WordPress is used widely as a CMS in 2023. Everyone is trying to create a website on this platform because of the ease of use available.

Many businesses that are looking to get their website or store developed on WordPress are looking for experts to do that. But the only thing keeping them from getting a WordPress website developed is the unrealistic cost attached to WordPress website development.

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Ironically, the truth is far different from what people expect when they think about hiring a WordPress developer for their business.

That is the bubble we will be bursting in this article.

Are Freelance WordPress Developers Costly?

No. Not really. Here is the breakdown of how much a WordPress developer would cost you.

See, starting a website with WordPress costs ZERO dollars. You get a hosting solution, launch WordPress on it, and that is it.

But this site won’t look appealing to your users. That is where the work of a WordPress developer comes in. You will hire the developer either on a fixed rate or on a project basis.

Let’s say you already have a theme that you want to be customized. You hire the WordPress developer for a fixed rate of $2,000 for site customisation.

In this $2,000, your developer will customise the whole theme and make it appealing (provided you give him the design that you want to be made).

On the other hand, the development cost of building a website from scratch will be a lot more depending on the hourly cost of the WordPress developer.

If you are looking for a website design cost guide in Australia, please read our article.

How WordPress Developer’s Hourly Rates are determined?

Developer expertise and experience

Simply put, the more experienced and expert developer has the more hourly charges. The experience, skill sets and expertise clearly have effects on how much the WordPress developer charges per hour.

Scope of Work

Some developers do not always work on an hourly base rate model. Sometimes, they can charge on the basis of the total project or work done. This depends mostly on how complex the work is and the effort required to complete the work.

Timeline

The timeline of the project also determines the hourly rates for WordPress Developers. Sometimes a development project may not always be straightforward in terms of timeline. Some projects might be a one-off projects and some may not end even for a few years. So, this might also affect the rates.

Building from scratch

Not every web development project needs to be started from scratch. But the one that might need to start from scratch might incur more charges.

How Much Do WordPress Developers Charge on Freelance Platforms?

On Codementor:

Codementor.io says that the cost of the WordPress developer can vary somewhere between $60 and $50.

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On Upwork

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On Upwork, the WordPress development cost can be between $15 and $28 depending on the type of work you want.

But the median WordPress development cost is $20.

On People Per Hour

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On the People Per Hour freelancing platform, the cost of a WordPress developer varies between $20 per hour to $60 per hour.

People Per Hour mostly has people from Asia and that is why the costs of freelance development are a lot lower than other freelancing platforms.

On Guru

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Next, we have Guru. Guru is another freelancing platform. It has mostly fixed-rate WordPress projects available. Freelancers work on a fixed rate basis and the average cost of building a basic website on the WordPress CMS platform is somewhere between $200 and $500. For customized websites, the cost is more – ranging between $500 and $1,000.

As you can see, the hourly rates of WordPress developers vary on different platforms depending on the following factors:

  • Location
  • Type of work
  • Expertise
  • Experience

So, on average…

How Much Do WordPress Developers Charge Per Hour?

An expert WordPress developer can charge between $60 and $200 per hour depending on the type of development work needed.

The rates of a WordPress developer will also vary based on hiring requirements such as a freelancer, part-time, or full-time work.

>>> Need Expert WordPress Developers for Your Project? Get In Touch.

Calculating the Number of Hours Per WordPress Project

An eCommerce store costs around $15,000 to develop on WordPress.

The cost of a Woocommerce developer on an hourly basis is around $100. This means that the developer would require 150 hours to create the complete WooCommerce store.

  • Hours: 150
  • WordPress developer cost: $100/h
  • Total Project Cost: $15,000
  • Type of Project: Ecommerce Website
  • The costs will vary significantly when a WordPress agency creates the project and not a WordPress freelance developer.

WordPress Development Freelancer vs Agency: Cost Calculation

WordPress development freelancer has limited capacity. If you are building a website from scratch, you can’t hire a single developer to do that because the website would need a design, UI/UX, wireframing, and then the programming part will come in.

All this can’t be delivered by a single WordPress freelancer. This is where the requirement of a WordPress development agency comes in. They offer everything under a single roof including WordPress designer, developer, and content writer so that the client gets everything made from a single place.

More development agencies also offer six months to one year maintenance plans for their WordPress clients. This ensures that the clients don’t have to worry about site development, customization, or maintenance once the website is launched.

How Much Does WordPress Development Agency Cost Per Hour?

WordPress Development agencies usually charge the same amount that a freelancer charges but they offer more quality. If you are looking for an eCommerce store on WordPress, a developer will only be able to customise it.

On the other hand, a WordPress development agency will be able to get it developed from scratch.

For reference, a WordPress development agency will be able to provide:

  • Design for the eCommerce store
  • Development for the eCommerce store
  • Six-month maintenance for the eCommerce store

Moreover, WordPress development agencies value their brand. They want their customers to be satisfied with their service. Therefore, they will provide all the services until the customer is satisfied and gives them a positive review or testimonial.

WordPress Agency Project Costs

  • E-commerce Projects: $10,000 to $25,000
  • Business Website: $10,000 to $15,000
  • Custom Website: $7,000 to $15,000
  • Theme Design: $5,000 to $10,000

That is usually not the case with freelancers or remote WordPress developers who charge per hour.

>>> Hire WordPress Developer on Hourly Basis. Get the Lowest Price. Book a Call

Negotiating WordPress Development Hourly Charges

If you are hiring a WordPress developer for business, negotiate the rates that they offer. Here are a few tips that you should keep in mind when you are negotiating with WordPress developers to bring down the hourly cost.

  1. Never accept the first-rate they offer. They always have room for discounts on WordPress development services.
  2. Get rates from multiple agencies. This way you will know what is the lowest rate and the most value you are getting. It will also help you negotiate better with a WordPress developer of your choice
  3. Find how you can extract the most value from the WordPress development agency. If you liked the price they quoted, you can ask them to provide more value. This can be post-sale website maintenance or something else
  4. Remember to walk out. If you think the WordPress developer is not offering the rates you want, you can walk out and look for other WordPress development agencies available on the internet.
  5. Determine your highest acceptance rate. You should have a ballpark figure in mind. Let’s say you want a complete eCommerce store for $15,000 with post-development maintenance. Keep this in mind when you negotiate. Start with $12,000 for the whole package.
  6. It should be a win-win for both. Remember, if you offer a rate that is too low, you won’t get the maximum quality. If you agree to a rate that is over your budget, you will have buyer’s remorse. So, go for a mutually agreeable rate for both you as the client and the WordPress development agency.

We hope that you are now aware of how much a WordPress developer charges per hour for a project. You now also know how to negotiate the best charges and squeeze the most value from a WordPress developer/development agency that is working on an hourly basis on your project.

Ready to Hire a WordPress Developer on an Hourly Basis?

If you are looking to get the best rates for WordPress development work, then our WordPress experts are available to help. We are well-versed in creating prolific WordPress-based eCommerce stores, blogging & affiliate websites, and business websites.

>>> Get in touch with our WordPress experts today to discuss your WordPress project at length. Book a Call