Upwork posted record Q3 2025 results with revenue of $201.7M (+4% YoY), GAAP net income of $29.3M (+6% YoY), and an all-time-high adjusted EBITDA of $59.6M (30% margin). AI work on the marketplace accelerated—AI-related GSV rose 53% YoY while generative AI and prompt engineering grew 65% and 71% YoY, respectively. SMB traction strengthened via Business Plus (GSV +33% QoQ), and Enterprise momentum advanced with the launch of Lifted. Strong cash generation (FCF $69.4M) supported a new $100M buyback. Management raised FY2025 guidance for both revenue and adjusted EBITDA, reiterating a long-term 35% adjusted EBITDA margin target.

Achieves record quarterly revenue of $201.7 million in Q3 2025

Generates GAAP net income of $29.3 million and record adjusted EBITDA of $59.6 million, resulting in 15% profit margin and all-time high 30% adjusted EBITDA margin

Raises FY2025 revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 03, 2025- Upwork Inc. (Nasdaq: UPWK), the world’s human and AI-powered work marketplace, today announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2025.

“The third quarter marked the start of the next chapter for Upwork. As we build the world’s human and AI-powered work marketplace, we’re driving phenomenal user productivity and engagement, resulting in a return to positive GSV growth,” said Hayden Brown, president and CEO, Upwork Inc. “We are executing with speed and precision across our growth levers of AI, SMB, and Enterprise, and are now on the path to sustained, multi-year growth.”

“Our third quarter was exceptional, with record performance. We crossed the $200 million revenue milestone, with net income of $29.3 million and 15% profit margin, and our adjusted EBITDA hit an all-time high of $59.6 million, at a record 30% adjusted EBITDA margin,” said Erica Gessert, CFO, Upwork Inc. “Our strong and growing free cash flow yield also enabled us to announce another $100 million share repurchase authorization in early September. On the back of such positive momentum, we have once again raised our full-year guidance for both revenue and adjusted EBITDA. We have proven our ability to meaningfully expand margins while accelerating topline growth, reinforcing our confidence in achieving our long-term 35% adjusted EBITDA margin target.”

Third Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights

GSV⁽¹⁾ grew 2% year-over-year

Revenue grew 4% year-over-year to $201.7 million

Active clients⁽¹⁾ of 794,000

GSV per active client⁽¹⁾ of $5,036 increased 5% year-over-year

Net income was $29.3 million, up 6% year-over-year

Diluted earnings per share was $0.21, compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.20 in the third quarter of 2024

Adjusted EBITDA⁽²⁾ was $59.6 million, up 38% year-over-year

Cash provided by operating activities⁽³⁾ was $75.1 million, compared to cash provided by operating activities of $61.0 million in the third quarter of 2024

Free cash flow⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was $69.4 million, compared to free cash flow of $56.8 million in the third quarter of 2024

Third Quarter Operational Highlights

Building the World’s Human and AI-Powered Work Marketplace

Uma™, Upwork’s Mindful AI, continued to evolve into an always-on work agent, further increasing customer engagement and productivity.

Scaled Uma’s capabilities across the customer journey with additional premium features like AI interviews, recruiting, and collaborative hiring capabilities for teams.

Uma Proposal Writer provided a 15% uplift in Uma-generated proposals.

Launched agentic talent sourcing solution for Business Plus clients, reducing the median time to receive a high-quality talent shortlist for their jobs by more than 75%.

Growing AI Work on the Marketplace

GSV from AI-related work accelerated to 53% year-over-year growth in Q3 2025, compared to 30% year-over-year growth in Q2 2025.

GSV from Generative AI work grew 65% year-over-year in Q3 2025.

GSV from Prompt Engineering grew 71% year-over-year and increased 23% quarter-over-quarter in Q3 2025.

The number of clients engaging in AI-related projects grew 45% year-over-year in Q3 2025.

Winning Bigger with SMBs

GSV from Upwork Business Plus offering for SMBs increased 33% quarter-over-quarter.

Business Plus active clients increased 36% quarter-over-quarter, with 36% of active clients on Business Plus in Q3 being net-new customers to Upwork.

Generating New Value through Ads & Monetization Strategies

Revenue from Ads & Monetization grew 19% year-over-year in Q3 2025.

Connects revenue increased 18% year-over-year in Q3 2025.

Freelancer Plus subscription revenue grew 24% year-over-year in Q3 2025.

Unlocking the Enterprise Opportunity

Launched Lifted, Upwork’s new enterprise-focused subsidiary, creating a unique offering of full-stack, end-to-end contingent work solutions for large enterprises following Lifted’s acquisitions of Bubty and Ascen.

Rapidly integrating acquired companies and products, in anticipation of onboarding first customers onto the new Lifted platform by early 2026.

Financial Guidance & Outlook

Upwork’s guidance for revenue, adjusted EBITDA, diluted weighted-average shares outstanding, and non-GAAP diluted EPS for the fourth quarter of 2025 is:

Revenue: $193 million to $198 million

Adjusted EBITDA: $49 million to $52 million

Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding: 138 million to 140 million

Non-GAAP diluted EPS: $0.31 to $0.33

Upwork’s guidance for revenue, adjusted EBITDA, diluted weighted-average shares outstanding, non-GAAP diluted EPS, and stock-based compensation expense for full year 2025 is:

Revenue: $782 million to $787 million

Adjusted EBITDA: $222 million to $225 million

Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding: 140 million to 142 million

Non-GAAP diluted EPS: $1.35 to $1.37

Stock-based compensation expense: Approximately $65 million

Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results Conference Call and Webcast

Upwork will host a conference call today at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time/5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the company’s third quarter 2025 financial results. An audio webcast archive will be available following the live event for approximately one year at investors.upwork.com. Please visit the Upwork Investor Relations website at investors.upwork.com/financial-information/quarterly-results to view Upwork’s third quarter 2025 earnings presentation.

Disclosure Information
We use our Investor Relations website (investors.upwork.com), our Blog (upwork.com/blog), our X handle (twitter.com/Upwork), Hayden Brown’s X handle (twitter.com/hydnbrwn) and LinkedIn profile (linkedin.com/in/haydenlbrown), and Erica Gessert’s LinkedIn profile (linkedin.com/in/erica-gessert) as means of disseminating or providing notification of, among other things, news or announcements regarding our business or financial performance, investor events, press releases, and earnings releases, and as means of disclosing material nonpublic information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD.

About Upwork
Upwork Inc.’s (Nasdaq: UPWK) family of companies connects businesses with global, AI-enabled talent across every contingent work type including freelance, fractional, and payrolled. This portfolio includes the Upwork Marketplace, which connects businesses with on-demand access to highly skilled talent across the globe, and Lifted, which provides a purpose-built solution for enterprise organizations to source, contract, manage, and pay talent across the full spectrum of contingent work. From Fortune 100 enterprises to entrepreneurs, businesses rely on Upwork Inc. to find and hire expert talent, leverage AI-powered work solutions, and drive business transformation. With access to professionals spanning more than 10,000 skills across AI & machine learning, software development, sales & marketing, customer support, finance & accounting, and more, the Upwork family of companies enables businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and transform their workforces for the age of AI and beyond.

Since its founding, Upwork Inc. has facilitated more than $30 billion in total transactions and services as it fulfills its purpose to create opportunity in every era of work. Learn more about the Upwork Marketplace at upwork.com and follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X; and learn more about Lifted at go-lifted.com and follow on LinkedIn.

Contact:
Investor Relations
investor@upwork.com

Safe Harbor:
This press release of Upwork Inc. (together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include all statements other than statements of historical fact, including any statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, including expected financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2025, information or predictions concerning the future of our business or strategy, anticipated events and trends, potential growth or growth prospects, competitive position, technological and market trends, industry environment, the economy, our plans with respect to share repurchases, the expected impact and timing of strategic initiatives, including the launch of Lifted, the Company’s enterprise-focused subsidiary, and its acquisitions of Bubty B.V., which we refer to as Bubty, and Ascen Inc., which we refer to as Ascen, and other future conditions.

We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections as of the date hereof about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short- and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. As such, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, known and unknown risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and in many cases outside our control, and you should not rely on such forward-looking statements. We make no representation that the projected results will be achieved or that future events and circumstances will occur, and actual results may differ materially and adversely from our expectations. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake, and expressly disclaim, any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, conform these statements to actual results, or make changes in our expectations, except as required by law. Additional information regarding the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations is included under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2025, filed with the SEC on August 6, 2025, and in our other SEC filings, which are available on our Investor Relations website at investors.upwork.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will also be set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2025, when filed.

Upwork, “Uma™, Upwork’s Mindful AI,” Lifted and other registered or common law trade names, trademarks, or service marks of Upwork appearing in this press release are the property of Upwork. This presentation may also contain additional trade names, trademarks, and service marks of other companies, including names and brands. All third-party trademarks are property of their respective owners, and any references to third-party trademarks are for identification purposes only and shall be considered nominative fair use under trademark law.