u/Mbuyoti_

Want to warn other freelancers about a deceptive listing pattern with BARE International on Upwork.

They list jobs with a fixed $50 budget and $50 milestone. However, after accepting the contract, you find out the breakdown is actually:

• $20 base pay for the actual work.
• $30 variable reimbursement (strictly covering an out-of-pocket drink/purchase expense).

For physical on-site evaluations, when you factor in personal transit and data costs out of that $20 base reward, you are essentially working for free or taking a net loss.

When challenged, coordinators point to fine-print text buried inside chat messages or attachments, claiming technical disclosure. Setting the headline milestone to $50 creates a false baseline for labor.

Has anyone else run into this with BARE International or similar agencies inflating headline rates with variable reimbursements?

I’m looking for a reliable courier/shipping company that regularly handles shipments from Tanzania to Zambia. I’ve checked the obvious big names (DHL, FedEx, etc.) but I’m looking for cheaper service providers and I wanted to hear real experiences from people who have actually used services on this route.