Upwork recently announced that starting from September 1, 2026, it will charge $2.99 for every Direct to US Bank withdrawal you make if your tax address isn't in the USA.
You might be like: So how does this concern me?
Well, if you are a Nigerian and you use platforms such as Grey, CadRemit, Cleva, Raenest, etc to withdraw your money from Upwork, Upwork will now charge you $2.99 before the other platforms even remove their own charges, unlike before when it was free.
You can read more about it here: https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/227022468-Direct-to-U-S-Bank-timing-and-fees-explained
Hmmmmm,but I think $2.99 can mean something different for a Nigerian freelancer. With the exchange rate and the other charges involved in receiving and converting dollars, every extra deduction reduces what eventually gets into your account. It may look small from the outside, but when you’re earning in dollars and spending in naira, these fees can add up pretty quickly.
Is this not exploitation?
It is. But it is small compared to the exploitation going on with buying and spending Upwork Connects. Upwork generally has several exploitative practices going on. At least this is after you make some money. The one with Connects is much darker.