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Reasonable fee for programming help?

  • #1
  • First Post: May 9, 2008 11:18am May 9, 2008 11:18am
Hi,
Please advise what would be the reasonable fee for adding a sound alert to the existing indicator.
Thanks
  • #2
  • May 9, 2008 11:40am May 9, 2008 11:40am
There are some here who will do it for free. But 20-50 dollars U.S. is not unreasonable for a programmers time.
  • #3
  • May 9, 2008 1:33pm May 9, 2008 1:33pm
Quoting Novichok
Hi,
Please advise what would be the reasonable fee for adding a sound alert to the existing indicator.
Thanks
as magnumfreak said, post it here there is few programmers who will add the alert for free.
or post the indicator if I have it (or someone else) with alert I will post it for you.
  • #4
  • May 9, 2008 1:58pm May 9, 2008 1:58pm
Thank you very much for your responses. I have posted my request in the thread http://www.forexfactory.com/showthread.php?t=85650. I need this sound alert to wake me up because London and US markets are open during my night time. :-).
Regards,
Novichok.
  • #5
  • May 9, 2008 2:02pm May 9, 2008 2:02pm
Also.........in addition to the above posts..........

Just remember that whoever you choose to program your EA that they either trade FX or at least have a very good understanding of FX. If not, you'll be asking for tweaks. That being said..........also make sure that you KNOW exactly what you want. Programmers aren't mind readers
  • #6
  • May 9, 2008 6:22pm May 9, 2008 6:22pm
I've completed a lot of MQL projects the last 3 months.

It's not easy to find someone that also trades but many times it's not necessary (adding an alert). Generally speaking the trick is to test and suggest.

How many MQL coders are out there? Maybe 30. So don't expect to get dirt cheap prices as you would get for web design. I know a guy that makes hundreds of sites per day for $10/hour. Imagine that LOL.

Good luck
  • #7
  • May 10, 2008 5:35pm May 10, 2008 5:35pm
Hi Scientist,

I didn't expect "dirt cheap prices ", but when I approached one of the programmers on this site who offered programming help, and he asked $100 US for adding alert to the existing indicator, I wanted to find out what other people charge for this kind of work.

Regards,

Novichok
  • #8
  • May 10, 2008 6:00pm May 10, 2008 6:00pm
It depends on how hard the alert is to code.
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  • #9
  • May 10, 2008 6:07pm May 10, 2008 6:07pm
For "experienced programmer" it should not be a problem.
  • #10
  • May 10, 2008 7:53pm May 10, 2008 7:53pm
Quoting Novichok
For "experienced programmer" it should not be a problem.
I know...I didn't say it was hard.
It takes time if it is hard(not meaning it is for me), just takes a long time, you understand?
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  • #11
  • May 10, 2008 8:29pm May 10, 2008 8:29pm
Quoting Novichok
For "experienced programmer" it should not be a problem.
What amazes me about people is that they will pay $150 for a plumber or an electrician to come by and do some work, but let a programmer ask $100 for their time AND expertise and people feel ripped off. If it is so damn easy go do it yourself and when you screw it up come back and maybe a programmer will try to fix your mess for about 200 dollars.

Ask yourself how much is it worth to you for your alarm or alert to work? Is it worth $100? $200? You are asking someone to complete a task that you cannot and because of that you need to HIRE someone who can. Someone who probably has spent YEARS learning their craft. Then go out and try to find a programmer who has any idea about Forex AND Metatrader and ask yourself how rare that skillset is.

If there are programmers on here that are charging less than $50 U.S. per hour for their skill, then they don't have any idea what they are doing.

I looked at your PM and details about what you wanted in your alarm, I haven't responded yet because I knew you would not want to pay my prices. So I am making my bid public so people can begin to understand what is involved in programming alerts, indicators EA's or whatever else people want.

1. 3 hours programming time at $100.00 US per hour= $300.00
2. 2 hours live product testing at $100.00 US per hour= 200.00
Total: $500.00

Any changes beyond what you have requested are billed independently at $100.00 per hour.

Oh and if you are wondering if I can charge $100.00 per hour, I can and do. How much do you think 25+ years of professional software development brings on the open market??

So quit bitching about prices programmers are asking and start asking yourself what is it worth to me to have this software made.

Ok, rant over.
  • #12
  • May 10, 2008 8:41pm May 10, 2008 8:41pm
Quoting magnumfreak
What amazes me about people is that they will pay $150 for a plumber or an electrician to come by and do some work, but let a programmer ask $100 for their time AND expertise and people feel ripped off. If it is so damn easy go do it yourself and when you screw it up come back and maybe a programmer will try to fix your mess for about 200 dollars.

Ask yourself how much is it worth to you for your alarm or alert to work? Is it worth $100? $200? You are asking someone to complete a task that you cannot and because of that you need to HIRE someone who can. Someone who probably has spent YEARS learning their craft. Then go out and try to find a programmer who has any idea about Forex AND Metatrader and ask yourself how rare that skillset is.

If there are programmers on here that are charging less than $50 U.S. per hour for their skill, then they don't have any idea what they are doing.

I looked at your PM and details about what you wanted in your alarm, I haven't responded yet because I knew you would not want to pay my prices. So I am making my bid public so people can begin to understand what is involved in programming alerts, indicators EA's or whatever else people want.

1. 3 hours programming time at $100.00 US per hour= $300.00
2. 2 hours live product testing at $100.00 US per hour= 200.00
Total: $500.00

Any changes beyond what you have requested are billed independently at $100.00 per hour.

Oh and if you are wondering if I can charge $100.00 per hour, I can and do. How much do you think 25+ years of professional software development brings on the open market??

So quit bitching about prices programmers are asking and start asking yourself what is it worth to me to have this software made.

Ok, rant over.
I totally agree!
All of the coder's hard work and time and nerves, learning to be a mq4 coder, should be payed good. It took months and months, hours and hours, days and days for me to learn mq4. Sometimes you feel like you are going to quit, but I just kept persevering.
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  • #13
  • May 11, 2008 10:09am May 11, 2008 10:09am
I have had about 6 EA's coded for me and they averaged approx. $250 each, and the quality of the programming was excellent. The coders were from Russia, which is why their fees were low.
  • #14
  • May 11, 2008 11:10am May 11, 2008 11:10am
Quoting eagle4x
I have had about 6 EA's coded for me and they averaged approx. $250 each, and the quality of the programming was excellent. The coders were from Russia, which is why their fees were low.
$250 is about what I charge for an EA of average complexity (a few indicators and one of the standard mm techniques). With my experience and code library, they don't take very long to write and test.

These days I'm mostly coding in C++ and C# ( and a little Java) working with the APIs. Pays a lot better and the projects more challenging.
  • #15
  • May 11, 2008 11:20am May 11, 2008 11:20am
Quoting 4xCoder
$250 is about what I charge for an EA of average complexity (a few indicators and one of the standard mm techniques). With my experience and code library, they don't take very long to write and test.

These days I'm mostly coding in C++ and C# ( and a little Java) working with the APIs. Pays a lot better and the projects more challenging.
Really? Then I must be out of my mind, ans I charge only $150 for about 3 indicators and a mm. Took me days to finish it. Would anyone quote, an example, for me to know, and for others, what the price would be for this:
Buy-
1) Stochastic cross up
2) RSI above x
3) ADX above x
4) Fast(x)MA cross up slow(x)MA(and fast(x)MA-slowMA(x)>=x pips)
5) x Lots to trade/x StopLoss/xTrailingStop/xTakeProfit
6) Should trade multiple pairs simultaneuosly.
7) If account is suffering from x% drawdown of account, exit all positions.
8) If trade is suffering from x% drawdown from(the x in #7).
9) Enter as exit and exit as enter.
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  • #16
  • Edited 7:54pm May 11, 2008 4:08pm | Edited 7:54pm
I am new to FOREX and I asked about programming fee to have an idea how much is the everage fee for programming help (we all shop around to have a better deal on anything we buy). And, actually, I made my opinion base on your Magnumfreak response to my question.
This is your words from the 1st post:

"There are some here who will do it for free. But 20-50 dollars U.S. is not unreasonable for a programmers time."


In your 2nd post you say quite the opposite:

"If there are programmers on here that are charging less than $50 U.S. per hour for their skill, then they don't have any idea what they are doing."

and programming fees jumped up to $300 - 500.

Maybe there are two Magnumfreaks on this forum, with two quite different opinions on the subject?! So, do not blame me - you need to be more consistant with what you say.
  • #17
  • May 21, 2008 3:49pm May 21, 2008 3:49pm
Quoting eagle4x
I have had about 6 EA's coded for me and they averaged approx. $250 each, and the quality of the programming was excellent. The coders were from Russia, which is why their fees were low.
I would have to say that personally, for this kind of work and programming in general I would go with Russians or Ukrainians... that part of the world is full of top quality programmers... you will not find better quality programmers anywhere. (speaking as a programmer who has hired both Locals and Russians for complicated projects...)

That said, nothing is perfect, and you may find that "Russian English" can be quite confusing... but for something as simple as an EA, I think it doesn't matter.
  • #18
  • May 21, 2008 4:40pm May 21, 2008 4:40pm
The other question is what is programing worth to you.

I hired a russian programer who I suspect did not trade, great programmer. I paid 50 dollars for the EA however I spent over 20 hours testing it my self and working with him to communicate what I needed. I honestly believe that if he traded I would have spent less then one hour myself on the project. Please, I am not try offend anyone.

So how much did the AA really cost me. 50 usd or 20 hours of time at my rate of pay? the answer is both.

My bottom line opinion is that the traders should learn a little propramming language and the programer should learn a little trading language. The programmer who is also is a trader may be your best bargain in the long run.
if he is making over 100 per hour, maybee he/she deserves it.


Dale
  • #19
  • May 21, 2008 4:46pm May 21, 2008 4:46pm
well yeah, goes without saying programmer should be familiar with the platform he is programming...

also, I never liked the "per hour" thing... I prefer to pay an agreed total price for the project.
  • #20
  • Last Post: May 21, 2008 5:28pm May 21, 2008 5:28pm
I agree;

Per project is the best solution.

My main idea is to help the purchaser understand their true cost. and that if can they can think a bit like a programmer they can communicate more effectively what they want then less of both parties time will be used, saving them both money.

Best Regards,

Dale
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