Upwork Connects: price, costs and how to get free ones

What are Upwork Connects?

Connects are Upwork's virtual tokens. Freelancers spend them to submit proposals to job posts and to pay for Upwork's ad products: Boosted Proposals, the Availability Badge and boosted profiles.

Every proposal costs a set number of Connects, shown on the job post. You get some free each month depending on your plan, can earn more through milestones, and can buy extra whenever you run out. Connects can't be exchanged for cash.

Upwork Connects price: how much is one Connect?

At the time of writing (October 2026), Upwork charges $0.15 per Connect, at every quantity. You can buy a bundle or choose a custom amount of at least 10. Upwork gives 10 Connects for $1.50 and 80 for $12 as example bundles. Here's what common amounts cost:

A few things to know before you buy:

• You need a verified billing method, even if you plan to pay from your Upwork earnings.
• Upwork uses your earnings balance first. If it doesn't cover the whole amount, the full cost goes on your billing method instead; Upwork can't split one payment between the two.
• A reserve balance helps. You can keep part of your earnings back from withdrawals so it's there to pay for Connects.
• Agencies need the Agency Plus plan to buy Connects; the free Agency Basic plan can't.

How many Connects does a proposal cost?

It depends on the job. Upwork sets the number for each post based on factors including project size, scope and market demand, and shows it on the job post before you apply. The number can change while the post is live, so a job you saw yesterday might cost a little more or less today. If it changes while you're writing a boosted proposal, Upwork takes the difference from your boost bid.

Upwork's own Connects Calculator groups jobs into three bands: low (4 Connects), medium (8 to 12) and high (16). Treat those as a planning guide: the figure on the job post is what you'll actually pay.

Bigger, more valuable or more popular jobs tend to cost more to apply for. That's why it pays to check the job and the client carefully before you spend Connects on it.

Boosted proposals: spending extra Connects to stand out

When you apply, you may be offered the option to boost your proposal. Eligibility depends on how well you match the job. You set the most extra Connects you're willing to bid, on top of the proposal's normal cost, and the highest bidders get the top four slots on the client's list with a "Boosted" label.

• When you pay: the normal proposal cost is taken straight away. The boost is charged only if you're in the top four when the auction ends, or the client opens, shortlists, messages, archives, declines or sends you an offer while your proposal is boosted. Each winner pays their own bid.
• When you don't: if you're knocked out of the top four before the client interacts with your proposal, the boost Connects are returned after the auction. The normal proposal Connects are not.
• How long it lasts: the auction closes after seven days or at the first hire, whichever comes first. A boosted proposal also drops back once the client interacts with it, opens it three times without acting, sees it five times without interacting or you're outbid.
• Placebo auctions: on a very small share of jobs, chosen at random, Upwork runs a test auction where boosts aren't shown or charged. You're told after you submit.

Upwork says its testing found boosting can increase your chance of being hired by up to 24%. It's still a paid ad on top of a proposal you've already paid for, so boost the jobs you really want rather than every one.

How to get free Connects on Upwork

These are the ways Upwork lists at the time of writing. Most are offers that can change or vary by account:

• Monthly Connects on Basic: Upwork says some freelancers may receive 10 free Connects each month. Check your Connects history to see if you're eligible; support can't add them manually.
• Freelancer Plus: 100 Connects a month once you've been on the plan for a month (90 to 100 in your first month, depending on when you upgrade). Upwork lists Plus at $19.99 a month.
• New member bonus: new users may get a one-time 50 Connects after buying Connects or subscribing to Freelancer Plus, plus some for onboarding tasks like setting up your profile and verifying your identity.
• Talent badges: 30 Connects each for Rising Talent, Top Rated and Top Rated Plus, up to 90 in total. Skip a badge and the Connects are combined.
• Interviews: you may receive Connects when an established client interviews you, though not every time and not always the amount you spent.
• Your first boost: 10 Connects, once, when you successfully boost a proposal for the first time.
• Activity rewards: Upwork is testing a reward for freelancers who send three or more proposals using at least 54 Connects in total, up to twice a month. Not everyone who qualifies gets it.

Unused Connects roll over each month and there's no limit on how many you can hold, but Upwork says they stay in your account for up to one year.

When are Upwork Connects refunded?

Connects come back to your account in only two cases:

• The client cancels the job before a contract is made (this doesn't cover posts that simply expire).
• Upwork removes the job post for breaking its Terms of Service. You get back any boost Connects too.

You don't get Connects back if the client rejects your proposal, hires someone else or lets the job expire without hiring, or if you withdraw your proposal. Returned Connects go back into your balance for reuse; they're never refunded as cash.

What Upwork Connects cost per month: examples

Here's what a month of proposals costs at $0.15 per Connect, and the same month on Freelancer Plus at $19.99 with 100 Connects included. These are illustrations: real jobs vary, and Basic accounts that get 10 free Connects a month would pay $1.50 less in the first column.

Over a year, 20 proposals a month at 12 Connects each comes to 2,880 Connects, or $432 if you bought them all. To try your own numbers, our Upwork fee calculator includes a Connects cost estimate alongside the service fee.

Is Freelancer Plus worth it for Connects?

On Connects alone, no: 100 Connects cost $15 if you buy them, and Plus is listed at $19.99 a month. The difference pays for Plus's other benefits, which Upwork lists as 0% freelancer service fee on Direct Contracts (5% on Basic), insights into competing bids, full access to its assistant, instant job alerts and profile options such as hiding your earnings and a custom profile URL.

So Plus is worth a look if you bring clients to Upwork through Direct Contracts, or you'd use the bid insights to spend your Connects better. If you just need Connects, buying them as you go is cheaper. See our guide to Upwork fees for the full picture.

How to spend fewer Connects and win more

• Check the job before you apply. Upwork itself suggests reviewing whether the post matches your skills, whether the client has already hired, their history and feedback, and how many proposals and interviews are already under way.
• Skip crowded or stale posts. A post with lots of proposals and active interviews is a weaker bet.
• Apply early, while the client is still reading proposals.
• Boost selectively, on jobs you're a strong fit for, and set a maximum you're happy to lose.
• Write every proposal for that one client. A Connect spent on a copy-paste proposal is wasted. Our free Upwork proposal generator gives you a tailored first draft.
• Collect the free ones: badges, onboarding tasks and any monthly offer you're eligible for.
• Track your Connects history (7, 30 and 90 days) against the replies and interviews you get.

Bidding on Freelancer.com as well?

Freelancer.com works differently: bids come from your plan's monthly allowance instead of being bought one by one, as our Freelancer vs Upwork comparison explains. MoreGigs works with Freelancer.com only, not Upwork. It checks new projects every couple of minutes, skips likely scams, tiny budgets and off-skill work, and writes a fresh proposal for each good match from your real profile, paced to your plan. If that's useful, check your profile for free.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Upwork Connects cost?

At the time of writing, each Connect costs $0.15 (USD). You can buy them in bundles or as a custom amount of at least 10, so 10 Connects cost $1.50 and 100 cost $15.

How many Connects does it take to apply for a job on Upwork?

It varies by job. Upwork sets the number from the project's size, scope and market demand, shows it on the job post, and can change it while the post is live. Upwork's own Connects Calculator groups jobs as low (4 Connects), medium (8 to 12) and high (16).

Do you get free Connects on Upwork?

Some. Upwork says some Basic freelancers may receive 10 free Connects a month, Freelancer Plus includes 100 a month, and you can earn more: 30 for each talent badge (up to 90), a one-time bonus for new members who buy Connects or subscribe, and rewards for some activities.

Do Upwork Connects expire?

Unused Connects roll over each month with no limit on how many you can hold, but Upwork says they stay in your account for up to one year.

Are Connects refunded if I don't get the job?

No. Connects come back only if the client cancels the job before hiring anyone or Upwork removes the post for breaking its terms. They are not returned if you are rejected, someone else is hired, the job expires or you withdraw your proposal.

What is a boosted proposal on Upwork?

You bid extra Connects to place your proposal in one of the top four slots on the client's list. You pay the boost only if you are in the top four when the auction ends or the client interacts with your proposal while it is boosted.

Is Freelancer Plus worth it just for the Connects?

Not on Connects alone. 100 Connects bought separately cost $15, while Freelancer Plus is listed at $19.99 a month. It makes more sense if you also use its other benefits, such as 0% fees on Direct Contracts and bid insights.

Can I get cash back for unused Connects?

No. Upwork says Connects can't be exchanged for cash, and Connects returned to you are credited back for reuse rather than refunded as money.