Costs · Web development
How much does a freelance web developer cost?
What drives the quote
- Scope: number of templates/pages, integrations (payments, forms, CRM), content migration.
- Stack: site builder or WordPress theme vs custom front end vs web app with a back end.
- Who supplies design and copy: a developer working from finished designs is a different job.
- Seniority and location of the freelancer.
- Ongoing work: hosting, updates, security patches, and support after launch.
Official wage benchmarks (employees)
| Occupation | Median annual | Lowest 10% | Highest 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web developers | $92,650 | < $48,100 | > $162,290 |
| Web and digital interface designers | $104,000 | < $53,750 | > $201,550 |
| Web developers and digital designers (combined) | $99,520 ($47.85/hour) | ||
BLS wage figures describe employees in May 2025. BLS states its wage survey does not include self-employed workers, so freelance quotes can sit well above or below these numbers (freelancers cover their own tax, tools, benefits and unbilled time). Use them as a sanity floor for context, not a price list.
Add platform fees to the budget
If you hire through a marketplace, the client-side fee is on top of the freelancer’s price. Examples from official fee pages (checked Nov 5, 2026): Freelancer.com employer fee 3% or $3 (whichever is greater); Fiverr buyer service fee 5.5% plus $3.50 on purchases under $200; Upwork client marketplace fee varies by plan. Details: fee comparison.
Worked budget (illustrative arithmetic, not a quote)
Suppose you collect three written quotes for a 5-page marketing site and the middle one is $2,000 fixed-price:
- Via Freelancer.com: + 3% employer fee = $2,060, before payment-method fees.
- Via a Fiverr Gig at the same price: + 5.5% = $2,110 (the $3.50 add-on applies only under $200).
- Add a contingency of 10–20% for change requests you have not thought of yet (our editorial rule of thumb).
How to get comparable quotes
- Send the same written brief to every candidate (template).
- Ask for a milestone breakdown, not just a total.
- Ask what is excluded: content entry, stock images, hosting, post-launch fixes.
- Fund milestones through the platform’s escrow: how escrow works.
What this page does not do
- No “best freelancers” ranking and no paid placements.
- No affiliate partnerships are active on this page.
Related: where to hire a web developer · hire a UI/UX designer · contract checklist
FAQ
How much does a freelance web developer cost?
It depends on scope, stack, seniority and ongoing support. For context, BLS reports a May 2025 median annual wage of $92,650 for employed web developers; freelancers set their own rates and marketplace fees are added on top.
Do I pay platform fees on top of a developer's quote?
Usually yes as the client. For example Freelancer.com charges employers 3% or $3, and Fiverr charges buyers 5.5% plus $3.50 under $200 (official pages checked Nov 5, 2026).
Sources
- U.S. BLS — Web Developers and Digital Designers: www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-deve (checked Nov 5, 2026)
- Freelancer.com — Fees and Charges: www.freelancer.com/feesandcharges (checked Nov 5, 2026)
- Best Freelance Platforms — Fiverr fees explained (sourced from Fiverr Help Center): bestfreelanceplatforms.com/articles/fiverr-fees-explained (checked Nov 5, 2026)
No affiliate links on this page. Figures change; re-check the official page before you rely on them.