Learn what Upwork’s Top Rated Plus status means, its benefits, eligibility criteria, and what qualifies as a large contract.
In this article
- What is Top Rated Plus on Upwork?
- What are the benefits of being Top Rated Plus?
- How do I earn Top Rated Plus status?
- What are the criteria for being Top Rated Plus?
- What's considered a large contract?
What is Top Rated Plus on Upwork?
Top Rated Plus is our way of highlighting freelancers and agencies who consistently perform on large contracts at the highest level. You put in the effort and we want to make sure you're recognized for it by having the badge below on your profile.
What are the benefits of being Top Rated Plus?
- 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
Important: 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 here.
How do I earn Top Rated Plus status?
You can earn Top Rated Plus status by building an impressive reputation on Upwork with both large and longer-term contracts. You must have a proven history of success with multiple clients, delight your clients with your work every time, and contribute to a safe and vibrant marketplace by knowing and following the Upwork Terms of Service.
Pro tip: If you've already earned Top Rated status and want to learn more about becoming Top Rated Plus, check My stats to find a breakdown of your progress.
What are the criteria for being Top Rated Plus?
For individual freelancers and non-exclusive agency members:
- Total earnings over $10,000 in the past 12 months
- Worked or working on one or more large contracts in the past 12 months without negative outcomes. You must earn funds on your large contract within the past 12 months for it to remain qualified. Otherwise, it does not qualify for Top Rated Plus.
- Maintained Top Rated status
For agencies and their exclusive agency members:
- Agencies have total earnings over $20,000 in the past 12 months
- Worked or working on one or more large contracts in the past 12 months without negative outcomes (<10% for agencies)
- Maintained Top Rated status
Note: Freelancers who work with an agency can be either exclusive or non-exclusive members. To earn Top Rated Plus status, both types are eligible — but with a key distinction: If the agency earns the Top Rated Plus badge, all eligible exclusive agency members automatically inherit that badge too.
What's considered a large contract?
The criteria for a “large contract” is specific to the contract category. We base these amounts on the opportunities currently available on Upwork. See below for amounts.
Freelancers
| Category | Large Contract Amount |
|---|---|
| Accounting and Consulting | $10,000 |
| Admin Support | $10,000 |
| Customer Support | $20,000 |
| Data Science and Analytics | $10,000 |
| Design and Creative | $5,000 |
| Engineering and Architecture | $5,000 |
| IT and Engineering | $10,000 |
| Legal | $5,000 |
| Sales and Marketing | $10,000 |
| Translation | $5,000 |
| Web, Mobile and Software Development | $15,000 |
| Writing | $5,000 |
Agencies
| Category | Large Contract Amount |
|---|---|
| Accounting and Consulting | $20,000 |
| Admin Support | $20,000 |
| Customer Service | $20,000 |
| Data Science and Analytics | $20,000 |
| Design and Creative | $10,000 |
| Engineering and Architecture | $10,000 |
| IT and Networking | $20,000 |
| Legal | $10,000 |
| Sales and Marketing | $20,000 |
| Translation | $10,000 |
| Web, Mobile and Software Development | $30,000 |
| Writing | $10,000 |