly fee then charge 15% on any projects but it really doesn't matter and you would still pay. I think your logic is flawed and better spend your time doing something more productive then complaining with zero ground to imply there business is not lawful, go pay for ads in newspapers for your service and see how that works out for you :). If you dont like it go start an elance that charges no fee's, see how that works out for you as well.

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TaylorK
Chicago, US
Jan 26, 2010 3:13 pm EST

I agree that it can be frustrating to pay a fee and would love if Elance were free but the way that I look at it is this, if you had to market your services somewhere else, like via online or offline advertising, you would be paying way more than 6%. or whatever fee Elance charges.

I personally get many projects via Elance and don't even miss those fees. In some ways, I actually prefer Elance to other ways of traditional marketing and just consider this meager amount the cost of doing business online. Plus, Elance saves so much time with the feedback system and the ability to scrutinize your buyers before you even bid on their project that it can't be beat. Just my two cents.

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rootsco
sdfdsfsdf, US
Dec 13, 2009 11:47 pm EST

I totally agree, they take 8.75% of any transaction (wich is a lot considering that most projects are milestone based) and they Do Not take the percetage of your Gross Income, they take 8.75% of Every Single Transaction you make!, Plus 2.75% in Payment Proccessing fees.

And you still need to pay for the membership, a while ago if you was a member they only took 4.75% per transaction and 1.4% in payment processing fees, now regardless your membership type they take 8.75% and 2.75% of every transaction.

Hope some company makes a site like that one (professional enough to get clients like we do on elance), cause right now there are not any other freelance sites like this one.

ComplaintsBoard
M
5:21 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

UpWork Horrible

Elance is a joke if you are looking to provide quality work (and get anything close to a fair wage).

For buyers it's even worse. The whole site is chalk full of low-quality providers with glowing resumes and feedback. The thing is the providers make multiple accounts and "trade" projects within the accounts for that very feedback.

Elance turns a blind eye so they can collect their service fees.

Their escrow isn't a real escrow system, the website itself has errors all the time and if you are looking for any type of customer service or support you get a phone answering machine and an email support service that never returns emails.

Elance is by far the worst freelancing site I have ever had the misfortune of working with.

If you ever think of checking it out be sure and READ their 800 page terms of service statement. They are not responsible for ANYTHING. They can come back and take money you made months ago if they want (and they have citing problems and fraud)...even though their system is supposed to prevent these things.

Elance is a joke and a horrible affront to decent business practices.

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TaylorK
Chicago, US
Jan 26, 2010 3:27 pm EST

I do hear what you're saying and am sorry that you had a difficult time. I am not employed by Ealnce but I have used Elance as a buyer and a provider and I have not had any problems with the issues you mention. I've made a lot of money as a provider and have paired up with some great quality providers and was able to leverage their talents to my benefit. The thing about Elance is that you have to do your homework. They are a good company and provide great leads but it is up to you to choose the right provider as a buyer and the right buyer as a provider. The feedback system helps a lot and so does the private message board. Also, you have to protect yourself with contracts and clear descriptions of what is expected.

As for customer service, I have sometimes gotten a machine, when I called during non business hours, but when I left a message or called again I talked to a live person that was always ready to help. And, when I used the contact form I always got a reply back.

I am sorry that you had issues and hope that you will give Elance another chance.

ComplaintsBoard
V
6:25 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

UpWork Terrible company!

I used elace.com to have some writing done. I just do not have enough time in my life. Most of the providers did good work. One provider did not finish her project and just disappeared. After a two months of trying to contact her I asked elace.com for a refund which I had prepaid for the project. I was told to down load a 4 page word document and fill it out and upload it. As I looked at the document I realized that the reason elace.com did not have a web form was elace.com was trying to complicate the refund procedure so they could keep my money. It was just not worth my time to get a refund. They were keeping my money. I will never use elace.com again! I hate cheaters!

Read full review of UpWork and 31 comments
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Jigar Moradiya
, US
Sep 18, 2018 7:52 pm EDT

Hi

My upwork account is suspended. I am not able to send the new proposal on new job post on upwork. Kindly resolve my account suspended issue as soon as possible, so i will continue my work on upwork.

My email id is : jigarmrd24@gmail.com

Please help me. Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Thanks,

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White Mice
, US
Sep 10, 2018 4:34 pm EDT

Good afternoon,
i mistakenly closed my account. I want it back i regret of doing it. Help me restore it.

I cant contact customer service

thanks

myza p . Bangcore

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Harcine
, US
Aug 20, 2012 12:10 pm EDT

Like so many similar sites, all the jobs posted pay absolute peanuts. If you are a western artist you will probably end up living in poverty. All the work is aimed at artists from the developing world who can work for weeks on end earning 10 dollars a day.

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SandyFrost
Los Angeles, US
Mar 19, 2015 9:28 am EDT

I totally agree.
Elance suspend people after people. And I have good facts in that matter from many.
Without warning they put freelancers off and suspend. Then give a very odd explanation about nothing. Just a lot of words with no explanation at all in reality. It is a scam to all freelancers over the world. How they are like a dictator scene..where no one can look in.
If you are out..you are out. With no more explanation.
It could be a good freelancer and honest .
Beware all clients to use such a platform ever !
They treat freelancers so bad. Its hard to even believe how something like this can excist 2015 in a modern world.

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Chris36
san francisco, US
Jan 09, 2015 4:57 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

things did not go well with this freelancer. after agreeing to the cost, he allegedly said we were adding more to what we originally agreed upon which was 200 dollars. then he asked for an additional 50 dollars. so we decided to to re establish the terms, and asked how much it would take to finish the project. he said he needs an additional 2000 dollars! we were getting ready to file a dispute but he filed one himself after we refused his offer to return 100 dollars. ultimately elance decided to split the cost. even though we could have gotten more if we accepted his refund, we want everyone to know that this project was disputed because the elancer was just asking for more money wihout any result for 4 weeks. we posted the same project and the new elancer quoted 300 dollars and took him 2 days to finish. so please be careful when getting the services of this scammer elancer. https://www.elance.com/s/aman619aggarwal/

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kscoped
Hilliard, US
Oct 01, 2014 8:03 am EDT

Hello,

Elance is the biggest scam I have come across, my account had loads of connects which came with my membership.
I was accumulating them for few months, they suddenly suspended my account. This came wthout any warning or notification to me.There is no appeal process as well. I have lost connects worth months of membership money which they charged to my
card. Biggest scammers, shameful company, I would never register in their workplace again.

With Regards,
Kscoped

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jason Filham
Little Rock, US
Aug 30, 2014 5:39 am EDT

Elance is a team of cheater who grab money form users. ### they are.

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RMSamonte
Ladera Ranch, US
Aug 20, 2014 3:41 pm EDT

I used to be someone who endorsed Elance for the ease of finding jobs and hiring contractors. However, I was also scammed by a contractor on Elance who had a 5 star rating and a good portfolio. I will admit to fault when I make a mistake. I know I was far too trusting with the rating system on Elance. But you would think that Elance would support the individuals who actually help generate revunue for their company rather than side with the fraudulent members on the site.

I made the mistake of trusting an Elancer with a good rating and prepaid him, Daiki Miyamoto, a good sum of money to start. We had agreed on a deadline which he did not meet. In fact, during the 3 week period, he didn't do any work! I stressed to him that the deadline cannot be missed and he reassured me that I would get something. However, all I got were excuses and he even had the nerve to ask me for more money! I decided to cut ties and see if I can get a refund for the amount I paid him.

I provided Elance a chat log with my contractor that clearly shows that he will not pay the refund hoping this would convince Elance that I was frauded by this contractor. Unfortunately, they have decided to side with him instead. I am totally disappointed and now I'm down a large sum of money and a deadline that is at risk of being missed.

Rey Samonte

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SilkwormXL
Oklahoma City, US
Jun 24, 2014 5:05 pm EDT

I've used Elance for over a year now (both as a provider and client) and have had very few complaints. Yes, their customer support is horrid and unapologetic. It is extremely hard to get any kind of non-scripted response out of them. The only time I've ever felt an actual human being looked at a trouble ticket was when I had an issue escalated to a higher tier of support.

A lot of people on here are complaining about being scammed, but that's you're own doing. Elance has many features in place to avoid being scammed. As a client - set up your milestones where you only release payments when the work you receive is complete and satisfactory - SIMPLE! As a freelancer - never start or complete a milestone without seeing that it is funded already - SIMPLE! Doing these simple steps ensures Elance will be on your side if a problem arises. These steps are clearly written in tooltips never to all the features I just mentioned - seems like you guys just aren't reading.

I've had several clients try to skip out on final payments, but because I made sure the milestone was pre-funded, Elance ensures it's release. They also have a built-in time card feature of hourly jobs that ensures your hours worked. If you choose not to use the program, why would Elance guarantee you payment when they can't prove you were doing anything?

These are simple ideals that apply to real world freelance jobs outside of Elance. When I take on a client outside of an escrow system, I always (as in EVERY SINGLE TIME) require a deposit up-front before starting work. Then you don't release the final work files until you receive the final payment. SIMPLE! Any client that doesn't agree to these terms was trying to scam you anyway.

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BrainMaples
, IN
Jun 06, 2014 3:00 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Asking work outside elance - WebsiteDesignz Kansas City, Missouri, United StatesHello Friends, I have been working with this client for last few months and he usually ask us to work outside elance and promise to pay without funding elance escrow. But he do never pays for work.Please guys beware from this fu*k*ng person, he always ask for work and whenever you want your money he makes fake promises and never get serious for money.He only asks work on time and sometimes force us to work on weekends.Please Please guys never do trust on this person, He has 2 profiles in Elance one is for Job Posting and other one is for Freelancer, I am sharing his both Public urls below.Public url as a Employer-https://www.elance.com/e/public/Dcu0sviArBAgigyj3ZBQyChzz1Bli0CKgiGLTjVL5Iw-/Public url as a Job Seeker- https://www.elance.com/s/websitedesignz/Generally he puts the job with the below content-"If you are a company please do not apply.All project details are discussed during the time of the interview.At least ** years exp.Able to work with a team, Monday to Friday from 4AM to 1PM Chicago time.Looking to advance in your skills and careerLooking to learn from others "And these are the job url that he has posted-https://www.elance.com/j/ios-developer-individuals-only/57661984/?backurl=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWxhbmNlLmNvbS9yL2pvYnMvcS13ZWJzaXRlZGVzaWdueg==https://www.elance.com/j/ios-developer/57517906/?backurl=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWxhbmNlLmNvbS9yL2pvYnMvcS13ZWJzaXRlZGVzaWdueg==https://www.elance.com/j/virtual-assistant-proposal-bidder-account-management/57662238/?backurl=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWxhbmNlLmNvbS9yL2pvYnMvcS13ZWJzaXRlZGVzaWdueg==Thank You

UpWork Customer Reviews Overview

Upwork is a popular online platform that connects businesses with freelancers from all over the world. The website has received numerous positive reviews from clients and freelancers alike. One of the most significant advantages of Upwork is its user-friendly interface, which makes it easy for clients to post job listings and for freelancers to find work that matches their skills and experience.

Another positive aspect of Upwork is the variety of job categories available, ranging from web development and graphic design to writing and translation services. This diversity ensures that clients can find the right freelancer for their project, regardless of the industry or niche.

Upwork also offers a range of tools and features that make it easy for clients to manage their projects and communicate with freelancers. These include time tracking, invoicing, and messaging tools, which help to streamline the entire process and ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.

Freelancers who use Upwork also benefit from the platform's payment protection policies, which ensure that they are paid for their work and that clients are satisfied with the results. This gives freelancers peace of mind and helps to build trust between clients and freelancers.

Overall, Upwork is a reliable and efficient platform that offers a range of benefits for both clients and freelancers. With its user-friendly interface, diverse job categories, and payment protection policies, it is no wonder that Upwork has received so many positive reviews from users around the world.

UpWork In-depth Review

In summary, UpWork is a very good platform for freelancers and businesses looking to hire. It has many services and a wide range of skills. The site is easy to use, and there is good support for when problems happen. But, it can be a bit expensive, and sometimes it is hard to choose because there are so many freelancers. Now, let's talk more about each part.

1. Overview of UpWork

UpWork is a big marketplace for freelancers. People and companies can find professionals for many kinds of jobs, like writing, programming, and design. It is a place where you can hire or get hired from all over the world.

2. Services Offered

UpWork offers services like job posting, freelancer search, and tools for managing projects. They also have a system for time tracking and making payments safe.

3. Ease of Use and Interface

The website is easy to use. You can find things quickly, and it is simple to post a job or to apply for work. The design is clean and not confusing.

4. Quality of Freelancers and Professionals

There are many skilled freelancers on UpWork. But, because there are so many, sometimes it is hard to find the best one. It is important to look at their profiles and past work.

5. Range of Skills and Expertise Available

UpWork has freelancers with many different skills. You can find people for small tasks or big projects in areas like tech, creative work, and business services.

6. Pricing and Value for Money

UpWork can be expensive because they take a fee from what you pay to freelancers. But, if you find the right person, it can be worth the money.

7. Project Posting and Bidding Process

When you post a job, freelancers will send proposals. You can choose who to hire by looking at their bids, profiles, and reviews.

8. Communication and Collaboration Tools

UpWork has good tools for talking with freelancers and working together. You can message, share files, and even video call inside the platform.

9. Payment Systems and Financial Security

The payment system is safe. UpWork makes sure that freelancers get paid and that clients are happy with the work before releasing the money.

10. Dispute Resolution and Support Services

If there is a problem, UpWork has a process for solving disputes. They also have customer support to help with any issues.

11. Success Stories and Case Studies

There are many stories of people and companies who have been successful with hiring or working on UpWork. These can be found on their website.

12. User Reviews and Ratings

Freelancers and jobs have reviews and ratings. This helps to choose who to hire or what jobs to apply for.

13. Mobile App Functionality

UpWork has a mobile app. It is useful for messaging and checking on jobs when you are not at your computer.

14. UpWork Policies and Guarantees

UpWork has policies to protect clients and freelancers. They make sure that the work is done well and that people get paid.

15. Comparison with Competing Platforms

Compared to other sites, UpWork has more jobs and freelancers. But, it can be more expensive and competitive.

16. Opportunities for Professional Growth

Freelancers can grow by getting good reviews and more experience. UpWork also offers tests to show skills.

17. Community and Networking Features

There is a community forum where you can talk with other users. This is good for making connections and learning.

18. Security Measures and Data Protection

UpWork takes care of your personal and payment information. They have strong security to protect data.

19. Accessibility and International Reach

People from many countries use UpWork. It is available in many languages and you can pay in different currencies.

20. Final Verdict and Recommendations

UpWork is a good choice if you need to hire freelancers or want to work as one. It is safe and has many options. But, remember to check the fees and reviews carefully. It is a good idea to start with a small project to learn how it works.

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3. Writing the title:
- Summarize the main issue with UpWork in the 'Complaint Title' section.

4. Detailing the experience:
- Provide detailed information about key areas of concern.
- Mention any relevant transactions with the company.
- Describe the nature of the issue.
- Include steps taken to resolve the problem and the company's response.
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Ensure each step is clearly defined to guide users effectively through the process of filing a complaint against UpWork on ComplaintsBoard.com.

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