# Upwork vs Referron

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Referron at 100% against Upwork's 30%. Referron also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Upwork's advantage is ratings volume (71K vs 15) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Upwork sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $27.00 per month and Referron sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $12.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Referron holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Upwork has 71K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Upwork's written reviews are positive against 100% of Referron's.

Upwork ships an update fortnightly, Referron every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Upwork | Referron |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (71K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upwork/id1446736499/reviews) | **[5.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/referron/id6615078342/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **71K** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 29.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#97** | — |
| Size | 119 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Upwork Global Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/329377609) | [Referron](https://appshunter.io/developer/666693832) |

## What reviewers say

### Upwork

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upwork/id1446736499)

**Currently charting:** #97 Top Grossing · Business, #114 Top Free · Business (US App Store)

This app provides a unified platform for managing all aspects of your work, whether you're hiring or freelancing. Post jobs, submit proposals, communicate with clients, and track projects seamlessly from your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Post jobs, Submit proposals, Message clients/freelancers, Track projects, Manage contracts, Purchase Connects

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus | $27.00 | per month |
| Plus | $29.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick notifications
- 👍 Convenient for freelancing
- 🚀 Great app for content creators
- 👍 Useful for finding opportunities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Messaging issues and delays
- 💰 Expensive with high fees
- 🔒 Poor customer support and verification process
- 🐛 Buggy and slow app performance
- 🤖 Saturated with fake jobs and scams

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent behavior when applying for jobs
- Verification and account suspension issues
- Unreliable push notifications

**Requested features**

- Ability to save search criteria
- Improved messaging and notification system
- Better integration between app and website
- More transparency around fees and payment process


### Referron

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/referron/id6615078342)

This app facilitates professional networking by allowing users to easily share digital business cards, refer contacts, discover new connections, and monitor their networking activities. It aims to enhance professional relationships and streamline the process of expanding one's network.

**Highlights:** Digital business card sharing, Contact referral system, Discover new connections, Track networking activity, Enhance professional network

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $12.00 | per month |
| Annual Subscription 75 | $75.00 | per year |
| Annual Subscription 85 | $85.00 | per year |
| Annual Subscription 95 | $95.00 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $100.00 | per year |
| Basic Group Pack | $60.00 | one-time |
| Growth Group Pack | $200.00 | one-time |
| Pro Group Pack | $300.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Upwork free?

Upwork is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Referron free?

Referron is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Upwork or Referron?

Referron is rated higher. Upwork averages 4.6 out of 5 from 71K ratings, while Referron averages 5.0 from 15 ratings.

### Do Upwork or Referron have ads?

Upwork shows ads; Referron does not.

### Which is updated more often, Upwork or Referron?

Upwork ships an update fortnightly, and Referron every 5 weeks. Most recently, Upwork was updated on October 21, 2026 and Referron on October 16, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*