Upwork Payment Terms

Upwork’s Standard Payment Schedule

Once a client approves an invoice or a week has passed, whichever comes first, Upwork’s standard policy is to release payments to freelancers after a five-day security period. This means you may have to wait a few days before funds become available in your account.

Understanding the Security Hold

The security hold gives Upwork time to process and clear the payments, and resolve any issues that may arise. It’s also often necessary when dealing with international transactions, which can take time. So, you could anticipate a typical timeline to be roughly about 5 days plus the time for the payment to be approved.

Accelerated Payments

However, freelancers with a track record of successful client relationships have the option to get paid faster through Upwork’s “accelerated payment” feature. This reduces the security period to three days.

Your Payment Methods

Once funds are released, the speed at which you receive your earnings further depends on the payment method you’ve chosen:

• Direct to U.S. Bank (ACH): 1-2 business days
• Wire Transfer: Up to 3 business days
• PayPal: Within a day
• Payoneer: Within a day
• M-Pesa: Within a day

Note that these timings may vary due to factors outside of Upwork’s control.