12 Wordpress Developer Business Success Stories [2024]
Here are some real life success stories of starting a wordpress developer business:
1. Nirmal Web Studio ($1.2M/year)
Nirmal Gyanwali, the founder of Nirmal Web Studio, came up with the idea for his business after realizing that many businesses on a budget were being left with half-completed projects by inexperienced web developers. He wanted to utilize his years of industry experience to help these businesses and founded his own boutique WordPress agency in 2015. Since then, the company has grown to a team of 25 and serves over 100 clients, including renowned brands like the University of Oxford and The Star.
How much they make: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 22
Nirmal Gyanwali founded Nirmal Web Studio in 2015 with no investment, gradually growing from 2 to 25 global teams, serving more than 100 clients, including the University of Oxford, by offering top-notch web development services through their values of continuous improvement and leadership.
2. 51blocks ($2.52M/year)
Michael Borgelt, the founder of 51Blocks and BionicWP, was inspired by his grandfather's business principles of helping people. He saw a need for quality digital marketing services and SEO expertise in the industry, so he started 51Blocks in 2009. With a strong focus on customer service and referrals, the agency has achieved an impressive customer lifetime value of 2.5+ years and generates $2.6 million in annual revenue. Building on this success, Borgelt launched BionicWP in 2020 to provide hyper-fast WordPress hosting with top-notch customer support.
How much they make: $2.52M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 30
This case study is about Michael Borgelt, founder of 51Blocks and BionicWP, who generates $2.6M revenue annually offering quality digital marketing and hosting solutions, including white label SEO, hyper-fast WordPress hosting, website development, and paid advertising, achieving a customer lifetime value of 2.5+ years and hosting 2,000 sites in about 1.5 years.
So... can you actually make money with a wordpress developer business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Visualmodo ($360K/year)
to the market response, competitors, and trends. Secondly, customer support and satisfaction are crucial. Providing excellent support, addressing customer questions and concerns promptly, and going above and beyond to exceed their expectations will not only retain existing customers but also attract new ones through positive word-of-mouth. Lastly, investing in content and establishing yourself as an authority in your field through valuable resources, helpful documentation, and educational materials can greatly contribute to brand credibility and customer trust.
How much they make: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
Current team size: 3
Visualmodo co-founders Claudio Pires and Jared Dias started a global WordPress theme development company which generates $360k per year, with the market growing rapidly.
4. TRIARE ($300K/year)
Boris, the founder of TRIARE, came up with the idea for his software development company after working as a project manager for a German startup. When the company closed down, Boris decided to keep the team and build a business together. With just a $500 investment, they started providing software development services and eventually evolved into a full-cycle service provider. Through word of mouth and various marketing tools, TRIARE has attracted and retained customers, with their website receiving 22,000 unique visitors and generating dozens of leads.
How much they make: $300K/year
Current team size: 60
Ukrainian software development company TRIARE, with a current annual turnover of $500,000, shares how personal and collective responsibility, paired with patience and consistency, can help build a profitable business.
So... can you actually make money with a wordpress developer business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. ThriveWP ($57.6K/year)
Gavin, the founder of ThriveWP, came up with the idea for his WordPress maintenance service after experiencing the need for website updates and patches to prevent issues and vulnerabilities. With over 15 years of experience in the WordPress industry and a focus on providing top-quality support, Gavin built ThriveWP into a successful business through customer-centricity and word of mouth.
How much they make: $57.6K/year
Current team size: 1
ThriveWP, a WordPress Maintenance Service based in the UK, shares how they started a $3.5k a month business providing website management, maintenance, hosting, and support services to various customers, with a focus on customer-centric service and a non-jargon approach.
So... can you actually make money with a wordpress developer business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
6. Woww ($960K/year)
Felix Norton, the founder of Woww Digital, came up with the idea for his business while he was still a student studying Computer Science. He started building websites for friends and family on the side, which eventually became a full-time business. As the demand for digital marketing services grew, Felix and his team expanded their offerings to provide a holistic solution for clients to succeed online. They have achieved consistent growth, even during the pandemic, and are on track to reach their goal of $1 million MRR in 2026.
How much they make: $960K/year
How much did it cost to start: $250
Current team size: 25
Woww Digital is a Cape Town based digital marketing agency specializing in WordPress web design, achieving consistent 60% YoY growth through a pandemic and providing a complete solution to help clients start, grow and thrive online.
7. Shirley Ansley ($94.2K/year)
How much they make: $94.2K/year
Current team size:
Aspiring founders can learn from Shirley Ansley who quit her engineering job to create customized websites for award-winning podcasts and POC-women-led businesses after almost 2 years of running her freelance side hustle part-time.
8. WP Engine ($227M/year)
How much they make: $227M/year
Current team size: 1170
Find out how WP Engine became a market leader, with over 85,000 customers and generating more than $227 million in yearly revenue by providing digital solutions for businesses using key takeaways like automation and proper customer support.
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
