Things You Need to Know Before Hiring a WordPress Developer

Whether creating an all-new site, updating an old site, or adding new functionality to an existing site, hiring the right WordPress developer is a significant decision. WordPress powers over 40% of the web, but all developers are not created equal. Hiring the wrong person or team can cost you time, blow budgets, and create technological headaches.

To avoid that, here’s a practical guide on things you need to understand before you engage a WordPress developer. It will help you ask the right questions, notice red flags, and get an expert on board who can match your expectations.

1. Know What Kind of WordPress Developer You Need

WordPress developers tend to fall into three categories:

• Front-end developers: Focus on the appearance of the site—presentation, design, responsiveness.
• Back-End Developers: Do server-side tasks—custom functionality, database work, plugin development.
• Full-Stack Developers: Do both front-end and back-end tasks.

Question yourself:

• Do you need an entirely new design or functionality updates only?
• Do you need somebody to debug, add features, or start from scratch?
• Do you need regular maintenance services or an onetime task?

Knowing what type of developer you are searching for will save time and prevent you from hiring someone without proper skills.

2. Understand the Difference between a Designer and a Developer

A WordPress designer is concerned about how your site appears—colors, typography, branding, user interface. A developer creates and codes the site, making it functional.

Some are professionals both ways, but others are specialists. Ensure that, for any visual branding and layout choices, there is either a developer who can design them themselves or work with a designer.

3. Check for Technical Skills and Tools

They should have good knowledge of:

• PHP (it’s used for developing WordPress)
• HTML/CSS/JavaScript
• MySQL (to manage the WordPress database)
• Theme customization (specifically child themes)
• Integration or plugin development
• Version control (standard for Git)
• Page builders like Elementor, WPBakery, or Gutenberg (if you are using it)

Ask them about their experience with:

• Custom post types
• WooCommerce (if you’re running an eCommerce store)
• Site performance optimization
• SEO best practices

One doesn’t have to be a coder to come up with intelligent queries. Ask how they maintain WordPress websites securely and up-to-date and also what tools are used.

4. Verify Their Portfolio and References

A quality developer will also be able to show examples of what they can produce live. Request:

• A linked portfolio of active websites
• Projects and case study descriptions
• Customer references or testimonials from previous clients

Do not merely look at how beautiful the sites are—test them:

• Do they open readily?
• Are they mobile-friendly?
• Do you easily navigate them?

Also, ask what their role was for every project. Some developers only executed single tasks and not the full site.

5. Define Communication and Availability

Even an expert developer will be hard to work with unless they can talk clearly. Ask:

• What’s your preferred communication method? (Email, Slack, Zoom?)
• What time zone are you in?
• How quickly do you normally respond?
• Will there be an individual to deal directly with?

Also, check their availability. Those who are managing many clients or only on an intermittent basis may affect delivery time.

6. Set Specific Expectations for Timelines and Deliverables

Do not enter into vague agreements. Prior to any work, specify:

• Scope of work
• Project milestones
• Delivery times
• Revision procedure
• Cost and payment framework

All of this should be detailed in a written contract or agreement. This safeguards both parties and maintains the integrity of the project.

7. Understand Pricing Strategies

WordPress developers usually charge you any of these three ways:

• Hourly rate: Suitable for minor tasks or poorly defined work scopes.
• Fixed price: Best for clearly defined projects.
• Retainer: Ongoing work and support for a monthly fee.

Make sure that you are matching the rate to the level of work. A junior programmer would bill $20–$40/hr, for example, but a senior programmer with deep knowledge would bill $75–$150/hr or more.

Beware of extremely low costs. Cheap development most likely means skimping on functionality, poor code, or no maintenance.

8. Ask About Maintenance and Post-Launch Support

The WordPress site needs constant updates of plugins, themes, and WordPress core to be functional and secure. Ask:

• Do you offer post-launch support?
• Will you carry out regular updates or maintenance?
• Do you monitor uptime or conduct backups?

Alternatively, you can consider hiring someone for continued maintenance or choose a developer that comes with a support plan.

9. Verify Ownership and Access

After project closure, you should have full access to:

• Hosting account
• WordPress admin login
• FTP or file manager
• Domain registrar
• All acquired themes, plugins, and licenses

Keep all of it in your name and not that of the developer. This will protect you in case of a breakup.

10. Start With A Small Project Or Trial

Not yet convinced? Start small—a bug fix, optimization for speed, addition of new features. It’s a risk-free way for you to figure out skills, communication, and reliability of the developer. If that goes well, you tackle larger tasks with confidence.

Last Thoughts

Finding a WordPress developer doesn’t have to be intimidating. Specify clearly what you need, sift applicants carefully, and set expectations early on, and you’ll be in good shape to develop an operational and improving website that serves your business.

Be patient. The ideal developer is a long-term collaborator—not someone you hire for the day.