Upwork fees: what you actually keep
Since 2025 Upwork charges a variable Freelancer Service Fee of 0–15%, set per contract and shown on the offer. Your balance is always in USD, so if you live outside the US a second cost hits on withdrawal: the currency conversion, done by Upwork’s payment partners at a markup Upwork does not publish.
Sources: Upwork fee · withdrawal fees · verified
On $1,000.00 Upwork keeps $100.00 (10%). The best way home to Spain leaves you $894.41 via ACH to a Wise USD account, then convert, $21.41 more than PayPal.
| Withdrawal route | Upwork fee | Withdrawal | Conversion | You keep (USD value) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACH to a Wise USD account, then convert Keeps the most $2.99 ACH fee for international tax addresses (from 2026-09-01), then Wise converts at mid-market + 0.29% |
$100.00 | $2.99 | $2.60 | $894.41 |
| Payoneer Upwork does not list a fee; Payoneer converts from 1.2% |
$100.00 | — | $10.80 | $889.20 |
| PayPal Upwork does not list a fee; PayPal converts at a 3% markup |
$100.00 | — | $27.00 | $873.00 |
| Direct to local bank $0.99 per transfer, converted to EUR by Upwork’s partner at an unpublished markup |
$100.00 | $0.99 | not published | ≤ $899.01 |
| US dollar wire $50 per transfer, arrives in USD (your bank may convert and charge on top) |
$100.00 | $50.00 | not published | ≤ $850.00 |
All figures in USD value at the mid-market rate. Conversion costs use each provider’s published markup; where none is published we say so rather than guess. Connects, membership plans and taxes are not included.
Why the withdrawal matters
The platform fee is only half of it
Upwork pays out in US dollars. Outside the US, every route converts that balance somewhere, and the markup on that conversion ranges from under 0.5% to 4%.
Getting paid by clients directly instead? Compare Stripe, PayPal, Wise and five more for a US client paying you in Spain. See also Fiverr fees.
Upwork fees: questions
How much does Upwork take from freelancers?
A Freelancer Service Fee of 0–15%, set per contract and shown on the offer before you accept it. On a $1,000 contract at 10% that is $100.00.
How much does it cost to withdraw money from Upwork?
It depends on the method: $0.99 per transfer direct to a local bank outside the US (converted at a markup Upwork does not publish), $2.99 by ACH to a US account such as Wise for international tax addresses, $50 for a US dollar wire, and no listed Upwork fee for PayPal or Payoneer, which then charge their own conversion.
What is the cheapest way to withdraw Upwork earnings in Europe?
On a $1,000 contract paid into a euro account, ACH to a Wise USD account, then convert: you keep $894.41 after the 10% service fee, the withdrawal and the conversion.