The ten things a first-time visitor actually asks before listing or posting on UpStage. Have a question we missed? Reach us at rachelloh@upstage.network.
No. UpStage is a direct marketplace — sellers create their own profile, set their own rates, and message buyers directly. There is no talent agent, manager, or middleman in the loop. You keep 100% of your visibility and your inbox.
Backstage and Voices.com take 20% from the talent side and gate access behind subscriptions of their own. UpStage charges the seller a flat $19/month (or $50/week Pro for buyers who want AI-curated matches), and the platform does not take a percentage of project fees. Stripe handles payment end-to-end, and our AI matching is multilingual out of the box.
Listing a profile is free. You only need an active Core subscription ($19/month) to message buyers and respond to briefs. The first 7 days are a free trial — no card charge until day 7, and you can cancel anytime from your Billing page.
Subscription billing (Core, Pro, and the LOA add-on) runs through Stripe. For binding engagements, you sign a Letter of Agreement (LOA) inside the app — UpStage handles the matching and the dual-signature workflow, then parties settle project fees directly between each other on whatever terms the LOA records. Stripe Connect payouts are available for talent who opt in. UpStage never stores card details.
Yes. UpStage's AI matching works across 10+ languages, so a producer in Singapore can be matched with sellers in Lagos, Seoul, or São Paulo based on meaning rather than keyword overlap. Stripe handles multi-currency settlement, and in-app DMs are translated automatically.
Commercials, brand campaigns, short films, theatre, music videos, voiceover, social-first content, knowledge-creator partnerships, knowledge endorsements, and Producer-led engagements (where a Producer runs casting on the buyer's behalf). If it involves creative talent and a real deliverable, it belongs here.
Once both sides agree in-chat to move forward, either party generates an LOA — UpStage fills in the rate, dates, scope, usage rights, and revisions. Both parties sign inside the app with one click; binding PDFs are emailed to both sides and stored against the project. The buyer's signature is recorded first, then the talent's; signatures are timestamped and immutable.
Your profile is visible to logged-in buyers and producers actively browsing or matching. It is not indexed by external search engines. Briefs stay private until you express interest — you opt in to a project, not the other way around. You can pause or delete your profile at any time from Account settings.
Three ways. (1) Direct browse in the Talent directory, sorted by language, role, and availability. (2) AI Matches — Pro buyers get a curated top-10 each week based on your bio, languages, and availability. (3) In-app messengers; Pro buyers can reach out to sellers whose match score is above your threshold.
UpStage is for adult professionals — sellers must be 18 or older to list a profile, sign an LOA, or accept payment through Stripe. If you are under 18, please do not create an account; a parent or guardian may contact us at rachelloh@upstage.network if you are a parent of a minor performer seeking guidance.