Jobbers.io vs Upwork: Complete 2026 Comparison

Last updated: July 2026 | Reviewed by the Jobbers.io Editorial Team

Upwork is the largest freelance marketplace in the world, processing over $4 billion in annual gross services volume (GSV) across 18+ million registered freelancers and approximately 785,000 active clients as of its full-year 2025 results. It has dominated the freelance platform landscape since the 2015 merger of Elance and oDesk, and reported a marketplace take rate of approximately 18.7%–19% for 2025 — meaning Upwork retained close to a fifth of every dollar transacted through its platform.

Jobbers.io is a commission-free freelance marketplace that takes a fundamentally different approach: zero commissions for both freelancers and clients, and direct payment negotiation between the parties. It generates approximately 300,000 daily visits and competes not by matching Upwork’s scale but by eliminating the fee structure that defines Upwork’s business model.

This comparison examines every dimension that matters to freelancers choosing between these platforms — fees, earnings, client access, features, payment, usability, and strategic fit — with concrete numbers rather than vague generalities. The goal is to give you the information you need to make a decision based on your specific situation, not to declare a universal winner.

Important notice — please verify current numbers: Freelance platform fees, pricing tiers, and policies change frequently and can vary by country, account type, and individual contract. The figures in this article were accurate at the time of publication (July 2026) and are provided for general informational purposes only. Before making a financial or business decision based on any number in this article, please verify current fees and terms directly on Upwork’s official pricing page and on Jobbers.io. Jobbers.io and its authors accept no liability for decisions made based on data that may have since changed.

Fees: The Core Difference

The fee structure is the defining difference between these two platforms and the single largest factor in determining freelancer take-home pay over time.

Upwork fees for freelancers: A variable service fee of 0% to 15% per contract, determined by factors including supply and demand, skill category, and client relationship — criteria Upwork does not fully disclose. Most freelancers report paying approximately 10% on the majority of contracts, though commodity categories can trend toward 15% while scarce, high-demand categories can trend toward 0–5%. The fee is shown before you submit a proposal or accept an offer and is locked for the duration of the contract. Prior to May 2025, Upwork used a tiered structure (20% on the first $500 per client, 10% on $500–$10,000, 5% above $10,000). The current variable system has been criticized for reduced predictability, since you cannot know the exact fee until you view a specific job listing or offer. (Source: Upwork Help Center — Freelancer Service Fee)

Jobbers.io fees for freelancers: 0%. No commission on any earnings, regardless of project size, client relationship, skill category, or any other variable. There is no tiered structure because there is no fee to tier.

Upwork fees for clients: Basic (Marketplace) plan: 3–5% on all payments (3% for eligible U.S. clients paying via ACH/checking account, 5% for all others). Business Plus plan: 8–10% (8% with ACH, 10% standard). A one-time contract initiation fee also applies: $0.99–$14.99 per new contract on the Basic plan, or up to $4.99 for Business Plus contracts under $100. These client-side fees reduce the budget available for freelancer compensation. (Source: Upwork Pricing: Plans and Fees for Clients)

Jobbers.io fees for clients: 0%. No marketplace fee, no contract initiation fee, no service charge. Clients pay the freelancer the agreed amount with no platform surcharge.

Total platform take rate: Upwork’s marketplace take rate reached approximately 18.7–19% for full-year 2025, according to the company’s own investor relations disclosures, meaning for every $100 transacted on the platform, Upwork retained roughly $18.70–$19 in combined freelancer and client fees. Jobbers.io’s take rate on transactions is 0%. (Source: Upwork Q4 and Full-Year 2025 Financial Results)

The Connects Economy: The Cost of Applying

Both Upwork and Jobbers.io use a Connects-based system where freelancers purchase credits to submit proposals for jobs. This is a cost of business development on both platforms — money spent before earning a single dollar from a contract. However, the structure and cost differ.

Upwork Connects: Freelancers need Connects to submit proposals for jobs. Each proposal typically costs 2 to 16 Connects depending on the listing. Individual Connects cost $0.15 each. Free (Basic) accounts receive only 10 Connects per month — enough for roughly 1 to 5 proposals depending on cost per listing. Freelancer Plus, the paid subscription tier, now costs $19.99/month and includes 100 Connects plus expanded access to Upwork’s AI features. Boosted proposals, which place your application higher in a client’s view, cost additional Connects. Active freelancers who submit 40–60 proposals per month typically spend $50–$150 monthly on Connects alone — roughly $600–$1,800 per year spent before earning a single dollar from the platform. (Source: Upwork Help Center — Connects)

The Connects system means that applying for work has a direct financial cost. Every proposal is a small bet: you spend real money with no guarantee of return. At a typical proposal-to-hire conversion rate of 5–15%, a freelancer might spend $15–$50 in Connects to land a single project — and that is on top of the 0–15% commission Upwork charges on earnings.

Jobbers.io Connects: Jobbers.io also uses a paid Connects system for submitting proposals — this is not a free feature, and freelancers should check current Connects pricing directly on the platform. However, the critical difference is what happens after you win the project: on Jobbers.io, you keep 100% of your earnings with zero commission. On Upwork, the commission (typically around 10%, up to 15%) is deducted on top of whatever you already spent on Connects to apply.

This distinction matters because Connects costs are unavoidable on both platforms — they are the cost of business development. The real differentiator is the commission layer. A freelancer who spends comparable amounts on Connects across both platforms still saves an estimated $6,000–$15,000 per year on a $60,000–$100,000 income by avoiding Upwork’s commission on Jobbers.io.

Annual Earnings Comparison: What You Actually Take Home

The following comparison shows what a freelancer billing different annual amounts actually takes home on each platform, accounting for the commission difference. Connects costs apply on both platforms and are excluded from this comparison to isolate the impact of commission fees — the primary structural difference between the two. Withdrawal fees, currency conversion, and any optional subscription costs would further reduce Upwork take-home numbers.

$30,000 annual billing: Upwork (10% commission): take-home $27,000. Jobbers.io (0% commission): take-home $30,000. Difference: $3,000/year in Jobbers.io’s favor.

$60,000 annual billing: Upwork (10% commission): take-home $54,000. Jobbers.io (0% commission): take-home $60,000. Difference: $6,000/year.

$100,000 annual billing: Upwork (10% commission): take-home $90,000. Jobbers.io (0% commission): take-home $100,000. Difference: $10,000/year.

$150,000 annual billing: Upwork (10% commission): take-home $135,000. Jobbers.io (0% commission): take-home $150,000. Difference: $15,000/year.

Over a 10-year freelance career at $60,000 annual billing, the cumulative commission difference is $60,000 — enough for a house down payment in many markets, a fully funded retirement account contribution, or several years of living expenses in a lower-cost country.

At Upwork’s 15% fee tier, the gap widens further. A freelancer billed at 15% on $100,000 annual earnings loses $15,000/year in commission alone — $150,000 over a decade that would have been retained in full on Jobbers.io.

Client Base and Market Access

This is Upwork’s strongest competitive dimension and the primary reason freelancers accept its fee structure.

Upwork: Approximately 785,000 active clients (those with spending activity in the past 12 months) as of full-year 2025 — down from roughly 832,000 in 2024, even as average spend per client rose. Over $4 billion in annual gross services volume. Clients include Fortune 100 companies, high-growth startups, and small businesses across virtually every industry, with Enterprise-tier clients including major brands such as Anheuser-Busch InBev, Marriott International, Reddit, and ServiceNow. The platform covers 90+ skill categories across 12 industry verticals, with web/mobile/software development accounting for the largest single share. The U.S. accounts for the majority of client revenue, with meaningful activity from Europe, Australia, and Asia. (Source: Upwork FY2025 Financial Results)

Jobbers.io: Approximately 300,000 daily visits across its marketplace. The platform serves both international clients (jobbers.io) and the Moroccan/MENA market (jobbers.ma). As a commission-free platform, Jobbers.io attracts cost-conscious clients who prefer to allocate their full budget to freelancer compensation rather than platform fees. The client base skews toward small and medium businesses, entrepreneurs, and direct hiring managers rather than enterprise procurement teams.

Honest assessment: Upwork’s client base is substantially larger and includes more enterprise clients with larger budgets. For freelancers who depend entirely on platform-sourced clients — particularly those seeking corporate contracts or recurring enterprise engagements — Upwork offers unmatched access. However, Upwork’s scale also means intense competition: 18+ million registered freelancers competing for those clients, with many jobs receiving dozens of proposals within hours of posting. Jobbers.io’s smaller market means less competition per opportunity, but also fewer total opportunities.

The strategic question is not “which platform has more clients?” but “what does it cost me to access those clients, and what do I keep when I win their business?” A $5,000 project won on Upwork with a 10% commission nets $4,500. The same project on Jobbers.io nets $5,000 — the full amount with zero commission. Both platforms charge Connects for proposals, so that cost is comparable. The client-access question only favors Upwork when the additional clients it provides generate enough volume to overcome the commission differential — which depends entirely on your individual conversion rate and specialization.

Payment Terms and Cash Flow

When you get paid matters almost as much as how much you get paid, particularly for freelancers managing irregular income.

Upwork payment timeline: Hourly contracts: payment releases 10 days after the billing period ends (billing periods are weekly, Monday through Sunday). Fixed-price contracts: payment releases 5 days after client approval of the milestone. Clients can delay approval, extending the effective payment timeline further. Withdrawal processing adds additional time depending on the method (direct deposit/ACH is typically free in the U.S.; wire transfer is far more expensive and slower). Effective time from work completion to money in your bank account: approximately 7–21 days in most cases.

Jobbers.io payment terms: Payment is negotiated directly between freelancer and client. There is no platform-imposed hold, escrow delay, or mandatory waiting period. Freelancers and clients can agree to any payment arrangement: upfront deposits, milestone payments, payment upon delivery, net-15, net-30, or any other terms. The platform does not intermediate the payment flow, which means faster access to funds but also means freelancers must manage their own payment security (no platform escrow).

Trade-off: Upwork’s escrow system provides payment protection — funds are held securely and released according to platform rules, reducing the risk of non-payment. This is genuinely valuable, particularly for freelancers working with new or unvetted clients. Jobbers.io’s direct payment model offers flexibility and speed but requires freelancers to handle payment security themselves (requesting deposits, using contracts, verifying client credibility). Experienced freelancers who are comfortable managing payment terms directly may benefit from Jobbers.io’s approach. Newer freelancers may appreciate Upwork’s safety net, even at the cost of slower payment and platform fees.

Platform Features Comparison

Search and discovery: Upwork offers AI-powered talent matching (Uma), advanced search filters, Job Success Score rankings, Top Rated and Expert-Vetted badges, and Project Catalog (where freelancers list services for clients to purchase directly). Jobbers.io provides profile-based search, category browsing, and direct client-freelancer contact without algorithmic intermediation.

Profile and portfolio: Both platforms support freelancer profiles with skill listings, portfolio items, and work descriptions. Upwork adds specialized testing, certifications, the Job Success Score (a composite metric based on client feedback, long-term relationships, and other factors), and badge systems (Rising Talent, Top Rated, Top Rated Plus, Expert-Vetted). These badges serve as trust signals for clients but are controlled by Upwork’s algorithm, creating a dependency on the platform’s rating system for visibility.

Project management tools: Upwork includes built-in time tracking (required for hourly contracts), messaging, file sharing, milestones, and basic project management within the platform. Jobbers.io provides communication tools and profile features but relies on freelancers using their own project management solutions (Notion, Asana, Trello, etc.) for workflow management.

AI features: Upwork has invested heavily in AI with Uma, its proprietary AI hiring and work assistant, and has expanded AI-related work categories significantly, with AI-related gross services volume surpassing $300 million annualized by Q4 2025 and growing more than 50% year over year. Jobbers.io does not currently offer comparable AI features within the platform.

Dispute resolution: Upwork provides a structured dispute resolution process with dedicated teams for mediation. When disagreements arise over work quality, scope, or payment, Upwork’s system provides a framework for resolution — though user satisfaction with the process varies considerably based on community reports. Jobbers.io does not intermediate disputes, leaving resolution to direct communication between freelancer and client or external legal channels if necessary.

The Algorithm Factor: Visibility and Control

One of the most consequential differences between these platforms is the role of algorithms in determining freelancer success.

Upwork’s algorithmic control: Your visibility to clients on Upwork is heavily influenced by factors you do not fully control. The Job Success Score — a composite metric that incorporates client feedback, long-term relationship development, response times, and other signals — determines your ranking in search results and your eligibility for badges. Changes to the algorithm or fee structure (like the May 2025 shift to variable fees) can affect freelancer visibility and income with little advance notice. Upwork has previously removed large numbers of freelancer accounts in mass reviews (for example, roughly 1.8 million accounts in 2020, per Upwork’s own public statements at the time) citing platform-quality concerns. While maintaining marketplace quality is a legitimate goal, such actions illustrate a broader dynamic: freelancer visibility and account standing on Upwork exist substantially at the platform’s discretion.

Jobbers.io’s approach: Profile visibility on Jobbers.io is not governed by a proprietary scoring algorithm. There is no Job Success Score equivalent that can be affected by a single negative review, and no badges controlled by platform criteria. Freelancers present their profiles, and clients browse and contact them directly. This means less algorithmic amplification of top performers but also less algorithmic suppression of everyone else.

The trade-off is real: Upwork’s algorithm, when working in your favor, can generate significant inbound interest with minimal effort. A Top Rated Plus badge is a powerful trust signal that profile optimization alone cannot replicate on a non-algorithmic platform. But that algorithmic advantage comes with algorithmic risk — dependency on a system you do not control and cannot fully understand.

Who Should Choose Upwork

Upwork is the better choice when specific conditions apply to your situation. This is not a comprehensive endorsement but a recognition of where Upwork’s strengths align with particular freelancer needs.

You are early-career with no existing client network. If you have no portfolio, no referrals, and no way to find clients independently, Upwork’s massive client base provides access you cannot easily get elsewhere at this stage. Paying 10–15% commission can function as the cost of building your initial reputation and client relationships.

You target enterprise clients. Upwork’s Business Plus and Enterprise tiers serve larger organizations that are unlikely to search for freelancers on smaller platforms. If your niche involves serving large corporations, agency-scale projects, or managed services engagements, Upwork is a primary channel for that market.

You need payment protection on every transaction. Upwork’s escrow system provides meaningful security. If you work with international clients, new clients, or in fields where disputes are common, the escrow system may justify the commission cost through reduced payment risk.

Your skills are in one of Upwork’s lower-fee categories. If your specialization falls into a category where Upwork’s algorithm assigns a lower fee (high-demand, low-supply skill categories), the economic argument against Upwork weakens considerably, and Upwork’s cost structure can become comparable to Jobbers.io, with the added benefit of escrow protection and a larger client base.

Who Should Choose Jobbers.io

Jobbers.io is the better choice when different conditions apply.

You want to keep 100% of your earnings. If maximizing take-home pay is your priority — and for most freelancers, it should be a major factor — the math is unambiguous. Every dollar earned on Jobbers.io is a dollar kept. No commission, no percentage-based deduction from your project revenue. While both platforms charge Connects for proposals, only Upwork layers a commission on top of that.

You are an established freelancer with existing capabilities. If you have a portfolio, testimonials, and the ability to present your skills professionally, you may not need Upwork’s badge system to establish credibility. Your work speaks for itself, and a commission-free platform lets the client’s full budget flow to you.

You want to negotiate payment terms directly. If you prefer to set your own payment terms — requesting deposits, structuring milestone payments, negotiating net-15 or net-30 — Jobbers.io’s direct model gives you that flexibility without platform-imposed holds or intermediation.

You want your proposal investment to go further. Both platforms charge Connects for proposals — that is a shared cost of business development. But on Jobbers.io, every project you win delivers 100% of the agreed price to you. On Upwork, the project you won is immediately reduced by roughly 10–15%. This means each Connects investment can yield more net revenue on Jobbers.io.

You want platform independence. If you are concerned about building your business on a platform that can change its fee structure (as Upwork did in May 2025), adjust its algorithm, or restrict your account — and you want to maintain direct relationships with clients without platform restrictions — Jobbers.io’s non-intermediated model provides that independence.

You operate internationally and want to avoid currency conversion markups. International withdrawals from Upwork can carry currency conversion spreads and, depending on method, withdrawal fees. Jobbers.io’s direct payment model allows you to negotiate payment in your preferred currency and use your own banking channels, potentially avoiding platform-imposed conversion costs.

The Multi-Platform Strategy: Using Both

Many experienced freelancers do not choose one platform exclusively. They use each platform for what it does best.

Use Upwork for client discovery. Upwork’s large client base can be an effective channel for finding new clients, particularly in the early stages of a freelance career or when entering a new skill market. Some freelancers treat the commission as a client-acquisition cost.

Use Jobbers.io for maximum earnings. Once you have established your reputation and can attract clients through your profile, portfolio, and direct outreach, Jobbers.io ensures that 100% of project value flows to you on those engagements.

Gradually shift volume toward zero-commission channels. As reputation and referrals grow, some freelancers increase the proportion of work sourced through commission-free channels over time, aiming to reduce their effective platform-fee rate across all channels while maintaining diverse sources of work.

Feature-by-Feature Summary

Freelancer commission: Upwork: 0–15% variable (most ~10%). Jobbers.io: 0%.

Client fees: Upwork: 3–10% depending on plan, plus a contract initiation fee. Jobbers.io: 0%.

Proposal cost: Upwork: Connects at $0.15 each, typically 2–16 per proposal. Jobbers.io: Paid Connects system (check current pricing on the platform).

Optional subscription: Upwork: Free Basic plan; Freelancer Plus $19.99/month. Jobbers.io: Free.

Payment protection (escrow): Upwork: Yes. Jobbers.io: No (direct payment between parties).

Payment hold: Upwork: Roughly 5–17 days depending on contract type. Jobbers.io: None (terms negotiated directly).

Registered freelancers: Upwork: 18+ million. Jobbers.io: Growing marketplace with 300,000+ daily visits.

Active clients: Upwork: ~785,000 (FY2025). Jobbers.io: Not publicly reported.

Skill categories: Upwork: 90+ categories across 12 verticals. Jobbers.io: Multiple categories across major freelance disciplines.

AI features: Upwork: Uma (proposal writing assistance, job matching, job post generation). Jobbers.io: Standard platform features.

Dispute resolution: Upwork: Structured platform mediation. Jobbers.io: Direct between parties.

Algorithmic ranking: Upwork: Job Success Score, badges, search ranking algorithm. Jobbers.io: Profile-based discovery without proprietary scoring.

Currency conversion: Upwork: Platform-mediated conversion with a spread that can apply. Jobbers.io: Direct payment, freelancer controls banking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Jobbers.io really commission-free for freelancers?

Yes — Jobbers.io charges 0% commission on freelancer earnings. What the client pays for your work is what you receive after any applicable proposal (Connects) costs. There are no percentage-based deductions from your project revenue and no tiered commissions. Jobbers.io does use a paid Connects system for submitting proposals, similar to Upwork — this is not a free feature, and current pricing should be checked directly on the platform. The key difference is what happens after you win: on Upwork, a 0–15% commission is deducted from your earnings on top of Connects already spent; on Jobbers.io, you keep the full project amount.

How does Upwork’s variable fee system work in 2026?

Since May 2025, Upwork has charged freelancers a service fee between 0% and 15% per contract. The specific rate is influenced by supply and demand in your skill category, contract type, and other criteria Upwork does not fully disclose. You see the fee before submitting a proposal or accepting an offer, and it is locked once the contract begins. Most freelancers report paying approximately 10% on the majority of contracts, though commodity categories can trend toward the higher end and scarce, high-demand categories can trend lower. Always confirm the exact fee shown on your specific contract, since it cannot be predicted in advance with certainty.

Can I use both Jobbers.io and Upwork simultaneously?

Yes. There is no exclusivity requirement on either platform. Many freelancers maintain profiles on multiple platforms to diversify their client sources — for example, using Upwork for client discovery and enterprise opportunities while using Jobbers.io to maximize earnings on projects where zero commission has the biggest impact.

How much do Upwork Connects actually cost per year?

It depends on how actively you submit proposals. Connects cost $0.15 each, and proposals typically require 2–16 Connects depending on the job. A freelancer submitting around 40 proposals per month at an average of 6 Connects each spends roughly $36/month, or about $432/year. More active freelancers submitting 60+ proposals monthly, with occasional boosted proposals, can spend $100–$150/month, or $1,200–$1,800/year. Free Basic accounts receive only 10 Connects per month, which is generally insufficient for active job-seeking. Connects are spent regardless of whether a proposal results in a contract, so verify current Connects pricing on Upwork’s help center before budgeting.

Does Upwork’s larger client base justify its fees?

For some freelancers, yes — particularly those who are early-career, target enterprise clients, or work in niches where Upwork has strong client concentration. For others, the commission cost can outweigh the access benefit, particularly when the freelancer can generate clients through other channels (direct outreach, referrals, personal marketing, or a presence on multiple platforms). A simple way to frame it: compare your realistic take-home on Upwork after commission against your realistic take-home on a commission-free platform for equivalent work, and let that comparison guide your channel mix.

Is my money safe on Jobbers.io without escrow?

Jobbers.io does not intermediate payments between freelancer and client, which means there is no platform escrow protecting transactions. This requires freelancers to manage their own payment security — requesting upfront deposits (a common practice is 25–50% before work begins), structuring milestone payments, using contracts that specify payment terms, and verifying client credibility before committing significant work. Freelancers who depend on platform escrow for payment security may find Upwork’s protection valuable despite its costs; more experienced freelancers who use standard business payment practices may find a direct model manageable.

What happens to my Upwork reputation if I reduce my activity on the platform?

Your Upwork profile, reviews, Job Success Score, and badges remain visible, but Upwork’s algorithm tends to favor recently active freelancers over dormant accounts. If you significantly reduce your Upwork activity to focus on commission-free platforms, your Upwork visibility may decline over time. This creates a lock-in effect worth considering: reputation built on Upwork is not directly portable to other platforms.

Which platform is better for international freelancers?

Upwork serves freelancers from 180+ countries with established payment infrastructure (direct deposit, Payoneer, or other regional options depending on your country). International freelancers may face currency conversion costs and, depending on withdrawal method, additional fees. Jobbers.io allows direct payment negotiation, meaning international freelancers can request payment in their preferred currency and use their own banking channels — but without the payment protection Upwork’s escrow system provides. The best choice depends on how much you value Upwork’s payment infrastructure and client access versus the flexibility of a direct payment arrangement.

How does Upwork’s take rate compare to what freelancers pay?

Upwork’s marketplace take rate — the percentage of total transaction value the company retains as revenue — reached approximately 18.7–19% for full-year 2025, according to Upwork’s own investor relations disclosures, up from about 18% in 2024, 15.4% in 2023, and 13.8% in 2022. This means that for every $100 flowing through the platform, Upwork retains roughly $18.70–$19 from combined freelancer commissions, client fees, Connects revenue, and other charges. Jobbers.io’s take rate on transactions is 0%. For the most current figures, consult Upwork’s quarterly investor releases directly.

Can I build a sustainable freelance career on Jobbers.io alone?

It depends on your ability to attract clients and your specific market. Freelancers with strong portfolios, clear specializations, and the ability to present their value effectively can build sustainable careers on any commission-free platform — the platform provides discoverability, and the freelancer provides the value. However, relying exclusively on any single platform (including Upwork) creates concentration risk. Many resilient freelance businesses draw clients from multiple sources: a commission-free platform for full-value earnings, a larger platform like Upwork for additional client access, direct outreach and referrals, and personal marketing (website, social media, content) for inbound leads.

Helpful Resources

For readers who want to verify the figures in this article or go deeper on freelance platform economics, the following authoritative sources are worth consulting directly:

• Upwork Help Center — Freelancer Service Fee
• Upwork Official Pricing Page (Clients)
• Upwork Investor Relations (SEC filings and quarterly results)
• IRS — Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center (for U.S. freelancers managing tax obligations)
• U.S. Federal Trade Commission — Business Guidance (for general consumer and platform-fairness guidance)

Important Notice: This article is intended for general informational and educational purposes only. Jobbers.io, operated by Varlorys, is the publisher of this article, and readers should consider this affiliation when evaluating the comparison. All Upwork data is sourced from official Upwork documentation, investor relations filings, and reputable third-party analyses as of July 2026, and is subject to change without notice. Platform features, fees, policies, and statistics may differ from the descriptions above at the time of reading — always verify current details directly with each platform before making a financial or business decision. This article does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. Consult qualified professionals for guidance specific to your circumstances.

This article was written and fact-checked by the editorial team at jobbers.io, a commission-free freelance marketplace operated by Varlorys, where freelancers keep 100% of their earnings and clients pay exactly what they negotiate — with zero platform commissions on either side. Our editorial team researches primary sources, including official platform documentation and investor disclosures, before publication and updates this comparison periodically to reflect current data.