Skip to content

Comment on Ask HN: I've had some software developed, now the coder is holding me for ransom.parent

Comments

$2500 for 50 hours of work works out to $50 p/hour. I don't know what the fair market rate is for freelance client side app dev, but that sounds a bit low. Most web designers I know bill higher than that. For $50 an hour I'd either expect the developer to be really junior, or experienced but totally unaware of their own value.

Also, I agree that providing a percentage of the possible profits is not a very good motivator. Unless you're some master marketer with proven businesses experience behind you, it's a bad gamble for the programmer.

Offtopic but seriously? $50/hr is low? I've had people tell me that my rate is too high when i was charging $20/hr. I find that a lot of people treat freelancers with a lot of prejudice because of their geographical location..

To the OP. The programmer is black-mailing you. That never ends well. If you can, just scratch the project and start over.

$20/hr is high? I'm sorry, but you're working for the wrong people. There will always be people who want you to make them a full-featured website with forums and interactive crap for $500. Ignore these people - ignore anyone who doesn't know how much your work is worth. Working with them is just asking for trouble.

$50 IS low. Think more about your costs. If anyone tells you anything less than $200/hr is low (as a freelancer), leave them behind you.

AboutSource Built by g1lg1l

Hackerly is an independent reader for Hacker News, built on the public HN API. Not affiliated with Y Combinator.