Trust? Upwork Has Your Back.

“One of the biggest things for any online marketplace is trust,” said Elizabeth Tse, SVP of operations at Upwork. “How do you know that person? How do you know they will deliver what you need?”

When you post a project to Upwork, you want to connect with strong freelancers and have the information you need to make a decision and get started. You don’t want to worry whether they have the skills and experience they claim or if they will do the work.

“Trust at Upwork means you have confidence that you will connect with someone in another part of the world, whom you’ve never met, and know they will deliver a great work product that you can easily pay them for, with little-to-no hassle.”
— Elizabeth Tse, SVP of Operations, Upwork

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Previously an executive with eBay, Tse says trust is the key to success for any online marketplace. “Giving money to someone you’ve never met before and having that item show up on your doorstep—in 1999, that was revolutionary. Upwork brings a similarly revolutionary concept to work, one that can be extraordinarily successful if you have the right systems in place.”

Those systems include profile information about a freelancer’s history on the Upwork platform, Upwork Payment Protection for projects that qualify, and a dispute resolution process.

“Trust is something users shouldn’t have to think about,” said Jeff Chen, VP of trust & safety. “People inherently have confidence in the web, and it’s maintained as long as the marketplace you’re using continues to provide the experience you expect.”

Protecting that experience with an ecosystem of checks and balances at every step of the process is the core of Upwork’s marketplace. “There are many different signals—such as information security, a ratings system, and a feedback loop—that combine to help clients feel confident.”

High Expectations and Transparency Keep Users Accountable

Upwork is an open marketplace that allows clients and freelancers to network and collaborate. Through Upwork’s Terms of Service, all users agree to a level of professionalism and responsibility that they’re held accountable for.

“We don’t expect people to be perfect, but we do expect professionalism—the same high standards you’d have if you were working together in the same office.”
— Jeff Chen, VP of Trust & Safety, Upwork

One way the Upwork community monitors itself is through transparency—not just what someone says about themselves but other signals that reveal some of a freelancer’s history:

• Their introduction and self-assessed skills,
• Feedback from previous clients,
• Metrics like skill tests, per-project hours, and earnings.

Another metric is Upwork’s Job Success Score, a ratings system designed to provide more balanced insight into a freelancer’s past performance by accounting for factors, including both public and private feedback from clients.

If you want to easily find some of the highest rated freelancers on Upwork, look for indicators like Rising Talent and Top Rated, which are indicated by a badge on a freelancer’s profile.

These details can help you identify the best professional for your project and move on to the next step: The interview.

“Don’t just start to work with someone. You aren’t buying a camera, you’re looking for someone who can help your business grow,” Tse said. “Schedule a video chat using Upwork Messages. Ask about their portfolio, learn about who they are, and find out whether they’re the right fit for your project.”

Payment Protection Has You Covered

Upwork is the world’s largest freelancer marketplace by transaction volume, enabling more than $1 billion of work annually. In any given week, more than one million hours are billed through our website.

To help bring security and peace of mind through all these transactions, Upwork offers Payment Protection for two payment structures: hourly and fixed-price projects. With Payment Protection, freelancers can expect to be paid quickly for work they’ve done, while you can make sure you’re satisfied with the work you’re billed for.

“For hourly jobs, information collected using the team app can help you verify that people are working on your project—and if freelancers use them, their payment is protected,” Tse said. Using a combination of screenshots and memos from the freelancer, you can confirm what’s been worked on by reviewing the Work Diary as part of the billing process.

“With a fixed-price project, the client has an opportunity to review the work at each milestone, and can release the payment when they’re satisfied with the work. The freelancer is protected by clients putting the money in escrow in advance,” Tse said. “They can start the work once they see the money has already been set aside.”

On occasion, projects don’t go as planned. However, fewer than half a percent of ended contracts go through Upwork’s dispute resolution process, a service that’s available to help resolve disagreements.

“A good or bad experience can be easier to measure when you’re dealing with goods. For example, if you order a camera, you know whether it arrived as described and in working order,” Tse said. “It’s a little bit harder when you’re talking about services. ‘Did the logo meet the expectations you agreed to?’ It’s more complex. There can also be tension and personality differences. It rarely happens, but if it does, we’re here to help.”

As Tse explains, we make it easier for people who’ve never met to set clear expectations and work together safely. “The Upwork marketplace in and of itself provides trust, and it’s the safest place for people to get things done.”

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