Agency Plus members can now use Agency Connects to turn on the Availability Badge, giving agency freelancers another way to get noticed by clients. Badge usage is tracked in the agency’s Connects history, and usage updates are shared with both freelancers and admins.

Business Plus clients now see clearer banners, task cards, and notifications when using Upwork’s free shortlisting service, making it easier to request, track, and review curated talent recommendations.

Clients now have an improved search bar with a wider input area and more relevant suggestions based on recent activity. This update improves speed and accuracy in freelancer discovery.

Clients and freelancers can now submit work and release payment for active milestones, even if there’s a pending change to future milestones. This removes confusion and helps work move forward without delays.

Freelancers in Costa Rica, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, UAE, and Uruguay can now get paid in local currency to their local bank account. This update expands our global payout solutions, making it easier for freelancers to access their earnings.

Users can now format messages in the Upwork mobile app with bold, italics, strikethrough, and code blocks, making it easier to highlight key details and communicate more effectively.

Users can now start a message on Android and finish it later, with drafts saved automatically between sessions. This update brings Android messaging in line with iOS and desktop, making conversations more seamless and reliable across devices.

Upwork now supports reporting under Australia’s Sharing Economy Reporting Regime (SERR), ensuring compliance with local tax laws. Freelancers earning through Upwork in Australia will have their income reported to the ATO as required, with updates delivered through our existing tax reporting hub.

The Bring Your Own Client (BYOC) program is no longer available. Instead, Direct Contracts are now available via an active Freelancer Plus membership, you’ll pay 0% service fee on these contracts, otherwise, the standard 5% applies.

Partners can now generate links via a public API, enabling customers to access Upwork workspaces directly from the partner's site. This enhancement streamlines the post-embedded purchase experience and supports higher conversion from checkout to project completion.