Hourly vs Fixed Price WordPress Development — Which is Better?
Quick answer: Use hourly for exploratory, evolving, or short-term work (bug fixes, ongoing improvements, emergency fixes). Use fixed-price for well-defined, scoping-friendly projects (complete site builds, fixed feature sets). If you’re unsure, start hourly and move to a fixed-scope package once requirements stabilize.
Why the pricing model matters
Your pricing model affects risk, flexibility, speed, and predictability. Choosing the wrong model can cause scope creep, missed deadlines, and budget overruns — or it can make a project unnecessarily rigid and slow to adapt.
Hourly model — pros & cons
Pros
- Flexibility: Perfect for tasks that change or are discovered as work progresses (debugging, optimization).
- Faster start: No long scoping phase — hire immediately to resolve issues or implement quick changes.
- Lower upfront cost: Pay as you go; good for limited budgets.
Cons
- Less predictability: Final cost depends on time spent.
- Requires trust: You’ll want time tracking, reports, and clear communication.
Fixed-price model — pros & cons
Pros
- Predictable budget: You know the total cost up front.
- Good for scope-defined projects: Landing pages, full site builds, or feature sets with clear acceptance criteria.
Cons
- Less flexible: Changes require change orders and renegotiation.
- Longer kickoff: Requires detailed specs which can delay start.
When to choose hourly vs fixed — simple rules
- Choose hourly when requirements are evolving, you need urgent fixes, or you want iterative improvements without long contracts.
- Choose fixed-price when you have a clear spec, acceptance criteria, and a fixed deadline or fixed budget.
Real examples
Hourly example: Your product pages load slowly; you want a developer to diagnose and fix speed problems over several sessions. Hourly is best — pay only for the time needed.
Fixed example: You want a 5-page marketing site with e-commerce; you have designs and content ready. Fixed-price can give clearer budget control.
How CodesGarage recommends structuring hourly engagements
- Define the high-level objective (e.g., “improve LCP and TTFB”).
- Agree on hourly rate and communication cadence (daily/weekly updates).
- Use time-tracking and weekly summaries — approve hours weekly.
- Convert to fixed-price for remaining scope once the problem is scoped.
Bottom line
Hourly work is better for flexibility and speed. Fixed-price is better for clarity and budget predictability. Many smart teams combine both: start hourly for discovery, then switch to fixed-price for delivery. If you want help deciding which fits your project, you can hire a WordPress developer hourly at CodesGarage and we’ll recommend the best model after a short audit.
