The short answer is that the service fee is 20%, but it is not that simple. In order to get the most accurate estimate of how much you will be paying in fees, you need to consider a few different factors.
First, the base service fee is 20%. However, this does not include any additional fees that may apply. For example, if you use a credit card to pay your freelancer, there will be an additional 3% fee.
Second, the 20% service fee is only charged on the first $500 that you pay your freelancer. After that, the fee drops down to 10%.
So, if you are paying your freelancer $500 or less, you can expect to pay 20% in fees. But if you are paying your freelancer more than $500, you will only be paying 10% in fees.
Finally, it is important to remember that the service fee is not charged on any money that you withdraw from your account. So, if you have money in your account that you are not using, you will not be charged any fees on that money.
In conclusion, the service fee for UpWork is 20%, but there are a few different factors that can affect how much you actually end up paying in fees. Be sure to consider all of these factors before hiring a freelancer so that you can accurately estimate how much you will be paying in fees.