KVR Audio

Zacchino · Post by **Zacchino** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 3:04 am

Hello everyone,

Well everything's in the title. I know there's many variables, but at least to have a sense for budgeting such a project like a simple Flanger/Chorus for Win/OSX/iOS in VST2/VST3/AAX/AU/AUv3.

I've heard there's now many amazing tools like Juce, Soul, Qt, and so on that fast-forward the development or compilation process (I guess).

But still, like anything, coding is difficult and takes time, energy, and thus the proper compensation to motivate and get it done the right, clean and documented way.

So, to anyone giving away some pointers... I'd be really grateful for it!
Thanks in advance.

BertKoor · Post by **BertKoor** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:08 am

In the USA a simple programmer on someones payroll earns over $100k per year. With roughly 2000 billable hours a year (8 hrs a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year) that's over $50 per hour. If there's a middle-man involved, the client taking his services will pay roughly double that. Elsewhere in the world they earn half that (but with costs of living being lower as well)

Source: https://insights.stackoverflow.com/surv ... ted-states

Note that this is about average software developers. Plugin developers are too narrow a niche to have global statistics on.
Once people have their own company, things change. It will then depend on how much software is sold.

WatchTheGuitar · Post by **WatchTheGuitar** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:44 am

I would have thought the vast majority of plugin devs are one man bands or in v small companies and so the income would be sporadic rather than "$x a month" and obviously linked to the demand for the product. If you are your own boss then you decide what $$$ a month to pay yourself so you can be seen to pump the money back into your company. This should lower the tax you pay and enable buying yourself the latest kit as necessary business expenses.

When you're working out if it's worth doing then also factor in what environments you are going to support - VST2, VST3 on PC, AU on Mac, AAX, Linux, iOS? If Mac, are you intending to keep up with all the breaking O/S changes too. Factor in ongoing support and maintenance, feature requests, potentially running a small forum (if you're running your own company you can pay a partner/family member to do this as well as basic record-keeping), R&D to keep up with other players and some sort of marketing even if it's just running a Facebook/Twitter social channel and emailing free keys to 'known' YouTube channels.

Not done it myself, but wouldn't be surprised in the least to learn that there's an element of payola or 'pay to play' with a number of the reviewers.

Also how are you going to host the plugins and secure them? Take payments? Handle VAT and taxes from different countries?

A good place to start would be focusing on making a really good free plugin at first and get yourself known for that then build on that once you have some momentum.

FigBug · Post by **FigBug** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 2:13 pm

Probably $50 - $100 for a US developer. Rates are lower in Europe. And then lower again in India / China.

Someone with more experience is more expensive, but comes with a library of components that can be reused. So overall price might be lower.

davidguda · Post by **davidguda** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 2:44 pm

I'd say that it probably doesn't differ too much from other software developers in the same city.
Possibly that some people be okay with a little bit less than average since it's more fun than most jobs. I was in an interview with <famous well renowned plugin company> here in town and the salary they offered me was slightly less for 5 days a week than I make now working only 4 days a week at another company. Ironically just a couple of hundred meters away from their office.
I didn't take the job but people are working there so other have valued the fun business part higher than the salary part.
That said, I think you can expect normal to slightly lower than software developers in the area.

Lind0n · Post by **Lind0n** » Sat Oct 31, 2020 4:53 pm

BertKoor wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 8:08 am In the USA a simple programmer on someones payroll earns over $100k per year. With roughly 2000 billable hours a year (8 hrs a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year) that's over $50 per hour. If there's a middle-man involved, the client taking his services will pay roughly double that. Elsewhere in the world they earn half that (but with costs of living being lower as well)

Source: https://insights.stackoverflow.com/surv ... ted-states

Note that this is about average software developers. Plugin developers are too narrow a niche to have global statistics on.
Once people have their own company, things change. It will then depend on how much software is sold.

OK interesting - however:

your on payroll - doesn't account for public holidays, holiday leave, sick pay (if you get such things in the USA) A better total number of work days in a year would be 200-220 (its what we used at Siemens for our international staff), so thats an hourly rate of $62.50 ... quite a bit more.

..and I'd be careful about saying "Elsewhere in the world.." as your quoted stats are an average - its very unlikely to be so low in Europe for example...and may well be lower still in other places...thats the problem with global averages - they never seem to show up anywhere...

Lind0n · Post by **Lind0n** » Sat Oct 31, 2020 4:54 pm

damn it sorry - sloppy typing/mouse work...

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Sat Oct 31, 2020 5:01 pm

Zacchino wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 3:04 am What's the monthly salary for a intermediate or seasoned Audio Plugin Developer?

If I had to guess... not enough.

Doubt there's many aiming for this business for the money. Rather appears to me that it's an enthusiast thing.

BertKoor · Post by **BertKoor** » Sat Oct 31, 2020 6:21 pm

I agree: 62.50 is over $50.
Statistics lie by definition