HOW TO HIRE · MARKETING, DESIGN & TECH · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a software developer in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A software developer in Ireland costs €45–€140 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.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a software developer in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers software developer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — software Maintenance and Support — ongoing maintenance is crucial for software longevity.
- How does developer's experience change the price?The more qualified the person, the higher the rate. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the project change the price?The answer to this shapes the rest of the quote. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does technologies used change the price?It is worth being specific about when you ask for a price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?API Integration — software developers often work on integrating various APIs to enhance functionality — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a software 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 →
A good answer: No register covers software developer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — software Maintenance and Support — ongoing maintenance is crucial for software longevity.
A good answer: The more qualified the person, the higher the rate. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The answer to this shapes the rest of the quote. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It is worth being specific about when you ask for a price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: API Integration — software developers often work on integrating various APIs to enhance functionality — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a software developer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect professional indemnity — for tech work, ask specifically about cyber cover — mobile App Development — developers design and build mobile applications for iOS and Android devices.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the software developer starts, and an itemised invoice after — database Developer — specialises in designing, implementing, and managing databases that support software applications.
Getting the quote right
- Developer's experience — the more qualified the person, the higher the rate.
- Complexity of the project — the answer to this shapes the rest of the quote.
- Technologies used — it is worth being specific about when you ask for a price.
- Required features — it is the detail most people forget to mention when asking.
- 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 — the more qualified the person, the higher the rate
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the project — the answer to this shapes the rest of the quote
- They will not talk about it: technologies used — it is worth being specific about when you ask for a price
- A price for the software 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 software developer has begun
What a software developer costs: €45–€140 per hour
Most software developers quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Web developer and Mobile app developer each carry their own band. Software 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
Software 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.
- Look firstDeveloper's experience — the more qualified the person, the higher the rate — that is what the software developer is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the project — the answer to this shapes the rest of the quote — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfTechnologies used — it is worth being specific about when you ask for a price — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherRequired features — it is the detail most people forget to mention when asking — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the software developer is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, consider safety and security measures, especially for applications handling sensitive data.
- Mobile App Development
- Developers design and build mobile applications for iOS and Android devices.
- API Integration
- Software developers often work on integrating various APIs to enhance functionality.
- Software Maintenance and Support
- Ongoing maintenance is crucial for software longevity.
- Mobile App Developer
- Specialises in creating applications for mobile devices, optimising for both iOS and Android platforms.
- Software Engineer
- Involves designing and developing complex software systems, often working on backend functionality.
- Database Developer
- Specialises in designing, implementing, and managing databases that support software applications.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a software developer: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the developer's experience, the complexity of the project, and the technologies used. specialised skills or urgent timelines can also increase rates.
Project duration depends on its scope and complexity. A simple web application might take a few weeks, while a comprehensive system can take several months.
It depends on your project's requirements. General developers can handle a wide range of tasks, while specialists may be needed for complex areas like cybersecurity or data science.
Same-day service is rare for software development due to the complexity of tasks. However, some developers may offer quick fixes for urgent issues.
Yes, many developers can handle multiple tasks simultaneously or as part of a larger project. It’s advisable to discuss your needs upfront for efficient planning.
Services such as hardware installation, extensive IT support, or tasks unrelated to software development are usually out of scope. Always clarify project boundaries with your developer.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in marketing, design & tech
Software developers near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000
- CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Courts Service — small claims
- Revenue — COMPUTER PROGRAMMER — Standard rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only