How to find a cheap developer for affiliate program and eCommerce integrations

Most eCommerce sites and services integrate with Tapfiliate easily. However, some platforms and custom-built sites may need a custom integration. If you have a dev in-house, that’s usually easy, but what should you do if you don’t have a developer? It might seem like it’s too overwhelming at first, but in fact, it’s easier than you think. Here is a guide on how to find a developer to integrate your affiliate program.

When you’re looking for a developer to integrate your affiliate software, you need to look out for several things to ensure your affiliate program setup runs smoothly. These are the most important:

• A frontend JavaScript developer or someone who is API savvy
• Transparency
• Communication skills
• Good time management

A frontend JavaScript developer OR someone who is API (application programming interface) savvy

Like most affiliate software, Tapfiliate uses JavaScript or APIs in their integrations. To get your affiliate program set up correctly, the most crucial thing in all of this is that your developer can do the job you hire them to do. Check their qualifications to make sure that you get integrated quickly and without complication. Sometimes a developer’s credentials are visible on their profile or website. Other times you’ll need to ask.

Transparency

Transparency is essential with pricing – make sure you are as straightforward as possible with what you need – you should send them any technical documentation in advance and steer clear of developers who give you a price without asking for any details. You can find the relevant documentation for your integration here. Search for your specific platform, tools, or tech stack. There are two possible scenarios for pricing – a project rate (an estimate is also possible) or an hourly rate. If it is a simple integration you are afraid of doing yourself, it should not cost an arm and a leg.

Great communication skills

Communication skills are not only critical when it comes to communicating with you. It’s also vital that they are generally good at communicating because sometimes, the developer must communicate with us here at Tapfiliate to complete integration. Pay attention to how quickly they reply, how much information they provide, and if they are happy to answer your questions. Look for testimonials.

Good time management

Make sure that your developer is transparent about what they will do and when they will do it before you start. Make agreements ahead of time so that you are clear about what you expect. It is essential, especially if you are on a timeline and want to get integrated quickly. They must communicate that with you and manage your expectations if things don’t go according to plan.

How much does a freelance developer cost?

A freelance developer’s hourly rates can vary from country to country. Outsourcing to a different country could be cheaper than paying someone in your home country, depending on where you live. Rates also vary on whether you decide to go with a junior developer or a more senior developer for your setup.

A senior JavaScript freelance developer’s average worldwide hourly rate is between $81-$100 per hour. However, you can find cheaper developers by outsourcing overseas and you don’t require senior-level skills – you can opt for a junior or mid-level developer.

The average hourly worldwide rate for a mid-level JavaScript developer is between $61-$80.

There is no difference in the average hourly rate between a mid-level JavaScript developer and a junior level JavaScript developer.

Where can I find a developer?

Finding a developer can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when you’re unsure of what you need. While it might be tempting to go with a cheap developer on a freelance platform, which is a valid way to do so, there are several different ways to find a developer.

Ask your network if any of them know a developer

Your friends, former colleagues, or acquaintances may know a developer who would be interested in some freelance work. This way, you’ll be in direct contact with them. It never hurts to ask, and you might find someone great whom you can stay in touch with for the future.

Post on job boards

Posting on job boards is a surefire way of finding freelance developers to help you set up your integration, and there is less of a chance of encountering spam or scams. Popular free boards not explicitly aimed at developers include LinkedIn, Jooble, Indeed, Gumtree and Glassdoor. Specialized developer job boards charge money to post your vacancy, and popular sites include GitHub, Stack Overflow, Mashable, and Women who code. For this purpose, it’s better to go with free boards aimed at a more general audience.

Twitter

Developers hang out on Twitter. The best way to find them is to do a hashtag search including #freelance #javascript #js and filter people. Look at their profiles and send through a message or tweet them.

Facebook groups

Facebook groups are great for finding communities of people, and it’s also possible to find developers. You can search for different communities – don’t limit yourself to developer groups. When you’ve searched, click on the group to look around and check the quality of the posts. Read the group guidelines and message the admins if you’re not sure before you post your vacancy.

Freelance platforms

Freelance platforms reviewed below are one of the most common ways of finding a developer to do your affiliate program integration. It can also be tricky, as you have to vet the candidates yourself, which is tougher to do as there are so many freelancers available on these platforms unless you go with a more expensive one. It’s essential to ensure that you are very specific about what you need when posting your job description.

A note on scammers

Freelance platforms do have genuine sellers, but it is vital to make sure that you know how to spot a scam to protect yourself.

Always pay your freelancer within the freelancer platform that you are using. Never agree to a direct transfer. On most freelance platforms, there is a payment protection plan.
Trust your instincts and flag accounts that seem like they might be spammy or fraudulent.
Communicate with users via the freelance platform. That way, you have a record of everything said and what you have agreed. You’ll have some recourse if it goes wrong or goes to mediation on one of the platforms

Popular freelance platforms for finding a developer

There are several freelance platforms where you can find a developer. Here is a review of some of the most popular freelance platforms.

Upwork

Upwork is one of the biggest freelancer platforms to connect you with developers working all over the world. To find a freelancer, post a job and wait for freelancers to send in their proposals. Additionally, you can invite a developer to send a proposal for your job posting.

Pros

• Find a developer on a budget – filter by location to find freelancers in the States
• Hiring can be quick
• See reviews from other customers, including negative reviews
• Free plan available so you don’t need to pay to post your job
• Invite up to 3 freelance developers to apply to your project on the free plan
• Check work examples
• Get bids from freelancers on an hourly or project rate with no minimum requirements

Cons

• All stages of recruitment have to be done by you so it can be time-consuming
• To get assistance in finding someone for your project from the Talent Scout recruitment team, it costs $49.99 per month
• If there is a dispute, mediation services can sometimes side with the freelancer if you are paying an hourly rate
• 3% fee on all payments
• There is no vetting process, and scammers are active on all freelancer platforms. Make sure you check reviews vigorously and perform your own checks

Top tip: You can search for “Tapfiliate” to find a developer that has worked on one of our integrations before. Please make sure you check their profile to see the review for their integration.

Freelancer.com

Freelancer.com is another freelance platform that connects you with developers all over the world at the click of a button.

Pros

• Pay when you’re satisfied
• Message a freelancer directly with your project details and budget without sifting through job applications that might not be relevant
• Cheaper than the higher-end freelancer platforms
• Verified freelancers go through more vigorous checks – look for the blue tick

Cons

• It can be time-consuming going through all of the developers to find the right one for your project
• While you can send a freelancer a message directly with your budget, they may decline the work or ask for a higher hourly rate
• 3% fee or $3 (depending on which is higher) on a project basis, or a 3% fee on every payment you make for hourly projects. Paid membership plans are available, or additional fees for things like getting your job featured
• If you need mediation between you and the freelancer, there are fees involved
• Scammers don’t always get blocked from using services like these, so make sure you read reviews carefully before committing.

Fiverr

The concept of fiverr was originally for people to sell services for $5, but since then it has expanded and grown. There are many freelancers available on the platform, you can still find good value freelancers.

Pros

• You can see negative reviews as well as positive
• Fiverr business accounts are free for one year
• Pay per project – make sure you get an estimate of hours
• Vetted freelancers & Top rated sellers – look for the logos

Cons

• For a skilled developer you will pay more per project
• Scammers are active so be aware when you are looking for a freelancer on any platform
• Time consuming finding the right freelancer – no developers with the pro verified status
• 5% service fee on top of the price of the gig with a minimum charge of $2 – whichever is higher

How to write a great freelance job description for your developer

Ensuring your job description gives as much information as possible is crucial to finding the right developer for your affiliate integration. This way, your developer will know what is expected of them upfront.

We’ve written a few sample freelance developer job descriptions for you to help you get an idea of what you need to include.

Wrapping up:

Finding a developer to do the integration for your affiliate program may seem overwhelming at first, but once you know what you need to do and what to look out for, it should be straightforward. Then you can start inviting affiliates to start promoting your program.