When the work and collaboration on a contract is done, you can end the contract and leave feedback on your freelancer’s performance.
A few reminders before you end your contract
- Confirm with your freelancer that you are on the same page about closing the contract
- Make sure you are closing the account properly so you don’t risk losing access to Upwork and the tools that help protect you if a problem arises. In most cases, we know contracts are closed simply because the work is done. However, if you are closing a contract to avoid Upwork fees, that puts us in the difficult position of having to permanently close your Upwork account due to circumvention, which is against our Terms of Service
- Once a contract is ended, our system will lock your freelancer’s Work Diary immediately, so you don’t have to worry about additional hours being billed
- You will be billed for hours logged, but if there’s any issue, you can always dispute them during the usual weekly billing cycle review
- Freelancers and agencies can give a refund on any active or ended contract for payments made within the past 180 days
To end a contract:
- Go to Jobs › All Contracts to find the contract
- Choose the (...) options button and select End contract, or select the End contract button on your dashboard
- Click End Contract to confirm
Important steps to take after the contract ends
- Change or revoke any passwords or special access that you gave the freelancer during the contract
- Ensure you’ve received all related work from the freelancer and any work-related materials and equipment of yours that you allowed them to use during the contract
- Remind the freelancer to remove any property of yours that they used or created for you, such as documents, files, or software, from their equipment
- You and your freelancer or agency can leave feedback. It is a double-blind system, which means your freelancer or agency will see the feedback you left them once they have left feedback for you
Note:
Your feedback is incredibly valuable to all clients who use Upwork, as it helps them see honest opinions about a freelancer’s work on Upwork. Because it’s so important, we hope you’ll take the time to provide it.
Additional tips for ending contracts
We give all clients and freelancers the freedom to end a contract at any time. Here are some tips for ending things on a positive note:
- Talk to your freelancer or agency before ending a contract as it is always best if everyone is aware of what's going on and in agreement about it. It also might give you the opportunity to resolve any issues that are prompting you to close the contract
- Discuss the work. Has it been completed to your satisfaction?
- If the contract was hourly, give the freelancer or agency the opportunity to check the current week's Work Diary and make adjustments, if necessary. This can help you both avoid a dispute later
