The Freelance Platform That Changed My Life: Upwork Still Wins

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TL;DR: Upwork has been my best freelance platform since the day it replaced oDesk. I started as a student with no experience, no portfolio, and no personal brand, yet it gave me a fair chance to prove my value. My first $100 felt like $10,000 because it proved freelancing works.

Over the years, I learned how to niche down, communicate professionally, and build long-term client relationships. Unlike other platforms that feel like a race to the bottom, Upwork rewards consistency and effort. After 10 years, it’s still the freelance platform that gave me freedom to choose my clients, my schedule, and my price.

Where My Story Starts

Do you remember when Upwork was called oDesk? Well, I was still a student back then, but I had an account on oDesk.

My education level and experience were still basic (before I got my Master’s degree), and I remember checking the jobs sometimes and not understanding what all of that was about… until 2015, when oDesk and Elance were rebranded as Upwork.

That was my fourth year at a Business & Finance school. I was about to graduate soon, so I decided to give Upwork a serious try.

I remember applying for a couple of jobs until one day, at the beginning of 2016, I received an interview invitation for a French Blog Writer job. The rate was very low, but given my situation, I decided to give it a shot.

I didn’t have any stable income back then. The most I was making was around $200 a month writing four opinion articles for a national newspaper.

So getting some extra income writing in French was a perfect opportunity for me. It also meant I’d be building a history of earnings on Upwork (and many freelancers struggle with that).

Soon, the article-writing job finished, and a new contract started, and more clients began working with me.

That was when my career on the Upwork freelance platform really kicked off.

Even better than any other freelance platform I had tried before.

Now, let me tell you exactly why I think Upwork is the best freelance platform for me:

1. I Didn’t Need a Fancy Portfolio or a Big Name

When I started freelancing, I wasn’t a top 1% expert. I was a fresh graduate with only two or three months of internship experience, no previous jobs other than writing opinion articles, and no relation to my degree (my LinkedIn proves that).
I didn’t have a personal brand. My Facebook had a few hundred friends; my YouTube wasn’t even part of the picture.
I wasn’t even sure I was “qualified.” (And this is a very important part, somewhat related to the impostor syndrome that can cripple many freelancers before they even start.)

But Upwork gave me what other freelance platforms didn’t:
• A level playing field
• Access to high-quality clients
• A steady stream of work

You don’t need to be an expert to win. You just need to show up with value every single day. And that’s exactly what I did.

2. The First $100 Felt Like $10,000

That first contract? It was small. I can’t even mention the hourly rate I accepted back then, some would think it’s “a joke.”
But hear me out: it wasn’t about the money. It was about proof.

Proof that I could sell my skills.
Proof that someone would pay me to create something.
Proof that freelancing could actually work for me.

After that, I was hooked.
I optimized my profile, wrote better proposals, and raised my rates.
That’s when momentum started to build.

3. Why I Chose Upwork Over Every Other Freelance Platform

There are a ton of freelance platforms out there (I have an account on most of them):
• Fiverr felt like a race to the bottom, plus I didn’t like the idea of being a “seller” waiting for customers to knock on my door.
• LinkedIn was hit or miss unless you already had a network, and I didn’t have a clue about how personal branding worked.
• Toptal and others had strict entry rules that blocked beginners like me.

But Upwork?
• Open to anyone willing to hustle
• High-quality clients, including Fortune 500 companies that I actually collaborated with
• Transparent feedback system
• Protection for both client and freelancer
• Endless niches and skills

Upwork still feels like the best freelance platform to me because it rewards consistency, not perfection.

4. My Personal Freelance Playbook (Built on Upwork)

Here’s what I did that made all the difference in my career:

• Start with any job you can perform: Although this seems counterintuitive, it’s actually the foundation. You need that first dollar in earnings, that first review, so you can start earning reputation badges that will help you get real projects. I only offered writing until I got some reviews, then I switched to my specialty: business administration.
• Niche down: I stopped trying to serve everyone and focused on where I delivered real results.
• Respond fast: The early bird gets the worm. I was always the first to apply and the first to answer.
• Build relationships: Repeat clients are the secret to sustainable income. Most of my clients were long-term (over six months of collaboration).
• Stay professional: Clear communication + on-time delivery = long-term success.
• Over-deliver: I always tried to under-promise but over-deliver. Satisfaction comes from that.

Upwork taught me business fundamentals I never learned in business school.

5. Freelancing Isn’t Easy, But It’s Worth It

I’m not going to lie. After 10 years of freelancing on Upwork:
There were nights I stayed up fixing client revisions, working hard to meet deadlines.
Mornings when nothing came through.
Moments when I wondered if I should give up.

But then I’d land a dream client.
Get a 5-star review.
Land a $500-a-day client doing work I truly love.

That’s the gift Upwork gave me:
Freedom to choose my clients, my schedule, and my price.

Still Wondering What’s the Best Freelance Platform?

If you’re trying to figure out where to start as a freelancer, I’d definitely say: fight for your piece of cake on Upwork.
Not because it’s perfect, but because it works.

You don’t need the perfect offer, website, or funnel. You need a platform that connects you with great clients.

Upwork was that for me, and still is.
And if I did it, there’s an equal chance that you can do it too.