Upwork Refund Policy
Last verified: 2026-03-19
support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/17976486850451--Request-a-refund
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How to Get a Refund — Step by Step
- 1Navigate to **All Contracts**, locate the relevant contract, and open the options menu (…)
- 2Select **End contract** and choose **Pay nothing and request a refund** (or specify a reduced amount)
- 3Submit the refund request; the freelancer or agency has 7 days to approve, deny, or ignore it
- 4If approved (or no response), Upwork automatically credits the amount back to your billing method; if disputed, Upwork mediates and may issue a non‑binding resolution within 2 business days
- 5Check the **Transactions** page to confirm the refund credit
When You Can Get a Refund
- Refund request must be made within 180 days of the payment to request directly from the freelancer
- Freelancer or agency must approve the refund; they can issue full, partial, or no refund at their discretion
- If the freelancer declines or does not respond within 7 days, you may seek mediation assistance from Upwork Support (applicable when the last payment was made within the prior 30 days)
- Refunds are only for payments released on the platform; the one‑time contract initiation fee is non‑refundable
All Refund Methods
- Credit returned to the original billing method used for the payment (typically 3‑5 business days)
- Account credit applied to your Upwork balance for future invoices (optional if multiple billing methods were used)
Partial Refunds
- Freelancers can issue a partial refund instead of a full amount, based on agreement
- For fixed‑price contracts, you can release a partial milestone payment and request a refund for the remaining escrowed funds
Dispute Process
- If the freelancer refuses a refund, you may request mediation assistance from Upwork Support (eligible when the last payment was within 30 days)
- For fixed‑price contracts, you have a 7‑day window after a milestone is released to file a formal dispute; if missed, the funds are automatically returned to the client
- Upwork provides a non‑binding resolution after reviewing both parties; each side has 2 calendar days to accept or reject the recommendation
Additional Notes
- All refunds must be processed through the Upwork platform; issuing refunds outside Upwork violates the Terms of Service
- Once funds have been withdrawn from your Upwork account and transferred to a bank or card, they cannot be recovered through Upwork; only the original payment method can receive a credit
- The contract initiation fee is a one‑time charge and is never refunded, even if the freelancer issues a full refund
What Redditors Are Saying
Upwork Mediation is Trying to Manipulate Me into Refunding a Client
I performed work via an hourly contract and nearly a month later, after the 5 day dispute windows have passed and I've withdrawn all of the funds from my Upwork account, the client is trying to get a refund. This all despite the work being completed according to their specifications. The client firs
Upwork freelancer billed me $200 for 40 hours of crypto shilling — then got caught red-handed using a mouse jiggler. Upwork only refunded 12% and told me to pound sand. Chargeback incoming.
Throwaway because I’m about to nuke the account anyway. Hired a guy on Upwork to do basic crypto promo (post, comment, engage on X/Instagram) — $4/hr, 40 hours, $200 total. Checked the Work Diary and almost fell off my chair: * 331 mouse events in one minute with 40 keystrokes * 192 mouse events in
Client is asking me to refund his money for tasks I've been doing out of Upwork for two years. what should I do?
Hi, I have been working for the last two years for a client. I started on Upwork and then continued by mail. Every week I maintained a site for him and uploaded hours to his profile. The work was done remotely or from the iPad and the hours were tracked over the weekend on the computer while doing d
Will UpWork automatically suspend your account when a client files a dispute?
I have a client that wants two hours' worth of money back and i am not giving it back to her out of principle (it's 90 bucks, but I worked for it) She will probably file a dispute. It's an hourly contract. ​ Is my account going to be automatically suspended or can I work on the other proj