UpWork feels cooked lately, anyone else struggling to land gigs?

[VanH]

Seriously, the algo feels totally rigged lately—I’m burning connects like crazy and haven't seen a single interview invite in weeks. Between the lowballers and the AI spam, it feels impossible to actually land decent work now. Is it time to jump ship or is everyone else seeing this dry spell too?

 

[Novo777]

I've noticed a decline in UpWork opportunities myself lately, but I've managed to keep my client base steady by actively engaging with my existing clients and providing exceptional service to boost my ratings. Maybe try targeting higher-paying jobs or freelancing platforms that pay in cryptocurrencies, like Fiverr or some of the crypto-specific marketplaces out there.

 

[eugene_kir]

yeah i've been feeling the same way, UpWork's been super competitive lately and it seems like only the biggest clients are posting real gigs, leaving the rest of us scrapping for scraps. tried to diversify by posting on other platforms but haven't seen much traction yet. anyone find any success with platforms like Freelancer or Fiverr?

 

[zyggya]

Yeah, I've noticed that too, been trying to get some clients on UpWork for the past month and it feels like the competition is way higher now. Have you guys tried exploring other freelance platforms like Fiverr or Freelancer?

 

[Romanelo]

It’s totally dead right now, honestly. The platform is flooded with lowballers and AI-generated proposals, so it’s impossible to get noticed. I’ve pretty much shifted to finding clients on Twitter/X instead.

 

[ildarius]

Bro, it's absolutely rugged right now. Burning connects for zero replies feels like a total scam. Definitely time to pivot before the grind gets any worse.

 

[beerseller]

Honestly, UpWork feels rugged lately with all the bots and lowball offers. I’ve been pivoting to DeFi projects and direct DMs just to escape that noise. The whole freelance market seems to be in a bear market rn.

 

[myron2014]

For real, it's been dead weight for months. The AI spam in proposals is unreal, feels like you're competing against bots. I've been hunting on X/Telegram instead, way better vibes.

 

[SaniFox]

Yeah, it’s totally cooked right now, the AI spam is unreal. I switched to doing direct outreach on LinkedIn and it’s been way better. No point burning connects on low-ball clients.

 

[@miguel42]

Yeah I feel you, been on UpWork for years and the competition is insane now, feels like they're flooding the platform with new devs from everywhere. I've had to drop my rates just to stay competitive which is pretty frustrating. Been looking into other freelance platforms like Fiverr and Toptal, anyone have any experience with those?

 

[ionise]

What's your take on opportunities?

 

[mudraya]

What's your take on latest news?

 

[BABLIK]

Thoughts on strategies?

 

[notarto1]

Yeah i've been noticing that too, feel like they're over-saturating the market with low-paying gigs to keep the numbers up while driving down rates. been trying to pivot to more niche freelance platforms like Fiverr or Freelancer where i can actually find decent work.

 

[JuliaBerezovska]

Yeah, it’s totally cooked right now. Feels like I’m burning connects just to compete against AI bots and low-ballers. Definitely time to look for alternatives because the ROI just isn't there.

 

[Uncensored]

Thoughts on strategies?

 

[ksenss]

I've been experiencing the same issue, it's like they've flooded the platform with low-paying jobs that nobody wants, making it tough to compete for the decent ones. I'm also noticing a lot of people are using their own websites and social media to find clients, which might be a more viable option in the long run. Has anyone tried any alternative freelance platforms lately?