Ask five white label WordPress providers for a price and you will often get five very different answers. The differences usually come from how the work is priced, what is included and who is doing it, not from one provider being secretly cheaper or better. The common models are hourly, fixed price per project and a flat monthly team. Our dedicated team is $1,999 a month with new builds included, and our website projects are quoted per project at a fixed price. This guide explains how to compare them on equal terms.
The three pricing models
- Hourly. You pay for time, often with a block of hours bought in advance. It is flexible, but the total is hard to predict, and it rewards slow work as much as fast work.
- Fixed price per project. You agree the scope and the price before work starts. It is easy to budget and easy to resell, as long as the scope is clearly written down.
- Monthly team or retainer. You pay a flat monthly price for a dedicated team that handles your requests. It suits agencies with steady work, because the cost is predictable and the team gets to know your standards.
None of these is best for everyone. Many agencies use a fixed price for large builds and a monthly team for everything else.
What drives the price
- Complexity. Custom design, integrations, stores and membership features cost more than simple brochure sites.
- Scope clarity. A detailed brief produces a more accurate quote and fewer extras.
- Who does the work. Prices vary a lot by country, team size and experience. A cheaper provider can be excellent, but cheap and unreliable is expensive in the end.
- What is included. Revisions, project management, testing, handover and after-launch fixes are sometimes included and sometimes charged separately.
- Speed and flexibility. Rush work and unusual hours usually cost more.
Hidden costs to look for
Read quotes for what they leave out. Common extras are premium plugins and licences, hosting, stock photos, extra revision rounds, project management fees and charges for fixing issues after launch. A quote that looks low and then grows is worse than one that looks higher and does not.
The maths for your agency
Work out what you charge a client for a typical site, then subtract what the partner charges you. That difference is your margin, and it has to cover your sales time, project management, client support and the risk you carry. Check the margin for a small project and a large one, because a model that works for one may not for the other.
Questions to ask any provider
- What is included in the price, and what is not?
- How many revision rounds are included?
- Is there a period of free fixes after launch?
- Who owns the finished work, and do you work under NDA and under my brand?
- Can I cancel, and how much notice is needed?
How we price
Our dedicated team is $1,999 a month. It works like an in-house team, and new builds are included. It is month to month, so there is no long contract. Our website projects are quoted per project at a fixed price, with 30 days of free fixes after launch. Everything is on our pricing page.
How to choose
Match the model to your workload. If you win a project now and then, fixed price per project is simplest. If you have a steady flow of builds, updates and fixes, a monthly team is usually better value, and you can start small. Whichever you choose, get the scope and the price in writing before any work starts.