Welcome to the second annual Freelance Market Analysis by Vollna, where we decipher the trends behind Upwork data. Since 2016, we’ve been collecting and analyzing data from top freelance platforms to deliver practical insights for freelancers and agencies.
In this 2025 edition, we analyzed over 2.2 million Upwork projects to understand what’s changing in demand, which skills are rising, where budgets are moving, and how competitive each category is. We also compare them to last year’s numbers to highlight key trends and shifts in the market.
Reading note: This year we prepared the report as a 3-part series. Each part answers one question: What’s happening? (trends) → Where’s the money? (rates) → How hard is it to win? (competition).
2025 Upwork Market Series
Methodology & glossary
This data was collected by crawling and aggregating information from Upwork's public pages. The collection process involved structured parsing of project listings, freelancer profiles, and client information. Our analysis spans across all time periods to provide comprehensive insights into freelance marketplace trends.
While our data might not cover 100% of the projects on Upwork, our estimate suggests it includes about 95% of them, providing a highly representative sample of the marketplace.
Glossary
YoY: Year over year
JSS (Job Success Score): A metric that measures client satisfaction with a freelancer's work on Upwork. A high JSS helps freelancers stand out in the marketplace and attract more clients. It's calculated based on factors like completed jobs, client feedback, and long-term client relationships.
Disclaimers & Copyright
Data Usage & Copyright: The data and analysis presented in this report are the intellectual property of Vollna. While you're welcome to share and cite this report, please provide appropriate attribution to Vollna with a link to this page.
Disclaimer: This report is based on publicly available data from Upwork and is provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of the information contained in this report.
Third-Party References: Any reference to specific companies, products, or services does not constitute or imply their endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Vollna. Upwork is a trademark of Upwork Global Inc., which is not affiliated with, nor has it endorsed, this report.
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