What is the Upwork Top Rated Badge?
The Top Rated badge is Upwork's signal that a freelancer has sustained a 90%+ Job Success Score and meets the platform's earnings threshold - and it unlocks client filters that put your profile in front of clients specifically seeking proven performers.
In short
Top Rated is Upwork's quality certification for freelancers. It requires a sustained Job Success Score of 90% or above over the trailing period, a minimum earnings threshold, and an active account with no policy violations. It appears on your profile and in search results, and it is a filter clients use when they want to hire only proven performers. Earning it changes how you are found. Keeping it requires the same habits that earned it.
The Top Rated badge appears on freelancer profiles and in Upwork search results. It signals to clients that the freelancer has sustained high performance over a meaningful period of time - not just on one or two contracts, but consistently enough to meet Upwork's eligibility threshold. For clients who are risk-averse about hiring, the badge is a meaningful trust signal.
The badge is also a client search filter. When a client searches for a freelancer on Upwork, they can filter results to show only Top Rated freelancers. A freelancer without the badge is invisible to that search. That filtering effect is the practical reason Top Rated matters - it changes which clients can find you, not just how you appear when found.
The criteria for Top Rated
Upwork calculates Top Rated eligibility automatically based on current data. There is no application. The eligibility criteria include a sustained JSS of 90% or above over the trailing twelve-month period, a minimum earnings threshold for that period, an account with no active policy violations, and a complete profile. All criteria must be met simultaneously. Meeting them is not a one-time event - Top Rated is recalculated continuously and can be lost if performance drops.
- JSS of 90% or above sustained over the trailing twelve months
- Minimum earnings threshold for the period (the specific amount is set by Upwork and updated periodically)
- No active policy violations or account warnings
- Complete profile including photo, title, overview, skills, and portfolio
- Account active for a minimum period
How Top Rated changes your Upwork visibility
The most immediate effect of Top Rated is appearing in filtered client searches. Clients who use the Top Rated filter are typically more experienced Upwork buyers who have worked with freelancers before and are specifically looking for reliable performers. They tend to be clearer in their briefs, have verified payment methods, and are more likely to become repeat clients. The quality of inbound opportunities shifts when Top Rated opens that filter to you.
The secondary effect is social proof on your profile page itself. The badge appears prominently and clients who are not filtering but browsing profiles will see it and weight it positively in their decision. Combined with a strong JSS number, a Top Rated badge reduces the client's perceived risk in hiring you, which translates to higher proposal conversion rates and often the ability to charge higher rates.
Top Rated Plus
Top Rated Plus is a higher tier available to freelancers who sustain a higher JSS and significantly higher earnings over the trailing period. The threshold is set at the top tier of platform earners in each category. For most freelancers building their business on Upwork, Top Rated is the meaningful milestone. Top Rated Plus emerges from sustained excellence at Top Rated level and does not require separate strategizing.
What does not earn Top Rated
Top Rated is not earned by volume of contracts, by number of five-star reviews alone, by tenure on the platform, or by spending on Freelancer Plus. It is earned exclusively by meeting the JSS and earnings thresholds. A freelancer with hundreds of contracts and five-star reviews but a JSS below 90% is not Top Rated. A freelancer with ten excellent contracts and a 96% JSS that does not meet the earnings threshold is not Top Rated. Both criteria together, sustained over the period, is what earns the badge.
Rising Talent: the earlier milestone
Rising Talent is the badge Upwork awards to newer freelancers showing strong early performance. It has different criteria than Top Rated and does not require the same earnings history. It appears in search results and signals professionalism to clients who are open to working with newer freelancers. Most freelancers earn Rising Talent before they have the contract history to be eligible for Top Rated. The two badges are sequential milestones, not alternatives.
Common questions
How do I apply for Top Rated on Upwork?
You do not apply. Top Rated is awarded automatically by Upwork when your account meets all eligibility criteria simultaneously. Meeting the JSS threshold and the earnings threshold over the trailing period is the entire process.
What JSS is required for Top Rated?
A sustained Job Success Score of 90% or above over the trailing twelve-month calculation period. The score must be at or above this threshold, not just briefly touching it.
Can I lose Top Rated once I have it?
Yes. Top Rated is recalculated continuously. A JSS drop below 90%, an account policy violation, or earnings falling below the minimum threshold can all cause the badge to be suspended until the situation is corrected.
Does Top Rated help me get more job invitations from clients?
Yes. Top Rated increases your visibility in client searches and makes you eligible to appear in filtered searches that non-badge profiles do not appear in. Both effects increase the number of inbound opportunities you receive.
What is the difference between Top Rated and Top Rated Plus?
Top Rated Plus requires a higher sustained JSS and significantly higher earnings than standard Top Rated. It is available only to a small percentage of top earners in each category. For most freelancers, standard Top Rated is the relevant milestone.
Does Getting Rising Talent automatically lead to Top Rated later?
Rising Talent demonstrates early-stage performance but does not automatically convert to Top Rated. Top Rated requires meeting separate, longer-term performance and earnings criteria. Some freelancers earn Rising Talent and then build toward Top Rated over many months or years. Some lose Rising Talent before they reach Top Rated if their early performance does not continue.
More to learn
- What is the Upwork Job Success Score?The Job Success Score is Upwork's rolling measure of how well your contracts end - based on public reviews, private client feedback, and contract completion - and it is the most important number in your Upwork profile.
- What are Upwork Connects?Connects are the tokens Upwork requires you to spend to submit a proposal for a job, and managing them carefully is one of the most practical skills for a new freelancer.
- Upwork Proposal Strategy: how to write proposals that get repliesA great Upwork proposal shows the client you read their job post carefully, understands their specific problem, and makes the next step easy - in under 300 words.
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