--- title: "SDK Enterprises vs Upwork: how the models differ" description: "A sourced comparison of Upwork and SDK Enterprises: job posts or shortlist, who vets and manages freelancers, contracts, fees and hiring directly." canonical: https://sdk.enterprises/en/compare/sdk-vs-upwork language: en --- # SDK Enterprises vs Upwork: how the models differ Last reviewed: 2026-09-26 > Upwork is a marketplace: you post a job or buy a pre-scoped project, then vet, contract with and manage freelancers yourself. SDK Enterprises is a remote AI and software agency: we send a shortlist of engineers we have checked, and we can manage them or deliver the whole project under our own contract. ## The two models side by side | Question | Upwork | SDK Enterprises | | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | A marketplace with tools to find freelancers and agencies, manage contracts and pay. You post a job and receive proposals, or buy a pre-scoped project from Project Catalog. [1][2][3] | An AI and software agency. We build and run software with in-house engineers and vetted freelance specialists, and we find freelancers for your own team. | | How you find people | Post a job and review proposals, search and invite talent using filters, or buy a Project Catalog project. On Upwork Enterprise, Upwork's team can send you a shortlist. [1][2][7] | You send a short brief. We send a shortlist of vetted freelancers who are available and have said they are interested, with their experience, skills and why we picked them. | | How people are checked | Upwork says clients are responsible for vetting and choosing freelancers. It screens freelancers to check they are eligible to join, and awards badges such as Expert-Vetted after its own evaluation, which includes an interview. [2][9] | Our engineers review each person's work history and technical fit for your need before we propose them. | | Who manages the work | You manage the contract: you review logged hours or deliverables and approve payments. Upwork says it is not involved in client and freelancer engagements. Enterprise plans add program managers for large projects. [2][3][8] | You choose per person: hire them directly and manage them yourself, or let SDK manage them. When we build a project, we run the team and show you working software every week. | | Who you contract with | The freelancer or agency you hire. Freelancers are not Upwork employees, and Upwork requires you to pay people you find there through its platform. [2][3][6] | SDK Enterprises, when we build a project or manage a freelancer for you. If you hire someone directly, they work on your own contract. | | Pricing and payment | Hourly contracts are billed weekly for logged hours; fixed-price milestones are funded in escrow before work starts. You also pay a Client Marketplace Fee on payments to freelancers, which depends on your plan, and a one-time Contract Initiation Fee per new contract. [1][4][5] | No public price list. The first 30-minute call is free, and a project starts with a written scope and a fixed first milestone before you commit to a larger budget. | | Hiring someone directly | Through Upwork's contract conversion process, which includes a conversion fee. Hiring someone found on Upwork outside it without converting may breach Upwork's Terms of Service. [6] | One of the two options from the start: for each person on your shortlist, you can hire them directly. We introduce you and hand them over. | | Who you can hire | Individual freelancers, or agencies (teams of freelancers under one profile) for work that needs several skills, such as design, development and marketing. [3] | Software engineers: backend, frontend, full-stack, mobile, cloud and DevOps, AI and ML, data and security engineers, and tech leads. We also deliver projects and give technical advice. | | Location and language | Talent search can be filtered by region, country, city, time zone and language. [7] | A remote team working with clients worldwide. Calls are held in French or English. | ## When each option fits ### Upwork may suit you better if - You want to post a job and choose from proposals, or buy a pre-scoped project with a set price and timeline. - You want hourly or fixed-price contracts, with milestones funded in escrow. - You want to filter talent yourself by hourly rate, location, time zone and language. - You have the time and in-house knowledge to vet and manage freelancers yourself. ### SDK Enterprises may suit you better if - You want engineers to check each person's technical fit before you see them. - You would rather not run freelancer contracts and payments yourself: we can manage them under our contract. - You want a project delivered, with one company accountable for the result. - You prefer a team you can talk to in French or English. ## Questions buyers ask ### Is SDK Enterprises like Upwork? No. Upwork is a marketplace where you post jobs, review proposals and vet freelancers yourself. We send a shortlist of freelancers our engineers have checked, and we can also deliver the project under our own contract. ### Who manages the freelancer? On Upwork, you do: you manage the contract, review hours or deliverables and approve payments. With SDK, you choose per person: manage them yourself after a direct hire, or let us handle the contract, admin, payments and any replacement. ### Can I take a freelancer on directly? On Upwork, you first go through its contract conversion process, which includes a conversion fee, and can then handle contracts and payments yourself. With SDK, hiring directly is one of the two options from the start: we introduce you and hand the person over. ### How does paying work? On Upwork, hourly work is billed weekly and fixed-price milestones are funded in escrow, plus Upwork's client fees. SDK does not publish prices: after a free 30-minute call, a project starts with a written scope and a fixed first milestone. ## Sources Facts about Upwork come from its own public pages below, as read on the date shown. They may have changed since. 1. [Upwork Help Center: How to start hiring on Upwork](https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211063398-How-to-start-hiring-on-Upwork) (Accessed 2026-09-26) 2. [Upwork Help Center: Roles and responsibilities on Upwork](https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/19892282107411--Roles-and-responsibilities-on-Upwork) (Accessed 2026-09-26) 3. [Upwork Help Center: What's the difference between a freelancer and an agency on Upwork?](https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211063508-What-s-the-difference-between-a-freelancer-and-an-agency-on-Upwork) (Accessed 2026-09-26) 4. [Upwork Help Center: How hourly and fixed-price contracts are different on Upwork](https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211063418-How-hourly-and-fixed-price-contracts-are-different-on-Upwork) (Accessed 2026-09-26) 5. [Upwork Help Center: What is the Client Marketplace Fee?](https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/4660220468499-What-is-the-Client-Marketplace-Fee) (Accessed 2026-09-26) 6. [Upwork Help Center: Use contract-to-hire](https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/17932901778707--Use-contract-to-hire) (Accessed 2026-09-26) 7. [Upwork Help Center: Search for talent](https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/17935950691347--Search-for-talent) (Accessed 2026-09-26) 8. [Upwork Help Center: Upwork Enterprise](https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/226526507-Upwork-Enterprise) (Accessed 2026-09-26) 9. [Upwork Help Center: What is Expert-Vetted status on Upwork?](https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/360049625454-What-is-Expert-Vetted-status-on-Upwork) (Accessed 2026-09-26) Upwork is a trademark of its owner. SDK Enterprises is not affiliated with Upwork. [Book a call](https://sdk.enterprises/en/book-a-call). [Start a project](https://sdk.enterprises/en/start-a-project).