Bonus and miscellaneous payments on Upwork are optional extras from clients, often used to reward exceptional work or cover out-of-scope tasks. These payments aren’t covered by Upwork’s Payment Protection, can’t be disputed, and aren’t meant to replace regular contract terms. Funds undergo a five-day security period before becoming available.
Clients may choose to send you bonus payments or other types of one-off payments outside your normal contract terms. These can be a nice way to reward great work—but it’s important to understand how they work, and what protections do or don’t apply.
What are bonus payments?
A bonus payment is extra money a client sends you through your existing contract. Clients often use bonuses for things like:
- Meeting or exceeding expectations
- Completing work ahead of schedule
- Tackling a task that was outside the original scope
You’ll see these payments labeled as “Bonus” in your transaction history.
What about miscellaneous payments?
Sometimes a client might want to send a miscellaneous payment—for example, adding funds to a fixed-price milestone for extra tasks. These are treated similarly to bonuses when it comes to payment processing and protection.
Key things to know
Here’s what to keep in mind if you receive a bonus or a miscellaneous payment:
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Not covered by Payment Protection. Unlike hourly work (which is covered by Hourly Protection) or fixed-price milestones with escrow deposits, bonus and miscellaneous payments are not protected by Upwork’s Payment Protection programs. Learn more: How Upwork protects your payments
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Cannot be disputed. Because there’s no work diary or escrow tied to these payments, you won’t be able to dispute them if something goes wrong. Be sure you fully trust the client before doing extra work outside the agreed contract terms.
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Should not replace normal contract payments. Bonus payments are meant for extra compensation—not for core project work. Clients should not use them instead of setting up milestones or logging hours.
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Funds aren’t instantly available. Like other payments on Upwork, bonus and miscellaneous payments go through a standard security period. You’ll typically see them show up as “Pending” for five days before they become available for withdrawal.
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Watch for “TBD” payment status. If you see a payment labeled as “TBD” in your reports or transaction history, it means we haven’t received the funds from the client yet. This usually means there’s an issue on the client’s side (like a failed payment method or account hold). You won’t be able to withdraw the funds until that’s resolved.
Tips for handling these payments
- Set expectations with clients early: If they want to send extra funds, clarify whether it’ll be a bonus or an updated milestone, and note that protection may differ.
- Check your reports regularly: Your transaction history and pending tab can help you track when bonus funds will be available.
- When in doubt, use escrow or log hours: For anything beyond a simple thank-you bonus, using the standard Upwork contract structure helps keep both you and the client protected.