So, I've been approached for a project where I would be the only tech-savvy person building an app. Initially, I quoted them 3k euros per month. Here's what they expect from me:
1. Frontend design
2. Logo and branding
3. Server management and security
4. Database management (including backups)
5. Backend development
6. Mobile app development
7. Landing page creation
8. Company email setup
Basically, I'll be handling everything! I've checked the average salary for a senior backend developer in Germany, which is around 4.5k to 5.5k euros, and since I live in Turkey where the currency isn't great, I thought 3k was a fair rate. They seemed eager for a timeline, so I estimated about 3 months for the MVP and 9 months for the complete project.
However, my contact got back to me saying that it was above their budget and suggested something like 1000 euros a month. I immediately declined, feeling it was too low as 1k seems more like an intern's salary in Germany and much lower than a junior backend dev makes. Just wanted to see if I made the right decision given all that's expected from me!
5 Answers
You definitely made the right call. 1k is an insult for what they want you to deliver. They were either delusional about budget or trying to take advantage of you. Stick to your rates, they clearly don’t respect the work involved.
And they probably wouldn't be happy with the results if you have to rush them to meet unrealistic expectations.
For all that, I think you should be asking for at least double what you quoted. They clearly had no idea about the industry standards. You've got years of experience, don’t undervalue yourself!
Exactly. Many clients underestimate the complexity involved in software development.
3k seems way too low for all the skills they’re asking for. They wanted you to handle everything, and that’s a lot! You dodged a bullet here in my opinion. What were they even thinking?
It's wild! They wanted a full tech team for the price of a junior. That's just unrealistic.
I wouldn't say it's too much; it's definitely too little given the workload. If they're asking you to do all that, they're undervaluing the work. You want to make sure you're compensated fairly.
Agreed! It's a red flag if they don't understand the value of the work involved.
Honestly, you're doing the work of at least 8 people for that 3k a month. You made the right choice saying no. They were trying to lowball you thinking you were from Turkey and can be cheap. Just be polite when declining because your contact might really just be a middleman in the company hierarchy.
Yeah, low pay often comes with high stress and workload. Plus, they probably won’t appreciate the efforts you put in.
Exactly, they likely want everything done without realizing the complexities involved.
Right? Honestly, I wouldn’t want to work with a client that tries to lowball like that.