Hiring Guide: Web Developer vs. WordPress Developer – Skills, Costs & More

Launching or upgrading a website can be a game-changer for any business, but it often comes with one major decision: Should you hire a web designer or a WordPress developer? The answer depends on your business goals, budget, timeline, and long-term needs. While both roles help bring your brand to life online, their skill sets, costs, and approach differ significantly.

In this blog, we will break down the key differences, outline when to choose each, and share the essential hiring tips to get it right the first time. So whether you are a startup looking for flexibility or an enterprise seeking scalability, this guide is for you.

Web Designer vs. WordPress Developer: What’s the Real Difference?

The term web designer is often used interchangeably with web developer, but they are not always the same. A web designer focuses on layout, branding, and visual appeal, while a developer handles the functionality. A WordPress developer, on the other hand, specializes in building websites using the WordPress platform, either by customizing themes or building plugins.

So when should you hire web designers vs. a WordPress expert?

Choose a web designer if:

• You want a custom site built from scratch

• Your project requires unique branding or creative UX

• You’re using platforms other than WordPress (e.g., Webflow, Shopify, etc.)

Choose a WordPress developer if:

• Your site will be built on WordPress

• You want to scale fast with pre-built tools

• You’re planning ongoing content updates via CMS

This distinction is especially important for tech companies that require fast launch cycles, optimized UI, and scalability without reinventing the wheel.

Skills to Look for in a Professional Web Designer

A high-performing website starts with great design. When you hire a professional web designer, you are investing in first impressions, user experience, and brand identity.

Here are key skills to look for:

• Proficiency in design tools (Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch)

• Solid understanding of responsive and mobile-first design

• Basic HTML/CSS knowledge (for implementation alignment)

• UI/UX design experience

• Portfolio showing versatility across industries

• Familiarity with design accessibility standards

Designers today don’t just make things look good, they improve usability, drive engagement, and support conversion goals. Ask for a mockup or previous case study when evaluating potential hires.

What to Expect from a WordPress Developer

If your goal is to maintain a site that’s flexible, SEO-optimized, and easy to manage, hiring a WordPress developer can save you time and money. When you hire WordPress developers, you are not just hiring someone to install a theme, you are bringing on a developer who can write custom code, optimize performance, and ensure security.

Skills to look for:

• Experience with PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

• Understanding of WordPress core, plugins, and themes

• SEO best practices

• Knowledge of web hosting and site migration

• Experience customizing themes and building plugins

• Familiarity with page builders like Elementor or WPBakery

WordPress powers over 43% of all websites on the internet, so it’s no surprise that many tech companies prefer it for speed, ease of use, and community support.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire?

Rates vary widely depending on location, experience, and project complexity.

Hiring a web designer:

• Freelance hourly rate: $30–$120/hour

• Full-time salary (US): $60K–$90K/year

• Project-based cost: $1,500–$10,000+

Hiring a WordPress developer:

• Freelance hourly rate: $25–$100/hour

• Full-time salary (US): $60K–$95K/year

• Project-based cost: $1,000–$8,000+

If you are a bootstrapped startup, going with a freelance WordPress developer could offer the best ROI. But for more custom, scalable builds, agencies or experienced designers are a better bet.

Hiring a WordPress expert adds a layer of reliability when you are dealing with site migrations, custom plugin development, or integrating third-party APIs. These professionals are more than just builders, they are consultants who understand the ecosystem well enough to future-proof your platform.

This makes them especially valuable to tech companies and ecommerce businesses that expect rapid growth or deal with high traffic volumes.

Maintenance & Long-Term Support: Who’s Responsible?

Once the site is live, you will need ongoing maintenance, updates, bug fixes, backups, performance optimization, etc.

When you hire WordPress programmer, ensure they offer:

• Monthly updates for WordPress core and plugins

• Regular backups and security audits

• Page speed monitoring

• Troubleshooting support

• Version control (via Git)

Designers may offer one-off support but rarely provide long-term maintenance. If your site is mission-critical (like SaaS or ecommerce platforms), hiring WordPress developers on-call is essential.

When comparing WordPress developers for hire, evaluate them not just by code quality but by their ability to communicate, meet deadlines, and proactively solve issues. Reading client reviews and asking for post-launch support packages can save you future headaches.

Where to Find and Vet Candidates

Top platforms to find talent:

• Uplers, Upwork, Toptal, Freelancer

• LinkedIn, Twitter/X communities

• Dev-specific platforms (Codeable, Stack Overflow Jobs)

• Referral networks or industry Slack groups

Interview questions to ask:

• Can you show a site where you handled both design and development?

• Have you ever built a custom plugin or theme from scratch?

• How do you manage performance optimization?

• How do you ensure security and prevent malware?

If you are a tech company looking for long-term partnerships, consider test projects to evaluate consistency and code quality.

Some businesses specifically seek WordPress coders for hire who focus solely on back-end tasks like plugin development, API integration, or site optimization. This niche role is ideal if you already have a design and just need functional improvements or custom features built from scratch.

Choosing the Right Fit for Your Project

So, should you hire a web designer or WordPress developer?

• If your site is custom-designed, brand-heavy, or animation-rich → Web Designer

• If your site needs to be functional, scalable, and CMS-driven → WordPress Developer

• If you need both aesthetics + performance → Hire both for collaboration

More and more tech companies are hiring hybrid developers, those with both design sense and development experience to streamline their workflows.

When you are ready to hire a WordPress programmer, look for someone who understands not only WordPress, but also SEO, analytics, caching, and performance. This ensures that your site doesn’t just look good, but performs exceptionally well too.

Conclusion: Choose Based on Strategy, Not Trend

Your website is your brand’s home online. Don’t choose a developer based on a trendy title or the cheapest rate. Focus on who aligns best with your business needs, user experience goals, and growth strategy.

Whether you are a founder looking to launch quickly, a marketer aiming for better SEO, or a CTO managing scaling challenges, choosing the right person for the job is what turns your vision into a successful online experience.

Looking to build a long-term team? Use this guide to align expectations, evaluate skills, and hire web designers with confidence.