Upwork’s talent badges help freelancers showcase their skills and reputation to clients. The Rising Talent badge is awarded to promising new freelancers with strong profiles and early success. The Top Rated badge highlights freelancers with consistent positive client feedback and high performance, while Top Rated Plus is reserved for top freelancers with proven success on large contracts. The Expert-Vetted badge is for the top 1% of talent, identified through a screening process. These badges increase visibility, signal expertise, and offer benefits like faster payments and priority support.

Note:

If you direct or accept payments outside of our payment system, or repeatedly communicate off Upwork before a contract is in place, you'll lose your Rising Talent, Top Rated, or Top Rated Plus badge. You won’t be eligible to earn them again for a period of six months. You can protect your reputation and standing on Upwork by adhering to our Terms of Service. Learn more about Circumvention and why it’s against the rules here.

Rising Talent


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When you're new to Upwork, the Rising Talent badge lets clients know you are among the best new freelancers in the Upwork marketplace.

To become Rising Talent, you must be invited. If you're selected, we'll add the badge and you won't need to take any action. You'll need to have great potential based on a strong background in your field(s) and early success with your Upwork clients. Agencies can also earn a Rising Talent badge, showing that they either have strong backgrounds in their industries or were started by Top Rated freelancers.

This badge is one of the ways that we help freelancers and agencies who are new to our platform establish themselves on Upwork.

Criteria

We award this badge based on the criteria listed, plus the quality of your profile. This includes your profile description, skills, portfolio, education, work history, and the category of your work.

To be eligible for the Rising Talent badge, you must:

  • Have a 100% complete profile with accurate skills and genuine work
  • Keep your availability status updated
  • Have positive performance on Upwork — submit high-quality proposals, be selected for jobs, and complete jobs as promised
  • Follow the Upwork Terms of Service
  • Have a JSS of at least 90%, if you've earned a JSS (you don't have to have a JSS to receive a Rising Talent badge)
  • Be invited by Upwork
Benefits
  • A Rising Talent badge that displays on your profile and projects
  • A one-time bonus of 30 free Connects to help you grow your business
  • Ability to offer consultations to share expertise with clients

Once you have enough work history on Upwork, we will add a Job Success Score (JSS), which can also help communicate your potential to clients.

Important:

The Rising Talent badge is available by invitation and will be added to your profile if you qualify. You may not be awarded the badge, even if you meet all the qualifications.

Learn more about earning a Rising Talent badge here.

Top Rated


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You can earn a Top Rated badge if you’ve built a strong reputation on Upwork by getting consistent positive feedback from your clients. If you become Top Rated, you will represent the top 10% of talent on Upwork.

We update eligibility every two weeks to be sure to recognize the most current outstanding members of our marketplace. We know competition can be strong, so this is our way of giving a leg up to talent who impress their clients.

Learn more about becoming Top Rated here.

Criteria

To qualify for the Top Rated badge as a freelancer, you must have:

  • A current Job Success Score of 90% or higher
  • Had your first project on Upwork more than 90 days ago
  • Maintained Rising Talent status or a Job Success Score of at least 90% for at least 13 of the last 16 weeks
  • A 100% complete profile (90% for those who brought their profiles over from Elance)
  • Earned at least $1,000 USD in the past 12 months
  • Up-to-date availability (if unavailable now, set a date estimate)
  • An account in good standing with no recent account holds
  • Activity on the platform (proposal, accepted invitation, or earnings) in the past 90 days
Benefits
  • A Top Rated badge that displays on your profile and projects to all clients
  • Our Job Digest email to make it easier for you to find jobs that are a great match
  • Faster payments on hourly contracts
  • Ability to offer consultations to share expertise with clients

Top Rated Plus


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To earn a Top Rated Plus badge, you must display proven success on large or long-term contracts. You will have built a strong reputation on Upwork by getting positive feedback time after time, including work on high-value contracts. If you become Top Rated Plus, you will represent the top 3% of performers on Upwork. You worked hard to get here, so we want to help you show it off.

Learn more about becoming Top Rated Plus here.

Criteria

To qualify for the Top Rated Plus badge as a freelancer, you must have:

  • Demonstrated consistent high-quality work with multiple clients
  • An outstanding Job Success Score (at least 90%) and maintained Top Rated status
  • An up-to-date and complete freelancer or agency profile
  • Accurately listed your current availability for new jobs
  • An account in good standing with no recent account holds
  • Total earnings over $10,000 in the past 12 months
  • Worked or be working on one or more large contracts in the past 12 months without negative outcomes
Benefits
  • A Top Rated Plus badge on your profile and projects
  • Our Job Digest email to make it easier for you to find jobs that are a great match
  • Faster payments on hourly contracts
  • Priority customer support
  • Ability to offer consultations to share expertise with clients

Expert-Vetted


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To earn an Expert-Vetted badge, you must go through a pre-screening process with our Talent Managers. If you become Expert-Vetted, you will represent the top 1% of talent on Upwork. If you're here, you're among the elite on Upwork, and we want to let prospective clients know it.

Learn more about becoming Expert-Vetted here.

Criteria

To qualify for the Expert-Vetted badge, you must:

  • Possess exceptional expertise in your field
  • Pass a screening process by Talent Managers
  • Possess strong soft skills including excellent communication
Benefits

When you earn Expert-Vetted status, you’ll get to enjoy the following benefits:

  • Expert-level talent badge and priority: Signal your excellence with a profile badge, show up in expert-level talent client searches, and be invited first to privately posted projects
  • Talent Manager access: Gain access to a Talent Manager who can provide tips on optimizing your profile for clients you want and projects that earn
  • Professional development: Network with a community of professionals, access complimentary coaching, and attend skill-specific workshops
  • Priority access to opportunities with Business Plus and Enterprise clients, including Fortune 500 companies
  • Ability to offer consultations to share expertise with clients

Eligibility


Upwork's Talent Badges highlight proven or expert talent on Upwork. Learn more below about the criteria for freelancers and non-exclusive agency members.

Note:

Agencies have different criteria to qualify for Upwork's Talent Badges. Find more details about each badge in the links at the top of the chart.

Criteria Rising Talent Top Rated Top Rated Plus Expert-Vetted Talent

Job Success Score (JSS)

Not required

90%
or higher *

90%
or higher *

Not required

Must be invited

 

 

✓ Typically must be invited - opportunities to apply may be offered occasionally

Required Expert screening

 

 

 

100% complete Freelancer Profile

 

Comply with Upwork Terms of Service

First contract on Upwork was more than 90 days ago

 

 

Submitted a proposal in the past 90 days (or were hired more than 30 days ago)

 

 

 

Up-to-date availability for new jobs

 

12-month earnings of at least $1,000

 

 

12-month earnings of at least $10,000

 

 

 

* To receive and keep Top Rated status, you must have a Job Success Score of at least 90% (or have been in Rising Talent status) for 13 of the last 16 weeks.

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