Short answer: choose a fixed-price project when you can describe what you want in writing and it will not change much; a dedicated developer when your product changes every month and you can set priorities each sprint; and a freelancer for small, self-contained tasks where you can check the work yourself.
Side by side
| Fixed price | Dedicated developer | Freelancer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| You pay for | An agreed result | A person's time, monthly | Hours or a task |
| Changes | Quoted separately | Free: you reprioritise | Renegotiated |
| Budget certainty | High | High per month | Low |
| Your management time | Low | Medium to high | High |
| Continuity if someone leaves | Vendor's problem | Vendor replaces | Your problem |
| Best for | MVPs, portals, defined systems | Products in active development | Small, isolated tasks |
A simple rule
- Can you write a one-page scope today? Fixed price.
- Will the list of work change every two weeks? Dedicated developer.
- Is it under a week of work and easy to test? Freelancer or a per-task quote.
Many clients start fixed-price for the first version, then move to a dedicated developer or a maintenance contract once the product is live.
How each model goes wrong, and how to prevent it
- Fixed price fails when the scope was vague: every missing detail becomes a change request or an argument. Prevent it with a clickable prototype and acceptance criteria before the price is agreed.
- Dedicated developer fails when nobody on your side sets priorities: the developer is busy, but not on what matters. Prevent it with a fortnightly plan and a short weekly review.
- Freelancer fails when the person disappears or the work cannot be maintained. Prevent it with code in your repository, small payments on delivery, and a second developer reviewing the code.
Three real scenarios
- A startup with a clear MVP (sign-up, a dashboard, payments, an admin panel): fixed price, typically $3,000–15,000, delivered in fortnightly releases.
- A business with a live product and a long backlog: a dedicated developer at $900–1,800 a month, working from your list every two weeks.
- An agency with a one-off integration for a client: a per-task quote, agreed before work starts.
The hybrid most clients end up with
Build version one at a fixed price, then move to a dedicated developer while the product grows, then to a maintenance contract once it is stable. Each step is a change of contract, not of team, so nothing is lost.
Contract terms each model needs
- Fixed price: written scope and acceptance criteria, milestone payments, a change process.
- Dedicated developer: monthly fee, notice period (a month is normal), replacement terms, weekly timesheets.
- Freelancer: clear deliverable, IP assignment, payment on delivery.
- All: NDA, IP assigned to you, code in your repository.
Prices at Infovion
Fixed-price web apps and MVPs typically $3,000–15,000; dedicated developers $900–1,800 a month; per-task work quoted before starting, hourly $12–25. Details: on-demand developers and outsourcing to India.
