Rates, 2026
What should a full-stack developer charge in a major city?
About $1,075 a day for a full-stack developer who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $800 in the first years, $1,325 when senior. An MVP runs about $28,900.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$800
a day · $100 an hour
Working, booked
$1,075
a day · $125 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,325
a day · $175 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$1,075 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$125 per hour
- An MVP$28,900 per project
- Monthly retainertwo to three days a week, the product owned$23,125 per month
Sold by the day, a monthly retainer, a project fee, by the hour. The day is the unit; half days run 60%.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- MVP$8,500 to $34,000 each
- Fractional, two days a week$5,100 to $10,200 per month
- Technical due diligence$2,125 to $6,800 each
- Architecture review$1,275 to $4,250 each
How the number is made
Full-stack developers at this level in this market day at about $1,075 ($800 to $1,700 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
An MVP runs $8,000 to $60,000 and takes about 150 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $18,750. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
A retainer is the month, not the hours: two to three days a week, the product owned. It is priced about 20% under the same work bought one at a time, in exchange for the certainty; three months minimum, or it is not a retainer.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a full-stack developer in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $1,075 a day for someone working and booked, $800 in the first years, $1,325 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is an mvp?
- $28,900 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- What does a monthly retainer look like for a full-stack developer?
- Around $23,125 a month: two to three days a week, the product owned. About 20% under the same work bought one piece at a time, in exchange for certainty; three months minimum.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
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