Ask Should freelancers increase their rates when platform fees rise?

[Edward22]

Platform fees keep going up almost every year, and this eats into what freelancers actually take home from each project. Many people feel like their income stays the same on paper but shrinks in real value once fees are removed from the payment. Some freelancers choose to raise their rates to cover this gap, while others worry that clients will run to cheaper options instead. What do you think freelancers should do when fees keep climbing like this?