Custom Requests
and other
Upwork Project Catalog updates
During the last few weeks, they released 3 new Upwork Project Catalog updates. What changed?
50% of clients can filter projects by freelancers, who are currently online. The test is almost finished, so soon we’ll either see this new feature rolled out for everyone. or not 🙂
Upwork is promoting consultation all over the Catalog to make them more visible and buyable. If you have this feature (because agency members don’t so far), did you see any changes in how your consultations perform?
It is the one update among those 3, that is actually worth attention.
In the past clients could only buy the exact projects you created in the catalog. This worked fine for copywriting for 5000 words, for example, or creating a simple logo. But it could cause confusion for more complex projects. Because as soon as the clients purchases the project, the contract is automatically open for the fixed amount and there isn't a way to modify the Project Catalog contract.
What changed with this Upwork Project Catalog Update?
Starting September 23, half of all clients can request customized work on projects and services in Project Catalog. They will see a button ‘Custom request’, the freelancer will then receive a message that a client wants a custom quote.
After discussing details, freelancers can create a contract with the exact terms, price and deliverables that were discussed and offer it to the client.
Most freelancers in the community who already tried this feature, say that this update is a great improvements from the previous one-size-fits-all model. And we agree too that it is a positive step towards mitigating the strict terms of the Project Catalog.
More Articles
How SEO Is Changing in the Age of AI
21-10-2025
AI is transforming search. Learn how SEO evolves into AEO and GEO — where visibility means being cited in AI answers, not just ranked in results.
Keeping the Human Mind Sharp When AI Can Do It All
16-10-2025
AI makes work easier, but thinking harder. Learn how to stay creative, critical, and human in the age of intelligent machines.
AI Workslop: Why Businesses Pay Freelancers to Fix AI
07-10-2025
AI speeds up work but often creates “workslop” - results that look complete yet lack value. Freelancers are the ones turning them into quality.
Disney Creative Strategy: How Ideas Become Reality
03-10-2025
Disney Creative Strategy: dream, plan, critique — a tool to guide ideas from imagination to real-world results.
Upwork Boost: Increasing Freelancer Profile Visibility
29-09-2025
Discover how Upwork’s Available Now badge and Profile Boost work, their costs, pros and cons, and which boost is best for freelancers or agencies.
10 Posts to Help You Get Started on Upwork
29-09-2025
We’ve gathered a set of articles to guide you through the essentials — from setting up your profile to building long-term client relationships.
Etcetera summer 2025 report
26-09-2025
Etcetera summer 2025 results: quiet season, new team members, shifting Upwork rules, and plans for an active autumn.
Upwork Feedback: a trust tool you should learn to read and write
22-09-2025
Upwork feedback is more than stars — it builds trust, shapes reputation, and guides choices. Learn how to read, request, and write reviews effectively
7 Hats: a thinking tool that saves time and nerves
08-09-2025
Instead of mixing emotions, facts, and criticism in chaos — this method by Edward de Bono helps separate thinking modes.
Upwork: From Simple Fees to Pay-to-Play
29-08-2025
Discover how Upwork’s fees evolved from flat 10% to a pay-to-play model with Connects, boosts, and variable 0-15% commissions in 2025.
Upwork Reset 2025: How to Refresh Your Freelance Strategy
25-08-2025
Discover 5 practical steps to reset your Upwork strategy in 2025: update skills, rethink pricing, optimize proposals, and grow with the market.
How to Build a Team That Won’t Fall Apart in a Crisis
22-08-2025
How to build a strong team that survives crises: Denys Safonov shares lessons from 11 years of leading the agency Etcetera through global challenges.
