Weekly Client Update Template for Freelancers (With 5 Real Examples)

A weekly client update should cover three things: what you completed this period, what's coming next, and anything you need from the client. Here's a template you can copy right now, followed by five real examples across different freelance disciplines — and a faster way to write them.

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The Template (Copy and Use Now)

Subject: [Project Name] — Weekly Update [Date] Hi [Client Name], Here's a quick update on [Project Name] for the week of [dates]. This week I completed:

[Specific deliverable 1] [Specific deliverable 2] [Specific deliverable 3]

Coming up next week:

[Next step 1] [Next step 2]

I need from you:

[Item 1] — needed by [date] to stay on track [Item 2]

Overall the project is [on track / slightly behind / ahead of schedule].

[One sentence on current status or anything worth flagging.] [Your name]

That's it. Short, specific, professional. No padding, no pleasantries that waste your client's time. The best client updates get read in under 60 seconds.

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5 Real Examples

Example 1 — Web Developer

Subject: Acme Corp Website — Weekly Update June 27

Hi Sarah,

Here's where we stand on the website redesign this week.

Completed this week:

• Homepage mobile layouts finished across all three breakpoints
• Navigation restructure approved and implemented
• Hero section copy updated to match the new brand guidelines
• Fixed the header spacing issue flagged in last week's review

Coming up next week:

• Inner page templates (About, Services, Contact)
• Beginning development handoff documentation

I need from you:

• Final approval on the homepage design so I can begin development
• SVG logo files for the footer — the PNG version has resolution issues at small sizes

We're on track for the July 15 launch date.

James

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Example 2 — Graphic Designer

Subject: Brand Identity Project — Week 3 Update

Hi Marcus,

Quick update on where we are with the brand identity work.

Completed this week:

• Delivered three logo concept directions for your review
• Completed the colour palette exploration (12 options, narrowed to 4)
• Built out the typography system with primary and secondary fonts

Coming up:

• Refining the selected logo direction based on your feedback
• Mockups showing the identity applied across business cards, letterhead, and social profiles

I need from you:

• Your feedback on the three logo directions by Wednesday so I can keep the timeline on track
• Confirmation of which two colour palettes you want me to develop further

Overall this is progressing well. The typography work came together faster than expected which gives us some buffer.

Priya

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Example 3 — Copywriter

Subject: Email Campaign — Sprint 2 Update

Hi Jordan,

Here's the update on the email campaign copy for this sprint.

Completed:

• Welcome sequence emails 1–4 written and delivered for review
• Subject line variations (3 per email) included in the doc
• Onboarding email revised based on your feedback from last week

Next sprint:

• Emails 5–8 of the welcome sequence
• Re-engagement campaign (3 emails)
• First draft of the promotional sequence for the September launch

Needed from you:

• Approval or feedback on emails 1–4 by Friday
• Clarification on the promotional campaign — do you want hard sell or soft nurture approach?

No blockers on my end. On track for the August 1 campaign launch.

Alex

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Example 4 — Consultant

Subject: Q3 Strategy Project — Bi-Weekly Update

Hi Rachel,

Here's a summary of where we stand on the Q3 strategy engagement.

Work completed this period:

• Completed competitive landscape analysis (report delivered separately)
• Conducted five stakeholder interviews — key themes documented
• Finished the market sizing model for the three target segments

Next two weeks:

• Synthesising interview findings into the strategy framework
• First draft of the recommendations deck
• Workshop preparation for the July 10 session

Items requiring your input:

• Access to the 2024 customer data — needed to complete the segmentation analysis
• Confirmation of workshop attendees by end of this week

We're on schedule for the July 18 final presentation.

David Chen

Principal Consultant

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Example 5 — Upwork Freelancer (Hourly Contract)

Subject: Website Development — Week 4 Update

Hi Lisa,

Weekly update on the 24 hours logged this week.

Work completed (24 hrs):

• Built out the product listing pages with filter functionality (10 hrs)
• Integrated the payment gateway — test transactions working (8 hrs)
• Fixed 6 bugs from the QA list you sent last week (4 hrs)
• Code review and documentation (2 hrs)

Next week:

• Checkout flow optimisation
• Mobile responsiveness fixes on product pages
• Starting the admin dashboard

Needed from you:

• Confirmation of which payment methods to support (Stripe only, or also PayPal?)
• Access to the staging server — I've sent a request through Upwork

The core e-commerce functionality is complete. Looking good for the August launch.

Tom

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Why Templates Eventually Stop Working

Templates save time when you're starting out. But here's the problem every freelancer runs into after a few months: clients start to notice when your updates sound formulaic. "Completed X, working on Y, need Z" every week starts to feel like a form, not a communication.

More practically, templates don't adapt to context. A week where you hit a major milestone needs a different tone than a week where you were debugging an obscure error for three days. A template can't capture that nuance — it produces the same structure regardless of what actually happened.

The other issue is that templates require the work you dread most: sitting down and translating your week into words. You still have to remember what you did, organise it, and write it up. The template gives you the structure but none of the content.

For a more formal structure suited to longer projects, see our guide to writing a project status report.

For a complete overview of all the types of client communication a freelancer needs — not just weekly updates — see our complete freelancer client communication guide.

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A Faster Way: Let Your Tools Write It For You

If you use Toggl Track to log your time, you already have a structured record of everything you did this week — every project, every task, every hour. If you record a quick Loom video at the end of the week instead of typing notes, you have a transcript. If you work on Upwork, your contract milestones are already documented.

Briefloop connects to these tools and turns the data they contain into a professional client update automatically. Connect your Toggl account, select the week's date range and client, and Briefloop fetches your time entries and writes the update from them. Paste a Loom URL and it transcribes the video and generates the report.

If you track time in Toggl Track, see our dedicated guide on turning Toggl entries into client reports automatically.

The result reads like the examples above — specific, professional, structured — without the 30 minutes of writing.

The free version generates 3 reports per month. Pro ($15/month) connects to Toggl, Loom, Upwork, and Fiverr and removes the limit.

If you work on Upwork, see our Upwork-specific update message guide — the format and tone differ slightly from a standard email update. Selling on Fiverr? Check out our Fiverr delivery message examples for platform-specific templates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a weekly client update be? 150–300 words for most projects. Long enough to be specific, short enough that clients actually read it. If your update regularly exceeds 400 words, you're including too much detail. Clients want to know the project is progressing, not read a full project journal.

How often should freelancers update clients? Weekly for active projects lasting more than two weeks. For shorter projects, update at each milestone instead. For retainer clients, weekly updates are expected and significantly reduce "just checking in" emails from clients — which saves time for everyone.

What should a freelance project update always include? Three things: what was completed this period (specific, not vague), what's coming next (with a timeline if possible), and anything you need from the client (with a deadline if it affects the project). Everything else is optional.

Should I send client updates by email or message? Email for most clients — it creates a written record, doesn't get lost in a message thread, and signals professionalism. For Upwork clients, use the contract message thread. For Fiverr clients, use the order thread. For clients you work with via Slack, a weekly summary message in the project channel works well.

What's the difference between a client update and a status report? Mostly framing. A status report tends to be more formal and structured — used in agency contexts or for enterprise clients. A client update is the same information delivered more conversationally. For most freelancers, a well-written client update is more effective than a formal status report because it reads like a human wrote it.

How do I write a client update when I didn't make much progress? Be honest but frame it constructively. Explain what you worked on (even research and planning count), why progress was slower than expected, and what you're doing to get back on track. Clients respect transparency far more than they respect silence or spin. A straightforward "this was a slower week because X, here's how I'm handling it" builds more trust than a vague update that glosses over the issue.

What makes clients actually respond to weekly updates? Specificity and a clear ask. Vague updates ("making good progress") get ignored. Specific updates with a concrete question ("the homepage is ready for review — can you look at it by Wednesday?") get responses. Every update should have at least one clear action item or question for the client.

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Briefloop is an AI client director for freelancers. It connects to Toggl Track, Loom, Upwork, and Fiverr — and turns your work data into professional client reports in under 60 seconds. Try it free →