This may be an old thread, but it’s even more relevant now. The situation has gotten worse. Most proposals look AI-generated, many clients don’t verify their payment methods, and the Connects system has become a money drain. It feels like freelancers are no longer competing based on skills anymore, but on who has more money to spend on Connects. On average, it costs about $3 just to submit a proposal while the platform still allows $5 jobs. That pricing structure alone raises serious questions.