How to Hire a Freelance Web Developer (Without Getting Burned)

Hiring a freelance web developer can save you thousands compared with an agency. It can also go badly if you hire on price alone. The good news is that most problems are easy to spot before you pay anything.

Freelancer, agency or in-house?

• Freelancer: you talk directly to the person who builds your site. Clear quotes are common, and you pay for work, not overhead. Best for small and mid-size projects.
• Agency: a team, project managers and process. Costs more, and is useful for large, complex projects.
• In-house: only worth it when you have constant web work all year.

Where to find a good freelancer

Look at their own website first. A developer who cannot build and rank a good site for themselves is a risk. Then check:

• Referrals from business owners you trust.
• Google search results for the service you need.
• Marketplaces, where you can read reviews, but expect more competition on price.

What to check before you hire

1. 1Real work you can open. Ask for live links, not screenshots. Visit them on your phone.
2. 2Speed. Run a few of their sites through a speed test. Slow portfolio sites usually mean slow client sites.
3. 3Clear scope and price. You should get a written quote that lists pages, features, revisions and the delivery date.
4. 4Ownership. The domain, hosting and files must be in your name.
5. 5Communication. Fast, clear answers before you pay are a good sign of how the project will go.
6. 6After-launch support. Ask what happens if something breaks in the first month.

How much should you pay?

For a WordPress site, freelance prices commonly range from a few hundred dollars for a one-page site to a few thousand for a full business site, and more for custom features or shops. Hourly rates vary widely by country and experience. Be careful with prices far below the market: they often mean a pirated theme, no testing or no support.

Red flags

• No written quote, or a price that changes after you agree.
• No live examples, or examples that are not theirs.
• They keep the domain or hosting login.
• Pressure to pay everything upfront.
• No questions about your business or goals.

Write a brief that gets good quotes

Include your website address (if you have one), what you want built or fixed, the pages and features you need, sites you like, your budget range and your deadline. A short, clear brief helps a developer quote accurately and shows you which ones read carefully.

I work with clients in the UK and USA by email, WhatsApp and video call. If you want a clear quote, send me your brief and I will reply within 24 hours. Not sure what needs fixing first? The free website audit is a good starting point.

Related reading: my freelance web developer page.