Upwork

If you're a freelancer then you've likely already heard of Upwork. If not, Upwork is a platform for freelancers and businesses to connect and collaborate remotely. Upwork boasts over five million clients making it the perfect place to look for work regardless of what you do. Upwork also has a surprisingly full-featured mobile app that has been in the works for some time. The app has a very sleek interface that features tucked away menus on the left side of the screen which allow the user to access a wide array of functions. The app allows full access to the messaging feature on the website, allowing freelancers to keep in touch with clients from anywhere and can be configured to give notifications when you receive a message. Below this is an option to see your invitations to interview. This allows you to accept or reject invitations and respond to any questions asked by the potential client. This section also allows you to copy or upload your cover letter. Next in the menu is the "Find Work" tab. Impressively this section is just as fleshed out as the job search section of their full desktop website. You can enter searches, look at past searches, save favorite jobs or searches, and even sort the jobs postings with any filter that the website has. The find work section also allows you to send proposals to potential clients and again has the option to copy or upload a cover letter. Below this, you can view job offers that have been sent to you, see the terms and either accept or reject them. The app also lets you look at proposals you have submitted already. Finally, at the very bottom of the app is a settings tab and a feedback form. The great thing about this is that the developers of the Upwork app legitimately look at the feedback, respond, and actually make changes to the app in a timely manner. Even as recently as six months ago the app was not nearly as user-friendly and useful as it is in its current form. If you're looking for a way to find new clients and stay in touch with existing ones while on the go the Upwork app is a great option.

I've been on Upwork for a few months and have made some decent money. Most work is in the lower range but it is possible to charge more and get more. The platform is clunky but it works: you easily reach out to clients and connect with them. There are two types of freelancer who do well on Upwork. Beginners who will work for low hourly rates will get clips and experience. People who fall into long-term relationships with clients and who are sought after, so they don't need to keep making proposals, also do well. There are several problems. For instance, if you work big jobs on hourly rates, you show up as having worked very few hours. Some clients insist on a minimum of 100, 1000 or even more hours. Theoretically you could write a good proposal but most clients screen those out. Second, Upwork's algorithm for rating your success is secret. I had great success and did well with my first jobs, but just one or two unhappy people on tiny test jobs knocked my ratings down. This can happen easily. Third Upwork now charges you for each connect, i.e., each time you bid on a job. So there's no incentive to take risks and try something new. Many (if not most) jobs are posted with insufficient information, e.g., "Need a website for our company." You can spend a lot of time bidding and see no results. I've also had the experience of preparing a bid only to see the job go private while I was working on the proposal. So it's a good platform if you get lucky and hit the right clients. It's just not something you can count on.