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Shahid Malla

Working with me

How I Work: Process, Rates and Payment

I am a freelance WHMCS developer. This page explains how hiring me works: a free scoping call of about 30 minutes, a written quote within one business day, fixed price or $55-$65 per hour, work in a staging copy, daily updates, written handover and two weeks of support.

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By Shahid Malla, WHMCS developer and hosting infrastructure engineer · Updated

How does hiring me work from first message to delivery?

You send a short brief, we hold a free call of about 30 minutes, and I send a written quote within one business day. After you accept, the work happens in a staging copy with a daily update, and it ends with written handover documentation and two weeks of support. This table shows what each side does.

StageWhat I doWhat I need from you
Scoping callAsk about the goal, the setup, the deadline and the risks.Someone who knows the business goal. A screen share helps.
QuoteWrite the scope, the price, the assumptions and what is excluded.A yes, a no, or questions. Changes to scope are re-quoted.
SetupTake backups and build a staging copy.Temporary admin, SSH or database access.
WorkBuild or fix in staging and send a daily update.Quick answers to questions and a review when I ask for one.
DeliveryDeploy with you and hand over written documentation.Testing your own workflows and reporting anything that fails.
SupportFix problems in the delivered work for two weeks.Steps to reproduce and a screenshot for each issue.

How much does a WHMCS developer cost?

My rate is $55 to $65 per hour, or a fixed price for a defined scope that I quote after the scoping call. I do not publish a price list, because two projects with the same name can differ by days of work. Fixed prices suit work with a clear end point. Hourly suits debugging, audits and support, where the size is unknown until I look.

These factors move the price of WHMCS and server projects. The table shows the direction, not an amount.

Cost driverEffect on the priceWhy
Number of custom modulesMore modules raise itEach one has to be read, tested and sometimes updated for a new WHMCS or PHP version.
Integrations to re-testMore integrations raise itGateways, registrars, server panels and fraud tools each need their own live test.
Versions involvedA bigger gap raises itDatabase changes, removed functions and template changes pile up between releases.
UrgencyA tight deadline can raise itOther commitments may have to be rearranged to fit the work in.
Data volumeMore data raises it, mostly on migrationsTransfer, verification and rehearsal take longer with large client, invoice and ticket tables.
Quality of the briefA clear brief with access ready lowers itLess time goes on finding out what the problem is.

You can lower the price without cutting quality. Send the brief and access up front, keep each project to one outcome, and do not combine a migration with an upgrade, which adds work and risk. If a quote looks high, ask which parts drive it, and I will show where a smaller first phase is possible.

How do I prepare a good brief for a WHMCS developer?

A good brief states the outcome you want, what is broken now and what the system looks like. It can be short. The more of this you include, the faster and more accurate the quote:

  • The outcome in one sentence, for example "invoices should be issued in two currencies".
  • For a fault, the exact error message, the page address, the steps to reproduce and when it started.
  • Your WHMCS version, PHP version and hosting type.
  • The custom modules, hooks and themes you use, and who built them if you know.
  • The integrations involved: payment gateways, registrars, cPanel or WHM servers, other APIs.
  • Your deadline, and whether it is fixed or flexible.
  • Whether a staging copy exists. If not, I build one.

If you are unsure about any of it, send what you have. I fill the gaps on the call. For a specific fault, the WHMCS quick fixes page shows how I handle those.

How does payment work?

You can pay through Fiverr or Upwork, using their payment protection, or by direct invoice. I am Top Rated on both platforms, with 580+ five-star reviews on Fiverr, so you can start there if you prefer. On a platform, its payment terms and dispute process apply. With a direct invoice, the payment terms are in the quote before work starts. See my reviews if you want to check my record first.

What time zone do you work in, and how do we communicate?

I work in India Standard Time (UTC+5:30) and arrange overlap hours for clients in Europe and the Americas when a project needs live conversation. We communicate by email or by call, whichever you prefer. The daily update arrives in the channel you choose, so you do not need to be online when I am. You can also contact me directly.

Who owns the code I pay for?

Ownership of custom code is agreed in writing in the quote before work starts. WHMCS itself, open-source libraries and any premium module you license stay under their own licenses. The written handover documentation lists what I changed, which files and settings were touched, how to test it and how to roll it back.

Which companies are you connected to?

I hold roles at four businesses you may meet in my recommendations. I am CTO at ElySpace, a hosting company. I am Technical Lead at Fada.cloud and a backend developer for Nuco Cloud. I founded WHMCSPilot.com, which sells premium WHMCS modules and themes. When one of them is a sensible fit for your project, I say whose it is and name alternatives so you can compare. You never need to use any of them to work with me. For custom modules built for you, see WHMCS custom module development.

What working practices do I rule out?

I rule out these five practices.

  • I do not work on nulled, cracked or unlicensed software.
  • I do not edit WHMCS core files, because the edits vanish on upgrade.
  • I do not start changes on a live system without a current backup and a way back.
  • I do not promise a delivery date before I have looked at your system.
  • I do not take on work that someone else would do better. I say so on the call.

Who this is for

  • Hosting company owners comparing WHMCS developers who want the process before the first call
  • Agencies hiring a WHMCS specialist for a client project
  • Teams burned by a vague quote that want to see how scope, price and support are handled
  • Founders who need to know what drives the cost of a WHMCS or server project before writing a brief

What is included

  • A free scoping call of about 30 minutes
  • A written quote within one business day
  • Work in a staging copy of your system, not first on production
  • A progress update every working day
  • Written handover documentation
  • Two weeks of support after delivery
  • Access limited to what the job needs, and temporary where possible

How the work runs

  1. 1

    Send a brief

    Tell me what you want, what is broken and what you run. Five lines and a screenshot are enough to start.

  2. 2

    Scoping call

    We talk for about 30 minutes, free of charge. I ask about goals, current setup, deadline and risks, and I say honestly if the job is not a good fit for me.

  3. 3

    Quote

    Within one business day you receive a written scope, a price and the assumptions behind it.

  4. 4

    Work and daily updates

    I build or fix in a staging copy and send a short update each working day, so you never have to ask where things stand.

  5. 5

    Handover and support

    I deploy with you, hand over written documentation and stay available for two weeks to fix problems in the delivered work.

Frequently asked questions

Is the scoping call really free?

Yes. The scoping call lasts about 30 minutes and costs nothing, and you are under no obligation afterwards. I use it to understand your system and goals, ask what I need to see, and tell you honestly whether I am the right person. The written quote follows within one business day.

Should I choose a fixed price or hourly work?

Choose a fixed price when the end point is clear, such as a module, a migration or a gateway integration. Choose hourly when the size is unknown until someone looks, such as debugging, an audit or ongoing support. Hourly work is $55 to $65 per hour. I recommend whichever I think fits your job, and I explain why in the quote.

Can I hire you through Fiverr or Upwork?

Yes. I am Top Rated on both platforms, and the platform's payment protection applies to work booked there. If you prefer, I can work from a direct invoice instead. The payment terms for either route are written down before work starts, so nobody is guessing later.

What happens if something breaks after delivery?

For two weeks after delivery I fix problems in the work I delivered. Report the issue with the steps to reproduce it and a screenshot, and I respond in my working hours. New features and unrelated problems are quoted separately. Longer-term care is available as a support arrangement.

How do you handle access to my systems and data?

I ask for temporary admin, SSH or database access instead of your main logins where possible, and I work in a staging copy first. Revoke the access when the project ends, and I will tell you what to remove. If you need a confidentiality agreement, raise it on the scoping call so we can discuss it before any access is shared.

Which time zone do you work in?

I work in India Standard Time, which is UTC+5:30. For clients in Europe and the Americas I arrange overlap hours so we can talk live when the project needs it. Between calls, communication is by email, and the daily update means you do not have to be online at the same time as me.

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