// Pricing

Shader Developer Rate — GLSL Specialist Pricing

GLSL shader developers charge \$80-\$150/hour for solo work — premium reflects rarity of skill.

Shader developer rates: GLSL is a specialist skill, fewer developers do it well, premium rates. Solo freelancers \$80-\$150/hour for shader-focused work. Mid-tier agencies \$200+ when they have shader specialists. For typical 3D web projects with embedded shader work, I include shader pricing in the overall fixed price rather than billing shaders separately. For shader-only engagements, fixed price \$2,000-\$6,000 depending on complexity.

What you actually get

At this price point for Shader Developer Rate — GLSL Specialist Pricing, the deliverable includes: a working production site with the agreed scope, all source code in your private repo, asset pipeline documented, og images, schema.org markup, sitemap entry, basic SEO setup, and a 5-min walkthrough video. The price is fixed — I quote once, deliver, invoice on delivery. No hidden costs.

Realistic price range

Hero-section shader developer rate on existing site: $1,500-$2,500. Full multi-scene 3D site, 4-6 weeks of work: $3,500-$8,000. Configurator with custom shaders and AR support: $5,000-$12,000. Above that, projects move to a quoted-by-scope model. EUR equivalents are 0.93-0.95x USD. All include first-year hosting and minor revisions.

How I differ from US studios

A US or UK design studio with comparable skill ships similar quality at $15,000-$50,000 for the same scope. I deliver the same craft from Serbia at 30-50% of that. The difference isn't quality — it's cost-of-living arbitrage. You also get direct access to the developer building your site, no agency layer slowing decisions.

Payment terms

50% upfront on contract signature, 50% on delivery. I send a written project brief listing exactly what's in scope before any payment. Payment via SEPA (EU clients), USD wire (US clients), or crypto (USDC) for clients who prefer that route. Invoices are formal Serbian invoices with VAT handled correctly. I'm registered as a freelance entrepreneur.

Frequently asked questions

What if my budget is below this range?

I have a smaller package: hero scene only on existing site, single device-tier (desktop), simpler asset pipeline. \$800-\$1,200 range. Below that, off-the-shelf templates from Spline or similar are usually a better fit than custom development.

Are there hidden costs I should know about?

No hidden fees. The quote covers design, development, assets, first-year hosting, og images, schema markup, sitemap, and 30 days post-launch support. Stock photography or specialist 3D modeling, if needed, is quoted separately before work starts.

How long does this take?

Standard scope: 4-6 weeks from contract signature to live site. Larger scope (configurator, multi-scene scrollytelling) takes 8-12 weeks. Rush projects (2-3 weeks) are accepted with a 30-40% rush surcharge.

What does it cost?

Hero-section 3D upgrade: \$1,500-\$2,500. Full multi-scene 3D site: \$3,500-\$8,000. Configurator with custom shaders: \$5,000-\$12,000. All fixed-price, source code included. EUR equivalents on request.

What if my visitors are on weak phones?

The site detects device tier before the first scene loads and serves a lighter version on weak hardware (fewer particles, simpler shaders). Devices without WebGL get a static fallback that preserves the visual language and conversion path.

Ready to ship a 3D experience?

Tell me what you need — fixed price, fixed deadline, no surprises.

Get a quote +381 61 224 8989