Expert-Vetted is Upwork's invitation-only designation for the top one percent of talent in selected categories, granted after Upwork reviews a freelancer's skills and conducts a screening interview.
Unlike Top Rated and Top Rated Plus, which Upwork's systems grant automatically against published thresholds, Expert-Vetted is a human decision. Upwork's talent managers identify candidates in categories it chooses, typically development, design, marketing and finance, review their work history and portfolio, and interview them about their expertise and how they work with clients. Those who pass carry the Expert-Vetted badge and are introduced to Enterprise and Business clients through Upwork's managed talent services.
The badge is visible mainly to those clients and on the freelancer's own profile; it is not something an agency can earn directly, although an agency's members may hold it. There is no earnings threshold and no application form, which is why it is rare and why Upwork describes it as the top one percent.
Because it is awarded to people rather than accounts, Expert-Vetted says something about the individual's depth in a skill, whereas the Top Rated badges say something about the account's record of contracts.
How Upwork Insights uses it
Upwork Insights records Expert-Vetted whenever an agency's public page shows it. No agency page among the 25,139 indexed as of Oct 30, 2026 currently shows it, which matches Upwork's practice of attaching the badge to individual freelancers. The freelancer ranking shows it on individual profiles where Upwork publishes it.
In the Index Score Expert-Vetted adds 0.3 to the trust component on top of any Top Rated badge, capped at the full 15 points.