How Much Does It Cost To Hire A WordPress Developer?

Factors Affecting WordPress Developer Costs

No two WordPress websites cost the same, and no two WordPress developers charge you the same. This is because the average hourly cost of hiring WordPress developers is influenced by multiple factors, such as:

1. The Experience Level and Specializations of the Developer

Developers with a proven track record of successful WordPress projects and extensive experience can deliver highly functional websites, which may cost you more. In contrast, developers who are not specialized in any particular WordPress functionality and offer basic WordPress website development services would cost less. Experience plays a key role here as developers are exposed to more technical complexities, development challenges, new plugins, etc. when working on more WordPress projects. These developers are ideal for enterprise projects with technical intricacies or plugin requirements.

2. Complexity of Your Project

A WordPress project’s complexity, features, and plugins would affect the overall hiring cost. When you add more custom themes, personalized modules, and third-party plugins unavailable in the basic WordPress designs, your Developer will charge you more. However, using the available WordPress themes and integrating basic WordPress features would be more affordable, as no specialization is required here.

3. Geographic location of the Developer

The location of the Developer would also impact the cost. If the Developer resides in countries like Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the UK, or the USA, it would cost around $80 to $200 per hour. The cost of living and the popularity of WordPress development in a particular region would affect the cost.

4. Timeframe of the Project and Urgency

The timeline within which you require your project to be completed would impact the cost. If you want your WordPress project to be completed quickly without compromising the back-end and front-end features, your WordPress development cost would be high. However, if you are ready to give in to flexibility regarding completing your WordPress website, you can settle for a more competitive hourly rate.

5. Freelancer vs. agency rates

The staffing option for hiring your WordPress developer would impact the cost. Freelancers offer more competitive rates as they work individually on projects, whereas agencies have more specialized developers, resulting in higher costs.

WordPress Developer Price Per Hour Breakdown

The WordPress development cost per hour would depend on multiple factors, some of which are discussed below:

Project Role

WordPress developers perform various roles and responsibilities such as basic SEO, website architecture development, custom plugin development, online security, integrating the website with other eCommerce platforms, debugging and troubleshooting, etc. The hiring cost would depend on the number and complexity involved in their roles.

Front-end WordPress Developers: Front-end WordPress developers will deal with the user interface, visual layout, WordPress themes, and website user experience. They develop features and components that your users directly access. They translate the design wireframes into a fully functional user interface by developing the links, images, buttons, and pages required to complete your website’s task. You can expect to pay $25-$85/hour for their services.

Back-end WordPress Developers: These developers will manage the server side of your website and perform all back-end functionality, such as writing codes, integrating extensions, building custom modules, etc. Hiring back-end developers can cost around $35 to $100 per hour.

Full-stack WordPress Developers: These developers will manage all the WordPress project’s visual, technical, and functional aspects. Full-stack developers handle everything from integrating a visually appealing UI/UX to powering your website through PHP, setting up databases, creating custom codes, and working with APIs. You can expect to spend $40 to $150 hourly for hiring their services.

The Level of Expertise

The expertise level would impact the cost of hiring and project management. If you want a unique, intricate website with sophisticated features, a smooth user experience, etc., you should spend more on the development cost.

• Entry-Level Developers: Hiring entry-level WordPress developers would cost around $25 to $40 an hour. They usually charge the lowest as their experience is less than mid-level and senior-level developers.
• Mid-Level Developers: Mid-level developers would cost more than entry-level and charge around $40-$50 per hour.
• Senior-Level Developers: Senior-level developers have years of experience working on WordPress projects across various industry verticals, working with multiple web analytics tools, setting up new WordPress sites, etc. You can expect to spend $60 to $100 per hour using their services.

Location of the Developer

Hourly rates for WordPress developers would also vary depending on the Developer’s geographical location. Regions with a strong demand for website development and higher living costs, such as Australia and North America, would have higher rates. Regions having lower living costs, such as Africa and Asia, would have lower rates.

WordPress Developer Staffing Options: In-house vs Agency vs Freelance

There are multiple staffing options when it comes to hiring WordPress developers. This would also impact the cost of hiring in the following ways:

In-House Team

If you want to create your internal team or have ongoing needs for your WordPress website, hiring an In-House Team would be a good option. This will enable you to collaborate closely with your Developer and provide greater control.

Pros

• You will get dedicated service, which will ensure faster project delivery
• You can hire developers for long-term support and maintenance
• The developers will work in collaboration with your business, which will ensure a better understanding of your project requirements and overall business values

Cons

• Employing in-house developers is an admin-heavy process
• Hiring, training, and maintaining these staff would result in high upfront costs

Agency

WordPress agencies have a team of developers specialized in developing different types of WordPress websites. You will find developers with multiple expertise and skill sets. Hiring an agency would be better if you need additional website development services such as ongoing support, intuitive design, SEO, or other complicated functionalities. However, these agencies would cost you more.

Pros

• They are highly specialized to handle even the most complicated WordPress problems.
• You can also hire them from offshore regions to reduce the development costs.

Cons

• It will have high upfront costs if you hire them from areas with a high demand for WordPress developers.

Freelancers

Freelance WordPress developers work independently as they are self-employed professionals. You can find these freelancers through personal references or online platforms. You will find more flexibility and competitive rates when working with Freelancers.

Pros

• They offer competitive rates as they are free of overhead expenses
• Freelancers can get started with your project quickly

Cons

• Most freelancers don’t provide long-term support and maintenance

How to Find Experienced WordPress Developers?

There are various reliable online platforms available from where you can hire WordPress developers, including:

Clutch

It has over 200,000+ listed agencies in multiple categories to help you find the right Developer for your website. It has a leader matrix, verified reviews, and industry insights to enable you to compare various options.

Upwork

Formerly known as Elance, Upwork is an online platform for hiring companies and professionals. You can create an account, describe your WordPress project, and set your budget to enable Upwork to find qualified and reliable WordPress developers for you to hire. You will find in-depth information on each Developer, such as client feedback, prior work, platform proficiency, ratings, etc.

Fiverr

Fiverr connects you to many top-rated WordPress agencies, companies, and freelancers. You can enter your specifications and let Fiverr shortlist candidates for you. You can see the ratings, profiles, reviews, and project portfolios to arrive at a decision.

Tips for Hiring a WordPress Developer

When hiring a reliable WordPress developer, following certain tips can help you make an informed decision.

1. Define Project Scope And Requirements Clearly

To avoid miscommunication and project delays, it is important to state your project scope clearly. From the features to the plugins, project timeline, customization, support needs, etc, all project requirements should be discussed with your WordPress Developer beforehand.

2. Review Portfolios And Client Testimonials

Check whether the developers you are planning to hire can meet your project goals. Review client testimonials and portfolios to understand their proficiency level and the type of project they have worked on. If you find they have worked on similar projects and can customize your WordPress website as per your needs, you can hire them.

3. Conduct Interviews To Assess Skills And Communication

Conduct interviews with the developers to test their technical proficiency and understand whether they can meet your project demands. Communicate all your project needs and assess how they will meet them before finalizing them as your WordPress developers.

4. Consider Long-term Support And Maintenance.

Communicate your lonDeveloperpport and maintenance needs to your Developer. Post-launch support and ongoing maintenance are essential to keep your website up-to-date and bug-free. You will lose out on orders and customers if you don’t fix errors and bugs quickly.

Conclusion

Understanding the average hourly rates can help you fix your budget and set your project requirements. The cost of hiring WordPress developers would vary based on location, staffing options, project complexity, etc. You can align your project requirements with your budgetary constraints when informed about these rates.