Hire the Top 3% of Freelance WooCommerce Developers
Toptal is a marketplace for top WooCommerce developers, engineers, programmers, coders, architects, and consultants. Top companies and startups can hire dedicated (full-time), hourly, or part-time WooCommerce freelancers for their mission-critical software projects.
Ashok has around 10 years of work experience in web development and web design with PHP, WordPress, WooCommerce, WordPress plugin development and customization, CodeIgniter, AWS set up, payment gateways, MySQL, optimization of websites, and basic SEO, HTML5, jQuery, CSS3, SaaS, PSD, and HTML. Ashok has developed over 100 websites over the years, including blogs, eCommerce websites, forums, social networking, and booking systems.
Unaib has nine years of web development experience and is an expert with WordPress plugins and themes. He excels in WooCommerce, memberships, gamification, and LMS plugins. Unaib has created hundreds of responsive WordPress plugins and themes, converted beautiful Photoshop designs into websites, managed the VPS, WP Engine, Cloudways, AWS, DigitalOcean, Pressidium, and Pantheon environments, and implemented WP-CLI commands for data management and cron processes for superb performance.
In 13 years of website development, Matei delivered many websites, including an online shop and a booking website for a men's haircare business in New York. He uses tools like Bootstrap, WordPress, WooCommerce, PHP, HTML5, CSS3, etc. Matei is an expert at converting designs into websites, speed optimization, WP plugin development, and responsive design. He is skilled in planning, communicating, and problem-solving. Matei enjoys having happy clients whose businesses thrive due to his efforts.
Resourceful WordPress and WooCommerce developer, problem solver, and attentive listener, Tamara believes in productive communication and careful planning for successful project outcomes. She has experience building WordPress-based sites from scratch, developing complex and straightforward Plugins, providing WooCommerce solutions, solving performance issues, and building API integrations.
Kirit is a passionate developer who specializes in WordPress, WordPress plugins, and themes. He's an expert in WooCommerce and is the author of the Ninja Beaver Add-on for Beaver Builder Plugins. Kirit prides himself on providing high-quality code, innovative solutions, and a strategic approach to delivering client needs. He has created seamless booking engines, eCommerce options, exciting contest sites, and clever, interactive features designed to captivate and entice users.
As a senior WordPress developer with more than ten years of experience, Julien prioritizes understanding the needs of each of his clients and helping them develop their projects. He specializes in WordPress and WooCommerce but also likes working with API connections. Julien's primary goal is to make each project a complete success.
Milana is a self-taught WordPress/PHP engineer. She started learning PHP in 2008, WordPress in 2009—and has been working as a freelance WordPress theme developer since 2010. She's been a full-stack engineer since 2011 and a full-time WordPress theme developer and project lead since March of 2015.
Radoslav is experienced in WordPress and WooCommerce development—including custom plugin creation, API integration, writing PHP and JavaScript/jQuery scripts, troubleshooting, responsive design, and more. Communication with the client and finishing the job on time or before the deadline are very important to him. Radoslav firmly believes that one should consistently deliver quality work.
Andrew has over 25 years of web development experience with a focus on WordPress development since 2012, which includes custom plugins and theme development, API and data integrations, troubleshooting, malware removal, and migrations. With a deep understanding of the WordPress codebase, Andrew provides services to clients who require more than an off-the-shelf solution.
Muhammad is a full-stack WordPress developer and Webflow expert with over five years of experience developing and managing small to complex WordPress and Webflow websites. He is adept at using Elementor, Divi Builder, and WooCommerce. His expertise includes website design and redesign, PSD and Figma to WordPress conversion, and troubleshooting and fixing issues. During his remarkable professional career, Muhammad has worked with some of the top WordPress development agencies.
Ricardo is a WordPress engineer specialized in plugin and back-end development. He loves to create custom WordPress and WooCommerce solutions to empower bloggers and business owners with the means to achieve their digital goals quickly and reliably. His work has helped significantly increase profits/sales, greatly improved membership and retention, and outperformed expectations. He is easy to work with and an asset to any team looking for an outstanding WordPress engineer.
WooCommerce is a major player in the e-commerce landscape due to its scalability, security, and large ecosystem of third-party plugins. With such flexibility, finding the right WooCommerce developer can be challenging. This guide explains the technology underlying WooCommerce and breaks down how to hire a talented WooCommerce developer to build your online store.
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Tripcents wouldn't exist without Toptal. Toptal Projects enabled us to rapidly develop our foundation with a product manager, lead developer, and senior designer. In just over 60 days we went from concept to Alpha. The speed, knowledge, expertise, and flexibility is second to none. The Toptal team were as part of tripcents as any in-house team member of tripcents. They contributed and took ownership of the development just like everyone else. We will continue to use Toptal. As a startup, they are our secret weapon.
Brantley Pace
CEO & Co-Founder
I am more than pleased with our experience with Toptal. The professional I got to work with was on the phone with me within a couple of hours. I knew after discussing my project with him that he was the candidate I wanted. I hired him immediately and he wasted no time in getting to my project, even going the extra mile by adding some great design elements that enhanced our overall look.
Paul Fenley
Director
The developers I was paired with were incredible -- smart, driven, and responsive. It used to be hard to find quality engineers and consultants. Now it isn't.
Ryan Rockefeller
CEO
Toptal understood our project needs immediately. We were matched with an exceptional freelancer from Argentina who, from Day 1, immersed himself in our industry, blended seamlessly with our team, understood our vision, and produced top-notch results. Toptal makes connecting with superior developers and programmers very easy.
Jason Kulik
Co-Founder
As a small company with limited resources we can't afford to make expensive mistakes. Toptal provided us with an experienced programmer who was able to hit the ground running and begin contributing immediately. It has been a great experience and one we'd repeat again in a heartbeat.
Stuart Pocknee
Principal
How to Hire WooCommerce Developers Through Toptal
1
Talk to One of Our Industry Experts
A Toptal director of engineering will work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics.
2
Work With Hand-Selected Talent
Within days, we'll introduce you to the right WooCommerce developer for your project. Average time to match is under 24 hours.
3
The Right Fit, Guaranteed
Work with your new WooCommerce developer for a trial period (pay only if satisfied), ensuring they're the right fit before starting the engagement.
Find Experts With Related Skills
Access a vast pool of skilled developers in our talent network and hire the top 3% within just 48 hours.
To hire the right WooCommerce developer, it’s important to evaluate a candidate’s experience, technical skills, and communication skills. You’ll also want to consider the fit with your particular industry, company, and project. Toptal’s rigorous screening process ensures that every member of our network has excellent experience and skills, and our industry experts will match you with the perfect WooCommerce developers for your project.
How much does it cost to hire a WooCommerce developer?
The cost associated with hiring a WooCommerce developer depends on various factors, including company location, complexity and size of the project you’re hiring for, seniority, and more. In the US, for example, Glassdoor’s reported average total annual pay for WooCommerce developers is $85,000 as of April 2024.
With Toptal, you can speak with an expert talent matcher who will help you understand the cost of talent with the right skills and seniority level for your needs. Click here to schedule a call. It’s free and there’s no obligation to hire with us.
How in demand is WooCommerce?
Millions of online stores use WooCommerce, making it the dominant player in the e-commerce space. WooCommerce’s flexibility and scalability make it a compelling option for companies that want to create a unique e-commerce business. In addition, its large user base and its open-source nature ensures that there are constant updates and improvements. For these reasons, developers with WooCommerce skills will remain in very high demand for the foreseeable future.
How quickly can you hire with Toptal?
Typically, you can hire a WooCommerce developer with Toptal in about 48 hours. For larger teams of talent, it might take a bit longer. Our talent matchers are experts in the same fields they’re matching in—they’re not recruiters or HR reps. They’ll work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics, and match you with ideal candidates from our vetted global talent network.
Once you select your WooCommerce developer, you’ll have a no-risk trial period to ensure they’re the perfect fit. Our matching process has a 98% trial-to-hire rate, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the best fit every time.
What makes WooCommerce a popular choice for building e-commerce websites?
WooCommerce has several key attributes that make it the most widely used e-commerce platform in the world. WooCommerce has a large ecosystem that boasts thousands of third-party plugins, each of which adds functionality to the platform. This gives WooCommerce unmatched flexibility and lets developers add a variety of features without needing to write code. WooCommerce also has a large and active community of developers and users who actively contribute to its development and provide support through forums and documentation. WooCommerce is also cost-effective: While there may be costs associated with hosting and premium themes and extension, the WooCommerce plugin itself is free to use.
What are the main advantages of WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is a powerful and flexible platform for building online stores. It has several key benefits. WooCommerce is built on WordPress, and both platforms are highly customizable. WooCommerce has a large library of third party plugins, which let developers personalize look and feel, as well as add essential features, such as payment gateways, marketing tools, and customer management tools. WooCommerce also has a large and active community of developers, with a wealth of resources available online. WooCommerce is constantly being updated and improved, staying up to date with the latest e-commerce trends and security best practices.
Erik is a full-stack developer with more than 10 years of experience. He specializes in PHP, JavaScript, React, and Vue.js, and has implemented many e-commerce sites with WooCommerce and WordPress. Erik is a tech lead at Ikea, where he designs and builds web applications, as well as assessing emerging technologies.
The Growth in E-commerce Fuels the Surging Demand for WooCommerce Developers
With more than one million active websites, WooCommerce is by far the most widely used e-commerce platform in the world. WooCommerce is an open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress, the most popular content management system worldwide. By integrating WooCommerce, a WordPress site can be transformed into a fully functioning online store. WooCommerce offers a wide range of plugins, covering all the functionality you’d need on an e-commerce website, including support for recurring payments, subscriptions, bookings, geolocation targeting, and more. The combination of WooCommerce and WordPress is incredibly flexible, offering endless customization possibilities, however, this flexibility can make it challenging to find the right developer.
In order to hire a WooCommerce developer, the desired features and functionalities of the project must be specified and the required skill sets identified. Developers must have expertise in both WooCommerce and WordPress, and depending on project requirements, should have a mix of additional skills, including APIs, testing, and database management.
This guide equips you with the knowledge needed to successfully identify and recruit a professional WooCommerce developer, regardless of your e-commerce and web development experience.
What attributes distinguish quality WooCommerce Developers from others?
WooCommerce is often used by small companies without a dedicated e-commerce team, and in these cases, a WooCommerce developer’s job can cover a broad range of tasks. They might work on all areas of an e-commerce website, including UI/UX design, payment processing, and customer management. They can even contribute to tasks related to SEO and marketing. WooCommerce developers working as part of an e-commerce team will have more specialized duties, such as adding new payment types or third-party shipping and fulfillment extensions. Finding and hiring the right WooCommerce developer will have a big impact on the customer’s shopping experience, development costs, and ultimately, profitability for your online business.
Full-stack development: WooCommerce developers should be familiar with the languages used to build WooCommerce and WordPress. These include HTML, CSS, and JavaScript on the front end, and PHP on the back end. Having solid skills in these languages enables WooCommerce developers to do extensive customization work, such as modifying plugins and themes, in addition to adding new functionality.
Knowledge of the WooCommerce ecosystems: One of the biggest strengths of WooCommerce is its extensive ecosystem of plugins and integrations. Popular plugins include: WooCommerce Subscriptions, which enables recurring payments for subscriptions, memberships, or ongoing services; Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), which enables the creation of custom fields and data types; Yoast SEO, which optimizes your store’s content for search engines; and WooCommerce Bookings, which adds booking functionality that is ideal for appointments, rentals or service calls. Plugins are also available for automated email marketing, smart suggestions for recommended products, live chat, and user analytics. There are thousands available, each unlocking new functionality without the need for custom development. Skilled WooCommerce developers don’t just know what plugins are available, they understand their pros and cons, and how to get them to work together smoothly and securely.
API development: WooCommerce developers should have experience in using REST APIs. REST APIs enable stores to programmatically integrate with external services like payment gateways, CRM (customer relationship management) systems, or shipping platforms. Developers should know how to handle API requests and responses, in addition to managing the JSON data that gets sent back and forth.
Database management: WooCommerce developers need to have proficiency in working with relational or SQL databases, particularly MySQL, the database used by WordPress and WooCommerce. Working knowledge of SQL databases enables them to write custom queries, optimize table structures, troubleshoot database-related issues, and manipulate data to ensure the integrity of stores’ data.
Performance optimization: Speed is a major consideration in any e-commerce site; slow and lagging sites can frustrate customers and lead to lost sales. Performance optimization should be a priority for any WooCommerce developer. Skilled WooCommerce developers are able to identify performance issues and resolve them through techniques that include caching, minifying front-end assets like CSS and JavaScript, optimizing code, and deferring non-critical and lazy-loading assets.
Test-driven development: A WooCommerce developer who incorporates test-driven development (TDD) or other robust testing techniques brings an extra layer of confidence to the project. Tools like PHPUnit and Selenium can be used to automate testing on any changes that are made to the code. This allows the developer to identify and fix potential bugs and broken functionality before they impact the live site. In addition, well-tested code is easier to maintain and update, as the changes for regressions, or the reintroduction of bugs, is significantly reduced.
A/B testing: A/B testing is a method that enables data-driven optimization of online stores by presenting variations of website elements and analyzing user behavior in order to identify what works best. A/B testing is often performed on page layouts, calls to action, button placement and design, and checkout processes, and WooCommerce developers frequently use A/B testing to streamline and improve user experience.
Complementary WooCommerce developer skills
To fully leverage the functionality of WooCommerce, a developer should have skills in related programming languages, in addition to expertise in WordPress development.
PHP: PHP is the back-end language that underpins both WordPress and WooCommerce. WooCommerce developers should have strong PHP programming skills to enable server-side tasks, such as making API requests, processing data, updating databases, or any other back-end functionality. Developers will often have experience working with PHP outside of WordPress and WooCommerce, for example, in frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, CakePHP, or CodeIgniter.
HTML: HTML is the markup language used to structure content and layouts on the web. For WooCommerce developers, a strong understanding of HTML is essential for building websites that provide a good user experience and accessibility. HTML also plays a part in SEO; properly formatted HTML helps search engines understand the content in a website, potentially leading to higher rankings in search results.
JavaScript: JavaScript is another important part of WooCommerce, and websites in general. JavaScript is a versatile scripting language that is used to enhance usability and create a dynamic front-end experience. JavaScript can be used to implement additional features like form validation and dynamic loading of content. Additionally, knowing how to use JavaScript-based frameworks like React andAngular gives a developer even more options when customizing a WordPress site.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): CSS is a style sheet language that transforms a website’s HTML markup into an actual design. CSS is used to describe the layout, appearance, and formatting of web pages. For a WooCommerce developer, expertise in CSS is required to create structured and responsive designs that are aesthetically pleasing and function flawlessly across all devices, from smartphones to computers. Familiarity with Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, or other CSS frameworks can further streamline the design process.
WordPress: Because WooCommerce is built on the WordPress platform, WooCommerce developers also need to have a solid grasp of WordPress development. WooCommerce developers should be familiar with the built-in functionality of WordPress and ways that it can be customized. In addition, skilled developers should know how to use hooks and filters to manipulate the core functionality of WordPress.
These skills are fundamental for building, maintaining, and improving a WooCommerce store, ensuring a user-friendly and robust e-commerce platform, as well as a cost-effective and streamlined development process.
How can you identify the ideal WooCommerce Developer for you?
The key to a successful WooCommerce project is finding a developer who best aligns with your specific needs. In web development, there are generally three categories of developers: front-end, back-end, and full-stack. Front-end developers focus on the user interface and the visual aspects of the website. Back-end developers work on the internal functionality of the website, handling tasks like order processing, user authentication, and integrations with external services. Full-stack developers work with both front-end and back-end development.
Once you’ve identified the type of developer best suited for your project, the next consideration is developer experience. The complexity of the project will determine the level of experience required.
Junior WooCommerce developers can handle simple tasks, such as plugin updates or installations, ongoing maintenance, and minor customizations or content updates. Junior developers often benefit from the guidance of a more experienced developer, who may have firsthand experience with incompatible plugins or best practices with handling sensitive data, such as payment information and addresses. For a team looking for a long-term developer who can grow with the project, a junior developer is a great addition.
Mid-level WooCommerce developers have a solid understanding of the WooCommerce platform, and have no trouble creating new features and making updates to existing ones. They can generally work independently, but may need assistance for more complex tasks, such as localization for payment processing, troubleshooting conflicts between plugins, or performance optimization. Mid-level WooCommerce developers can strike a good balance between technical skills and cost.
Senior WooCommerce developers have a wealth of experience and can handle almost any task that is required. They are capable of designing intricate architectures and custom functionality, as well as optimizing performance and making sure that third-party components work together smoothly. Senior developers can also take on a leadership role, mentoring less experienced developers and making strategic decisions on the technical side.
Another factor to consider is whether the developer will be working on a new or existing project. For new projects, hiring a highly experienced developer is generally the best option. Their expertise and hands-on experience will ensure that they choose the right architecture and tools from the start, saving you time, headaches, and costs down the line. For an existing project, the right developer will depend on the complexity and maintenance requirements of the project.
The size of the company can also be a consideration. While WooCommerce is used mainly by small businesses, many medium-sized and large companies also build e-commerce websites with it. For smaller companies whose online store requires little customization, hiring a less experienced developer can be effective, as well as cost efficient. Large companies, who may need to deal with localization, optimization, enterprise-grade hosting, and security and compliance requirements, will benefit from the experience that a senior WooCommerce developer brings.
How to Write a WooCommerce Developer Job Description for Your Project
Once you’ve answered the initial questions to your project, you have a good start for writing a compelling job description that will attract the right developers. The more detailed a job description is, the easier it will be for developers to assess whether they are the right fit for your project. In the description, specify whether your needs are more focused on the front end or back end, or if you need a full-stack developer. List the technical requirements, including not only the WooCommerce tech stack, but also any complementary skills that may be required, such as experience with payment processing, SEO, or user interface design. Indicate whether you’re seeking a junior, mid-level, or senior developer, and any advanced skill requirements, such as system architecture, leadership, or strategic planning abilities.
In addition to the technical details, provide a description of the project, along with its business goals, core tasks, and estimated duration. If the candidate will be joining an existing development team, outline the team’s size and structure, and its approach to project management. Finally, give a brief description of the company, touching on company culture and benefits.
What are the most important WooCommerce Developer interview questions?
At the interview stage, you’ll have a chance to get a better understanding of the candidate’s skill set and assess their suitability for the project. Asking questions about past WooCommerce projects will give insight into a candidate’s experience and familiarity with the WooCommerce ecosystem. To evaluate their technical and problem-solving skills, follow up with a variety of technical questions, examples of which include:
How do you safeguard your customizations to third-party plugins or themes from being lost when they are updated?
WooCommerce developers are often required to work on plugin and theme customization. If they update the code of the plugin or theme directly, those changes will be overwritten every time there is an update. This can lead to lost code, bugs, and, ultimately, downtime. WordPress and WooCommerce plugins and themes are updated frequently, and candidates need to know the method for safeguarding their updates. When customizing an external theme, using a child theme will prevent your changes from being overwritten when the parent theme is updated. Child themes inherit the functionality from the parent theme, but allow you to add your own customizations. For external plugins, the original plugin should not be modified. Instead, move customizations to your own theme’s functions.php file, and use WordPress hooks to modify the plugin’s behavior. For complex modifications, creating a custom plugin will keep your changes separate and safe from updates.
How can you improve the performance of an existing WooCommerce website?
A poorly performing website can lead to a negative user experience and lost sales. Candidates should be familiar with the strategies that can be used to improve the performance of a WooCommerce website. Sites that are content rich can benefit from caching and content delivery networks (CDNs), as well as lazy loading, where content is not rendered until it is needed. Code should be streamlined, with unused and redundant code removed to minimize file sizes. Databases should also be optimized, with unused data removed and tables properly indexed. Added together, these changes can make a significant improvement in the performance of a website.
What are “WordPress Transients”?
The Transients API is a built-in WordPress feature that lets you cache data by temporarily storing it in the database. Transients are stored as a key-value pair, with a configurable expiration date. They are often used with API requests, caching the API’s response data so that repeated calls are not necessary. Understanding transients shows that the candidate has more than just basic WordPress knowledge. It’s a sign that the candidate has a deeper understanding of WordPress’ core functionalities, in addition to expertise in caching and optimization tools.
What is the relationship between WooCommerce and REST APIs?
WooCommerce sites frequently interact with external resources, whether it is for payment processing, tax or shipping services, connecting a store to a mobile app, or for CRM and marketing purposes. These integrations are most commonly done using REST APIs. REST is an architectural style that defines how applications communicate with each other and exchange information. When implementing a web application, there are several advantages to adopting a RESTful architecture. REST APIs are capable of working with any technology stack that supports HTTP. They are also flexible, and support standard data formats, such as JSON, XML, and HTML. Additionally, REST APIs are inherently scalable, with a stateless nature that allows for horizontal scaling to distribute the load across multiple servers. Because both WooCommerce and WordPress leverage REST APIs to interact with external services, WooCommerce developers should have an understanding of how to use them.
What is the difference between WooCommerce and Shopify? What is faster, WooCommerce or Shopify?
This question lets the candidates demonstrate their knowledge of two of the most popular e-commerce platforms. There are key differences between Shopify and WooCommerce. Shopify is a hosted service, designed for ease of use. It is designed to be a simple solution that anyone can get started with quickly. On the other hand, WooCommerce is highly customizable and offers full control over its configuration. This degree of flexibility, though, comes with a steeper learning curve. While Shopify’s hosting infrastructure is optimized for speed, the performance of WooCommerce depends on the speed of the hosting service and the optimizations implemented by the developer. A skilled WooCommerce developer can optimize the loading speed of a site, bringing it to the level where it is as fast or faster than a Shopify store. Finally, although there can be hosting fees, the WooCommerce plugin is completely free to use. Shopify is sold as a service; there is a monthly fee and typically, a transaction fee for each order.
Why do companies hire WooCommerce Developers?
WooCommerce has become the most widely-used e-commerce platform in the world. Its flexibility and vast ecosystem gives companies the ability to create and manage an online store, so to take advantage of all it has to offer, many companies seek the help of dedicated developers. A skilled WooCommerce developer can customize the store to a company’s specific needs, creating a unique user interface or custom functionality. Additionally, a skilled WooCommerce developer will design the store with scalability in mind, enabling the site to keep pace as the business grows. They will also help keep customer data and financial information safe from cyberthreats by following security best practices. A WooCommerce expert unlocks the platform’s power and flexibility in order to build an online store that is streamlined, secure, and scalable.