Get Your Developer Cost Estimate
Enter your own figures and compare three hiring models side by side. No email is needed and nothing you type is sent to us.
An estimate for comparison, not a quote.
Calculate Your Costs
Use one currency for every field. Leave a field empty if it does not apply.
Example figures are filled in so you can see how it works. Replace them with your own.
| Model | Monthly cost | Per productive hour | Over 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-house hire | 400,000 | 833 | 4,800,000 |
| Freelancers | 384,000 | 800 | 4,608,000 |
| SyntecHire dedicated | Add the SyntecHire rate from your quote to compare. Ask for a quote | ||
This is arithmetic on the figures you enter. It is an estimate for comparison, not a quote. Use any currency, as long as every field uses the same one.
What The Calculator Shows
Total monthly cost
The full monthly figure for the team size you enter. For in-house hires this includes employer overhead and recruitment cost spread across the engagement.
Three hiring models compared
In-house hires, freelancers and dedicated developers, in one table, worked out from the same team size and engagement length.
Cost per productive hour
Monthly cost divided by the productive hours you enter. It lets you compare a salary, an hourly rate and a monthly rate on the same basis.
Annual difference
The gap between the in-house figure and the dedicated figure over twelve months. It shows the direction of the difference as well as the size.
Why Costs Vary
Four things move the figure more than anything else.
Seniority
Experienced engineers cost more per month and usually need less direction and less rework.
Skill scarcity
Common stacks have more available developers. Rare or specialised skills cost more to find and keep.
Location
Salaries, employer costs and recruitment fees differ widely between countries and cities.
Engagement length
One-off costs such as recruitment weigh more heavily on a short engagement than on a long one.
Where The Numbers Come From
The calculator uses two sources. The SyntecHire rate comes from our own rate card or from the quote we gave you. Every other figure is one you enter yourself.
We do not supply salary data, market averages or benchmark rates. You know your own costs better than a published survey does, and the result is only as accurate as the figures you put in.
The calculation is simple arithmetic and the method is described on this page. If you want us to check your inputs, send them with the quote request below.
How To Reduce Costs
Ways to lower the total without lowering the standard of work.
Define the role before you hire
A clear description of the work avoids paying for seniority or skills the role does not need.
Mix seniority levels
One senior engineer guiding mid-level developers often costs less than a team made up only of seniors.
Prepare the onboarding
Access, setup guides and a first task ready in advance mean less paid time spent waiting.
Keep tasks small
Small tasks are reviewed sooner, so mistakes are caught before they become expensive rework.
Keep the same people
Every change of developer costs handover time. Continuity protects the context you have already paid for.
Adjust team size with the roadmap
Month-to-month terms let you add developers when the workload grows and reduce when it falls.
Related Insights
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- Project ManagementStaff augmentation or a dedicated team: a decision you can make in ten minutesFour questions about ownership, runway and management time that settle the choice.
- ModernisationSigns your legacy platform has become a business riskWhat to look for in release frequency, incident history and hiring difficulty.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The calculator runs in your browser and needs no email. You only share contact details if you ask for a custom quote.
No. It is arithmetic on the figures you enter, for comparison only. A quote from SyntecHire is given in writing after we understand the role.
Any currency, as long as every field uses the same one.
Costs you pay on top of salary for an in-house employee. Typical items are employer taxes, benefits, equipment, software licences and office space. Enter it as a percentage of salary.
Recruitment is paid once, while salary is paid every month. Spreading the one-off cost across the months you enter lets the monthly figures be compared fairly.
Get Your Custom Quote
Tell us the role and the team size. We reply with a figure in writing.
What we need
- The stack and seniority
- How many developers
- When you want to start
What you receive
- A monthly figure per developer
- What the figure includes
- Profiles to review and interview