--- title: "Freelance Laravel developer for APIs, SaaS back ends and takeovers | Liviu.dev" description: "Hire a senior freelance Laravel 13 developer for REST APIs, SaaS back ends, queues, real-time features and project takeovers. PHP 8.5, from €60/hour." canonical_url: "https://liviu.dev/services/laravel-development" locale: en meta: "og:description": "Hire a senior freelance Laravel 13 developer for REST APIs, SaaS back ends, queues, real-time features and project takeovers. PHP 8.5, from €60/hour." "og:image": "https://liviu.dev/_og/d/c_Default%2Ctitle_~RnJlZWxhbmNlIExhcmF2ZWwgZGV2ZWxvcGVyIGZvciBBUElzLCBTYWFTIGJhY2sgZW5kcyBhbmQgdGFrZW92ZXJz%2Cdescription_~SGlyZSBhIHNlbmlvciBmcmVlbGFuY2UgTGFyYXZlbCAxMyBkZXZlbG9wZXIgZm9yIFJFU1QgQVBJcywgU2FhUyBiYWNrIGVuZHMsIHF1ZXVlcywgcmVhbC10aW1lIGZlYXR1cmVzIGFuZCBwcm9qZWN0IHRha2VvdmVycy4gUEhQIDguNSwgZnJvbSDigqw2MC9ob3VyLg%2Ceyebrow_~TGl2aXUuZGV2IMK3IExhcmF2ZWwgZGV2ZWxvcG1lbnQ%2Cprice_~RnJvbSDigqw2MC9ob3Vy%2Cp_Ii9zZXJ2aWNlcy9sYXJhdmVsLWRldmVsb3BtZW50Ig.png" "og:image:height": "600" "og:image:type": image/png "og:image:width": "1200" "og:title": "Freelance Laravel developer for APIs, SaaS back ends and takeovers" "twitter:image": "https://liviu.dev/_og/d/c_Default%2Ctitle_~RnJlZWxhbmNlIExhcmF2ZWwgZGV2ZWxvcGVyIGZvciBBUElzLCBTYWFTIGJhY2sgZW5kcyBhbmQgdGFrZW92ZXJz%2Cdescription_~SGlyZSBhIHNlbmlvciBmcmVlbGFuY2UgTGFyYXZlbCAxMyBkZXZlbG9wZXIgZm9yIFJFU1QgQVBJcywgU2FhUyBiYWNrIGVuZHMsIHF1ZXVlcywgcmVhbC10aW1lIGZlYXR1cmVzIGFuZCBwcm9qZWN0IHRha2VvdmVycy4gUEhQIDguNSwgZnJvbSDigqw2MC9ob3VyLg%2Ceyebrow_~TGl2aXUuZGV2IMK3IExhcmF2ZWwgZGV2ZWxvcG1lbnQ%2Cprice_~RnJvbSDigqw2MC9ob3Vy%2Cp_Ii9zZXJ2aWNlcy9sYXJhdmVsLWRldmVsb3BtZW50Ig.png" --- > Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://liviu.dev/llms.txt) # Freelance Laravel developer for APIs, SaaS back ends and takeovers Laravel APIs and back ends for SaaS products, with queues, real-time events, search, billing and admin panels. **Starting price** **From €60/hour** The final price depends on scope. You get a fixed quote or a day-rate estimate before any work starts. [Get a quote](https://liviu.dev/hire-me?service=laravel-development) [See my work](https://liviu.dev/portfolio) ## Laravel back ends for products that have to keep running Laravel is where most of my back-end work happens. It runs the business logic, payments, notifications and data behind the products I build, and it is usually the part customers never see until something goes wrong. Clients typically hire me for Laravel when they are: - Startups that need an API behind a Nuxt, React or mobile front end - Companies with a Laravel app built by a previous developer or agency that has become hard to change - Teams adding payments, search, real-time notifications or AI to an existing Laravel product - Agencies that need a senior back-end developer working under their name ## How I build with Laravel I start with the data model, because most expensive back-end problems trace back to tables that do not match how the business works. Then I define the API contract, so front-end work does not wait on the back end. I stick to Laravel conventions so any Laravel developer can pick up the code after me. Long tasks go to queues, real-time updates go through Laravel Reverb, and search runs through Laravel Scout. PostgreSQL is my default database. Every main flow gets Pest tests, and the app stays on a current Laravel and PHP version. I use AI coding tools such as Claude Code and Cursor daily to move faster, and I review and test every change before it ships. ## Laravel and PHP in production - **WithMaslow.com**: a personality assessment platform I took over in 2024. I rebuilt the API in Laravel 13 on PostgreSQL, with AI-generated insights through Laravel AI and Gemini, an MCP server with Laravel MCP, teams, social login and one-time-code sign-in. - **Good Earth**: custom PHP plugins for a WordPress catalogue, including a CSV import for about 1,000 products and a "Peel & Win" campaign with code redemption and prize assignment. If you are starting a product from scratch, see [SaaS and MVP development](https://liviu.dev/services/saas-mvp-development). To add AI to an existing app, see [AI integration](https://liviu.dev/services/ai-integration). For the front end, I pair Laravel with [Nuxt](https://liviu.dev/services/nuxt-development). ## What affects the price Work starts from €60/hour (€480/day); you get a fixed quote after a short scoping call. The estimate depends on the size of the data model, how many third-party services you connect (payments, search, email, AI), whether there is existing code to take over and how much test coverage you want at launch. You work directly with me, with no account manager in between. I sign NDAs and you own the code. Describe your current back end or what you want to build, and I will reply within one working day with questions or a first estimate. [Get a quote for your Laravel project](https://liviu.dev/hire-me?service=laravel-development). ## **How we work** 1. **1**### **Scoping call** We go through your data, users and the services you need to connect. You get a written proposal with a fixed price or a day-rate estimate. 2. **2**### **Data model and API contract** I design the database and the endpoints first and share them with you, so front-end work can start in parallel. 3. **3**### **Build with tests** Each feature ships with Pest tests and goes to a staging server, with a demo every week. 4. **4**### **Launch and handover** I set up the production deploy, queues and error monitoring, then hand over the code and docs or keep the app under maintenance. ## **Related work** - [![LakeBooking logo, booking platform built by Liviu Zachin](https://liviu.dev/img/portfolio/lakebooking-com-light.svg)

**LakeBooking**

Booking platform for fishing lakes across Romania, with a lake directory, live availability, online bookings and a dashboard for lake owners. Lead developer.](https://lakebooking.com) - [![With Maslow logo, personality assessment platform built by Liviu Zachin](https://liviu.dev/img/portfolio/withmaslow-com-light.svg)

**With Maslow**

Enneagram, Big Five and 16 Personalities assessments with friends-and-family perspectives, teams, AI insights and an MCP server. Took over the codebase in 2024 and rebuilt the API in Laravel.](https://withmaslow.com) ## **Frequently asked questions**
### How much does it cost to hire a Laravel developer? My rate is €60/hour or €480/day. For new APIs and clearly scoped features, you get a fixed price after a short scoping call. Ongoing back-end work usually runs on the day rate, with weekly demos.
### Can you take over a Laravel project from another developer or agency? Yes. I start with an audit of the code, database, dependencies and server setup, then fix what is risky before building new features. I took over WithMaslow from previous developers in 2024 and rebuilt its API in Laravel 13 on PostgreSQL.
### Should we fix our Laravel app or rebuild it? Most apps are cheaper to fix and upgrade step by step. A rebuild makes sense when the data model no longer matches the product or every change breaks something else. After the audit, I give you both options with a cost for each, so you can decide.
### Can you upgrade our app from an old Laravel or PHP version? Yes. I upgrade one major version at a time, with tests around the critical flows, so the app keeps running throughout. Upgrades across several versions are scoped as a legacy migration project, starting from €3,000.
### Can a Laravel API power our Nuxt, React or mobile front end? Yes, that is how I build most products. WithMaslow runs on a Laravel 13 API with a Nuxt 4 front end, and the same API approach works for React or mobile apps.
### Can you add AI features or an MCP server to our Laravel app? Yes. On WithMaslow I built AI-generated insights with Laravel AI and Gemini, plus an MCP server with Laravel MCP so AI clients can use the product. Both run inside the same Laravel codebase as the rest of the app.
## **Related services** [

**SaaS & MVP development**

From idea to paying users, with sign-up, billing, dashboards and admin, shipped in weeks on a stack that scales with you.**From €9,000****Details **](https://liviu.dev/services/saas-mvp-development) [

**AI integration**

LLM features that earn their keep, like assistants on your own data, smart search, document processing and automations, built into your existing app.**From €2,400****Details **](https://liviu.dev/services/ai-integration) [

**Nuxt development**

Fast, SEO-friendly Nuxt 4 sites and apps with SSR, content, i18n and dashboards, from a developer who works in Nuxt every day.**From €60/hour****Details **](https://liviu.dev/services/nuxt-development) ## **Let's talk about your project** Send me a few lines about what you need. I reply within one working day with questions or a first estimate. 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