How to Cancel Upwork (Freelancer Plus or Close Account) in 2026

There are two different "cancel" actions on Upwork: canceling Freelancer Plus ($14.99/month subscription) or closing your entire account. They're very different processes with different consequences. Here's both.

Cancel Freelancer Plus ($14.99/month)

Freelancer Plus gives you 80 Connects/month and the ability to see competitive bids. To cancel:

1. Go to upwork.com/freelancers/settings/membership
2. Under Freelancer Plus, click Cancel Plan
3. Confirm cancellation

Your unused Connects roll over, and you keep any remaining Connects after canceling. You revert to the Basic plan (free, 10 Connects/month).

What You Lose with Freelancer Plus Cancellation

• 80 → 10 Connects per month — dramatically fewer proposals you can send
• Seeing competitor bids — you can no longer see what others are bidding on jobs
• Boosted profile visibility — lower search ranking
• Your remaining Connects stay — they don't expire when you cancel
• Your profile, reviews, and history — completely unaffected

Close Your Entire Upwork Account

If you want to leave Upwork completely:

1. Go to upwork.com/freelancers/settings/contactInfo
2. Scroll to the bottom
3. Click Close my account
4. Select a reason
5. Enter your password to confirm

What Happens When You Close Your Account

• Profile removed from search results and public view
• Work history and reviews — permanently deleted after a grace period
• Job Success Score (JSS) — gone forever, can't be recovered
• Top Rated status — lost, must re-earn from scratch if you return
• Remaining balance — must be withdrawn first or it's forfeited
• Tax documents — download before closing, Upwork may not retain them

Can You Reopen a Closed Account?

Technically, you can create a new Upwork account after closing — but:

• You start from zero — no reviews, no JSS, no history
• Upwork's approval process may reject your new profile (they're selective)
• Using a different email/identity to circumvent bans violates ToS
• Better approach: Instead of closing, just stop using Upwork. Your profile goes dormant but you keep your history if you return.

The Smart Alternative: Go Dormant Instead

Unless you have a specific reason to close your account, the best move is:

1. Cancel Freelancer Plus (saves $14.99/month)
2. Set your Availability to "Not Available" (Profile → Availability badge)
3. Turn off email notifications (Settings → Notification Settings)
4. Leave the account open

This costs $0/month and preserves your reviews, JSS, and earning history if you ever want to freelance again.

Withdraw Your Balance First

Before doing anything:

1. Go to upwork.com/freelancers/settings/payments
2. Check your available balance
3. Withdraw to your bank account, PayPal, or Payoneer
4. Bank transfers take 3-5 business days
5. Wait for the withdrawal to complete before closing the account

For Clients: Cancel Client Subscription

If you're a client (hiring on Upwork), not a freelancer:

• Close all active contracts first
• Release any escrowed funds
• Go to Settings → Close Account
• Client accounts are free (no subscription), so "canceling" means closing the account

Alternatives to Upwork

• Fiverr — project-based, lower barrier to entry, better for fixed-price work
• Toptal — exclusive network, higher rates, harder to get in
• Freelancer.com — similar to Upwork, different client base
• Direct clients — LinkedIn outreach, personal website, referrals. No platform fees (Upwork takes 10%)
• Contra — commission-free freelancing platform