To purchase Connects or upgrade your Upwork membership, add a billing method via Account Settings > Billing & Payments. Supported options include credit/debit cards, PayPal (with a backup card), and Venmo. You can manage multiple methods, but only one can be primary at a time. Failed payments may downgrade your plan.
To help you get work with clients through Upwork, you may want to purchase Connects or upgrade to a membership plan. To do so, you’ll need to add at least one billing method to your account.
Add a new billing method
- Go to Account Settings > Billing & Payments
- Choose the Add a billing method button
- Enter your billing information
Billing method options
- Use a credit or debit card. Upwork accepts Visa, Discover, Diners Club, Diners Club International, Mastercard, and American Express. We also accept prepaid cards. Learn more about adding a credit or prepaid card to your account.
- Use PayPal. Freelancers with a verified PayPal account can use PayPal as their billing method. Learn more about verifying and linking your PayPal account. Note: A credit card needs to be added as a backup billing method if you plan to use PayPal to purchase Connects or pay for a membership plan.
- Use Venmo. Freelancers with a Venmo account can use Venmo as their billing method. Learn more about verifying and linking your Venmo account.
Pro tip
You can only have one primary billing method in use at a time, but you can add multiple billing methods to your account and switch between them as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my primary billing method?
A primary billing method is your default billing method. To change your primary billing method:
- Go to Account Settings > Billing & Payments
- Choose Set as Primary
Note
You must add and set up an alternative billing method before changing or deleting your primary billing method.
How do I remove my billing method?
To remove a billing method:
- Go to Account Settings > Billing & Payments
- Choose Remove from the method you are removing
You can remove billing methods at any time. Before changing or deleting your primary billing method, you must add and set up an alternative payment method. This helps avoid interruptions to your account.
There are problems with my billing method. Does that impact my membership plan?
Yes. If we try to charge you for your membership plan and the payment fails, we’ll move you to our free membership plan. Once you update your billing method, you can re-enroll in a paid membership plan at any time.
Should a membership renewal charge from Upwork to your billing method fail for any reason, you'll be immediately downgraded to a Freelancer Basic plan. To re-enroll in a Freelancer Plus plan, please resolve the issue with your billing method and upgrade again.
If you are sure the account details for your billing method are correct and there are sufficient funds in your account, contact your bank.