How to start hiring on Upwork

How to start hiring on Upwork

Ready to bring in independent talent? Start by creating a client account, adding a billing method, and either posting a job or purchasing a pre-scoped project in Project Catalog™.

Once you’ve connected with a freelancer, you can collaborate, share files, manage contracts, and pay securely — all in one place.

Most clients find and start working with talent in just a few days.

To make the process simple, we’ve broken it into three main phases:

1. Set up your account and verify your billing method 
2. Find and hire a freelancer by posting a job or browsing Project Catalog
3. Manage the work and payments once your contract begins

1. Set up your account and billing info

• Create a client account. If you already have a freelancer account, you can add a client profile with the same login
• Complete your company profile. Add your company name, tagline, description, and website, and upload your business logo. Don’t add personal contact details (i.e., email address, phone number, chat ID) — sharing them publicly is against our Terms of Service
• Verify your information. For security, you’ll need to verify your phone number, add a billing method, or both. You won’t be able to hire until this step is done

Hiring on behalf of a company? Create a company account.

2. Find and work with a freelancer

You can connect with talent on Upwork in two main ways:

Post a job to get proposals

A job post is a listing you create to tell freelancers what you need. Describe your project, the skills required, scope, and budget so they can send tailored proposals.

• To create a job post, go to your client dashboard and choose Post a job. 
• Once your job post is live, you can review proposals, find qualified freelancers and invite them to submit proposals, and begin interviewing.
• You can easily follow up with a phone, chat, or video conversation. You’ll find options for Zoom and Upwork video meetings right in Upwork Messages. 

Not sure which contract type to choose? Before making your first job post, learn more about contract types.

Browse and buy services in Project Catalog

Project Catalog is Upwork’s marketplace of predefined projects with a set scope, price, and timeline. You can browse packages, choose the one that fits your needs, and start working with a freelancer right away.

Here’s how it works:

1. Browse Project Catalog to find the service that fits your needs
2. Message the freelancer before you buy if you have any questions
3. Choose your package and any add-ons, then submit your requirements
4. The project can start once you’ve shared the details needed to do the work

Note: A one-time Contract Initiation Fee applies to each new hourly, fixed-price, or Project Catalog contract. It’s charged with your first payment and helps cover secure payment processing.

 

3. Manage the work and payments

Once you’ve found the talent you need, have a kickoff meeting to align on communication, availability, deliverables, and the review process. If the freelancer or agency will collaborate with your team, introduce them and share contact details so everyone can stay connected.

As the project moves forward:

• Stay in touch through Upwork Messages when you need to share information and updates
• Review progress regularly by checking the work diary for hourly contracts or submitted deliverables for fixed-price work
• Track spending and performance in your transaction history

Payments work differently by contract type:

• Hourly contracts: You’re billed automatically each week for the hours your freelancer logs, up to the agreed weekly limit. You can adjust the freelancer’s weekly hour limit anytime if your project needs change
• Fixed-price contracts: You’ll fund each milestone before work begins, and payment is released when you approve the work. If you don’t use milestones, the full contract amount is funded and released at once

What’s the fastest way to hire on Upwork?

The fastest ways to hire are through Project Catalog or by sending direct invites. If you’re on a tight timeline:

• Browse Project Catalog to purchase a ready-made project with a set scope, price, and timeline
• Send direct invites to freelancers or agencies you find through search or recommendations, so they can respond right away

Get more tips to hire faster and streamline your hiring process.