How do WordPress developers make money?

Let’s be honest WordPress freelancing is a very competitive field so you need to know different ways where you can use that skill to earn money.

In this article, I’ll describe various ways to make money as a WordPress freelancer.

Table Of Contents

1. WordPress Development Services

WordPress development is one of the most in-demand freelancing skills right now and one of the most common ways for WordPress freelancers to earn money as well.

For this, you need to have good knowledge of PHP and understand how WordPress works.

As a WordPress developer, you have to customize themes (beyond basic customization), add new features to themes, and extend or add new functionalities in plugins.

People are always looking for good WordPress developers because everyone has different needs, often ready-made plugins can’t solve those problems.

This is where you can provide your freelance services as a WordPress developer.

In WordPress freelancing, most of the time WordPress developers earn the most.

Here is Toptal’s this will help you get better prepared for the hiring process.

2. WordPress Designing Services

Next is WordPress designing services.

People want unique and beautiful websites, so they look for good WordPress designers who can design the layout as per their requirements and convert that into WordPress websites as well.

As a WordPress designer, you need to have good website layout designing skills along with knowledge of CSS and js to convert that layout into a WordPress site using some page builders or the default WordPress block builder.

In order to be successful as a freelance WordPress designer, you must be able to convert the client’s idea into a beautiful working website.

3. WordPress Front-end Development Services

If you’re not a pure WordPress developer nor a designer (like myself) but have good knowledge of CSS and js you could offer freelance front-end development services.

Often clients have some layout designs made by other graphic designers or at times they directly refer to another site as a design reference for their WordPress site.

Here you can offer your front-end development services.

For example, you can use various WordPress page builders like Elementor, Divi or even the default WordPress block builder to build the website, you can use your CSS and js skills to make unique designs while retaining the features of the page builders or block builders.

Sometimes clients just want to change the design of a certain part of their website for this type of service they don’t look for designers they look for front-end developers.

4. WordPress Consulting Services

You can offer freelance WordPress consulting services.

In this service, you’ll provide a complete solution to the client as per their requirement rather than just a website.

Starting from choosing the correct theme to all required plugins.

Basically, you’re positioning yourself as an expert rather than a normal WordPress designer, so you can charge higher rates.

To be able to provide this type of service you need to have knowledge of a wide range of plugins, knowing which plugin can solve a certain problem.

For example, there can be different types of e-commerce websites like one selling physical products, one selling digital products, one selling both, one can have sales funnel within an e-commerce website or one can sell courses with a proper learning management system.

So you need to know the solutions.

5. WordPress Maintenence Services

WordPress maintenance service is another great way to make money as a freelancer.

In this service, you have to maintain your client’s website with regular theme and plugin updates, security checks, website backups and minor content updates for a monthly fee.

We know WordPress often provides core updates so do individual plugins but most people forget to do these updates which can lead to security threats.

You can offer your WP maintenance services to those types of people. You can use this service as a stand-alone service or you use as a part of your WordPress consulting service.

You can manage dozens of clients together as most of the tasks can be automated using some free plugins so this can be a great model for earning a recurring income.

You can use Manage WP Worker plugin to automate theme and plugin updates, security checks, website backups etc.

6. WordPress Writing Services

If you know WordPress as a user and can explain WordPress related things easily in words then you can offer a WordPress writing service as a freelancer.

You have to be able to write how-to tutorials on various plugins, explain the features of plugins and themes etc.

Many WordPress related websites, theme and plugin developing sites look for good content writers if you can fit yourself there you can have regular work.

I’ve also written as a freelancer for sites like Torquemag.io, Getflywheel.com and with some plugin development sites as well.

7. Sell WordPress Themes

This is related to WordPress development service if you are really good at WordPress development you can create and sell WordPress themes.

Yes, there are already thousands of free and paid themes available in the market but if you can offer unique designs and features in a certain niche you can make money with that.

Like dedicated themes for construction, restaurant, gardening etc. with unique features and design.

You can use marketplaces like Themeforest to sell your themes to create a recurring source of income.

8. Sell WordPress Plugins

This is similar to theme development you can create and sell plugins as well.

Similar to themes if you can solve some problems that no other plugin is solving right now or you can improve upon an existing plugin in the market there is money to be made by selling plugins.

Codecanyon is a great marketplace to start with.

There is a caveat in selling both WordPress themes and plugins, while they can give you a great regular income but you have to regularly work on them to maintain security.

9. Sell Templates and Widgets

If you’re an expert at any particular page builder like Elementor you can create and sell templates and custom widgets.

If you can create amazing layout designs for certain niches that can save a lot of time for people you can sell those templates.

Remember page builders are very easy to use so if you create simple designs it’s very unlikely people will buy them so you have to come up with very unique designs.

You can also create unique custom widgets with js and CSS for elementor users like and sell them.

10. Speed Optimization Services

On most WordPress websites people use a lot of plugins and that can slow down the website.

Many people often complain about the performance of their websites so if you know how to optimize a WordPress website for performance improvement then you can offer this as a freelancing service.

You have to be able to improve site load time, google pagespeed score etc. if you can do that this can add some additional revenue to your freelancing business.

11. Sell Courses

You can create and sell courses as well, this can be a great passive income source.

Use your knowledge of WordPress and teach what you know. This can establish your authority as a WordPress freelancer as well.

You can use platforms like Udemy or Skillshare to sell your courses. I personally use Udemy to sell my courses.

Conclusion

As you can there are multiple ways you can earn money as a WordPress freelancer. So if you’re struggling to find freelance WordPress projects you should explore these options too.

Because freelancing can be unpredictable, especially in these challenging times so one shouldn’t depend on just one source of earning maximize your earning potential by utilizing these channels.

How does WordPress make money?

How do WordPress plugin developers make money?

Are WordPress developers in demand?

How do I sell my skills on WordPress?