How to Create an Upwork Account (Formerly oDesk)

To create an Upwork account, go to upwork.com, select Sign up and complete the form as a freelancer or a client. Upwork, formerly oDesk, then asks you to verify a phone number before you post a job or submit a proposal, and it can use that number again for two-step verification.

Here’s how sign-up works, which numbers Upwork accepts, and where a second number fits.

Upwork sign up: freelancers and clients

Upwork’s steps for freelancers are short: go to www.upwork.com, select Sign up, then “Complete the form and start working on your profile”.

Clients sign up the same way, and a freelancer can add a client profile to the same login. Before you can hire, “you’ll need to verify your phone number, add a billing method, or both.”

Looking for the oDesk sign-up? Elance-oDesk relaunched as Upwork on May 5, 2015, so today you join through Upwork.

The phone number format Upwork uses

Upwork’s instruction is simple: “Enter your country code and phone number. We’ll text you a code.” Use the country code that belongs to the number: +1 for the United States, +44 for the United Kingdom.

Two rules decide whether the number works:

• No VoIP. Upwork says “we are not able to verify these types of phone numbers.”
• One account. “You can only ever create one account on Upwork”, and a number that’s already on another account gets an error.

A non-VoIP number is a real mobile number from a carrier, so Upwork sees an ordinary mobile number. Not sure what you have? See how to check if a number is VoIP.

How to verify Upwork with a second number

1. Create a free PVADeals account and add credits: crypto from $3, or a card through Stripe from $5.
2. Choose Upwork from the list of websites and pick the United States or the United Kingdom. If it isn’t listed for your country, rent an All services number instead, which works on any website.
3. Rent long-term. Choose 3, 7, 14 or 30 days and turn on auto-renew, so the number stays yours.
4. Enter the number with its country code and get the code by text message. PVADeals numbers receive SMS only.
5. Copy the code from your PVADeals dashboard, where it appears as soon as it arrives, and enter it on Upwork.
6. Add a backup method, such as an authenticator app, in Settings › Password & Security.

Why a 20-minute number is the wrong tool here

Upwork is where you get paid or pay others. If your number receives two-step verification codes, it guards your login, settings and payments. Upwork recommends more than one method, “that way, you’ll have a backup if you ever lose access to your primary method.” Without one, a lost number means filling in Upwork’s Reset your Security Information form.

So rent long-term with auto-renew, or use your own number. Upwork adds that “To use SMS two-step verification, you will need to verify your identity or add a billing method.” A short-term number (20 minutes) covers one code and nothing after it.

What a phone number can’t replace

A second number keeps your personal mobile off your profile. It doesn’t change who you are on Upwork. Freelancers may be asked to verify with a government ID and a short video call or photo, and “You’ll have seven days to verify, or your account may be put on hold.” Skip it, and “You can’t submit proposals, accept direct hire offers, or withdraw earnings”.

Upwork also requires that “Names must match across your ID, withdrawal method, and tax info.” Your ID, withdrawal method and tax details must be your own.

If the code doesn’t arrive or the number is rejected

• Wait a few minutes. “Your verification code should be sent instantly.” If it doesn’t come, check the number and country code, then try again.
• “Associated with an existing account”? Recover that account with Forgot password and close any new one, “because creating a new Upwork account is against our Terms of Service.”
• VoIP error? Use a non-VoIP mobile number. See Upwork’s phone verification help.
• No SMS at all? If an eligible PVADeals number receives no SMS during the rental, its cost comes back to your balance automatically as store credit.

Keep your personal number off Upwork

A long-term non-VoIP number from PVADeals gives Upwork a mobile number that isn’t your personal one. See our US and UK phone numbers, or the prices below. Freelancing on Fiverr too? Read our guide to Fiverr phone verification.