The Problem: Unpredictable Development Costs
Most growing eCommerce stores face the same dilemma: you need ongoing development work, but you do not need (or want to pay for) a full-time developer. Your options typically are:
Option 1: Hire a Full-Time Developer
Cost: $85,000-$120,000 salary + 20-30% benefits, taxes, equipment = $102,000-$156,000/year
❌ Expensive, especially for small-medium stores
❌ Limited to one person's skill set
❌ Overhead: office, equipment, HR management
❌ Hard to scale up or down
Option 2: Hourly Freelancers/Agencies
Cost: $75-$200/hour for Shopify/WooCommerce developers
❌ Unpredictable monthly costs
❌ Billing surprises ("what do you mean 40 hours?")
❌ Sales calls and quotes for every single task
❌ Time wasted on project scoping vs actual work
Option 3: Monthly Developer Plan (Subscription)
Cost: $1,495-$4,995/month fixed fee
✅ Predictable monthly cost
✅ No hourly billing or surprise invoices
✅ Fast turnaround (24-48 hour response)
✅ Pause or cancel anytime (no long-term contracts)
Real-World Case Study: $100k+ Saved Annually
The Client
- Mid-sized eCommerce store (WooCommerce + MemberPress)
- $800k annual revenue
- Needed ongoing development: custom features, integrations, bug fixes, optimization
- Considered hiring a full-time PHP/WordPress developer
The Cost Breakdown
| Option | Annual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Time Developer | $102,000-$156,000 | $85k-$120k salary + 20-30% benefits/taxes/equipment |
| Hourly Agency ($150/hr) | $78,000-$120,000 | Estimated 10-15 hours/week @ $150/hr |
| Monthly Plan (Devario) | $47,880 | $3,990/mo Growth plan |
| Annual Savings vs Full-Time | $54,120-$108,120 | |
* Based on real client data. Your costs may vary based on plan tier and development needs.
What We Built for Them
- Custom WooCommerce checkout flow (increased conversions 12%)
- MemberPress dashboard redesign for 500+ members
- Third-party API integrations (CRM, email marketing, analytics)
- Custom WordPress plugins for unique business logic
- Speed optimization (PageSpeed 42 → 94, LCP 4.8s → 1.3s)
- Ongoing maintenance, bug fixes, and feature additions
Beyond Cost: 5 More Benefits of Monthly Plans
1. No Long-Term Commitments
Unlike hiring a full-time developer (hard to fire) or agency retainers (6-12 month contracts), monthly plans let you pause or cancel anytime. Slow sales month? Pause development. Black Friday coming? Resume and ramp up.
2. Faster Turnaround Times
No waiting for quotes or proposals. Submit a request, get a response in 24-48 hours, and see completed work in days (not weeks). No sales calls, no project scoping — just fast execution.
3. Access to Diverse Expertise
One developer is limited to their skill set. Monthly plans give you access to a team with expertise across: Shopify Liquid, WooCommerce/WordPress, React/Next.js, PHP, JavaScript, performance optimization, and more. Whatever you need, we can handle it.
4. Zero Overhead
No office space, no equipment, no HR management, no benefits administration, no recruitment costs. Just development work. Your monthly fee goes to actual code, not overhead.
5. Built-In Scalability
Growing fast? Upgrade to a higher tier for faster turnaround and more concurrent projects. Slowing down? Downgrade or pause. Scale development resources in minutes, not months.
Who Are Monthly Plans Best For?
Monthly Plans Work Best If You Are:
- Running a Shopify or WooCommerce store doing $500k+ annual revenue
- Needing ongoing development (not one-time projects)
- Frustrated with unpredictable hourly billing
- Unable to justify a full-time developer salary
- Wanting fast turnaround without agency bureaucracy
- Needing diverse skills (theme dev, apps, integrations, optimization)
Monthly Plans Might NOT Work If:
- You have a one-time project (migration, initial build) — better to pay project-based
- You need less than 5-10 hours of development per month — hourly might be cheaper
- You need 40+ hours/week of dedicated development — hire full-time instead
Common Questions About Monthly Developer Plans
How many hours do I get per month?
We do not work on hourly limits. You get one active task at a time (Growth plan) or 2-3 concurrent tasks (Scale plan). We focus on delivering results, not tracking hours. Most clients get 15-25 hours of work per month, but the value is in the outcomes.
What if I do not use the full month?
You can pause your subscription at any time. Unused time does not roll over, but you can pause and resume whenever needed. This is perfect for seasonal businesses.
How fast will my requests be completed?
Response time depends on your plan: 48 hours (Support), 24 hours (Growth), or same-day (Scale). Most small requests are completed within 3-5 business days. Larger features take 1-2 weeks. You always know what to expect.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. No long-term contracts. Cancel or pause anytime. We earn your business every month by delivering great work, not by locking you into agreements.
The Bottom Line: What Is Right for Your Store?
Hire full-time if: You need 40+ hours/week of dedicated development and can justify $100k+ annually.
Use hourly billing if: You have occasional one-off projects and need less than 5 hours/month.
Choose monthly plans if: You need ongoing development, want predictable costs, value fast turnaround, and prefer flexibility over contracts. This is the sweet spot for most $500k-$5M revenue eCommerce stores.
Real Client Quote:
"We were paying $150/hour to our previous agency and never knew what the bill would be. Switching to a monthly plan saved us over $6,000/month and gave us faster turnaround. Best decision we made."
— WooCommerce store owner, $1.2M annual revenue
Ready to Try a Monthly Developer Plan?
See our transparent pricing and choose the plan that fits your store. No sales calls required — just pick a plan and start submitting requests.