This article provides troubleshooting tips for when a payment you are trying to make (e.g., a payment to a freelancer as a client or purchasing Connects as a freelancer) fails, and you receive an error message on Upwork.
If your payment fails on Upwork, we recommend trying the following:
Verify your payment method
- Ensure your billing method is valid, active, and has sufficient funds
- Check that the details you provided in your Upwork account (card/account number, expiration date, billing address) match what your bank or payment provider has on file
Retry the payment
- Go to Settings > Billing & Payments > Billing Methods and retry your payment, if the option is available
Contact your payment provider
- If the payment is declined repeatedly, reach out to your bank or payment provider to ensure there are no blocks or restrictions on your bank account
Use a different payment method
- Add an alternate payment method in Settings > Billing & Payments > Billing Methods and try completing the payment with that. The options available to you will be listed there.
Note: We always recommend having an additional billing method in case your primary card expires or other payment issues occur. When payment issues happen, your account is at risk of suspension. You may be required to have an additional billing method on file if you use your bank account as your primary billing method.
Check for Upwork issues
- Check if there’s a system-wide issue by visiting the Upwork Status page
Clear cache and cookies
- Sometimes, clearing your browser’s cache and cookies or switching browsers can resolve technical issues