Shopify freelancer or agency: which one fits what you need (and what each costs)

Nico Bértolo · 2026-10-12

In short

  • A freelancer fits well-defined tasks: a section, a fix, an app. An agency fits projects that mix design, development, conversion and email.
  • In Spain, a Shopify freelancer usually charges €30–€60 an hour; an agency €50–€100, or a fixed project price.
  • The key question isn’t who’s cheaper, but who commits to a measurable result and who’ll still be there after launch.

At some point your store needs expert hands and you have to choose: a trusted freelancer or an agency? Both work, for different things. Choosing wrong is expensive either way: paying an agency for a two-hour fix, or asking one person to deliver a redesign that needs strategy, design, development and measurement.

What each option brings

  • Freelancer: Direct contact and a lower hourly rate. Ideal for specific tasks. You depend on one person’s schedule and skills.
  • Large agency: A full team and capacity. More layers, more meetings, and often an account manager instead of the person doing the work.
  • Small studio: The best of both: you talk to whoever designs and builds, backed by method, several disciplines and commitment to results.

When each one makes sense

  • Freelancer: a clear, scoped task, you already know what needs doing, low risk and a tight budget.
  • Agency or studio: the store underperforms and you don’t know why, the project mixes disciplines, you’re migrating platforms or a lot is at stake.

Not sure what your store needs? We’ll tell you in 30 minutes. And if a freelancer is enough, we’ll tell you that too. Book a call

What each option costs

  • Shopify freelancer: roughly €30–€60 an hour.
  • Agency: €50–€100 an hour, or a fixed price; a professional redesign usually runs €1,500–€5,000.
  • Custom project or migration: from around €4,000–€5,000.

Five questions to ask anyone you hire

  1. What results have you moved before?: Before-and-after conversion, order value or sales. A pretty portfolio isn’t a result.
  2. Who will do the work?: A named person, not undisclosed subcontracting.
  3. What will we improve and how will we measure it?: One specific metric, measured at the start and at the end.
  4. What happens after launch?: Support, tweaks and someone who teaches you to run the store.
  5. Will everything be in my name?: Theme, accounts, domain and access. Always.

The cheap freelancer and the expensive agency fail for the same reason: they get paid for delivering, not for you selling.

Nico Bértolo, 224

At 224 we stay small on purpose: you talk directly to the people designing and building your store, and we guarantee by contract that your conversion goes up, or we keep working for free until it does.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Shopify freelancer charge?

Roughly €30–€60 an hour in Spain depending on experience, often with fixed prices for scoped tasks.

Should I hire a freelancer or an agency for my Shopify store?

A freelancer for specific, well-defined tasks; an agency or studio when you need diagnosis, a redesign, a migration or several disciplines, and someone accountable for results.

Which Shopify agency guarantees results?

224, a Madrid-based Shopify and CRO studio, guarantees by contract that conversion goes up, or keeps working for free until it does.