What a web developer does
A web developer turns a design — or a pile of ideas — into a working website: pages that load fast, forms that actually send, and a build you can update without calling them every week. The deliverable isn’t “a website” in the abstract. It’s code, a hosting setup, and admin access, all in your name.
People routinely confuse this role with a web designer, who decides how the site looks and flows. Some pros do both; many don’t, and pretending otherwise is where budgets go sideways. If you’re not sure which you need, start with web designer vs web developer.
What it costs
Independent web developers typically charge $1,500–$15,000 per project. A brochure site on a platform like WordPress sits near the bottom; custom builds with integrations, membership areas, or heavy content migration climb toward the top. Three things move the price:
- Page count and features — five static pages is one job; bookings, payments, and gated content are a different job wearing the same name.
- Custom vs platform — building on an existing platform is cheaper than custom code, and for most small businesses it’s the right call.
- Content readiness — if the developer has to chase you for text and photos, you’re paying for that time.
Full numbers are in our web developer cost guide.
How to brief one
Write down what the site must do before you ask for quotes: the pages, the actions visitors should take, two or three sites you’d steal from shamelessly, and your real budget. A pro will respond with questions and a scoped proposal. An amateur will respond with a price. Our guide to writing a project brief covers the whole exercise.
Ask every candidate the same questions and compare how they scope, not just what they charge. The cheapest quote is usually the one that understood the least.
When you don’t need one
If you need five pages, a contact form, and you’re comfortable clicking around a site builder for a weekend, do it yourself and revisit in a year. Developers earn their fee when the site has to do something — sell, book, integrate, rank — or when your time is worth more than the learning curve. The honest math is in DIY website vs hiring a developer.
One more honesty check: a good developer will tell you when a template covers 90% of what you asked for. If a candidate pushes custom code for a plain marketing site, ask them to justify it line by line.
Questions to ask before you hire
- What will I be able to edit myself after launch, and what requires you?
- Where will the site be hosted, and who owns the hosting and domain accounts?
- What happens if I find a bug two months after launch?
- Can you show me two live sites you built and what each cost?
- How do you handle requests that come up mid-project but weren't in the quote?
Red flags
- They can't name where your site will be hosted or who will own the account — that's how businesses lose their own websites.
- A fixed quote before they've asked what the site needs to do.
- No live sites in the portfolio, only screenshots. Screenshots can't be slow or broken.
- They promise a launch date but won't put milestones in writing.