Think of Upwork Connects as the currency you use to knock on a potential client's door. They are the virtual tokens you spend every time you submit a proposal for a job. No Connects, no proposals. It's as simple as that.

Your Bidding Currency: A Closer Look at Upwork Connects

When you're just starting out on Upwork, this whole "Connects" thing can feel a little strange. But really, it’s a straightforward system designed to manage the flow of proposals on the platform. You need them to apply for projects, which makes them the very first investment you make in winning new work.

They are your entry ticket to pitch clients and land contracts in one of the biggest freelance marketplaces on the planet.

So, Why Do Connects Even Exist?

At first glance, it might seem like just another fee. But Connects actually play a crucial role in keeping the marketplace healthy. By requiring a small "cost" to apply, Upwork encourages freelancers to be more deliberate about the jobs they go after.

This simple mechanic prevents clients from being buried under an avalanche of spammy, low-effort applications.

The system nudges freelancers to apply only when they are genuinely interested and confident they can do the job well. This creates a more professional and focused environment for everyone involved.

For you, the freelancer, this is actually good news. It means your carefully written proposal is less likely to get lost in the noise. Learning how to earn, manage, and spend your Connects is a core skill for building a successful career on Upwork. Of course, before you invest too heavily, it's wise to get the full picture, which you can find in our guide exploring if Upwork is legit.

To make things even clearer, here's a quick rundown of the key attributes of Upwork Connects.

Upwork Connects At a Glance

This table breaks down the essentials of what Connects are and how they operate within the Upwork platform.

AttributeDescriptionFunctionVirtual currency used to submit job proposals.CostVaries by job; typically 2 to 16 Connects per proposal.AcquisitionPurchased in bundles or earned through platform activity.PurposeTo ensure freelancers submit thoughtful, high-quality proposals.ManagementA key skill for managing your job application budget effectively.

Think of this as your cheat sheet. As you get more experienced, managing your Connects will become second nature, just like managing any other business expense.

The Real Cost of Submitting a Proposal

It’s easy to think of Connects as just points in a system, but they have a real-world cash value. Each Connect costs $0.15, which means every proposal you send is a small but real investment in your business. This simple price point is the engine that drives Upwork’s entire bidding marketplace.

Of course, not every job requires the same investment. Upwork uses an algorithm to determine how many Connects are needed for a proposal, usually falling somewhere between 2 and 16 Connects. The bigger the potential payoff—based on factors like the project's budget and how long it's expected to last—the more Connects it's going to cost to apply.

A quick, one-off gig might only ask for a couple of Connects, but a major long-term contract will naturally demand a higher buy-in. This system forces you to be strategic, weighing the cost to apply against the potential return on investment.

Typical Connects Cost Per Job

To get a better sense of what this looks like in practice, here's a quick breakdown of how project size often translates to Connects cost.

Project TypeEstimated BudgetTypical Connects CostSmall ProjectUnder $2502 to 6 ConnectsMedium Project$250 - $1,0006 to 12 ConnectsLarge ProjectOver $1,00012 to 16 Connects

As you can see, higher-value jobs require a more significant upfront investment. This is by design, encouraging freelancers to focus their efforts on projects where they are a strong fit.

Boosting Your Proposal for Better Visibility

Beyond the basic cost to apply, Upwork gives you another tool to get noticed: Boosted Proposals. This feature is your ticket to the front of the line. By bidding extra Connects, you can compete for one of the top four slots in the client's proposal list.

Think of it like an auction. You and other freelancers bid for those premium spots, and the highest bidders get seen first, complete with a little "Boosted" icon. It’s a powerful way to make sure a client sees your proposal before they’re overwhelmed with dozens of others.

Boosting is a strategic play, not something you should do for every job. It works best when you are a perfect match for a high-value project. The goal is to ensure your well-crafted proposal gets the attention it deserves instead of getting lost in the shuffle.

When used wisely, boosting can be a fantastic way to maximize your return on the Connects you spend.

How to Earn and Buy More Connects

To consistently land projects, you need a healthy balance of Connects. Thankfully, Upwork gives you a few different ways to keep your account topped up. You can earn them for free by hitting certain milestones, or you can buy them when you need to ramp up your bidding. This mix of free and paid options lets you decide what works best for your budget and how aggressively you want to pursue new work.

For freelancers just getting their feet wet, Upwork provides a nice cushion of free Connects to get you started. Think of these as a welcome bonus, designed to help you get some momentum without having to spend money right out of the gate.

Free Ways to Get More Connects

You don't always have to pull out your credit card to get more Connects. Upwork actually rewards you for being active and successful on the platform.

• Winning Interviews: This is a big one. When a client likes your proposal enough to invite you for an interview you don't spend any connects.
• Rising Talent Badge: If you start strong and earn a Rising Talent badge, you’ll get a one-time bonus of 30 free Connects. It's Upwork’s way of acknowledging your potential.

These freebies are your best friend when you're starting out. They’re designed to reward the right habits—like writing great proposals that lead to interviews—and help you build a solid foundation on the platform.

Paid Options for Scaling Your Bids

While the free Connects are a fantastic start, freelancers who are serious about growth often find they need more bidding power. When you're ready to send out more proposals, buying Connects is the next logical step.

The most straightforward way is to purchase them in bundles directly through Upwork. For those who want a more consistent supply, upgrading to the Freelancer Plus plan is a popular option. This subscription gives you a monthly allowance of 80 Connects, along with a handful of other useful features.

A Winning Strategy to Maximize Your Connects ROI

Just having a bank of Connects doesn't guarantee success. The real secret is in how you spend them. Think of each proposal not as a lottery ticket, but as a calculated investment in your business. This simple mindset shift is the first step—it moves you from just applying for jobs to strategically targeting the right jobs.

Before you even think about hitting "Submit," put every single job post under a microscope. You need to become a pro at spotting red flags like vague project scopes, totally unrealistic expectations, or clients with a history of negative feedback. Throwing Connects at dead-end projects is the quickest way to drain your budget and end up with nothing to show for it.

Identify High-Value Opportunities

So, what makes a job post worth your time? Zero in on clients who have a verified payment method and a solid history of positive reviews. These aren't just details; they're clear signals that you're dealing with a serious client who understands and values the work freelancers do.

Beyond that, dig a little deeper. Check the client’s hiring rate and their average hourly rate paid. A client who hires consistently and pays fair rates is a far better bet than one who posts jobs but rarely follows through.

Your proposal success rate is the most important number to watch. Start tracking how many proposals you send versus how many lead to interviews and, ultimately, hires. This isn't just data; it's feedback that helps you spot patterns and refine your approach, so you can focus on the kinds of jobs you're most likely to land.

Master the Art of the Boost and Speed

Boosting your proposal can be a game-changer, but it’s a tool that requires strategy, not a hammer for every nail. Save it for those high-value projects where your skills are a perfect match for what the client needs. When you know you're one of the best candidates for the job, boosting is how you make sure your proposal lands at the top of the pile.

Speed is your other secret weapon. Clients often start reviewing proposals the moment they start rolling in. Being one of the first applicants gives you a huge advantage, grabbing their attention before they get buried in dozens of other bids. The trick is to be fast without being sloppy. This is a skill you develop over time, and having a few strong proposal frameworks ready to go can make all the difference. For some great starting points, check out our guide with powerful cover letter examples for Upwork.

By combining sharp vetting, strategic boosting, and quick, decisive action, you'll make every single Connect count.

Scaling Your Bidding Process with AI

If you're serious about growing on Upwork, you know the drill. Manually sifting through job posts, checking client histories, and then writing a thoughtful proposal for each one is a huge time sink. It's the kind of administrative grind that keeps you from doing the actual client work that pays the bills.

This is where things get interesting. What if you had an assistant working for you 24/7? One that finds the perfect jobs for you, drafts compelling proposals highlighting your best work, and gets them in front of the client just moments after they post the project. That’s exactly what AI-powered bidding tools are built to do.

How AI Takes Over the Manual Work

Platforms like Earlybird are designed to plug right into your Upwork account and learn what you're looking for. They scan new job postings as they appear, instantly spotting the ones that align with your skills, experience, and ideal client profile.

Instead of losing hours to the endless scroll, you get a handpicked list of genuinely good opportunities. But it doesn't stop there. The technology uses your profile information and past project successes to generate a strong, personalized proposal. This saves a massive amount of time and gets your bid in the door faster than your competitors. The principle is the same as we discuss in our guide on what sales automation is, just applied directly to your freelance workflow.

By automating the tedious, repetitive parts of finding and applying for jobs, you get your time back. You can shift your energy to what really moves the needle: talking with potential clients, closing deals, and delivering amazing results.

Getting the Best Return on Your Connects

Beyond just saving you time, these tools are built to make your Upwork Connects go further. An intelligent system quickly learns which kinds of projects get you the most replies, so it can focus your bids on the opportunities where you have the highest probability of success.

This data-driven approach means fewer Connects are wasted on long-shot jobs or poor-fit clients. More importantly, it helps you become one of the first applicants a client sees, putting you at the front of the line and significantly boosting your chances of getting an interview. You’re no longer just applying for jobs—you’re running a smarter, faster, and far more effective growth strategy.

Your Top Questions About Upwork Connects Answered

Even the most seasoned Upwork pros have questions about Connects. It's a core part of the platform, but some of the finer details can be a little fuzzy. Let's clear up some of the most common questions freelancers ask.

Do Upwork Connects Expire?

Yes, they do. Think of Connects like a digital token with a shelf life. Every single Connect you have, whether you bought it or earned it, expires exactly one year from the day it was added to your account.

To avoid losing them, it’s a good idea to keep tabs on your Connects History report. This lets you see if any are nearing their expiration date, so you can make sure to put them to good use before they vanish.

Can I Get a Refund for Connects?

Generally speaking, all sales are final—Upwork doesn't offer refunds on Connects you've purchased. However, there's a built-in safety net for situations that are completely out of your hands.

Your Connects are automatically returned if a client cancels their project without hiring anyone. You'll also get them back if Upwork takes a job post down for violating its rules. This is a fair system that ensures you don't waste your investment on dead-end projects.

The key takeaway is that your Connects are protected from projects that are canceled or removed by Upwork. This ensures you can reinvest them into other, more viable opportunities without penalty.

How Can I Check My Connects Balance?

Keeping an eye on your Connects is easy. You’ll always find your current balance displayed right in the main navigation bar at the top of your Upwork screen, giving you a quick, at-a-glance count.

For a deeper dive, head to Settings and then click on Memberships & Connects. Here you'll find the "Connects History" report. It’s a complete logbook of every Connect earned, purchased, and spent, making it the perfect tool for managing your bidding budget.

How Many Connects Does It Take to Boost a Proposal?

This is a tricky one because there’s no single answer. The cost to "boost" your proposal is based on a live auction system. You're bidding against other freelancers who also want their proposal seen first.

The freelancers who bid the most Connects win the top sponsored spots. Because of this, boosting can get expensive fast. My advice? Only boost proposals for those high-value, perfect-fit jobs. That way, you’re not just spending Connects; you’re making a strategic investment in a project you have a real shot at winning.

Ready to stop wasting time on manual bidding and start winning more high-value projects? Earlybird AI connects to your Upwork account to find your ideal jobs and submit personalized proposals in minutes, putting you first in line. Learn how you can automate your growth and maximize your Connects ROI at https://myearlybird.ai.