Upwork is a leading global freelancing platform with over 18 million skilled freelancers and 5 million clients in over 180 nations.
As the freelancing industry continues to grow, Upwork has become an important platform for businesses looking for skilled professionals on a flexible basis.
We’ve listed the number of freelancers and clients on Upwork. The latest figures about the platform’s revenue, GSV, and market value are also listed in the later sections.
Upwork Statistics 2026 (Top Picks)
- Over 18 million freelancers are registered on Upwork.
- Freelancers on Upwork earn an average of $39 per hour.
- There are 841,000 active clients on Upwork.
- In 2023, Upwork’s revenue reached $689.14 million.
- Upwork has projected 6-8% revenue growth in 2026.
How Many Freelancers Are On Upwork?
- Over 18 million freelancers from more than 180 countries are registered on Upwork.
- Upwork’s Gross Services Volume (GSV) was $4.1 billion, and it remained steady at $4 billion in 2024, too. This represents the total amount spent by clients and the money earned by freelancers.
- In a 2020 study, 1 out of 800 freelancers makes over $1000 on Upwork every month. However, Upwork’s report from 2024 highlights that there was a 58% increase in “Freelance Plus” revenue.
- Upwork removed 1.8 million freelancers in 2020 due to “skills gap.”
- There are 3.7 million American freelancers on Upwork.
They make up approximately 20-25% of the freelancers registered on the platform. Meanwhile, freelancers from India make up 9%.
Note: Upwork no longer officially reports the total number of registered accounts to investors.
Top Countries Using Upwork By Freelancer Revenue
The core three markets that contribute to more than 51% revenue on Upwork include the United States, India, and the Philippines.
The United States makes up to 25.6% of total global earnings on Upwork. The Philippines, on the other hand, makes up 13.5%, and India is close at 12.5%.
Here is a table showing the percentage of freelancers on Upwork by country:
| Country | Percentage of Global Earnings |
|---|---|
| The United States | 25.6% |
| Philippines | 13.5% |
| India | 12.5% |
| The United Kingdom | 3% |
| Canada | 2% |
| Others | 43.4% |
- The average pay for a freelancer on Upwork is $39 per hour.
The total pay range for freelancers on Upwork is between $29 to $54 per hour.
Freelance writers can make $10 to $100 per hour on Upwork. Meanwhile, Freelance Web developers can make $13-$324/hour on Upwork.
On the other hand, Freelance Graphic Designers can make $15-$150/hour on Upwork.
- There are over 90 available categories in 12 industry verticals on Upwork.
Web, Mobile, and Software Development is the most popular category, with 34% of the share.
Here is a table showing the most popular categories on Upwork.
| Categories | Share Of Category On Upwork |
|---|---|
| Web, Mobile, and Software Development | 34% |
| Writing | 18% |
| Admin and Support | 11% |
| Design and Creative | 9% |
| Sales and Marketing | 8% |
| Other Categories | 20% |
- More than 73% of Upwork freelancers have a college degree.
- 61.42% of all freelancers on Upwork are male, and 38.58% are female.
Source: Wikipedia, Glassdoor, SellCoursesOnline, Luisa Zhou, Upwork
Upwork Clients Statistics
- Upwork has more than 5 million clients, but only 851 thousand of them are active.
Here is a table showing the number of active Upwork clients recorded over the years.
| Year | Number Of Upwork Clients |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 851,000 |
| 2022 | 814,000 |
| 2021 | 771,000 |
| 2020 | 633,000 |
| 2019 | 540,000 |
- Upwork generates over $2.5 billion every year from these clients.
- More than 4,146 companies are expected to use Upwork as a talent marketplace tool.
- 40% of Upwork clients hired people for multiple roles.
- Within three days, the client hires freelancers on Upwork.
Clients may hire you in about two days. In contrast, some clients reply within 10 minutes and hire you after a chat. But some might let the job accumulate proposals to get the best fit for up to a week.
- The client spending retention rate is 102% on Upwork.
- Upwork gives services to 30% of Fortune 100 companies.
- Companies can save 30% by hiring freelancers from Upwork.
Source: Earthweb, SellCourseOnline, 6Sense, Upwork community.
Upwork Revenue & Finances Statistics
- Upwork generated a revenue of $769.32 million in 2024.
Upwork’s average revenue growth was 20.38% in 2023.
Official reports from Upwork state that they are projecting 6-8% revenue growth in 2026.
Here is a table showing Upwork’s worldwide revenue over the years:
| Year | Revenue Of Upwork | Average Revenue Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2026* | $1.40 billion | 6-8% |
| 2025* | $1.017 billion | 25.54% |
| 2024* | $0.769 billion | 22.96% |
| 2023 | $0.698 billion | 20.38% |
| 2022 | $0.566 billion | 22.98% |
| 2021 | $0.503 billion | 34.57% |
| 2020 | $0.374 billion | 24.31% |
| 2019 | $0.301 billion | 18.63% |
| 2018 | $0.253 billion | 25.08% |
| 2017 | $0.203 billion | – |
- The company’s net loss for the year 2023 was $72 million.
Comparatively, in the year 2022, a net of $89.9 million was recorded. This was up by 60% compared to 2021.
Upwork’s net income was $29.5 million in Q3 of 2023.
The experts predicted Upwork’s net income will be $11 million by 2025.
Here is a table showing Upwork’s net income from 2018 to 2025.
| Year | The Net Income Of Upwork |
|---|---|
| 2025 | -$11 million |
| 2024 | -$46 million |
| 2023 | -$72 million |
| 2022 | -$90 million |
| 2021 | -$56 million |
| 2020 | -$23 million |
| 2019 | -$17 million |
| 2018 | -$20 million |
- Upwork’s net margin is predicted to reach 1.10% in 2025.
Here is a table showing Upwork’s net margin from 2018 to 2025.
| Year | The Net Margin Of Upwork |
|---|---|
| 2025 | -1.10% |
| 2024 | -5.52% |
| 2023 | -10.37% |
| 2022 | -14.54% |
| 2021 | -11.19% |
| 2020 | -6.12% |
| 2019 | -5.54% |
| 2018 | -7.86% |
Source: Upwork, Sellcoursesonline, Upwork, FreelanceMVP.
Upwork Gross Services Volume
- Upwork’s gross services volume was $4.1 billion in 2022.
Here is a table showing the Gross Service Volume of Upwork from 2017 to 2022.
| Year | Gross Service Volume |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $4.1 billion |
| 2021 | $3.5 billion |
| 2020 | $2.5 billion |
| 2019 | $2.1 billion |
| 2018 | $1.8 billion |
| 2017 | $1.4 billion |
- US-based clients generated 66% of Upwork’s gross services volume in 2021.
Except for the United States, no other country is generating over 10% of its annual gross services volume.
Here is a table showing the contribution of US-based clients from 2017 to 2021.
| Year | Contribution Of US-Based Clients In GSV |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 66% |
| 2020 | 67% |
| 2019 | 68% |
| 2018 | 66% |
| 2017 | 67% |
- Upwork’s gross service volume per client was $5,045 in 2022.
Between 2019 and 2022, Upwork experienced a 19.89% hike in gross services volume per active client.
Here is a table showing the average value of gross service volume per client from 2019 to 2022.
| Year | GSV Per Client | Growth of GSV Per Client |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $5,045 | 10% |
| 2021 | $4599 | 15% |
| 2020 | $3989 | 3% |
| 2019 | $3864 | 9% |
Source: Marketscreener, Upwork, Sellcoursesonline, FreelanceMVP.
Upwork Number Of Employees
Upwork has over 800 employees.
That’s a decrease of 50 employees compared to 850 employees working at Upwork in 2022.
The following table displays the total number of Upwork employees by year:
| Year | Number Of Upwork Employees |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 800 |
| 2022 | 850 |
| 2021 | 650 |
| 2020 | 540 |
| 2019 | 570 |
| 2018 | 430 |
| 2017 | 395 |
Miscellaneous Upwork Statistics
- Upwork takes around 10% of the Freelancer’s pay. This fee can vary by the earnings of freelancers.
The following table displays the Upwork fees for freelancers.
| Earnings of Freelancers | Upwork’s Fees |
|---|---|
| $0 to $500 | 20% |
| $500.01 to $10,000.01 | 10% |
| More than 10,000.01 | 5% |
- Companies can save 30% by hiring freelancers from Upwork.
- On the Android store, Upwork has been downloaded more than 5 million times.
- More than 4 million messages take place on Upwork per week.
Source: sellcoursesonline.com, websitebuilderinsider.com, lucatagliaferro.com
Conclusion: Over 18 Million Freelancers Are There On Upwork
Upwork has become a leading platform in the freelance world, connecting over 18 million freelancers with clients across various fields.
Freelancers earn $39 per hour on average, highlighting the platform’s appeal for flexible, well-paying work.
Further, with 841,000 active clients and a revenue of $689.14 million in 2023, Upwork is expanding its reach and growing successfully worldwide.
