OneWave
Shopify developer vs agency vs freelancer: who should you hire?
Each option is right for someone. The choice depends on your budget, how complex the work is and how much managing you want to do.
Freelance Shopify developers charge about $15 to $55 an hour offshore and $60 to $130 in the US. Agencies charge more, with retainers from about $3,000 a month and Shopify Plus builds from $25,000. In-house developers cost $75,000 to $110,000 a year. Small stores usually get the best value from a freelancer or small studio.
| Option | Typical cost | Best for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore freelancer | $15 to $55 an hour | Small, well-defined tasks | [1] |
| US or Canada freelancer | $60 to $130 an hour | Theme work and ongoing fixes | [1] [2] |
| UK, Western Europe or Australia freelancer | $38 to $110 an hour | Local time zone, ongoing fixes | [1] [2] |
| Small studio | Fixed project price | A full build with design, one point of contact | [4] |
| Agency | From $3,000 a month retainer | Larger stores, many disciplines at once | [3] |
| In-house developer | $75,000 to $110,000 a year | Stores with heavy custom needs | [3] |
Freelancers
Freelancers are the cheapest professional option, and rates depend mostly on location. CartCoders puts South and Southeast Asian freelancers at $15 to $35 an hour and US and Canada mid-level developers at $75 to $130 [1]. Second Talent puts US mid-level freelancers lower, at $62 to $100, and UK mid-level at $38 to $62 [2]. The sources disagree, so use them as rough bands.
Black Belt Commerce says a vetted freelancer covers most Shopify work at 40% to 60% of agency cost [3]. The limit is breadth: one person can't do design, development, conversion work and email at the same time.
Choose a freelancer when the job is clear, such as a theme tweak, an app install or a speed fix, and you are happy to manage the work yourself.
Agencies
Agencies bring a team of designers, developers, strategists and project managers. Black Belt Commerce puts agency retainers at $3,000 to $5,000 a month for a store doing about $1 million a year, rising to $4,000 to $10,000 at larger stores [3]. Shopify Plus builds run $25,000 to $150,000 or more [1].
The trade-off for small clients is attention. Black Belt Commerce notes that senior people may go to bigger accounts while junior staff do the work [3]. For a new or small store, an agency is usually more than you need.
Small studios
A small studio sits in the middle: a founder or small team who designs and builds, usually for a fixed project price. In the UK, Hire A Designer puts small studio websites at £2,000 to £8,000, between freelancers at £1,000 to £3,000 and agencies at £5,000 to £20,000 or more [4].
You get design and development from people who talk to you directly, without paying for account managers. The limit is capacity: a small studio can't staff a 20-person project.
In-house
A mid-level in-house Shopify developer costs $75,000 to $110,000 a year, and Black Belt Commerce says in-house teams are generally not justified below about $8 million to $10 million in yearly revenue [3]. For most small businesses, it isn't the right move yet.
How to choose
Match the option to the job, not to a label.
- One small, clear task: a freelancer
- A new store or redesign with real design work: a small studio or senior freelancer
- A large store needing design, development and marketing together: an agency
- A highly custom platform with constant changes: in-house, once revenue supports it
- Whoever you hire: get a fixed scope, keep accounts in your name and ask who will actually do the work
Where OneWave fits
OneWave is the small studio option. You get one fixed quote before work starts, you talk directly to the person designing and building, work happens on a live preview link and you own the code, accounts and data. Prices are in US dollars.
- Online store From $500
- A store on Shopify, Wix or Squarespace. Custom store builds from $3,000.
- Holiday store pack $1,500 fixed
- Speed fix, homepage and product page redesign, Black Friday page and ad tracking. Live in 10 days.
- Web app or CRM From $1,500
- Custom tools for running your business.
- Mobile app From $1,000
- An app for your customers or team.
- Monthly care $300 a month
- Ongoing updates and support after launch.