HOW TO HIRE · MARKETING, DESIGN & TECH

How to hire a game developer in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

A game developer in Ireland costs €45–€150 per hour, typically around €80. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a game developer in five steps

  1. Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers game developer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — post-Launch Support — after a game is launched, developers often provide ongoing support, including updates and bug fixes.
  2. How does developer's experience change the price?A senior person finishes in less time than a junior one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  3. How does complexity of the game change the price?Custom work means measuring and checking at every step. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  4. How does technologies used change the price?The more of it there is, the longer the job runs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  5. What is not included?Programming & Development — game developers are responsible for writing the code that makes the game function — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a game developer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

NO REGISTER APPLIES. Anyone may trade as a designer, developer or marketer, and no qualification is required. Everything that protects you is in the contract, and the clause people forget is OWNERSHIP: without an assignment in writing the creator is the first owner of copyright in what they make, so you may be paying for a licence to use your own logo or website rather than for the thing itself.

Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.

What to check instead

Who owns the work on delivery, in writing — assignment, not just 'full rights'; What happens to the source files, the domain and the hosting account, named; The deliverables listed with a number — how many concepts, how many revisions; The milestones and what each payment is for; For ads, whether the spend is separate from the fee, and who holds the ad account; Two references from clients whose work you can actually see.

Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.

Insurance

Expect professional indemnity — for tech work, ask specifically about cyber cover. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.

Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.

Trader or private seller

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.

Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.

VAT

VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.

Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →

“Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?”

A good answer: No register covers game developer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — post-Launch Support — after a game is launched, developers often provide ongoing support, including updates and bug fixes.

“How does developer's experience change the price?”

A good answer: A senior person finishes in less time than a junior one. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does complexity of the game change the price?”

A good answer: Custom work means measuring and checking at every step. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does technologies used change the price?”

A good answer: The more of it there is, the longer the job runs. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“What is not included?”

A good answer: Programming & Development — game developers are responsible for writing the code that makes the game function — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a game developer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

“Who insures you, and what is the policy number?”

A good answer: Expect professional indemnity — for tech work, ask specifically about cyber cover — game Design & Concept — this includes creating the initial game concept, designing characters, environments, and gameplay mechanics.

“What do I get in writing, and when?”

A good answer: A written scope and a price before the game developer starts, and an itemised invoice after — sound Designer — creates and implements sound effects, music, and audio elements that enhance the gaming experience.

Getting the quote right

  • Developer's experience — a senior person finishes in less time than a junior one.
  • Complexity of the game — custom work means measuring and checking at every step.
  • Technologies used — the more of it there is, the longer the job runs.
  • Programming & Development — providers price it in because it cannot be worked around.
  • In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
  • What is NOT included, named
  • Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register

Walk away if

  • They will not talk about it: developer's experience — a senior person finishes in less time than a junior one
  • They will not talk about it: complexity of the game — custom work means measuring and checking at every step
  • They will not talk about it: technologies used — the more of it there is, the longer the job runs
  • A price for the game developer before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
  • Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
  • No written quote, or one that moves once the game developer has begun
LOW
€45
TYPICAL
€80
HIGH
€150

What a game developer costs: €45–€150 per hour

Most game developers quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Game designer and Game programmer each carry their own band. Game Developer price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Game developers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.

  1. Look firstDeveloper's experience — a senior person finishes in less time than a junior one — that is what the game developer is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
  2. Agree what is being doneComplexity of the game — custom work means measuring and checking at every step — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
  3. The work itselfTechnologies used — the more of it there is, the longer the job runs — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
  4. Check it togetherProgramming & Development — providers price it in because it cannot be worked around — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the game developer is still there.
  5. What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, game developers typically have a background in computer science or a related field, often holding relevant degrees.

Game Design & Concept
This includes creating the initial game concept, designing characters, environments, and gameplay mechanics.
Programming & Development
Game developers are responsible for writing the code that makes the game function.
Post-Launch Support
After a game is launched, developers often provide ongoing support, including updates and bug fixes.
Game Designer
Involves creating the game mechanics, story, characters, and overall gameplay experience.
Game Programmer
Responsible for writing the code that makes the game function, including gameplay mechanics and user interfaces.
Game Artist
Focuses on creating the visual elements of the game, including characters, environments, and animations.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and the paperworkAn itemised invoice with the trader's name, the work and the total — post-Launch Support — after a game is launched, developers often provide ongoing support, including updates and bug fixes, because it is what a buyer's solicitor, an insurer or a lender asks for long after the game developer has gone.
Test what was doneProgramming & Development — game developers are responsible for writing the code that makes the game function — and something that does not work on the day is theirs to put right there and then.
Ask what the guarantee isOn the workmanship and on the parts, and for how long each one runs — they are usually different. game Design & Concept — this includes creating the initial game concept, designing characters, environments, and gameplay mechanics — under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 what was agreed is what can be relied on.
Leave the reviewOnly a booked job can be reviewed on Locufy, which is why the score on a game developer's card means something — sound Designer — creates and implements sound effects, music, and audio elements that enhance the gaming experience.

STEP 1Say it in writing, firstSay what is wrong and what you want done. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and defective work put right.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyUnder four stars you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then review.
STEP 3Escalate to the body that regulates itThere is no register, so the route is the consumer body and, if needed, the courts.
STEP 4Small claimsSmall claims covers €2,000, once you have asked in writing and given them a chance to put it right.

Hiring a game developer: questions people ask

The cost can vary based on the developer's experience, the complexity of the game, and the technologies used. More experienced developers or those specialising in advanced game mechanics may charge higher rates.

The duration of game development can range from a few months to several years, depending on the game's scope and features. Smaller indie games may take less time, while AAA titles require extensive development and testing.

It depends on the project's complexity. For simple games, a general game developer may suffice, but specialised skills might be needed for advanced graphics, AI, or specific platforms.

Yes, many game developers offer package deals for multiple services, such as design, development, and testing. This can be more cost-effective than booking each service separately.

Services like marketing, distribution, or extensive graphic design may fall outside the typical scope of game development. It's important to clarify the services offered before hiring a developer.

NO REGISTER APPLIES. Anyone may trade as a designer, developer or marketer, and no qualification is required. Everything that protects you is in the contract, and the clause people forget is OWNERSHIP: without an assignment in writing the creator is the first owner of copyright in what they make, so you may be paying for a licence to use your own logo or website rather than for the thing itself.

MORE GUIDES

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Game developers near you

Game developers in DublinGame developers in CorkGame developers in GalwayGame developers in LimerickAll game developers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000
  2. CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2022
  4. Courts Service — small claims
  5. Revenue — COMPUTER PROGRAMMER — Standard rate
  6. Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
  7. Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only