This episode of the Jukebox Podcast features Adrian Sticea, a WordPress developer who tracked a dramatic collapse of WordPress project volume coming through Upwork. Adrian’s LinkedIn post — illustrated by a line graph that falls to near zero by 2026 — sparked a wider conversation about where WordPress work has gone and how freelancers should adapt.
Who Adrian is
Adrian began building with WordPress in 2013, working for small companies, freelancing, and later joining U.S. agencies. He spent time on a large IBM WordPress project, worked at StellarWP as a web engineer, and has substantial experience with enterprise-level, developer-focused work. Over the last decade his lead generation often relied heavily on marketplaces, especially Upwork.
The problem he documented
Adrian’s data shows that work sourced from Upwork stayed steady for years and then steeply declined starting around 2022–2023, reaching almost nothing by 2026. While simple site builds still appear on Upwork, the higher‑complexity developer work he used to win there — custom plugins, legacy code maintenance, enterprise projects — has largely disappeared from that platform in his view.
Why this might be happening
Adrian and the host consider several overlapping causes:
– AI and productivity gains: AI tools have made developers faster, so fewer engineers are needed to deliver the same output. That accelerates hiring freezes and layoffs and reduces demand for freelance development in some markets.
– Economic shifts and layoffs: The tech sector’s contractions after 2020 reduced overall demand for external development in many areas.
– Platform competition and market saturation: Other services (pre‑vetted marketplaces, recruiter/agency workflows, and specialist platforms) now compete for the types of vetted, higher‑complexity work that clients prefer to buy through curated channels rather than open freelance marketplaces.
– Platform fit and client expectations: Upwork remains useful for simple, short website builds, but clients with mission‑critical or complex WordPress assets often prefer vetted candidates, temp agencies, or direct agency relationships with more formal interview processes.
– Alternatives to WordPress: For simple brochure sites, tools like Squarespace, Wix, Framer, or modern JS stacks — sometimes paired with AI tooling — are chosen over WordPress in new projects.
The limitations of relying on one marketplace
Adrian admits marketplaces like Upwork are comfortable and convenient: they let introverted developers find work without networking, and messaging often replaces in-person selling. But that convenience comes with tradeoffs. Upwork reviews are useful, but they don’t necessarily produce referrals or long-term relationships. Being dependent on a single platform leaves a freelancer vulnerable if the platform’s demand shifts.
How Adrian is adapting
Although his Upwork-sourced leads declined, Adrian’s income has not collapsed. He pivoted to diversify lead sources and focus on longer-term relationships:
– LinkedIn: Posting content and engaging directly led to viral reach and some client leads. It’s a platform for demonstrating expertise and starting conversations.
– Agency partnerships: Reaching out to agency owners who occasionally need higher‑complexity or legacy support has led to repeat work and referrals.
– Recruiters and temp agencies: Building relationships with staffing firms that pre‑vet candidates provides a steadier pipeline for projects that require reliability and proven skills.
– Emphasizing long‑term relationships: He’s investing in ongoing client relationships rather than one-off gigs, which often pay better and lead to future work without re-acquiring clients from scratch.
Lessons and takeaways
– Diversify lead sources: Don’t rely on a single marketplace. Cultivate multiple channels — direct outreach, LinkedIn, agencies, recruiters, and personal networking.
– Build long-term client relationships: Those take longer to form but yield repeat business, referrals, and higher lifetime value than transactional gigs.
– Collect testimonials and contacts outside the marketplace: Upwork reviews help on-platform, but off-platform recommendations and email testimonials are more portable and useful long-term.
– Be adaptable: The nature of web work changes. Specializing in complex legacy systems, enterprise work, or integration tasks can still be valuable, but expect projects and tech stacks to evolve.
Final notes
Adrian’s experience is a cautionary example: marketplaces can supply steady work for years, but shifts in technology, client preferences, and platform competition can change that quickly. His response — diversifying, building relationships, and using platforms like LinkedIn and staffing agencies — is a practical roadmap for many freelancers facing similar headwinds.
If you want to follow Adrian or reach out, he’s active on LinkedIn and lists CustomWP.io as his website.