upwork-mcp

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that connects Claude to Upwork — enabling AI agents to search jobs, analyze opportunities, submit proposals, and manage client communications autonomously.

Works for any freelance niche: development, design, writing, marketing, automation, and more.

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Features

Tool	Description
search_jobs	Search Upwork jobs by keyword, type, budget, experience level
get_job_details	Fetch full job description, screening questions, and client history
analyze_job	Score a job 0–100 across niche fit, client quality, budget, competition, and clarity
submit_proposal	Automatically write and submit a proposal with custom cover letter and bid
get_proposals	List submitted proposals and their current status
get_messages	Read conversations and check for unread messages
send_message	Reply to clients in ongoing conversations
get_profile	View your freelancer profile, JSS score, and connects balance
update_profile	Update your freelancer profile title, overview, and skills
manual_login	Capture session cookies from an already-logged-in Chrome tab

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Architecture

Claude Agent
    │
    ▼
MCP Gateway (stdio, never restarts)
    │  HTTP POST /tool
    ▼
Worker Server (port 47821, hot-reloads on code changes)
    │
    ▼
CDP Proxy (port 9223, rewrites Host headers)
    │
    ▼
Chrome on host (port 9222, Playwright CDP connection)
    │
    ▼
Upwork Web UI

The gateway/worker split means you can update tool logic without restarting Claude or your MCP client.

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Prerequisites

• Node.js 20+
• Docker + Docker Compose
• Google Chrome installed
• An Upwork freelancer account

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Quick Start (Docker)

1. Clone and configure

git clone https://github.com/zcrossoverz/upwork-mcp.git
cd upwork-mcp
cp .env.example .env

Edit .env:

UPWORK_EMAIL=your@email.com
UPWORK_PASSWORD=yourpassword

FREELANCER_NAME=Your Name
FREELANCER_TITLE=Your Professional Title
FREELANCER_NICHE=your,skills,here

BID_RATE_DEFAULT=40
BID_RATE_MIN=25
BID_RATE_MAX=100

2. Start Chrome with CDP

connect-chrome-docker.bat

This launches Chrome with remote debugging + a CDP proxy that allows Docker to connect.

3. Start the worker

docker compose up -d

4. Capture your session

In Claude, call manual_login — it extracts cookies from your logged-in Chrome tab and saves the session. You only need to do this once (or after your session expires).

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Connect to Claude Code

Add to your MCP config (~/.claude/claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "upwork": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/upwork-mcp/dist/gateway.js"],
      "env": {
        "WORKER_PORT": "47821"
      }
    }
  }
}

Or via CLI:

claude mcp add upwork node /absolute/path/to/upwork-mcp/dist/gateway.js

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Local Development (Hot Reload)

npm install
npm run worker   # starts tsc --watch + nodemon on dist/worker.js

The gateway (dist/gateway.js) runs separately and proxies to the local worker — changes to any tool file reload the worker instantly without restarting Claude.

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Recommended Agent Workflow

1. manual_login      → Capture session (first time / session expired)
2. get_profile       → Check connects balance before bidding
3. search_jobs       → Find relevant jobs by keyword
4. get_job_details   → Get full description + screening questions
5. analyze_job       → Score the opportunity (skip grade D or F)
6. submit_proposal   → Auto-bid with personalized cover letter
7. get_messages      → Check for client responses
8. send_message      → Reply to clients
9. get_proposals     → Track active proposals

Example agent prompt

Search for freelance jobs matching my skills posted in the last 3 days.
For each job with grade A or B:
1. Get full job details
2. Analyze the opportunity
3. Write a personalized proposal highlighting my relevant experience
4. Submit at the recommended bid rate

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Job Analysis Scoring

The analyze_job tool scores each job across 5 dimensions:

Dimension	Max Points	What It Measures
Niche Fit	30	Keyword match between job and your FREELANCER_NICHE
Client Quality	25	Rating, total spend, hire rate, payment verified
Budget Fit	20	Budget vs your target rate, estimated project value
Competition	10	Number of existing proposals (fewer = better)
Project Clarity	10	Description detail, skills listed, budget specified
Red Flags	-5 each	Vague scope, low-budget signals, no client history

Grades:

Grade	Score	Action
A+	90–100	APPLY NOW — high priority
A	75–89	APPLY — strong opportunity
B	60–74	APPLY — worth pursuing
C	45–59	CONSIDER — marginal fit
D	30–44	SKIP
F	<30	AVOID

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Project Structure

upwork-mcp/
├── src/
│   ├── gateway.ts                # MCP stdio gateway (thin proxy, never restarts)
│   ├── worker.ts                 # HTTP tool server (hot-reloads via nodemon)
│   ├── config.ts                 # Environment configuration
│   ├── browser/
│   │   ├── browser-manager.ts    # Playwright CDP connection manager
│   │   └── upwork-auth.ts        # Session management
│   └── tools/
│       ├── search-jobs.ts
│       ├── get-job-details.ts
│       ├── analyze-job.ts        # Scoring engine
│       ├── submit-proposal.ts
│       ├── get-proposals.ts
│       ├── get-messages.ts
│       ├── send-message.ts
│       ├── get-profile.ts
│       ├── update-profile.ts
│       └── manual-login.ts       # CDP cookie extractor
├── cdp-proxy.cjs                 # Host-side proxy: Docker → Chrome (fixes Host header)
├── connect-chrome-docker.bat     # Launch Chrome + CDP proxy (for Docker use)
├── connect-chrome.bat            # Launch Chrome only (for local use)
├── Dockerfile
├── docker-compose.yml
└── .env.example

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Notes

Session Management

Login is handled manually via manual_login. Open Chrome, log in to Upwork normally (including any 2FA), then call manual_login — it captures all cookies and saves them for Playwright to reuse.

Bot Detection

Upwork may detect unusual activity. Use reasonable request intervals and do not run the agent continuously. The server connects to your real Chrome profile via CDP, which behaves more like a real browser than headless automation.

Selector Stability

Upwork's UI changes periodically. Browser-based selectors in src/tools/ may need updating if the UI is redesigned.

Ethical Use

• Only automate your own account
• Comply with Upwork's Terms of Service
• Review proposals before submission in production use

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License

MIT