Rates, 2026
What should a Shopify developer charge in New York or LA?
About $1,000 a day for a Shopify developer who is working and booked in New York or Los Angeles. $725 in the first years, $1,275 when senior. A store build runs about $9,000.
Other markets: a major city · remote · a smaller market
First years
$725
a day · $90 an hour
Working, booked
$1,000
a day · $125 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,275
a day · $150 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$1,000 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$125 per hour
- A store build$9,000 per project
- Monthly retainer$7,200 per month
Sold a project fee, by the day, a monthly retainer. The outcome is the unit; the day rate is for when a client wants your time instead.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for New York or Los Angeles: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Theme customization$800 to $3,000 each
- App or integration$500 to $2,000 each
- Full store$4,000 to $15,000 each
- Speed or SEO fix$500 to $1,500 each
How the number is made
Shopifys at this level day at about $1,000 ($600 to $1,400 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A store build runs $3,000 to $15,000 and takes about 60 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $7,500. 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: a set scope, paid up front on the 1st. 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 Shopify developer in New York or LA?
- About $1,000 a day for someone working and booked, $725 in the first years, $1,275 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a store build?
- $9,000 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 Shopify developer?
- Around $7,200 a month. 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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