How to change your hourly rate on an Upwork contract: the short answer
On Upwork, the rate on an existing hourly contract moves in one direction per person. You can lower your own rate at any time with no client approval. Only the client can raise it. So if you want more money on a contract that is already running, you cannot click a button yourself: you have to ask the client to open the contract, choose Increase rate from the options menu, and save the new number. The new rate applies right away, but only to hours logged from that point on. Hours you already logged are paid at the old rate.
Everything in this post comes from Upwork's own help center articles on changing a contract's hourly rate (the freelancer and client versions) and on scheduled rate increases, checked on the day this was written. Upwork changes these flows often, so confirm in the help center if you are reading this much later.
Who can change the rate, and when
Changing the rate on an hourly Upwork contract, per Upwork's help center
| Situation | What Upwork allows |
|---|---|
| You want a lower rate | You can lower it yourself, any time, no client approval needed. |
| You want a higher rate | Only the client can raise it, from the contract's (...) menu with Increase rate. |
| When the change applies | Immediately, for hours logged from then on. Hours already logged keep the old rate. |
| Contract has a scheduled rate increase | You cannot change the rate, and the client cannot manually raise it either. A different rate means a new contract. |
| You work through an agency | You cannot change the rate yourself. Your agency manager handles it. |
| Client wants you lower | They cannot lower it. They can ask you to, or close the contract and rehire you on new terms. |
Upwork's freelancer article also notes that your work history updates to show the new rate going forward. That matters more than it sounds: the rate a future client sees on a past job is part of how they judge what you are worth.
How to lower your rate on an hourly contract
- Go to Your active contracts.
- Open the contract.
- Select Contract details.
- Click the pencil icon next to your current rate.
- Enter the new rate and save.
My honest view: lowering a live rate is almost never the right fix. If the client's budget got tighter, the cleaner lever on hourly work is fewer hours at the same rate, which means a lower weekly limit. You keep your rate, your work history keeps showing it, and the client still spends less. How that trade works is in [how to negotiate your rate on Upwork](/blog/how-to-negotiate-your-rate-on-upwork).
How the client raises your rate
When a client agrees to a raise, send them the exact steps so there is nothing to look up. Per Upwork's client-side article:
- Go to Manage work, then All Contracts, and find the contract.
- Open the (...) options menu and select Increase rate.
- Enter the new rate and choose Save Changes.
The raise starts with the next hour you log. If you agree a raise mid-week, log nothing at the new rate until you see it on the contract, because anything logged before the change is paid at the previous rate.
Scheduled rate increases: build the raise in before you start
The cleaner way to get raises on Upwork is to agree them before the work begins. Scheduled rate increases are available on new hourly contracts with non-Enterprise clients. You can include one in your proposal or in a contract you suggest to an existing client (or a client who reached you through Project Catalog or a consultation):
- Set the terms of your proposal as usual.
- In the Schedule a rate increase section, pick a frequency from the dropdown. Frequencies count from the contract start.
- Pick an increase from the percent dropdown, or set a custom amount. It is a percent of the rate in your proposal terms.
- Check the preview of your rate after freelancer service fees, adjust if needed, then send.
The client can accept your schedule, drop it, or set a different amount and frequency in their offer. If you do not want one, choose Never as the frequency.
When I would use one: a long hourly engagement where you expect to stay for a long time and you know you will under-ask in person. The schedule asks for you. When I would skip it: early contracts where the scope is still fuzzy, because you lose the ability to reprice once you learn what the work really is. For pricing the starting number, see [how to set your Upwork hourly rate from scratch](/blog/how-to-set-your-upwork-hourly-rate-from-scratch).
How I would ask a client for a raise on a live contract
Because the client holds the button, the ask is the whole game. This is the structure I recommend:
- Tie it to results the client has already seen on this contract, not to your costs going up.
- Give a specific new rate and a specific start date, ideally the start of a work week, so nobody argues about which hours count.
- Include the three-step Increase rate path so saying yes takes the client under a minute.
- Offer a version that works if the answer is no, like the same rate at fewer weekly hours or a narrower scope.
- Ask on the contract's message thread, so the agreement sits next to the contract record.
A short version: "Over the last few months we have shipped X and Y together. Starting Monday the 3rd, my rate on this contract will be $N/hour. If that works, you can update it under All Contracts, (...) menu, Increase rate. If the budget is tight, I am happy to keep the same weekly spend by trimming hours." The longer playbook, including what to do when a good client pushes back, is in [how to raise your freelance rate without losing clients](/blog/how-to-raise-freelance-rate-without-losing-clients).
When the answer is a new contract
Sometimes the rate cannot move on the contract you have. The main case: a contract with a scheduled rate increase, where neither of you can change the rate. A new contract is also how you add a scheduled increase to a relationship that started without one. Upwork's guidance in both cases is the same: end the current contract and start a new one with the terms you want.
If you go that way, end the old contract cleanly before the new one starts, and remember the new contract is a fresh offer you can review with Request changes before accepting. See [how to end an Upwork contract professionally](/blog/how-to-end-an-upwork-contract-professionally) and [how to accept an offer on Upwork](/blog/how-to-accept-an-offer-on-upwork). If the rate question is really a sign you should be on a different contract type altogether, start with [Upwork fixed price vs hourly contracts](/blog/upwork-fixed-price-vs-hourly-contracts).
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Frequently asked questions
Can I raise my own hourly rate on an Upwork contract?
No. On an existing hourly contract, only the client can increase the rate. You can lower it yourself at any time. To get a raise, ask the client to choose Increase rate from the contract's options menu.
How does a client increase my hourly rate on Upwork?
The client goes to Manage work, then All Contracts, finds the contract, opens the (...) options menu, selects Increase rate, enters the new rate and chooses Save Changes.
When does a new hourly rate take effect on Upwork?
Immediately, but only for hours logged after the change. Hours already logged are paid at the previous rate.
How do I lower my rate on an Upwork contract?
Go to Your active contracts, open the contract, select Contract details, click the pencil icon next to your rate, enter the new rate and save. No client approval is needed.
What is a scheduled rate increase on Upwork?
An optional setting on new hourly contracts that raises your rate by a set percent or amount at a regular frequency. You can propose one in your proposal, and the client can accept it, decline it or set different terms in the offer.
Can I add a scheduled rate increase to an existing Upwork contract?
No. Upwork says scheduled rate increases can only be set when the contract is created. To add one, you and the client need to start a new contract.
Can I change a scheduled rate increase after the contract starts?
No. Once both sides agree, the schedule is permanent for the length of the contract, and while it is in place the rate cannot be changed manually. Different terms require a new contract.
Can the client lower my hourly rate on Upwork?
No. Only the freelancer can lower an hourly contract's rate. A client who wants a lower rate can ask you to lower it, or close the contract and rehire you on new terms if you agree.
Last reviewed by David Iya on October 14, 2026
