This just happened last month.
A US startup spent six weeks looking for a “cheap Drupal developer.” They found someone on Upwork for $12/hour.
Three months later, they had to throw away everything and start over.
The code was a mess. The developer disappeared.
The founder told me it would’ve been cheaper to hire someone at $35/hour from the start.
Are You Looking to Hire in the Philippines and Unsure Where to Start?
Sign up for an account and recruit your next employee within minutes!
What Kind of Drupal Developer Do You Actually Need
Here’s where most people mess up.
They post a job for “Drupal Developer” and wonder why they get 200 applications with wildly different skill levels.
The Site Administrator
This person manages existing Drupal sites. They update content, manage users, configure modules, and handle basic site maintenance.
They’re comfortable in the Drupal admin interface but don’t write custom code.
Starting around $5/hour, these roles are perfect for ongoing site maintenance and content management.
The Mid-Level Drupal Developer
This is what most people actually need. Someone with 3-6 years of real Drupal experience who can build custom modules, create themes, handle migrations, and integrate APIs.
They understand PHP and MySQL. They know Git. They can work with your existing codebase and add features without breaking things.
But they’re not architects. You’ll need to give them direction on technical decisions.
Expect rates starting from $8-15/hour depending on experience and skill depth.
The Senior Developer / Technical Lead
This person can make architectural decisions. They understand security hardening, performance optimization, and scaling.
They can lead other developers and own the entire technical direction of your Drupal projects.
These developers are harder to find because they often work for international companies already.
Expect to pay $15-25+/hour for this level of expertise.
Most people reading this need the mid-level developer.
Core Drupal Skills Too Look For
They should have 3+ years working with Drupal 8, 9, or 10. Drupal 7 experience is nice but not enough on its own. The newer versions are completely different.
They need to know how to build custom modules, not just install contributed ones.
This means understanding Drupal’s hook system, services, and dependency injection.
Theming is important. They should be able to create custom themes using Twig templates and understand how to properly override theme functions.
Content migrations matter if you’re moving from an old site. Look for experience with the Migrate API.
Technical Foundation
PHP is the language behind Drupal. Your developer needs solid PHP fundamentals, not just copy-paste skills from Stack Overflow.
MySQL or PostgreSQL database knowledge.
They should understand database queries, indexing, and how Drupal stores its data.
Git version control. They need to work with branches, pull requests, and merge conflicts without panicking.
API and Integration Work
Most Drupal sites don’t exist in isolation. Your developer should know how to integrate third-party APIs, whether that’s payment processors, CRM systems, or marketing tools.
RESTful API knowledge helps if you’re building headless Drupal or connecting to mobile apps.
Performance and Security
A good developer understands caching strategies in Drupal. They know how to use Views efficiently without killing database performance.
Security awareness matters. They should know about common vulnerabilities and how to write secure code that validates user input.
What to Actually Look For
When you’re reviewing candidates, ask them to explain a past Drupal project. Not just “I built a website.” You want details.
How did they structure the content types? What custom modules did they write and why? What challenges did they face and how did they solve them?
Ask for GitHub or GitLab links. Look at their code. Is it organized? Are there comments? Does it follow Drupal coding standards?
The best signal is a paid test project. Give them a small real task, like building a custom module or refactoring some code. Pay them for 3-6 hours of work.
You’ll learn more from that than from ten interviews.
Where to Find Filipino Drupal Developers
Specialized Job Platforms
Platforms like HireTalent.ph are built specifically for hiring Filipino remote workers. The difference from general marketplaces is the focus on quality and long-term hiring.
When you post a job, you can add custom application questions specific to Drupal work.
The AI-powered applicant analysis also helps you quickly identify strong candidates by analyzing applications across job match, experience level, and retention risk.
You can also create trial tasks directly in the platform. Set up a small coding challenge, review submissions.
Upwork
Upwork has hundreds of Filipino Drupal developers listing rates between $20-40/hour.
The problem is quality control. If you use Upwork, you need a strong filtering process and time to sort through applications.
Agencies
They handle payroll and compliance. You manage the work directly.
The advantage is someone else did initial vetting. The disadvantage is you pay a markup and have less control over the hiring process.
How to Screen Drupal Developer Applications
Your job post needs to filter people before they apply.
Write a Clear Job Description
List the specific Drupal versions you use. Mention your tech stack. Specify if you need theme work, custom module development, or both.
Include 2-3 screening questions in your application. Ask them to describe their most complex Drupal project. Ask what custom modules they’ve built. Request links to live sites they’ve developed.
Review Applications Strategically
Look for candidates who provide specific details, not generic buzzwords. “I built a custom module for user role management that integrated with their CRM” is better than “I have Drupal experience.”
Check their GitHub or GitLab profiles if provided. Even redacted code samples tell you a lot about code quality and organization.
The Interview Process
Ask them to walk through a past project’s architecture. Get them to explain technical decisions. “Why did you use this approach instead of that one?”
Discuss communication and timezone overlap. How do they prefer to give updates? Are they comfortable with daily standups or do they prefer async written updates?
Run a Paid Test Project
This is the most reliable way to evaluate a developer. Give them a real task that takes 3-6 hours. Something like building a small Drupal feature or refactoring an existing module.
Pay them fairly for this time. $100-200 for a test project is a small investment compared to hiring the wrong person.
Review their code for cleanliness, organization, comments, and whether they follow Drupal coding standards.
Managing Your Filipino Drupal Developer
The First Two Weeks
Be very specific early. Detailed acceptance criteria, examples of “done,” and a clear code review workflow prevent misunderstandings.
Use Loom videos or detailed documentation to explain your codebase, deployment process, and standards. Over-communicate at the start.
Communication Setup
Pick one primary channel. Slack or Teams work well. Set expected response windows. Same-day responses during overlap hours is reasonable.
Use one project management tool for tickets. Jira, Linear, or ClickUp. Make sure there’s a clear workflow for code reviews and merges.
Aim for 2-4 hours of timezone overlap. This allows for standups, pair programming when needed, and quick problem-solving. The rest can be async.
Cultural Notes
Filipinos sometimes avoid direct confrontation.
Create an environment where it’s safe to flag issues early. Make it clear that raising blockers is good, not bad.
Praise publicly, give corrective feedback privately. Be direct but respectful in your communication.
Quality Over Cost Every Time
Here’s what experienced employers learn: racing to the bottom on price always backfires.
The entrepreneurs who target the cheapest developers end up with missed deadlines, code rewrites, and hiring a second developer to fix the first one’s work.
The math doesn’t make sense. Saving $1,000 per month but spending an extra $10,000 to redo everything is bad business.
Instead, decide the seniority level you need.
Pay competitively for that level in the Philippine context. Commit to a long-term relationship.
A good Filipino Drupal developer at $2,500/month who stays with you for three years is infinitely more valuable than churning through cheap freelancers.
Hire someone good. Pay them fairly. Treat them well.
They’ll build your Drupal sites better than you expected.
Ready to Find Your Next Great Hire?
Join our growing community of employers and start connecting with skilled candidates in the Philippines.