The 11 Top WordPress Freelancers (2026)
WordPress is still the default choice for a huge chunk of the internet — and for good reason. As the world's most popular content management system (CMS), WordPress powers an estimated 43% of all websites on the Internet. It is flexible, scalable, and can be brutally effective for SEO and conversions when it is built properly.
The demand for skilled WordPress developers is higher than ever due to WordPress's popularity. The problem is that WordPress can also become a slow, fragile, plugin-stacked mess if you hire someone who cuts corners. The hiring process is crucial, as the flexibility and rich ecosystem of third-party API integrations in the WordPress platform can make it challenging to find the right developer.
So to save you time, here is the short answer:
Businesses can now access a global talent pool, making it possible to find the best developers for any project. It's important to look for the best developers to ensure project success. Businesses looking to invest in WordPress website development must consider both the demand for talent and competitive pricing.
Linda Pozzato (The Code Bottega) is our top WordPress freelancer pick for 2026, especially if you want a senior developer who can build custom themes (ACF), optimise performance, and also handle modern frontend work when your site needs more than just WordPress.
Table of Contents
- TLDR
- Linda Pozzato (The Code Bottega)
- Tim Oxendale
- Laura Dawaf
- Justin Norton
- Steve North
- Alex Hooley
- Alex Walton
- Dave Foreman
- Mike Zak
- Kev Bulmer (Vanderlyle Geek)
- Colin Noble (Mr Noble)
- How to Identify a Top WordPress Freelancer
- Still Struggling to Choose?
- Why Choose Linda Pozzato?
TLDR
- Linda Pozzato (The Code Bottega): Best overall for custom WordPress themes (ACF), Elementor customisation, WPML multilingual builds, booking systems, and performance-minded delivery. Recognised as one of the best WordPress developers, Linda is highly skilled in advanced practices like creating and utilising child themes for safe and effective customisations.
- Tim Oxendale: Best for WooCommerce builds, fixes and ongoing ecommerce maintenance.
- Alex Hooley: Best if you specifically need custom Gutenberg blocks and speed optimisation. An experienced developer, Alex also brings strong front-end development skills, ensuring high-performing, responsive websites.
- Dave Foreman: Best for WordPress audits, optimisation, and independent troubleshooting when you need to understand what is actually going on with your site. As an experienced developer, Dave focuses on search engine optimisation to help improve your site's visibility and rankings.
Note: This is a curated editorial list based on publicly available information (services, positioning, and portfolios). Always speak to 2 to 3 freelancers, validate fit, and ask for relevant examples.
Choosing the right WordPress developer is crucial to ensure your project needs are met, whether for small tasks or complex customisations. Top WordPress freelancers should also be knowledgeable in search engine optimisation (SEO) to improve site rankings.
1. Linda Pozzato (The Code Bottega)
If you want a WordPress freelancer who can actually build something fast, clean, and maintainable, Linda is the number 1 pick. Linda is an experienced WordPress developer known for her problem-solving skills, consistently delivering secure, performance-optimised websites that stand out.
She is a senior developer with deep WordPress experience (custom themes and ACF, Elementor customisation, multilingual builds) and also brings modern frontend expertise (React and Next.js) when your WordPress site needs more advanced UI work.
Top reasons to partner with Linda:
- Ability to create custom themes from scratch for unique, bespoke website designs, including Sage and ACF workflows
- Expertise in API integrations, connecting WordPress to third-party services and applications, and able to clearly articulate her experience with these integrations
- Advanced implementation of custom post types for tailored content management and organisation
- ACF Pro for flexible, client-friendly editing
- Elementor customisation when Elementor is the right tool for the job
- WPML multilingual setup and configuration
- Booking systems experience (Booknetic specialist)
- Performance and UI polish (Tailwind CSS, premium animations)
- Strong marketplace proof (Top Rated, excellent job success)
2. Tim Oxendale (WooCommerce Specialist)
If your WordPress project is basically "we sell stuff online", you want someone who lives and breathes WooCommerce — not a generalist who has also done a shop once. Tim is a dedicated WordPress developer with deep expertise in ecommerce solutions.
Top reasons to partner with Tim:
- Specialises in WooCommerce development
- Builds, improves, fixes and maintains WooCommerce sites
- Extensive experience with custom post types for ecommerce product management
- Skilled in implementing API integrations for payment gateways and third-party services
- Strong problem-solving skills in troubleshooting ecommerce issues
- UK based, works across the UK which is great for ongoing support
3. Laura Dawaf (Bespoke WordPress and Animations)
Laura is a skilled WordPress designer and a strong choice if you want a bespoke WordPress build with high-end motion and UI polish — without sacrificing structure.
Top reasons to partner with Laura:
- London-based freelance WordPress designer and developer
- Portfolio of bespoke WordPress development
- Expertise in front-end development for high-end UI polish and performance
- Ability to create custom themes for unique, tailored website designs
- Experience with GSAP animations for modern brand sites
4. Justin Norton (Custom Themes, Plugins, WooCommerce, Support)
If you want someone who can build and support your site properly after launch, Justin is a freelance WordPress developer whose positioning is very aligned with that.
Top reasons to partner with Justin:
- Custom WordPress development with clean, maintainable builds
- Bespoke themes designed for performance and usability
- Custom plugin development for business-specific features
- WooCommerce builds, optimisation and integrations
- Advanced content management using custom post types
- Proficiency in API integrations to extend site functionality
- Ongoing WordPress support packages
5. Steve North (Themes, Plugins, APIs, White Label)
Steve is a WordPress engineer and a good pick if you are an agency needing white-label capacity, or if your WordPress build needs more than theme tweaks — such as plugins, APIs, custom post types, and other custom work.
Top reasons to partner with Steve:
- Theme development and design
- Plugin and API development
- Expertise in creating custom post types for complex content structures
- White-label WordPress development
- 10+ years of WordPress experience (positioned)
Understanding the differences between a WordPress site manager and a WordPress engineer can help in selecting the right candidate for your project. While a site manager focuses on day-to-day operations and content updates, a WordPress engineer like Steve specialises in technical development, custom solutions, and advanced site architecture.
6. Alex Hooley (Gutenberg Blocks and Performance Optimization)
If you are serious about long-term maintainability in WordPress, Gutenberg blocks are often the best path instead of heavy page builders. As an experienced developer, Alex leans directly into that.
Top reasons to partner with Alex:
- Builds custom Gutenberg blocks
- WordPress speed optimisation focus
- Expertise in front-end development for modern, responsive sites
- Implements custom post types for structured content management
- Great fit for structured content sites and modern WordPress builds
7. Alex Walton (Fast, Lean, Custom Code WordPress)
Alex is a strong option if you want a WordPress site that is built like an asset, not like a patchwork of plugins. He is considered one of the best developers for custom WordPress builds, known for his expertise in delivering top-tier, high-performing websites.
Top reasons to partner with Alex:
- Builds sites that are fast, lean and scalable
- Focus on a streamlined backend so clients can actually use it
- Avoids off-the-shelf themes and heavy page builders
- Can create custom themes from scratch for unique, bespoke website designs
- Expert in front-end development, ensuring high-performance, responsive, and visually engaging sites
- Track record launching 50+ WordPress websites (positioned)
8. Dave Foreman (Audits, Optimisation, SEO, Independent Troubleshooting)
Dave is the person you call when your WordPress site is slow, you have had 3 different devs touch it, and nobody can explain why things keep breaking. As an experienced developer with strong problem-solving skills, Dave brings expertise and best practices to every project.
Top reasons to partner with Dave:
- Plans, designs, builds and optimises WordPress websites
- Offers site audits, SEO audits, plugin and theme audits
- Strong on WordPress optimisation beyond just installing a caching plugin
- Experienced with bespoke builds and solving complex WordPress problems
- Expert in search engine optimisation, including setup and training on tools like Google's Search Console and Yoast
Note: When interviewing top WordPress freelancers, focus your questions on their past experiences and problem-solving skills related to WordPress projects.
9. Mike Zak (Bespoke WordPress and SEO, Lead Gen)
Mike Zak is a freelance WordPress developer whose positioning is ideal for service businesses that want WordPress to do one thing really well: generate leads.
Top reasons to partner with Mike:
- 10+ years experience (positioned)
- Bespoke WordPress design and development
- Expertise in search engine optimisation to improve site visibility and rankings
- Background in marketing to optimise websites for business performance
- Emphasis on SEO and lead generation
- Client-focused approach (positioned)
10. Kev Bulmer (Vanderlyle Geek) — High Performance Builds and Deep Experience
Kev is a great fit when you want someone who has been around the block and can deliver a high-performance site without overcomplicating it. Kev is considered one of the best developers for high-performance WordPress builds, known for leveraging the platform's full potential.
Top reasons to partner with Kev:
- UK-based WordPress developer and designer
- 25+ years of experience (positioned)
- Portfolio-led approach (services and examples)
- Ability to create custom themes for unique site requirements
- Front-end development skills for performance optimisation
11. Colin Noble (Mr Noble) — Fast, Secure WordPress and Migrations
How to Identify a Top WordPress Freelancer
The best WordPress freelancers are not the ones who promise a website in a week.
They are the ones who build you something that loads quickly, is secure, is easy for your team to update, and does not collapse the moment you add a plugin.
Here are the signals to look for:
They ask about outcomes, not just pages. Leads, sales, bookings, subscriptions. A good freelancer maps the build to the goal.
They build for performance and Core Web Vitals. Speed is not cosmetic. It impacts SEO, conversion and user experience.
They have a maintainable approach. Clean theme code, careful plugin choices, version control, staging, and sensible handover docs.
They care about security and updates. Backups, updates, least-privilege user roles, and clear maintenance options.
They can show relevant examples. Not just "here is a pretty site", but "here is a similar site to yours" — like WooCommerce, multilingual, booking, or custom blocks.
Strong problem-solving skills. Top WordPress freelancers can demonstrate how they have troubleshot and resolved issues in past projects, showing their ability to handle unexpected challenges.
Experience with custom post types and API integrations. Look for freelancers who can implement custom post types for advanced content management and connect your site to third-party services through API integrations for enhanced functionality.
A structured hiring process. Assess platforms, vet candidates, and streamline your workflow to ensure you select the best WordPress freelancer for your needs.
Clear communication skills. The best freelancers can translate technical jargon for non-technical stakeholders, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Note: A clear and detailed job description is essential to attract the right candidates for your WordPress project.
Note: During the hiring process, probe candidates' specific experiences with WordPress, as resumes may be inflated.
Still Struggling to Choose the Right WordPress Freelancer?
Before you start searching for top WordPress freelancers, it's crucial to define your business needs and project requirements. This will help you focus your search and ensure you find the right developer for your specific goals. A structured hiring process is essential — assess platforms, vet candidates, and streamline your workflow to select the best fit.
Book 2 to 3 short calls and ask each freelancer the same questions:
- What would you change about my current site (if anything)?
- How will you keep the site fast as we add content and features?
- What is your approach to plugins vs custom code?
- How do you handle staging, backups, and launch?
- What does handover and maintenance look like?
You will spot the serious operators immediately.
Why Choose Linda Pozzato (The Code Bottega)?
While everyone on this list brings something useful, Linda stands out as one of the best WordPress developers for 2026 because she combines:
- Senior WordPress delivery (custom themes, ACF, WPML, booking systems), including the ability to create custom themes from scratch for unique website needs and advanced functionality
- Ecommerce and migration experience
- Modern frontend expertise when you need more than a basic CMS build
- Proficiency with API integrations, and she can clearly articulate her experience connecting WordPress sites to third-party services for enhanced performance
If you want a WordPress site that is fast, clean, scalable, and built with grown-up engineering — start there.
Top Sites to Find WordPress Freelancers
Finding the right WordPress freelancer is a critical step in building a high-performing WordPress website. With the growing demand for skilled WordPress developers, there are now more options than ever to connect with top talent. Whether you need a full site build, plugin development, or ongoing support, choosing the right freelance platform can make all the difference.
Here are the top sites to find WordPress freelancers in 2026:
1. Upwork
Upwork remains one of the largest freelance platforms, offering access to a global pool of WordPress freelancers. You can post your project, review detailed profiles, and hire skilled WordPress developers for everything from small fixes to complex projects. Upwork's rating system and work history make it easier to identify experienced WordPress developers with a proven track record.
2. Toptal
Toptal is known for its strict vetting process, connecting businesses with the top 3% of freelance WordPress developers worldwide. If you need a professional WordPress developer for mission-critical projects, Toptal's exclusive network ensures you're working with senior developers who have deep technical knowledge and project management experience.
3. Codeable
Codeable is a WordPress-specific freelance platform, making it a go-to choice for anyone looking to hire WordPress developers. Every freelancer on Codeable is carefully screened for WordPress expertise, so you can trust you're getting a dedicated WordPress developer for your website, plugin development, or performance optimisation needs.
4. Fiverr
Fiverr offers a wide range of WordPress freelancers at competitive pricing, making it ideal for one-off projects or small fixes. You can browse portfolios, read reviews, and hire WordPress experts for tasks like theme development, plugin customisation, or website building.
5. WordPress Jobs
The official WordPress Jobs board is a great place to post job listings and connect directly with experienced WordPress developers. It's especially useful for businesses looking for long-term relationships or ongoing development services.
6. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is increasingly used by professional WordPress developers to showcase their portfolios and connect with clients. You can search for WordPress freelancers, review recommendations, and reach out directly to skilled developers with the right experience for your project requirements.
7. PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour connects businesses with freelance WordPress developers for both fixed-price projects and hourly work. The platform's project management tools and transparent service fee structure make it easy to manage your WordPress projects from start to finish.
No matter which platform you choose, always review portfolios, check client feedback, and have a clear conversation about your WordPress website goals before you hire a WordPress developer. The right freelance platform can help you find the best WordPress freelancers for your business site, ensuring your project is delivered on time and to a high standard.
