Rates, 2026
What should a Shopify developer charge in a smaller market?
About $700 a day for a Shopify developer who is working and booked in a smaller US market. $500 in the first years, $900 when senior. A store build runs about $6,300.
Other markets: New York or LA · a major city · remote
First years
$500
a day · $65 an hour
Working, booked
$700
a day · $90 an hour
Senior, sought after
$900
a day · $125 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$700 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$90 per hour
- A store build$6,300 per project
- Monthly retainer$5,050 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 a smaller US market: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Theme customization$550 to $2,100 each
- App or integration$350 to $1,400 each
- Full store$2,800 to $10,500 each
- Speed or SEO fix$350 to $1,050 each
How the number is made
Shopifys at this level in this market day at about $700 ($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 $5,400. 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 a smaller US market?
- About $700 a day for someone working and booked, $500 in the first years, $900 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a store build?
- $6,300 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 $5,050 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.
Pick your level and market, get a card you can send the next client who asks. Then RostrLab quotes, papers, invoices and chases every job with it: free for 14 days, $29 a month, never a cut.
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