Taupo
Brett Ransley
Senior Full-stack Developer & CMS Expert (Joomla & WordPress)
Hire a freelance software developer in New Zealand
Need an app for your customers, a tool that replaces a pile of spreadsheets, or your systems connected so data flows between them? Tell us what you're trying to fix and we'll brief NZ software developers who fit your budget, then introduce you.
- Free to enquire
- Local NZ freelancers
- You choose who to hire
Tauranga
Stuart Farquhar
Full Stack Software Developer
Auckland
Patrick Lim
Creative Developer
Christchurch
Oliver Le Lievre
Founder & Principal Systems Architect
Auckland
Tom Friml
Mobile Developer
Wellington
Oliver Trotter
Ecommerce Web Developer
Local talent. Visible proof. Direct relationships.
What kind of software & app development support are you after?
Developers usually specialise in one part of the work. Pick the closest match, or describe what you want the software to do and we'll find the right fit.
API & Systems Integration
Automate and connect apps with no-code and custom API integrations tailored to your business.
Typically NZ$800–$60,000 + GST
SaaS Development
Custom software development and integrations for your SaaS product.
Typically NZ$3,000–$250,000 + GST
Frontend Development
Build responsive, user-friendly websites and applications.
Typically NZ$1,500–$120,000 + GST
Backend Development
Build and maintain robust backend systems for your web or mobile projects.
Typically NZ$1,500–$150,000 + GST
API Development
Design, build, and integrate APIs for seamless system connectivity.
Typically NZ$3,000–$120,000 + GST
Database Management
Set up, tidy, speed up and look after the databases your business relies on.
Typically NZ$800–$25,000 + GST
Business Workflow Automation
Automate business processes, streamline workflows and connect the tools your team already uses.
Typically NZ$1,200–$60,000 + GST
UX Design
Design clear, user-focused digital experiences for your New Zealand business.
Typically NZ$2,500–$80,000 + GST
Not sure? Start with what you're trying to do.
Most people come to us with a goal, not a job title. Here's where the most common ones usually land.
“We run the business on spreadsheets and it's getting messy.”
A developer can connect the tools you already use, or build a simple internal system that replaces the spreadsheets.
API & Systems Integration“I have an app idea but no technical co-founder.”
Start with a small first version that tests the idea with real users before building everything.
SaaS Development“Our app works, but it's slow and clunky to use.”
A frontend developer can fix the parts people see and use, often alongside a UX designer.
Frontend Development
You don't have to search through hundreds of software developers.
We do the legwork of briefing and finding people, then step back so you work directly with the software developer you choose.
Tell us what you need
Share your project, the help you need, and any timing or budget you have in mind.
Choose who to meet
Review interested freelancers and their work. Choose who you want an introduction to.
Agree the work together
Agree the scope, timing, and price with your freelancer.
- 1Tell us what you need
- 2We help shape the brief
- 3Relevant freelancers are surfaced
- 4You compare them
- 5You choose
How much does it cost to hire a software developer in NZ?
What New Zealand software developers typically charge, by type of work. Freelancers quote you directly after reading your brief.
API & Systems Integration
Projects fromNZ$800
- Small automation (no-code)NZ$800–3,500
- Medium integration (custom + middleware)NZ$4,000–15,000
- Large integration or platform workNZ$15,000–60,000+
Backend Development
Projects fromNZ$1,500
- Small task or single integrationNZ$1,500–6,000
- Medium projectNZ$6,000–30,000
- Large platform or full backendNZ$30,000–150,000+
Frontend Development
Projects fromNZ$1,500
- Small project or site fixesNZ$1,500–NZ$5,000
- Mid‑sized website or storeNZ$5,000–NZ$25,000
- Complex web app or large ecommerceNZ$25,000–NZ$120,000+
SaaS Development
Projects fromNZ$3,000
- Small feature or integrationNZ$3,000–NZ$12,000
- MVP or single-product releaseNZ$20,000–NZ$60,000
- Full SaaS product & roadmapNZ$60,000–NZ$250,000+
Indicative NZD, excluding GST and third-party costs. Freelancers set their own prices after reading your brief. Updated July 2026.
Meet New Zealand software developers.
A few of the independent software developers in our network. We share your brief more widely than the people shown here.
Brett
Senior Full-stack Developer & CMS Expert (Joomla & WordPress)
Taupo
Software & App Development
Stuart
Full Stack Software Developer
Tauranga
Software & App Development
Patrick
Creative Developer
Auckland
Software & App Development
Oliver
Founder & Principal Systems Architect
Christchurch
Software & App Development
Tom
Mobile Developer
Auckland
Software & App Development
Oliver
Ecommerce Web Developer
Wellington
Software & App Development
Matic
iOS developer
Auckland
Software & App Development
Finn
Software Engineer
New Plymouth
Software & App Development
See what New Zealand software developers have delivered.
Real projects by freelancers in our network, and what their clients said about them.
Software & App Development
Genie 2 Mobile App Development for Syrp Motion Control
- iOS
- API & Systems Integration
- Backend Development
Tom Friml
Software & App Development
RepAI: AI-powered Reputation & Media Intelligence for Public Affairs
- Analytics Implementation
- Airtable
- Dashboards & Data Visualisation
Oliver Le Lievre
Software & App Development
End-to-End Operating Platform for Hulp — Softr & Airtable Build by Oliver Le Lievre
- Lead Generation
- Airtable
- Dashboards & Data Visualisation
Oliver Le Lievre
Software & App Development
Sharp Minds Two-Sided Marketplace Platform
- API & Systems Integration
- Business Workflow Automation
- Airtable
Oliver Le Lievre
Software & App Development
B2B services marketplace launch
- Stripe
- API & Systems Integration
- Backend Development
Finn GreigWe worked with the team at WhatIF to upgrade our website design and performance. They have been fantastic to work with and exceeded our expectations! They were knowledgeable and provided expert advice throughout the project.
Feedback for Isaac Farrow
Web Developer · Christchurch
Questions about hiring a software developer
Straight answers to what NZ business owners ask us most.
How much does a freelance software developer cost in New Zealand?
A small integration usually costs NZ$800–$3,500 and a small backend task NZ$1,500–$6,000, while a first release of a software product often costs NZ$20,000–$60,000, excluding GST. Developers quote after reading your brief. The number of features, systems involved and testing move the price most.
Should I hire a freelancer or a software agency?
A freelancer suits a defined project like an integration or a first version, and you work directly with the person writing the code. An agency makes sense when you need design, several developers, testing and project management over a long build.
I don't have a brief. Can I still start?
Yes. Most people don't have one. Tell us what you're trying to achieve and we'll turn it into a brief with you before anything goes out to software developers.
Who owns the code?
You should, once you've paid. Agree in writing that the code and intellectual property transfer to you, and that it's stored in an account your business owns, such as GitHub.
Who looks after the software once it's live?
Agree this before the build starts. Most developers offer ongoing support by the hour or month. Ask for hosting and third-party costs to be listed separately in the quote.
Do I pay GST?
Only if your freelancer is GST-registered. Registered software developers add 15% GST to their quote, while many sole traders earning under NZ$60,000 a year aren't registered and won't charge it.
How long does it take to find someone?
We aim to start sharing interested software developers within a few working days of agreeing your brief. When work starts depends on their availability and your timing.
Often hired alongside software & app development
AI & Automation
Build and scale AI-driven automation to streamline workflows.
2 freelancers
Websites & Web Development
Develop custom websites and web apps tailored to your business goals.
35 freelancers
+30Digital Product & UX
Design and optimise user-focused digital products that work.
2 freelancers
Data & Analytics
Unlock insights with custom dashboards, reports, and data analysis.
2 freelancers
Tell us what you want built.
Describe the problem you're trying to fix and we'll help shape a brief and introduce NZ software developers who fit.