The Future of Upwork: My Predictions and Hypotheses for 2025

People ask me all the time, "What do you think will happen with Upwork soon?" Honestly, I never really know, but the questions keep coming. So, I decided to let my imagination run wild and share some of my predictions. These are just my fantasies, but who knows? Some of them might just come true.

1. Academy to Replace the Forum

The Upwork forum has long been a place for freelancers to connect, ask questions, and share experiences. However, I predict that Upwork will transition from this community-driven platform to a more structured learning environment—a comprehensive Upwork Academy.

With support becoming increasingly hard to access, Upwork could shift its focus to a self-serve model through this Academy.

One thing that makes these changes seem possible is that Upwork is already struggling to keep up with support requests and is looking for more ways to monetize the platform. They've been pushing their learning courses a lot lately, so it wouldn't be surprising if they made some of these shifts.

2. New Subscription Models

We’re likely to see the introduction of new subscription models. Upwork has already started experimenting with memberships, but I believe they will expand on this concept.

These new subscriptions could offer premium features such as advanced analytics, enhanced visibility in search results, or even exclusive access to certain types of clients or projects.

3. Fee Evolution

Upwork’s fee structure has always been a topic of discussion among freelancers, and I believe we could see it evolve in a way that increases costs. The platform may introduce higher fees, particularly for certain types of projects. For example, we might see increased fees for high-value, one-off projects or only for the clients (as they are already trying!)

This evolution would likely be driven by Upwork's need to boost revenue, even if it means adding to the cost burden for freelancers and clients.

4. The Return of Exclusive Job Clouds

Upwork has experimented with creating exclusive job clouds in the past—curated lists of jobs available only to select groups of freelancers based on their specific skills, such as a React JS cloud. I predict that Upwork will bring these clouds back, possibly with enhanced features and stricter entry requirements. However, participation in these clouds might come with a fee, making them a premium feature on the platform.

5. New Algorithms for Skill Matching

Upwork’s matching algorithms are already complex, but I predict further refinements that will focus on skills rotation and consulting services. The platform may introduce a system that highlights certain skills based on demand, encouraging freelancers to diversify or specialize strategically.

Consulting might become a more prominent feature, with freelancers offering advisory services as a separate feature or product—a dedicated dashboard specifically for consulting services. One more feature...such a surprise.

6. Toptal-Like Matching for Full-Time Jobs

As the gig economy continues to grow, there’s a strong possibility that Upwork will introduce a Toptal-like matching service for full-time positions. This would allow clients and companies to find freelancers for more permanent roles, blurring the line between traditional employment and freelancing. They already took Project Catalog from Fiverr so I predict they want to take all possible features from all competitors.

7. AI Evolution

I think AI will start playing an even bigger role on Upwork, especially when it comes to job postings. In the near future, I predict that AI will begin analyzing the text of job descriptions.

8. Integrated Task Management and CRM

Upwork is always worried that clients might take their business off the platform, so I think they'll push us to stay on it even more. One way they might do this is by developing their own CRM and task management tools. These features could force freelancers to manage their projects, track time, and communicate with clients directly through Upwork aven after the offer is signed.

9. Support Degradation

I also foresee a downside: the degradation of support. As Upwork grows and automates more processes, personal support might becomes worst. And my prediction that it will become even less and even more delayed.

Hugs,

Tamara