Is it cheaper to hire a developer in Lebanon than abroad?

Generally yes, substantially. But the best developers here have access to international clients and price accordingly, so the saving is largest at the middle of the market and smallest at the top.

Should I pay hourly or a fixed price?

Hourly when the work cannot be scoped precisely, which includes almost all fixes, changes and "make it better" work. Fixed when there is a clear finish line both sides can describe in a sentence.

What deposit is normal?

Somewhere between a quarter and a half up front is standard for fixed-price work, with the balance on delivery. Staged payments tied to milestones are better for anything that will run more than a few weeks.

Do developers in Lebanon charge for the first meeting or a quote?

Almost never for an initial conversation or a proposal. Diagnostic work — actually opening your code to find out what is wrong — is billable, and should be, because it is the job.

Why did two developers quote so differently for the same thing?

Usually because they read different projects in your brief. Send both the same written scope and ask each to list what they have assumed. The assumptions will not match, and the gap between them is your answer.

Can one person build a complete app?

For most small business software, yes. Where a single developer struggles is anything needing design, backend, mobile and infrastructure at a high standard at once — that is three or four specialisms, and one person is strong at one or two of them.

What if I have no technical knowledge at all?

Ask every candidate to explain their approach without jargon. The one who can is usually the one who understands it best, and is certainly the one you will be able to work with for six months.

How long should a quote stay valid?

Thirty days is normal. Beyond that, availability has genuinely changed and so has what they would charge you.

$15 or $50 an Hour — What a Developer in Lebanon Actually Costs

Developers in Lebanon publish rates from $5 to $50 an hour, clustering at $15. Here is what moves the number, and how to brief a job so the quotes compare.