Hire offshore PHP developers for new builds and legacy code
What our offshore PHP developers do
Modern PHP
PHP 8.x with typed properties, attributes, Composer and PSR standards.
Frameworks
Symfony, Laravel, CodeIgniter, Slim and custom MVC.
Legacy modernisation
Upgrading PHP 5/7 code, adding tests, refactoring and removing technical debt safely.
WordPress and WooCommerce
Custom plugins, themes, REST endpoints and performance tuning.
APIs and integrations
REST and GraphQL APIs, payment gateways, ERPs and CRMs.
Testing
PHPUnit, Pest, static analysis with PHPStan or Psalm.
Typical work: supporting a business-critical PHP system, upgrading PHP versions, custom WordPress or WooCommerce functionality, API development, and migrating legacy PHP to Laravel or Symfony.
Technologies our PHP developers work with
| Area | Technologies |
|---|---|
| Language | PHP 8.x, Composer |
| Frameworks | Symfony, Laravel, CodeIgniter, Slim |
| CMS and commerce | WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, Drupal |
| Data | MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redis |
| Quality | PHPUnit, Pest, PHPStan, Rector |
Cost of an offshore php developer vs a UK hire
| Option | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TalentDock offshore php developer | From £1695 a month | All-in: employment, payroll, benefits, equipment, security, HR, replacement cover |
For comparison, UK back-end developers have a Robert Half 2026 midpoint of £54,250, roughly £5,250 a month to employ. Indicative pricing; senior and lead engineers are quoted individually. See offshore development cost UK and UK developer salaries 2026.
How to hire an offshore php developer
1 · Brief us
Stack, seniority, hours and start date; we confirm an all-in monthly price.
2 · Assessment
Refactor and extend a small PHP codebase with tests, plus a SQL and security review question.
3 · Shortlist
Assessed candidates, typically in under 10 working days.
4 · Your interview
You run your own technical interview and choose.
5 · Onboard
Managed laptop, secure access, NDA and IP assignment; they join your sprint.
Building more than one role? See dedicated development teams or all roles on hire offshore developers.
Why hire through TalentDock
Dedicated, full-time
Works only on your product, in your tools and rituals.
UK-hours overlap
Sri Lanka is 4.5-5.5 hours ahead; shifts can cover the full UK day.
Your IP, secured
IP assignment, managed devices, MFA and UK GDPR transfer paperwork included.
No recruitment fee
One monthly fee with replacement cover if someone leaves.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to hire a PHP developer?
TalentDock PHP developers start from £1,695 a month all-in. A UK back-end developer costs roughly £5,250 a month to employ at the 2026 midpoint.
Can your PHP developers modernise legacy code?
Yes. Upgrading old PHP versions, adding tests and refactoring gradually is common work.
Do you have WordPress developers?
Yes, for custom plugins and WooCommerce. For marketing sites see our offshore web developers.
PHP or Laravel developer?
If your application is built on Laravel, hire a Laravel specialist; for other or mixed PHP codebases, a PHP developer.
Who owns the code an offshore php developer writes?
You do. IP is assigned in the engineer’s employment contract and flows through to you under our agreement.
Can an offshore php developer work UK hours?
Yes. Sri Lanka is 4.5-5.5 hours ahead of the UK, so shifts can overlap or match your working day.
Robert Half, 2026 UK salary guide role pages; HMRC employer National Insurance rates 2025-26; TalentDock pricing, September 2026.
Related roles and guides
Hire your offshore php developer
Tell us the stack and seniority. We will confirm an all-in monthly price and start sourcing assessed candidates in Sri Lanka.
Offshore teams for UK businesses, managed end to end. Dedicated talent in Sri Lanka & the Philippines, trained to your standards.
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