Placing Shopify + AI developers, see open talent

Backend

Hire PHP developers who hold up under real traffic, not a demo deploy.

Server-rendered apps, internal tools, and APIs on PHP, built and maintained by engineers who are as comfortable inside a decade-old codebase as they are starting a Laravel app from scratch, because most PHP work is the former.

48haverage match3%acceptance rate120+engineers placed, all roles
Application development

New features and services built on Laravel, Symfony, or plain PHP.

Legacy maintenance

Working inside an existing codebase without a rewrite as the first instinct.

API integration

REST and third-party API work wired into your existing backend.

Performance tuning

Query optimization and caching that fix the actual bottleneck, not a guess.

Skills & tools

What strong PHP Developers know cold.

Core
PHP 8ComposerPSR standards
Frameworks
LaravelSymfonyCodeIgniter
Data
MySQLPostgresRedis
Infra
NginxDockerCI/CD
Why hire through Code Elevator
Version-upgrade literate. We screen for engineers who've actually taken a codebase through a PHP 7-to-8 migration, not just read about breaking changes.
Security-disciplined by default. Input sanitization, dependency auditing, and safe session handling treated as baseline, not an afterthought after an incident.
Comfortable in someone else's code. Most PHP engagements start inside an existing app. We screen specifically for engineers who read before they rewrite.
Typical rate

from $22/hr

A typical range. Your final rate depends on experience level, timezone overlap and how long you book for.

See engagement models
How we vet

Four stages. Three percent get through.

Floor 01 · pass rate38%Still standing after floor 01.
  1. 01Screening38%Résumé, background, and communication check, the fastest way to rule out a bad fit.
  2. 02Technical Deep Dive22%A senior engineer probes real system design and stack depth, not trivia.
  3. 03Live Build Test9%A timed, real-world task. We watch how they actually ship, not just what they claim.
  4. 04Client Fit Interview3%Ownership, reliability, and how they work inside your team on day one.
Every hire
  • Shortlist in 48 hoursProfiles, not a waiting list.
  • Free replacementWrong fit swapped at no cost.
  • No conversion feeHire them direct whenever you want.
  • IP yours from day oneAssigned in writing, not at handover.
  • Month to monthNo lock-in, and no notice period.
Proof

Shipped, not slideware.

What clients say

On camera, in their own words.

Client video

Why he brought his development work to Code Elevator.

MikePlays here
Related roles

Hiring for something adjacent?

Questions

Answered before you ask.

For content-heavy sites, internal tools, and most CRUD-shaped web apps, yes, the ecosystem (Laravel especially) is mature, hosting is cheap, and hiring is easier than for newer stacks. We'll say plainly if your specific case fits better elsewhere.

That's most of what PHP engagements actually are. We start with a short audit to map what's there before changing anything, rather than assuming a rewrite is the answer.

Laravel for anything with real complexity, auth, queues, a growing team. Plain PHP still makes sense for small, tightly scoped tools where a framework would be pure overhead. We'll recommend based on what you're actually building.

Dependency-by-dependency, behind test coverage we backfill first if it's missing, with a staging environment that mirrors production traffic patterns, not a single big-bang cutover on a live app.

What you're not risking

Every way out of this hire is already written down.

Two-week replacement

Not a fit? Replace anyone in the first two weeks. No questions asked, no replacement fee. We re-match from the same vetted pool.

No placement fee

You pay only for engineers who actually start. Seeing candidates costs nothing.

No lock-in

Dedicated and managed engagements run on a monthly rolling contract. Cancel with notice.

Rate agreed up front

You see the number before you commit. Nothing is added on top of it later.

Get started

Bring us the codebase. Three matched engineers in 48 hours.

New build or an app that's been running for years. We'll scope it honestly, including whether a rewrite is actually warranted.

We reply within an hour during our working day in India and the UAE.

Chat with our team