How to Cancel Upwork: Complete Guide

What is Upwork

Upwork is a global online marketplace that connects freelancers and agencies with clients seeking short-term and long-term professional services. The platform offers free accounts and optional paid memberships that give freelancers extra bidding credits ("Connects"), profile visibility tools and access to AI-assisted features. Clients can also choose paid plans that add hiring tools and team management features.

Upwork monetises through membership fees, Connects purchases, and a sliding service fee on earnings; memberships are billed on recurring cycles and some app-store purchases follow different billing rules. This mix of account types and billing channels affects how subscriptions are billed, taxed and sometimes disputed.

Subscription plans and pricing snapshot for Upwork

Official Upwork materials list a free Basic membership and a Freelancer Plus plan that carries a monthly fee. App-store purchases can show different prices. Local tax rules such as GST may be applied to membership fees for users with a tax residence set to Australia. Where official AU pricing is not published, the monthly USD price is converted to AUD as an approximate reference.

Converted from Upwork published prices; use as guide only.

Customer experience with Upwork cancellations

What users report

Users report a range of experiences when ending paid memberships or stopping recurring charges. Some freelancers say cancellation is straightforward and that billing stops at the next renewal date. Other users report confusion about where a subscription was started (for example, through an app store) and therefore who controls the renewal.

Public reviews collected on review platforms show complaints about account restrictions, refund delays and delays in dispute resolution, while positive comments note prompt refunds in clear-cut cases and useful prorated adjustments when those were offered.

Recurring issues and practical takeaways

Two recurring themes from user feedback: visibility of the billing source and timing of cancellations. People who purchased subscriptions via app stores were surprised to find their subscription managed by the app-store rather than the platform itself. Others encountered delays when asking for refunds after an automatic renewal. Paraphrased user advice: verify the billing source shown on your invoice and check tax lines such as GST when reviewing amounts.

How Upwork cancellations typically work

Memberships are recurring and billed on a cycle defined at purchase; billing dates and pro-rata practices are described in Upwork materials. If a plan is billed monthly, the billing date generally repeats monthly; purchases made at month end may be prorated for the first cycle. Memberships purchased through third-party stores can follow the third party's renewal rules.

Refunds and proration: official guidance notes that memberships are generally non-refundable after purchase, but exceptions and pro-rata adjustments may be possible in limited circumstances. Digital service charges can include taxes such as GST where applicable.

Legal context and consumer rights that matter for Upwork

The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) gives you remedies when a digital service has a major failure or is not supplied with due care and skill. This means you may be entitled to a refund or other remedy if Upwork fails to provide core features that were promised and that failure cannot be fixed. The ACL does not guarantee a general "change of mind" refund for all cancellations.

Regulators have scrutinised opaque subscription practices and automatic renewals; businesses are expected to be clear about recurring charges and the cancellation process. This regulatory context affects expectations about fair handling of automatic renewals or misleading renewal representations.

What to expect when you request a cancellation

Expect the following possibilities: the subscription may remain active until the end of the current billing period; the provider may offer a prorated refund in some cases; taxes already collected may not be refundable if they have been remitted to authorities; and third-party billing sources may impose their own rules.

Timing: requests made shortly before a renewal date may not stop the immediate upcoming charge. If an account or payment method is managed by a third party, delays can arise while ownership and billing source are clarified.

Disputes, chargebacks and escalation

If a paid renewal posts and you believe it was improper, you can seek redress through the platform's dispute mechanisms and, where appropriate, your payment provider's dispute process. Disputes are typically assessed on evidence of the original transaction, timing of notice and the platform's terms. Keep detailed records.

Regulatory escalation: the ACCC and related state bodies have taken action against companies with unclear subscription practices. If you believe there is systemic unfairness, consider seeking advice from local consumer authorities.

Documentation checklist

• Purchase evidence: keep the invoice or receipt showing the membership purchase and billing source.
• Billing history: capture the transaction dates and amounts for recent renewals.
• Terms and conditions: save or screenshot the membership terms and any renewal notices you received.
• Usage evidence: note whether you used the service after renewal (this can affect refund outcomes).
• Communication record: keep dated notes of any correspondence or automated messages about billing or membership changes.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Hidden billing source: fail to recognise whether a subscription was purchased through an app store or directly - verify the invoice origin promptly.
• Timing near renewal: initiating a cancellation very close to renewal can still result in a charge for the next period.
• Tax misunderstandings: GST can appear on membership fees; if you supplied an ABN after purchase you may not recover GST already collected.
• Assuming automatic refunds: not all renewals are refundable; read terms carefully and document why a refund should be granted.

Practical steps after a renewal you did not expect

Collect the transaction record and the membership terms you agreed to. Submit a clear factual summary of what happened and why you believe a refund or adjustment is appropriate. Monitor your account statements for further charges and keep a timeline of events. If the platform response is unsatisfactory, evaluate dispute options with your payment provider or seek advice from consumer protection agencies.

Refunds and tax treatment specific to Upwork

Upwork states that Australian GST may be charged on membership fees and that providing a valid ABN may change tax treatment of future invoices. GST already collected may not be refundable because it is remitted to tax authorities. This affects the net refund amount for members in this jurisdiction.

Tables: feature comparison

Feature list based on Upwork descriptions; exact entitlements depend on the membership variant and billing channel.

Address

• Address: Global HQ: 530 Lytton Ave, Suite 301, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA

What to do after cancelling Upwork

After a cancellation, confirm the effective date shown on your invoice and retain transaction records for at least 12 months. Review your payment statements for unexpected renewals and keep written notes of any follow-up interactions. If you were charged after a documented cancellation window, prepare a concise timeline and copies of supporting documents to present in a dispute or regulatory complaint.

Consider these next steps: check tax treatment of past fees for accounting or GST credit purposes, and review platform usage to decide whether rejoining or using alternative channels is more appropriate for your business strategy.