Builds, fixes and care, priced in AUD
WordPress developer for Australian businesses: one AUD price before work starts
A new WordPress site from Codingclave costs A$900–A$4,300 and is usually live 1–2 weeks after your words and photos arrive.
From A$900excl. GSTSee pricing →
- One fixed AUD price, in writing
- Free PHP 8.2 deadline check (31 Dec)
- Go-lives after close of trade
- Admin, domain, licences in your name
- ★ 4.9 on Google (76 reviews)
- 200+ projects since 2017
- Top Rated on Upwork
Founder-led delivery
Overview
WooCommerce shops run A$2,400–A$19,500 and care for a live site A$80–A$240 a month, with no GST added. You get one fixed figure in writing rather than an hourly estimate. Updates, PHP switches and launches happen on staging in your evening, so you check the result over breakfast, and every login and licence stays in your business's name. Looking for a WordPress job instead? SEEK lists the roles.
By Ashish Sharma, founder · Updated 6 October 2026
Quick answer
How much does it cost to hire a WordPress developer in Australia?
Codingclave quotes a fixed A$900–A$4,300 for a WordPress site and A$80–A$240 a month for care, with no GST added. Against that, as checked on 6 Oct 2026: a salaried Web Developer at SEEK's median of A$82,500 base costs about A$92,400 a year once 12% super is paid; a Codeable expert bills US$80–$120 an hour plus a 17.5% fee, roughly A$135–A$202 an hour; Clutch-listed Australian firms show $25–$300 an hour with minimum projects of $1,000, $10,000 or $25,000; and Sydney agency Jimmyweb charges A$150 an hour + GST. An hourly rate turns into a price only once someone knows the hours.
- Codingclave: A$900–A$4,300 a site, fixed per job
- In-house: SEEK median A$82,500, about A$92,400 with super
- Codeable: US$80–$120/h + 17.5% fee, about A$135–A$202/h
- Clutch firms: $25–$300/h, minimum projects up to $25,000
- Free WordPress and PHP version check before you commit
Near you
WordPress Development in your city
WordPress Development by city
- WordPress Developers in Sydney
- WordPress Developers in Melbourne
- WordPress Developers in Brisbane
- WordPress Developers in Perth
- WordPress Developers in Adelaide
- WordPress Developers in Gold Coast
- WordPress Developers in Canberra
- WordPress Developers in Newcastle
- WordPress Developers in Sunshine Coast
- WordPress Developers in Central Coast
01of 10
WordPress jobs we take on and how each is priced
Builds have a published AUD band. Repairs, upgrades and rescues depend on what's inside the site, so they're priced after we look, and the written quote costs nothing.
| Job | What's included | Timeline | Codingclave price | Ask on WhatsApp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theme-based site | A well-supported theme in your branding, core pages, forms, SEO basics, Search Console | 1–2 weeks from content | A$900–A$4,300 | Theme site |
| Custom block theme | Your design, built from locked patterns staff edit in the Site Editor; no page-builder licence | 1–3 weeks | A$1,200–A$6,900 | Block theme |
| WooCommerce shop | Catalogue, shipping zones, checkout set-up, order emails and stock rules | 2–6 weeks | A$2,400–A$19,500 | WooCommerce |
| Speed or Core Web Vitals fix | Field-data review, image, script and caching fixes, before-and-after numbers | Set after review | Written quote after a site check | Speed review |
| PHP upgrade or host move | Staging copy, compatibility tests, switch or migration after close of trade | Set after review | Written quote after a site check | Upgrade |
| Hacked-site clean-up | Evidence kept, files and database cleaned, entry point closed, passwords rotated | Set after review | Written quote after a site check | Hacked site |
| Takeover of an existing site | Access moved into your name, plugin and licence audit, written fix list | Set after review | Written quote after a site check | Takeover |
| Care plan | Hosting, backups, monitoring and support; exact list fixed in the scope | Monthly | A$80–A$240 a month | Care plan |
What moves a build within its band: pages and templates, who writes the copy, booking or membership plugins, product count and variations, and links to systems such as Xero. A five-page tradie site with one enquiry form sits near the bottom of the theme band; a 40-page clinic site with bookings sits near the top. Try the website cost calculator for a rough figure, or see two-year totals with hosting on our website cost guide.
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What a WordPress website costs at Australian agencies, from their own price pages
Few agencies print a build price, and most of those print only a starting point. These are the WordPress figures we could read on 6 Oct 2026; most don't state GST, so treat them as a market guide.
| Provider | Smaller WordPress site | Custom or larger build | GST wording | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scorched Media (Brisbane) | From $1,250 (startup) or $1,800 (small business) | Custom design from $3,200; ecommerce from $4,500 | Not stated | Scorched Media packages |
| Chillybin (Brisbane) | Templated WordPress, 5–8 pages: $2,500–$5,500 | Custom design and build: $8,000–$20,000+ | Not stated | Chillybin cost guide |
| Redback Solutions (Newcastle) | WordPress theme site from $7,500 + GST | Custom WordPress from $25,000 + GST; larger sites from $35,000 + GST | Plus GST | Redback web design page |
| Jimmyweb (Sydney) | No build price published; a typical build takes four to six weeks | Quoted per project | Hourly work A$150 + GST | Jimmyweb WordPress development |
| Codingclave | Theme-based site A$900–A$4,300 | Custom block theme A$1,200–A$6,900; WooCommerce A$2,400–A$19,500 | No GST added | This page |
Local starting prices cluster between about $1,250 and $7,500 for a modest WordPress site, while Clutch's $10,000 and $25,000 minimums rule many listed firms out for a sole trader or small practice before the first call. City comparisons: Brisbane WordPress prices compared and WordPress site prices in Newcastle.
03of 10
In-house hire, marketplace or WordPress development company: the true cost of each
Most of page one for this search is job ads; job seekers should head to SEEK. For owners, each route sits below with its published figure, checked on 6 Oct 2026, and the work still left on your desk.
What an hourly rate leaves out
A Codeable job estimated at 20 hours costs US$1,880–$2,820 with the fee, about A$2,690–A$4,040. Overruns are yours to fund, the fee stays with Codeable even when dispute resolution refunds the rest, and a conflict found after the 28-day warranty is a fresh job.
Whoever you hire, plan for them leaving
A solo freelancer often holds the only Administrator login, the premium licences and the memory of what was customised; if they stop replying, updates stop. Codingclave is founder-led, with Ashish scoping and overseeing every job, but your protection shouldn't rest on any one person. With every login, licence and the staging copy in accounts your business owns, another developer could pick the site up on day one.
| Route | How it's priced | Published figure | AUD equivalent | Source | What you still manage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-house hire | Salary plus super | SEEK Web Developer median A$82,500 base; middle half A$80,000–A$100,000 (some ads include super) | About A$92,400 with 12% super | SEEK salary guide; ATO super rate | Recruiting, leave cover, equipment, code review |
| Codeable expert | Hourly estimate plus a platform fee | US$80–$120 an hour plus a 17.5% fee, never refunded | About A$135–A$202 an hour (ECB rate) | Codeable pricing page | The brief, choosing the expert, hosting, care |
| Clutch-listed firm | Hourly band plus a minimum project | $25–$300 an hour; minimums $1,000+, $10,000+ or $25,000+ | Not given in AUD | Clutch Australia WordPress list | Turning a band into a job price |
| Sydney agency, hourly | Casual rate | Jimmyweb: A$150 an hour + GST, or A$140 + GST on a care plan | Already AUD | Jimmyweb maintenance page | Estimating and tracking hours |
| Upwork freelancer | Rate set by each freelancer | Varies; read Upwork's fee terms before hiring | Varies | Upwork | Scoping, vetting and managing the person |
| Codingclave | One price for a written scope | Sites A$900–A$4,300; WooCommerce A$2,400–A$19,500; care A$80–A$240 a month | Already AUD, no GST added | This page | Approving the scope, signing off staging |
Want a fixed AUD price for this?
Tell us what you need and get a quote in writing.
04of 10
WordPress 7.1 and the PHP 8.2 deadline: what to check before 31 December 2026
Free: is your site on PHP 8.2 or older? Send one Site Health screenshot and we'll reply with your versions and which plugins are likely to block 8.3. Of sites reporting to WordPress.org, 61.8% run 8.2 or older.
The 2026 releases so far:
- 7.0 "Armstrong", 20 May: an AI Client in core, a Connectors screen for outside AI providers and a new admin theme.
- 7.1 "Mary Lou", 19 Aug: responsive styling, a redesigned media editor and Notes with mentions.
- 7.1.1, 17 Sep: 11 security fixes.
- 7.1.2, 22 Sep, critical: an unauthenticated flaw in page template resolution that could, under certain conditions, run code on the server (CVE-2026-87902, CVSS 9.2); exposure depended on a theme folder named "page-…". Fixed back to 4.7.
- 7.2: planned for December.
About 30% of reporting sites still run 6.9 or older, and W3Techs puts WordPress on 40.1% of all websites. PHP 8.2 loses security fixes on 31 December 2026, the same day PHP 8.4 leaves active support.
| PHP version | Security support ends | Share of WordPress sites | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.x and older | Already ended | 22.3% (16.5% on 7.4) | Move now, testing plugins on staging |
| 8.0 | Already ended | About 4% | Move now |
| 8.1 | Already ended | 11.1% | Move now |
| 8.2 | 31 Dec 2026 | 24.5% | Upgrade in November, ahead of the holiday rush |
| 8.3 | 31 Dec 2027 | 25.8% | WordPress recommends 8.3 or newer; the safe target |
| 8.4 | 31 Dec 2028 | 8.9% | Once every plugin you rely on supports it |
| 8.5 | 31 Dec 2029 | 3.5% | Newest; test on staging first |
To send the check: open Tools > Site Health > Info, expand the WordPress, Server and Active Plugins panels and screenshot them. The deadline lands at the tail of Christmas trading, so book the switch for November. Send your Site Health screenshot
05of 10
Ready-made theme, page builder, block theme or WooCommerce: choosing the build
Picture a plumber's office manager updating service areas each month, or a physio clinic adding a practitioner bio. The build method decides whether that person can make the change safely, how often updates break a page and what leaving costs later.
Designer or developer: what each one actually does
A designer decides how the site looks and reads: layout, type, colour and patterns. A developer makes it work: theme code, hosting, plugins, custom features and the updates that keep it patched. On a brochure site one person can do both; WooCommerce or a custom plugin needs someone who writes PHP.
WordPress vs Wix, Squarespace, Webflow and Shopify: a fit check
- Edit text, never think about updates: Wix or Squarespace.
- Your designer already works in Webflow: Webflow.
- Selling is the business and you'd rather not run hosting: Shopify development.
- Own the files, publish often, add custom features: WordPress, if someone maintains it.
DIY builder budgets are compared on our website development page.
WooCommerce, accounting links, headless and AI
WooCommerce suits a shop whose content and search traffic already live on WordPress; fees, Afterpay, GST settings and consumer-law returns are under ecommerce development. Orders can post to your books via Xero and MYOB integration; a Next.js front end is custom software; chatbots on the 7.0 AI Client sit under AI automation.
Fewer add-ons, fewer vendors
Patchstack's 2025 data puts premium and freemium components behind 29% of vulnerability reports, 76% of them exploitable. Each paid add-on is another vendor and licence to keep current. A small plugin written for your site can sometimes replace several; it isn't automatically safer, but it is one codebase, reviewed under your care plan, with no licence to lapse.
| Approach | Who edits | Update risk | Lock-in | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ready-made theme | Staff, within the theme's layouts | Medium: updates can wipe edits made to theme files | Medium: a new theme means redoing layouts | A first site on a tight budget |
| Page builder (Elementor and similar) | Staff, dragging widgets onto any page | Higher: builder, add-ons and theme update separately | High: pages are stored in the builder's format | Teams changing landing pages weekly |
| Custom block theme | Staff, with locked patterns in the Site Editor | Lower: core blocks update with WordPress | Low: content stays in standard blocks | A design nobody can break by accident |
06of 10
WordPress speed optimisation: Core Web Vitals field data, not a lab score
A PageSpeed Insights score is a lab run: one simulated load on one simulated phone. Core Web Vitals come from real visitors. Per web.dev, a page passes when it's good at the 75th percentile, with mobile and desktop judged separately, and Search Console's report covers the last 28 days. A site can score 95 in the lab and still fail in the field.
| Metric | Good at the 75th percentile | Usual WordPress cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): main content appearing | 2.5 seconds or less | Oversized hero images, slow hosting, no page caching | Compress images, cache at server level, preload the hero |
| Interaction to Next Paint (INP): response to a tap | 200 ms or less | Page-builder scripts, chat widgets, stacked tracking tags | Delay or remove scripts, replace heavy plugins |
| Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): page jumping while loading | 0.1 or less | Unsized images, late banners, fonts swapping in | Set image sizes, reserve banner space, preload fonts |
Nobody can honestly guarantee a PageSpeed score or a Google ranking, and we don't; we report field numbers before and after. For scale, Jimmyweb's one-off speed audit for hosting clients is A$160 inc GST. Send your Search Console Core Web Vitals report and we'll name the failing metric and likely cause: send it on WhatsApp. Rankings depend on far more than speed; see SEO services.
07of 10
WordPress care, maintenance and support plans: the 2025 security numbers
Patchstack's report on 2025:
- 11,334 new vulnerabilities, up 42%: 91% in plugins, 9% in themes, 6 in core.
- 5 hours: median time to mass exploitation for heavily exploited flaws.
- 46% had no fix when made public.
- 26%: the share of attacks standard host defences blocked in a test of hosting companies.
Weekly updates can't outrun a five-hour window; a firewall or virtual patching layer can.
The ASD's 2024–25 threat report puts the average self-reported cybercrime cost for a small business at A$56,600, up 14% (via Cyber Daily). Organisations the Privacy Act covers must report serious breaches to the OAIC and the people affected. Most firms turning over A$3 million or less are exempt, but health service providers are covered at any size, including allied health clinics, dental practices and NDIS providers.
What a WordPress maintenance plan should cover
- Updates tested on staging first
- A quarterly PHP review
- Daily off-site backups, with test restores
- Uptime monitoring
- A firewall or virtual patching, always on
- A user and two-factor audit when staff leave
- Licences renewed in your name
Ask every provider which of these they include, us too. Our band covers hosting, backups, monitoring and support; the precise list is fixed in your scope.
| Provider | Plan | Monthly | Yearly | What the page lists | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmyweb (Sydney) | Essential | A$70 (GST basis not stated) | A$840, billed annually | Monthly core and security updates, initial audits | Jimmyweb maintenance page |
| Redback Solutions (Newcastle) | Standard | A$100 + GST | A$1,200 + GST | Sydney hosting on Servers Australia, core, theme, plugin and PHP updates, daily backups, SSL | Redback plans page |
| Redback Solutions (Newcastle) | Premium | From A$220 + GST | A$2,244 + GST at renewal (15% discount) | WP Engine on Google Cloud, Cloudflare CDN, managed WAF, 99.99% uptime | Redback plans page |
| Redback Solutions (Newcastle) | Advanced | A$550 + GST | A$5,610 + GST at renewal (15% discount) | Double Premium's server power for busy shops and memberships | Redback plans page |
| Codingclave | Care plan | A$80–A$240, no GST added | A$960–A$2,880 | Hosting, backups, monitoring and support | This page |
First year, side by side: Jimmyweb's entry hosting (A$480 inc GST) plus Essential care (A$840) comes to A$1,320. Redback Standard, with hosting and care bundled, is A$1,200 + GST, also A$1,320. Codingclave's care band works out at A$960–A$2,880 a year with hosting covered and no GST added. Ask which point in the band fits your site
08of 10
Managed WordPress hosting in Australia: what to check before you pick a host
For Australian customers the server belongs in an Australian data centre: AWS Sydney (ap-southeast-2) or Melbourne (ap-southeast-4, opt-in required), or DigitalOcean Sydney (SYD1). Jimmyweb's managed hosting runs from A$40 a month to A$3,360 a year, GST included; Redback lists hosting from $49 a month, and its care plans bundle Sydney or WP Engine hosting. Our A$80–A$240 monthly band includes hosting with backups, monitoring and support.
| Check | What to look for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Server location | AWS Sydney or Melbourne, DigitalOcean SYD1 or similar | Shorter round trips for Australian visitors |
| PHP | 8.3 or newer, switchable in the control panel | 8.2 loses security fixes on 31 Dec 2026 |
| Database | MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.11+ | The versions WordPress recommends |
| Caching | Server page caching, plus an object cache for WooCommerce | Carts and checkouts bypass the page cache |
| Staging | Built into the plan, or set up by us | Changes are tested before customers see them |
| Account holder | Your business, developer added as a user | Change developers without moving hosts |
If we host your site, the provider and region are agreed on paper for your business before signing. You can also keep hosting on your own account and give us user access.
09of 10
WordPress migration services, hacked-site recovery and taking over another developer’s build
Redirects to spam or unknown admin users
Signs: visitors bounced to pharmacy or casino pages, a "This site may be hacked" note in Google, or Administrators nobody created. First hour:
- Don't delete files blind; they're evidence.
- Ask your host for a full backup of files and database as they are.
- Filter Users by Administrator and note unknown accounts.
- Change hosting, WordPress and database passwords, then replace the keys and salts.
- Scan files and database; redirect code often hides in database rows.
- Once clean, request a review under Security issues in Search Console.
For scale, Jimmyweb's security audit for hosting clients is A$230 inc GST. Report a hacked site
Your developer has disappeared
Recover in this order:
- Domain: a .com.au is licensed to your business against its ABN or ACN, so as registrant you can reclaim the registrar account and request the domain password (auth code).
- Hosting: the account holder resets access with the host.
- WordPress admin: with hosting in hand, create a fresh Administrator.
- Licences: note who bought each premium plugin and theme, then move renewals to your card.
Changing hosts without downtime
- Lower the DNS TTL a day or two ahead.
- Copy the site to the new server and test it on a staging address.
- Freeze content edits, cut over after close of trade, then recheck forms, checkout and email records.
Moving from Wix or Squarespace
Content comes across by export or copying, design and forms are rebuilt, and every old URL gets a 301 redirect. Ask about moving to WordPress
An honest limit, and how to cover it: our working day starts at 3:30pm AEDT, Monday to Saturday, so a problem found at 9am in Sydney can't be worked on before that afternoon, and a Sunday problem waits until Monday. The checklist above limits damage meanwhile, and a firewall, daily backups and uptime alerts keep running while we're offline.
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Hiring an overseas WordPress developer safely: ownership, evening updates and red flags
Codingclave is a founder-led company in Lucknow, India, with no Australian office or legal entity. That changes our hours, not who owns anything.
Red flags with any developer
- A premium theme or plugin supplied free: usually a nulled copy that can carry malware
- No staging site
- Licences on the developer's own account
- Full payment demanded upfront
With us, payment stages are confirmed in writing for your business before you sign.
When work happens, by city
Monday to Saturday in daylight saving, our hours fall from 3:30pm until 12:30am AEDT in Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle, 1.5 hours inside a 9-to-5 day. Adelaide gets 3:00pm to midnight ACDT (2 hours), Brisbane 2:30pm to 11:30pm AEST (2.5 hours) and Perth 12:30pm to 9:30pm AWST (4.5 hours). Updates and launches happen after you close, with results there next morning. Every city is on our Australia page.
| Item | Registered to | When | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress admin | Your business email | Day one | Only an Administrator can add or remove users |
| Hosting account | Your business | Before the build | Change developers without changing hosts |
| .com.au domain | Your entity as registrant | Before launch | The domain controls the site and email |
| Premium licences | Your business, on your card | As each is bought | Updates follow the licence holder |
| Search Console and Analytics | Your Google account, us as users | Before launch | Search history stays yours |
| Code copyright | Your business, by written assignment | On final payment, as set out in the contract | Any developer can change it later |
Pricing in AUD
WordPress prices in AUD
★ 4.9 on Google (76 reviews) · 200+ projects since 2017 · Top Rated on Upwork. Every job is priced at one figure inside these bands and written into the scope before work begins.
WordPress website
A$900 – A$4,300
Excl. GSTWordPress website · Typical timeline: 1–2 weeks
A theme-based WordPress site with your branding, core pages, forms, SEO basics and a recorded walkthrough.
Get a quote for this plan
Business website (custom design, Next.js or WordPress)
On this page: a custom WordPress block theme for your brand, edited through locked patterns, with no page-builder licence to renew.
E-commerce store (Shopify, WooCommerce or custom)
On this page: a WooCommerce shop with products, shipping zones, checkout and order emails, or a move from another platform.
Hosting, backups, monitoring and support
A WordPress care plan: hosting, staging-tested updates, off-site backups, uptime monitoring and support.
- Fixed price in AUD
- Free scoping call
- No obligation
Speed, PHP upgrade, migration, hacked-site and takeover work is quoted after a site check. Inclusions, payment stages and any bug-fix period are confirmed in writing for your business before you sign.
Prices are in Australian dollars and do not include GST: Codingclave is an overseas (India-based) supplier and is not registered for Australian GST. If your business is GST-registered, check with your accountant whether the reverse-charge rules apply to imported services.
Fixed AUD quote
What does your WordPress site need?
One WhatsApp message with your URL and what's wrong or what you need. Ashish replies with the next step, and once the job is scoped you get one written figure; nothing starts until you approve it.
Ashish Sharma
Founder, Codingclave
Ashish or the team will reply on WhatsApp or email within one business day.
- ★ 4.9 on Google (76 reviews)
- 200+ projects since 2017
- Top Rated on Upwork
- Founder-led delivery
Prefer WhatsApp?
WhatsApp AshishSend the URL and a Site Health screenshot
Message both on WhatsApp, or describe the new site you need.
Site check and scope
Versions, plugins, licences and field data reviewed, then the scope, exclusions and one AUD figure set out for you to approve.
Accounts in your name first
Admin, hosting, the .com.au domain and licences are set up under your business before any work.
Work on staging
You review the staging copy in your evening or the next morning.
Go-live after close of trade
Releases and DNS or PHP switches go out after you close, with a rollback copy kept.
Care plan or clean handover
Ongoing care, or a list of every login and a recorded walkthrough.
FAQ
Questions Australians ask us
Can’t see yours? Ask Ashish directly — you’ll get a straight answer, not a sales script.
Ask Ashish directly
How much do WordPress developers charge per hour in Australia?
How much does a WordPress developer earn in Australia?
What happens when PHP 8.2 reaches end of life?
Is it safe to hire an overseas WordPress developer?
How do I fix a WordPress site that redirects to spam?
What should a WordPress care plan include, and what does it cost a month?
How much is WordPress hosting in Australia?
Can someone guarantee a PageSpeed score or Google ranking?
Ashish Sharma · Founder
Send your site address. Get a fixed AUD price.
One WhatsApp message with your URL and what's wrong or what you need. Ashish replies with the next step, and once the job is scoped you get one written figure; nothing starts until you approve it.
- WhatsApp us or fill in the form
- Free scoping call
- Fixed AUD quote, no obligation
- ★ 4.9 on Google (76 reviews)
- 200+ projects since 2017
- Top Rated on Upwork
- Founder-led delivery
Keep exploring
- Australia
Codingclave for Australian businesses
- Service
What a website costs in Australia
- Service
Ecommerce development and WooCommerce fees
- Service
Shopify development
- Service
Headless WordPress and custom software
- City
WordPress and web development in Sydney
- City
WordPress and web development in Melbourne
- Industry
Websites for dental practices
- Industry
Websites and software for NDIS providers
- Reviews
Client reviews
Ashish Sharma
Founder, Codingclave · Updated 6 October 2026
Ashish founded Codingclave in Lucknow, India, in 2017 and still leads delivery on every project.
Sources (12)· public sources cited on this page
- SEEK – Web Developer salary in Australia
- Codeable – Pricing
- Clutch – Top WordPress developers in Australia
- Jimmyweb – WordPress maintenance plans
- Redback Solutions – Plans
- Redback Solutions – Web design and development
- WordPress.org News – Releases
- Patchstack – WordPress 7.1.2 security release: unauthenticated LFI to RCE
- PHP.net – Supported versions
- WordPress.org – PHP version statistics
- Patchstack – State of WordPress Security in 2026
- OAIC – About the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme