I was asked to quote a price for being the only tech person to develop an entire app, and I came up with €3,000 per month. This project includes a ton of responsibilities like frontend design, logo and branding, server management, database handling, backend development, a mobile app, a landing page, and even setting up company emails. I figured my price was fair, especially since I'm in Turkey where the conversion rate is favorable compared to Germany, where average salaries for a senior backend dev are around €4,500 to €5,500. I estimated about 3 months for the MVP and 9 months for the full product. However, my contact came back saying it was above their budget and they were thinking of offering €1,000 a month. I immediately turned them down, feeling it was too low, especially given the extensive workload. I'd like to know if I made the right decision, considering I'd be doing the work of multiple people.
5 Answers
For all the roles you would take on as a solo developer, €3,000 is surprisingly low, let alone the ridiculous €1,000 they suggested. It’s good thinking to pass that deal. You deserve more, especially for what they’re asking.
If they don’t understand the value of your skills, it’s better to move on.
No way that's too much! €3,000 is actually low for what they expect. You’re basically being asked to perform the work of a whole team. Stick to your guns and demand what you're worth. You got this!
Exactly! Just remember, charging less sets a precedent that could haunt you in future contracts.
Definitely! Your skills and experience are worth a lot more than they realize.
It’s actually too little for the extensive work you’d be doing. You might be experienced in backend dev, but handling everything from design to server management is no small task. €3,000 doesn’t reflect the workload, so it’s great you held your ground!
Yeah, people have no idea how much work goes into building a full project like that, especially solo.
Agreed. One person doing all that work, they should have been far more accommodating.
You definitely did the right thing. Asking €3,000 for the workload of multiple people seems more than fair. They might have thought they could get a bargain just because you're based in Turkey, but it sounds like they were trying to lowball you. Good on you for closing the door on that offer!
Honestly, they were probably expecting way too much for way too little. It’s important to know your worth.
Plus, for all those duties, they should realistically be paying a lot more than even €3,000.
You’re spot on about the pay. It's laughable that they thought €1,000 was even close to a fair offer. €3,000 is reasonable considering they want a complete product. If they can't pay it, they're not worth your time.
They need to face reality; good talent isn't cheap. They should either reconsider their budget or find someone less qualified.
Exactly! They clearly don't respect the skills and time needed for such a project.
Right? They would have you working for less than the price of average studio rent.