Uplink
The easiest way to find the right freelancer.
Uplink is an exclusive network for IT freelancers based in Berlin. Companies post projects and receive screened profiles of available specialists in areas including development, DevOps and cloud, data science, UI/UX, product and project management, and QA. Interviews can be arranged through the platform; companies contract directly with the selected freelancers. Uplink also offers members an online community and regular meetups. LinkedIn lists the company size as 2 to 10 employees.
Security & Compliance
Security and privacy are top priorities.
Security Features
Certifications
- ISO 27001
- SOC 2
Data & Hosting
Hosting
Available upon request: SSO/SAML, MFA, encryption, RBAC, audit logs, API access, IP whitelisting, security certifications.
Retention & deletion
Personal data is stored only for as long as necessary for its purpose or as required by law. When that purpose no longer applies or a statutory retention period expires, the data is blocked or deleted in accordance with legal requirements. Registered users can request deletion of the data they provided during registration, subject to statutory retention obligations.
Upon request: GDPR/DPA, ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, retention policies.
Feature Scope
- Active candidate applications: Projects are posted in the community; interested and available freelancers actively apply, reducing the effort required for active sourcing.
- Curated pool: Admission only after application/review; exclusively full-time freelancers with permanent residence in the DACH region (DE/AT/CH).
- Community effect: A vibrant community with events, webinars, and expert discussions enhances candidate quality and motivation.
- Efficient processes & usability: The platform supports the publication and management of numerous projects and candidates while maintaining an overview; interview scheduling is possible via the platform (https://uplink.tech/recruiters; https://uplink.tech/en).
- Category focus: Web development, Mobile, DevOps/Cloud, Data Science, UI/UX, IT Security, Test automation/QA, Agile (PO/SM/Coach), SAP, Software Architecture/Lead/Interim CTO, Digital Marketing.
- Exclusions: No suitable candidates for Operations, Business Analysis/Management Consulting, Documentation/Support/License Management, Network Engineering.
- Cost model: Free for recruiters – post unlimited jobs and contact candidates. General Uplink fee model (10% of the rate for 12 months) applies only to “Direct Jobs” from end clients, not to “Recruiter Jobs”.
- Communication & Channels: Community Slack with job channels (direct/recruiter jobs by category), private application threads for submissions; email notifications subject to Slack limits.
- Languages & Region: Platform/website in German and English; Focus on the DACH region for freelancers (https://uplink.tech/recruiters; https://uplink.tech/en).
- Contract & Billing Information: Contracts are concluded and invoices issued directly between the freelancer and the client; Uplink is free for recruiters.
Pricing hints: Completely free for recruiters: post unlimited jobs and contact candidates. General Uplink fee model: 10% of the freelancer rate for the first 12 months applies only to Direct Jobs (end clients), not to Recruiter Jobs. Expected/typical hourly rates in the community: generally ≥ 75 EUR/h (minimum requirement for attractive projects), often 80–100+ EUR/h depending on skill (https://uplink.tech/recruiters; https://uplink.tech/knowledge-base/en/freelancers/community-slack/). No setup or subscription fees for recruiters.
Security hints: Https://uplink.tech/en).
Compliance hints: As a German company, GDPR relevance is obvious, https://uplink.tech/recruiters).
Implementation hints: Onboarding via contact form and brief consultation; followed by project publication. Thanks to automated processes, suitable applications are often processed within hours. Interview scheduling via the platform.
Support hints: Contact via form/email; personal communication with the Uplink team is mentioned. Community Slack is used for job posts and application threads (for members). Https://uplink.tech/knowledge-base/en/freelancers/community-slack/).
Integration hints: Internal platform features include project posting, candidate management, and interview scheduling; additional communication via Community Slack (https://uplink.tech/recruiters; https://uplink.tech/en; https://uplink.tech/knowledge-base/en/freelancers/community-slack/).
- Curated IT freelancer network covering Developers, DevOps/Cloud, Data Science, UI/UX, Product/Project Management, and QA; manual vetting for each candidate before introduction. - Simple process: post a project for free, receive vetted profiles, schedule interviews via the platform, then contract and invoice directly with the freelancer. - Rapid response from the team (“We’ll get back to you today/tomorrow/Monday at the latest”). - Community Slack as the central hub: new jobs, announcements, topic channels (tech, cities, business, taxes), and job channels by category; private application channels for each application. - Public freelancer profiles (beta): configurable sections (tagline, about, projects, hourly rate, skills with levels, education, languages); planned enhancements include multilingual profiles, export as PDF/JSON, API export/import, GitHub/GitLab sync, and display of availability, certificates, and insurance. - Resources and community: knowledge base, webinars, meetups, podcast, blog, contract templates, code of conduct. - Pricing model: Uplink charges freelancers a 10% fee on their rate for the first 12 months for direct jobs; clients are not charged; privacy and terms pages linked in the footer; community runs on Slack; APIs for profiles are planned but not yet generally available. (Homepage/process/testimonials: https://uplink.tech/en?utm_source=openai; Community Slack: https://uplink.tech/knowledge-base/en/freelancers/community-slack/?utm_source=openai; Public Profiles: https://uplink.tech/knowledge-base/en/freelancers/public-profiles/?utm_source=openai; Fee model: https://uplink.tech/en/knowledge-base/freelancers/our-fee/?utm_source=openai)
Pricing hints: Commission-based: 10% of the freelancer’s billed rate for the first 12 months with a client, only for direct jobs. Clients are not charged by Uplink. Recruiter jobs carry no Uplink fee. Community guidance suggests market rates around 80–100 EUR/hour for community-posted gigs, but this is not Uplink pricing—just rate context. (Fee: https://uplink.tech/en/knowledge-base/freelancers/our-fee/?utm_source=openai; Rate context: https://uplink.tech/knowledge-base/en/freelancers/community-slack/?utm_source=openai)
Security notes: Contracting and invoicing occur directly between the client and the freelancer (reducing Uplink’s handling of payment data). The platform references its Privacy Policy and Terms of Service in the footer. Community and job flow leverage Slack. (Process: https://uplink.tech/en?utm_source=openai; Slack usage: https://uplink.tech/knowledge-base/en/freelancers/community-slack/?utm_source=openai)
Compliance hints: The site links to the Privacy Policy/Datenschutz, implying GDPR/DSGVO compliance typical for EU services; (Footer links visible on https://uplink.tech/en?utm_source=openai)
Implementation hints: Minimal setup: submit a project form; Uplink publishes to the community; vetted candidates are introduced; interviews are scheduled via the platform; then work begins with direct contracting and invoicing handled by the freelancer. Indicated response times: same day or next business morning. Typical time-to-candidates reported in testimonials as hours to days.
Support hints: Support via contact form/email with stated fast response timelines; extensive Knowledge Base; active Community Slack for announcements, jobs, and discussion. (https://uplink.tech/en?utm_source=openai; https://uplink.tech/knowledge-base/en/freelancers/community-slack/?utm_source=openai)
Integration hints: Community and application communications integrate with Slack (job channels, private application channels). The Public Profiles feature has planned integrations/exports: API export/import, JSON export, PDF export, and GitHub/GitLab sync (planned, not generally available). (Slack: https://uplink.tech/knowledge-base/en/freelancers/community-slack/?utm_source=openai; Profiles roadmap: https://uplink.tech/knowledge-base/en/freelancers/public-profiles/?utm_source=openai)
Features at a Glance
Recruiting & ATS
- Interview scheduling
- Job requisitions
- Pipeline/Kanban
- Referrals
Integrations
- Slack integration
Mobile
- Responsive UI
Compliance
- GDPR
Pricing Model
Flat
Plan 1: EUR 0, usage-based – Uplink fee: 10% of the freelancer’s rate for the first 12 months (only for direct jobs from end clients; not for recruiter jobs). Contracts and invoicing are handled directly between the freelancer and the client.
Implementation
Onboarding via the contact form and a brief coordination process; then publish projects. Schedule interviews through the platform. No significant implementation effort or data migration required.
Support
Email · Web form · Community Slack (for members)
Time zones: On request
Support via contact form/email; direct communication with the Uplink team is possible. Community Slack channel for job postings and application threads (for members).
Integrations
Slack
OtherCentral community hub with topic and job channels; private application channels for each application.
API export/import (profiles)
APIPlanned, not generally available; intended for public profile data exchange.
GitHub
OtherPlanned profile sync (not GA).
GitLab
OtherPlanned profile sync (not GA).
Slack (Uplink Community)
OtherCommunity workspace with job channels (direct and recruiter jobs organized by category) and private application threads. Email notifications are used to some extent (due to Slack limits).