Resource Cost calculator

Estimate your WordPress project before talking to a vendor.

A budget calculator built from real engagement data. Project type, custom features, performance targets, compliance, migration, ongoing cost. Currently shared on request, the interactive version is in progress.

Estimates within 20 to 30 percent of real fixed-price quotes

Most WordPress vendors quote without showing their work. Customers cannot tell whether the quote is competitive, padded, or fair. The calculator below is the same set of inputs we use internally to estimate projects before discovery.

What goes in

Six inputs that drive cost.

Each input below represents a real cost driver in WordPress engineering work. The calculator outputs a range, with cost-per-input visible so you understand what is driving the number.

01

Project type

Marketing site, content site, ecommerce, membership site, community site, custom application, plugin development, theme development. Each type has a different cost profile and a different set of relevant features.

Estimate based on the project shape, not generic averages.

02

Custom features

Number of custom post types, custom fields, custom blocks, custom user roles. Number of custom integrations with third-party services. Each custom feature adds a defined number of engineering hours.

Real cost-per-feature estimates instead of round numbers.

03

Performance targets

Performance budget tier (standard, optimized, sub-second). Higher targets require more engineering work and sometimes architectural changes. Calculator surfaces the cost difference between tiers.

See what performance targets actually cost.

04

Compliance requirements

GDPR, HIPAA, accessibility level, SOC reporting requirements. Each adds defined documentation work, audit work, and sometimes architectural constraints. Calculator separates compliance cost from feature cost.

Compliance cost broken out, not buried in the total.

05

Migration scope

Number of pages to migrate, number of posts, number of users, custom data structures, third-party integrations to recreate. Migration is often half the cost of a redesign and the calculator surfaces that.

Migration cost not lost in the redesign quote.

06

Ongoing maintenance

Monthly maintenance budget for security updates, plugin updates, monitoring, backups, performance tuning. Optional input that lets you see lifetime cost not just launch cost.

Lifetime cost visible, not just launch cost.

How accurate it is

Within 20 to 30 percent of a real fixed-price quote for projects in the typical range. Smaller projects (focused engagements) and larger enterprise builds (larger engagements) need real discovery for accurate quotes. The calculator is for budget planning, not contract negotiation.

What honestly to expect

The interactive version of this calculator is in progress. If you need an estimate now, send us the inputs above and we respond with a range within four business hours. Most prospects find the manual estimate is enough to anchor the budget conversation.

What the calculator does not replace

Discovery. The calculator gets you to a budget range, not a contract. Real fixed-price quotes come from two-week discovery engagements that audit your existing systems, interview your stakeholders, and document a scope you can sign.

Common questions

Frequently asked

  1. How accurate is the calculator?

    Within 20 to 30 percent of a real fixed-price quote, for projects in the typical range. Outliers (very small projects, very large enterprise builds) need a real discovery for accurate quotes. The calculator is for budget planning, not contract negotiation.

  2. Why is the calculator not interactive yet?

    We are still building the interactive version. The methodology and inputs above are what the calculator asks for. If you need an estimate now, share the inputs and we send back a range within four business hours.

  3. What does the calculator not capture?

    Project complexity from unusual integrations, regulatory requirements that need legal review, content production cost (if you do not have your content ready), translation cost for multilingual sites, third-party software licenses. We surface these in discovery.

  4. Why publish a calculator at all?

    Most clients have no reference for what a serious WordPress project should cost. The calculator gives a starting point so the budget conversation is grounded. We would rather spend discovery time on scope than on educating about pricing.

Need a budget estimate now?

Send us the inputs.

Manual estimate within four business hours. Interactive calculator coming soon. Discovery is the next step after the estimate.