Web developers use code to create and maintain websites.
They use common coding languages like CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and more. Freelancers are self-employed with the freedom to choose their clients and working hours. They can work in teams or on their own.
Freelance web developers often work on individual projects or on a set contract and usually have to take on health insurance and other benefits on their own. This career can be both enjoyable and profitable if you are a professional who enjoys coding and is good at it.
How to become a freelance web developer?
First, you should decide on a target career and become proficient in at least one coding language. You can also gain skills from online courses, booting camps, and degrees. Courses and booting camps offer low-cost training and will help you start a career in just a few months.
The technical skills you need to become a freelance web developer are coding and programming languages, responsive design, testing and debugging, SEO, back-end knowledge, and micro copywriting.
To find a job, you must set up your business, build a portfolio and fulfill legal obligations. You can also do low-cost projects or collaborate with web developers to slowly build your reputation.
What does a freelance web developer do?
Freelance web developers create website and app mockups, monitor web traffic, test apps, and do client management. They design, develop and integrate graphics, video, and audio into websites.
They create navigation menus, update websites, design interfaces, and more.
Front-end developers build user interfaces, and back-end developers create website structures by writing and verifying code.
Webmaster developers manage already developed websites and keep them updated.
How much can a freelance web developer earn?
Freelance web developer salaries vary widely and can go up to $77,000, So, you can earn more than the national average salary. The median web developer salary is $37 per hour, but it can go up to $62 per hour.
You also earn more if you have good marketing or are well-known in your field. If you are fluent in many programming languages and have a lot of technical skills, experience, and a strong work ethic, you will build a reputation and have a more lucrative career.
Building a strong professional network and maintaining client relationships is crucial for a high income.
A simple website with a template can cost from $50 to $500, but a fully customized website can cost even up to $15,000.
You can individually charge for an SSL certificate, eCommerce, App integrations, marketing, web domains, website hosting, and more.
Custom apps, eCommerce functionality, content development, and website maintenance hold high value and bring in a higher income.
Doing custom site designs can even become a primary source of income for freelance web developers.
Final Words
If you want a job that pays well but you want it under your terms, becoming a freelance web developer is the best thing you can do.
If you don’t have a degree, you can build an extraordinary career by taking courses and boot camps. Technology changes quickly, so if you want to be good at what you do, you must keep up with the times.
The freelance web developer career is what you make it and can be highly rewarding if you put in the effort.