Guide
Upwork Connects explained: what a proposal costs, and how to spend fewer
Upwork Connects cost $0.15 each, and the number a proposal takes varies by job. Here is how the cost is set, how boosted proposals are charged, where free Connects come from, and the one figure worth tracking instead of cost per proposal.
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The short answer
- Connects cost $0.15 each, sold in bundles.
- A proposal's cost varies by job and is shown on the apply form; most ask for single digits to the mid-teens.
- A boost is an auction, charged only on a client interaction or if you are still boosted when it ends.
- Track Connects spent per reply, not per proposal.
On this page
What a Connect costs
Upwork sells Connects in bundles at $0.15 each. You spend them to submit a proposal, and optionally to boost it. They are the only direct cost of applying on Upwork; the service fee on what you earn is separate.
How many Connects a proposal takes
Upwork does not publish a fixed number. Its help centre says the Connects required vary per job, based on things like project size, scope and market demand, and that the number can change while the job is posted. You see the exact figure on the apply form before you submit.
In practice most postings ask for somewhere in the single digits to the mid-teens, and busy, well-paid categories can ask for considerably more. Those figures are what freelancers observe, not an Upwork commitment. At $0.15 a Connect:
| Connects | Cost of one proposal | Cost of 50 proposals |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Connects | $0.60 | $30.00 |
| 8 Connects | $1.20 | $60.00 |
| 12 Connects | $1.80 | $90.00 |
| 16 Connects | $2.40 | $120.00 |
| 24 Connects | $3.60 | $180.00 |
How boosted proposals are charged
Boosting is an auction. You bid extra Connects to have your proposal placed in a boosted position near the top of the client's list, marked with a “Boosted” tag. Clients cannot turn the feature off.
You are only charged the boost if the client interacts with your proposal in a qualifying way while it is boosted, or if it is still in a boosted position when the auction ends. If you are outbid and pushed out before any interaction, the boost is not charged. Upwork has also offered first-time boosters a one-off refund of 10 Connects.
Boosting buys position, not attention. A boosted proposal with a generic first line is still skipped; it is just skipped sooner.
Where free Connects come from
| Source | What Upwork says |
|---|---|
| Freelancer Basic | Not guaranteed. Upwork runs offers and some freelancers may receive 10 free Connects a month. |
| Freelancer Plus | Includes 90 additional Connects each month. |
| Talent badges | 30 Connects per badge earned, up to 90 in total. |
| Promotions | Occasional offers, such as bonus Connects for new users who buy Connects or subscribe to Plus. |
The number that matters: cost per reply
Cost per proposal is easy to see and mostly beside the point. What matters is how much you spend in Connects to get one client to reply. A search that costs 8 Connects a proposal and gets a reply one time in five costs $6.00 per reply. One that costs 16 but gets a reply one time in two costs $4.80, and is the better use of Connects despite looking more expensive.
Three things move that number more than anything else:
- Screening the client before you spend. Postings from clients with no spend, no hires and no payment verification reply far less often.
- A specific first line. Clients see the first lines before deciding to open a proposal. See how to write an Upwork proposal.
- Being early. Many clients start interviewing from the first proposals that arrive. Job alerts help with that.
Nibwright is built around this number. It screens clients before drafting, shows the Connects Upwork will charge beside each draft, and reconciles what you actually sent against your Upwork account, so each saved search shows its cost per reply rather than per send. It never spends Connects itself; you submit on Upwork.
Sources
Upwork Help Center: Understanding and using Connects, What are Boosted Proposals, Freelancer Basic and Freelancer Plus. Read September 2026; Upwork changes these terms from time to time.
Questions
How much does an Upwork Connect cost?
$0.15 each, sold in bundles.
How many Connects does an Upwork proposal cost?
It varies by job, and Upwork shows the exact number on the apply form. Upwork sets it from factors such as project size, scope and demand, and it can change while the job is open. Most postings ask for single digits to the mid-teens, which is roughly $0.60 to $2.40 at $0.15 a Connect, though competitive categories can ask for more.
Do you get Connects back if you are outbid on a boost?
The boost is only charged if the client interacts with your proposal while it is boosted, or if it is still boosted when the auction ends. If you are outbid before any interaction, you are not charged for the boost.
Does Upwork give free Connects every month?
Not to everyone. Upwork says some Freelancer Basic members may receive 10 free Connects a month as part of offers it runs. Freelancer Plus includes 90 additional Connects each month, and talent badges award 30 Connects each, up to 90.
Is boosting an Upwork proposal worth it?
Sometimes, on a posting that fits you very well from a client with a strong hiring history. Boosting buys position near the top of the list, not a reply, so it pays off only when the proposal itself is specific enough to be read.
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