Hire Dedicated PHP Developers
Hire PHP Developers Who Can Work In Code They Did Not Write
Most PHP work arrives as an application that has been running for years, has outlived the people who wrote it, and still takes the payments every day. Stallyons is a Delaware-registered US company whose senior PHP engineers are hired to work in exactly that.
Triple Protection Guarantee
- US-Registered Entity
- Signed IP Assignment
- Senior PHP Engineers
Triple Protection Guarantee:
- US-Registered Entity
- Signed IP Assignment
- Senior PHP Engineers
Engineers On Staff
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Avg. Engineer Exp.
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Years In Business
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Why PHP Still Runs
Legacy Rescue
Not Rewrite
Senior Engineers
Vetted Only
PHP 8 Migration
Staged Path
Security Fixes
Applied First
Query Tuning
MySQL Deep
Data Security
Access Rules
Tests Where None
Safe To Edit
Communication Rhythm
Daily Sync
PHPStan In CI
Baselined
IP Assignment
Signed
Delivery Overlap
Fixed
Hours
Code & IP Owner
You
Trusted By Startups
What Hiring PHP Developers Actually Means
Hiring a PHP developer usually means inheriting something. Someone has to work inside an application that has been running for eight or ten years, that nobody documented, that carries three generations of style in it, and that the business still depends on daily. The skill you are buying is not writing PHP. It is reading unfamiliar PHP safely, changing it without breaking the parts that earn money, and leaving it better.
Stallyons is registered in Delaware as a US company, and our senior PHP engineers work inside a time-zone window you set, with four-plus hours of daily overlap. You sign a US contract, run diligence on a US entity and pay one US invoice. The engineers on your account average four-plus years of production PHP, most of it spent in code somebody else wrote, backed by twelve-plus years of delivery across six continents. Founders, CTOs and product leaders come to us with an application that mostly works and a team afraid to touch it.
What PHP Developers Handle
Version upgrades that actually land: a full deprecation sweep, static analysis to find what breaks before your users do, and a staged move from PHP 5.x or 7.x to 8.x with the application live throughout.
Working safely in code with no tests: characterisation tests written around the behaviour you cannot afford to lose, so the first refactor is verifiable rather than a leap of faith taken on a Friday.
Security hardening of inherited code: SQL built by string concatenation, unescaped output, weak session handling and unrestricted uploads, found, ranked by exposure and closed in priority order.
Performance work at the database, where it usually lives: slow query logs read properly, indexes added deliberately, N+1 loops removed, and caching applied where it changes the number.
Incremental refactoring instead of a rewrite: the worst modules replaced one at a time behind the existing interfaces, with the old system running and shipping throughout.
Bespoke and CMS-adjacent PHP: framework-free applications, custom WordPress plugins and Magento modules, treated as real software rather than as configuration nobody owns.
Why Product Teams Hire PHP Developers For Existing Code
- Decide first whether you want the code modernised or replaced. The two jobs need different people, and a developer who only builds new will push you toward a rewrite.
- Ask how they would approach a codebase with no tests. The honest answer starts with reading and characterisation tests, not with a plan to rebuild it properly.
- Ask what they do about deprecations on a PHP 7 to 8 move. You want a named sweep and static analysis, not compatibility discovered in production.
- Ask them to explain a slow page. Anyone who has maintained a large PHP application reaches for the query log and the N+1 loop before reaching for a bigger server.
- Ask how they handle a change nobody understands. Reading the call sites, writing a test around current behaviour and shipping a small slice beats a confident guess.
- Ask what happens to your risk register. Security debt, dead code and unsupported dependencies should come back as a written, ranked list, not a verbal impression.
How To Hire PHP Developers The Right Way
Every engagement starts with a free 45-minute technical session. No slide deck, no sales script. You bring the codebase, the history and the constraints; you leave with a recommended plan, a clear scope and a timeline.
We are selective about new engagements and cap how many we run at once, because the vetting is the product. If we cannot staff your PHP work with engineers we would vouch for, we will tell you so.
Why Clients Choose Us
Full
Written IP Transfer
USA
Contract Entity
Yours
Repos & Servers
Named
Senior Level
Ready to put senior PHP engineers on your code?
What PHP Developers Handle
What You Can Hand To PHP Developers
PHP work suits a team that reads before it writes. These are the engagements we take on most often, each with an agreed scope, an overlap window and the same review standard applied to every merge, whatever the age of the code.
Legacy PHP Applications
Inherited code, no docs, no tests
Stabilised
PHP 8 Upgrades
5.x and 7.x to modern PHP 8
Deprecations
Custom PHP Apps
Bespoke, framework-free codebases
In House
WordPress & Magento PHP
Plugins, modules, custom themes
Beyond The Defaults
Refactoring
Strangled in slices, not rewrites
No Big Bang
Database & Queries
MySQL indexes, slow query logs
Indexed
APIs And Integrations
REST, GraphQL, third-party data
Linked
Tests On Legacy Code
PHPUnit, characterisation, regression
Sign-Off
Security Hardening
Injection, sessions, file uploads
Closed Down
Support & Maintenance
Monitoring, fixes, releases, cover
Kept Running
Not sure what your PHP codebase needs? Let's look at it.
Common Challenges
Why Do Old PHP Codebases Go Wrong?
Six patterns behind almost every PHP application that became expensive to change. None of them are about the language.
Rewrite Reflex
01
The application is old, so the plan becomes a rewrite. Eighteen months later the new system does two thirds of what the old one did, and the old one is still running the business.
Frozen On Old PHP
02
Staying on an unsupported PHP version means no security patches, and the libraries you depend on have already moved on. The jump costs more every quarter.
No Tests To Lean On
03
With no test suite, every change is inspected by hand and every deploy is a small act of faith. So changes get batched, and batched deploys break more.
Config In The Code
04
Credentials, paths and business rules sit in the code, so environments drift and nobody can stand up a clean copy. Reproducing a bug means borrowing production.
Security Debt Piles Up
05
Concatenated SQL, unescaped output and an upload folder nobody restricted. None of it has caused an incident yet, which is exactly why it never reaches the sprint.
Only One Person Knows It
06
One developer holds the map, undocumented. When they leave, estimates double, because the next person spends a week finding out what a function is for.
Any of this sound like your codebase? Let's fix it.
PHP Hiring Options
Six Ways To Hire Senior PHP Developers
Six ways to add PHP capacity from one accountable vendor. Run one, or run several in parallel under a single contract.
Dedicated PHP Developers
01
Named PHP engineers who join your team, your board and your standups, working to your review rules, with a lead who reports into you rather than around you.
Legacy PHP Rescue
02
An inherited application read, documented and stabilised: what is safe to leave, what is costing you every sprint, and a ranked plan you approve before anything changes.
PHP 8 Version Upgrades
03
A staged move to PHP 8: deprecations swept, static analysis applied, dependencies updated and the application live and shipping through every step.
Security Hardening Work
04
Injection, output escaping, session handling, file uploads and access control reviewed against the code you actually run, then fixed in priority order.
Performance & Database
05
Slow query logs, indexes, N+1 loops, caching and PHP 8 opcode tuning, measured before and after, so the improvement is a number rather than a feeling.
PHP Support & Maintenance
06
Security patching, dependency updates, small features and version upgrades on a standing cadence, so the application never drifts back out of support again.
Not sure which PHP engagement fits? Let's scope it together.
Why Choose Us
What Makes Hiring PHP Developers Here Different
The details that decide whether an inherited PHP application gets safer or gradually worse.
A US Legal Entity
01
Stallyons is registered in Delaware. Your contract, your invoice and your legal recourse sit with a US company, not an unknown one.
Legacy Code Is Normal
02
We are not put off by a codebase with no tests, no documentation and three coding styles. That is the normal starting point here.
Overlap You Set
03
You choose the hours we share with your working day, and stand-ups, reviews and escalations all happen inside that window.
Upgrade Without Halt
04
Upgrades happen in slices behind your review process, with the application live and shipping, so no release window ever depends on a big bang.
Reviewed Code
05
Every merge is reviewed against an agreed definition of done, on your board, where you can read it yourself.
One Contract
06
One contract covers the engagement, so procurement, legal and finance each deal with a single named counterparty.
Ready to see how we run a PHP engagement here?
Our Process
From First Call To PHP Developers In Six Steps
A hiring process that pins down the state of your PHP code before anyone signs anything.
Discovery
Read the codebase, stack, hours and budget
Scoping
Agree the plan, scope and cost structure
Select
Meet and approve the PHP engineers assigned
Contracting
NDA, IP assignment, access and onboarding
Deliver
Work on your board, reviewed on merge
Review & Scale
Regular reviews, reshape the team as needed
Want to see how this maps to your roadmap?
Technology Stack
The Stack Our PHP Developers Work In Daily
The tooling we use to read, upgrade, test and run PHP applications, old and new, across every layer.
PHP & Tooling
PHP 8.3 / 8.2
Composer Deps
PHPStan / Psalm
PHPUnit Runs
Xdebug Prof
Frameworks We Inherit
Laravel Apps
Symfony Bundles
CodeIgniter
Yii 1/2
No-Framework PHP
CMS & Commerce
WordPress Core
Magento 2 / M1
WooCommerce & Hooks
Drupal 9/10
Custom Admin Panels
Data & Caching
MySQL / MariaDB
PostgreSQL
Redis Cache
Doctrine, PDO, SQL
OPcache & Tuning
Cloud & DevOps
AWS / GCP / Azure
Docker / K8s
Nginx / PHP-FPM
GitHub Actions / CI
Datadog / Grafana
Industries We Serve
PHP Developers For Industries With Long-Lived Systems
Engineers who already know your compliance rules and the age of your systems spend month one shipping, not asking.
Fintech & Payments
Gateways, ledgers, reconciliation
Healthcare & HealthTech
Portals, records, legacy HL7 feeds
Retail & E-Commerce
Magento, WooCommerce, checkout
EdTech & Learning
LMS upgrades, portals, billing
SaaS & Digital Products
Legacy tenants, billing, admin
Logistics & Supply Chain
ERP links, routing, warehouse
Manufacturing & IoT
Plant systems, reporting, ERP
Agencies & Consultancies
Inherited client codebases
We know your industry. Let's plan the PHP work.
How We Compare
Hire PHP Developers vs Agency vs Freelance
An honest look at your three PHP options.
| Capability | In-House PHP Team | Freelance Marketplace | Generalist Web Agency | Stallyons Technologies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy Codebase Depth | One Person's View | ✕ Unverified | ✕ Prefers Rewrites | Reads Before Writing |
| PHP 8 Upgrade Path | When There Is Time | ✕ Not Offered | Quoted As Rebuild | Staged, App Stays Live |
| Tests On Old Code | Rarely Added | ✕ None | Out Of Scope | Characterisation First |
| Security Review Depth | Ad Hoc | ✕ Not Included | On Request | Ranked And Closed |
| Query & Performance Work | Best Effort | ✕ Adds Servers | Front-End Focus | Measured Before After |
| Knowledge After Handover | In One Head | ✕ Nothing Written | Slide Deck | Written And Ranked |
| Contracting Entity | Your Payroll | ✕ Platform Terms | Local Entity | US-Registered LLC |
| IP And Server Access | Employment Terms | ✕ Platform Default | On Request | Signed Before Access |
See the difference for yourself
Complete Engagement
Everything Included When You Hire PHP Developers
From Scoping to Contracting to Delivery, One Vendor
Here's everything included when you hire PHP developers with us:
All-Inclusive PHP Delivery: No Hidden Fees, No Surprises.
Every PHP engagement includes all eight components above. One contract, one senior team, one predictable cost, and no vendor sprawl.
🔒 No obligation. We'll deliver a detailed proposal within 48 hours.
Plus, Get These Free Bonuses
Free PHP Code Audit
A written read on your PHP application: version and dependency risk, security exposure, query behaviour, test coverage and the three fixes worth doing first.
Included Free
Delivery Plan & Estimate
A phased delivery plan with scope, milestones, a stack recommendation and a transparent, itemized estimate for the engagement.
Included Free
Free Upgrade Checklist
The questions we would ask any PHP team about upgrades, security, testing and handover, so you can put us through the same test.
Included Free
Risk-Free Partnership
Our PHP Developer Promise
We stand behind every engagement with commitments that protect your investment.
01
Scope Agreed First
Scope, model, working hours and cost structure are written down and agreed before contracting, so nothing is discovered later.
02
Built to Last
Senior developers, code review, automated tests, security and accessibility audits, and clean, documented code you fully own.
03
IP And Access Protected
NDA and IP assignment are signed before access, permissions are scoped per person, and your accounts stay under your control.
Start your PHP modernisation with confidence, backed by our Triple Protection Guarantee.
Track Record
Engagements That Ship, Scale, and Compound
500+
Projects Delivered
29+
Service Categories
81%
Repeat Client Rate
4.9 ★
Clutch Rating
"We came to Stallyons after burning two years and four vendors on a multi-platform launch that kept slipping. They scoped it end-to-end — web app, iOS, Android, an AI summarization layer, and a Shopify integration — and shipped it in 22 weeks. One team, one budget, one quality bar. We've handed them three more engagements since."
Mark Sawyer
CEO/Founder
PlatinumLED
"Stallyons rebuilt our customer-facing portal, integrated three legacy systems, shipped an AI document analysis pipeline, and brought our compliance posture to SOC 2 — all under one engagement. The senior engineers on the team have shipped at companies five times our size. It's the best vendor decision we've made in a decade."
Mark Sawyer
CEO/Founder
PlatinumLED
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring PHP
Most of the time, they maintain and extend software that already exists. That means reading unfamiliar code, adding features without breaking what pays the bills, upgrading the PHP version and the dependencies, closing security holes left by earlier hands, and making slow pages fast. Greenfield PHP work exists, but most PHP roles are about keeping a working system working and making it easier to change.
Laravel is a framework written in PHP, so every Laravel developer is a PHP developer, but the reverse is not true. Hire a PHP developer when the work is an existing codebase: no framework, an old one, a bespoke system, or custom code around WordPress or Magento. Hire a Laravel developer when you are building or scaling a product on Laravel. If you are unsure which you have, a first read of the code answers it.
Rates move with seniority, location and how much of the work is archaeology. Any single number quoted before someone has read the code is a guess. What decides your cost is the state of what you already own: test coverage, dependency age, documentation and how many people still understand it. We scope first, then price, and itemise it.
Yes, and it is the most common way our PHP engagements start. The first pass is reading: entry points, data model, dependency versions, where the risk sits and what the code is actually doing. Then we write characterisation tests around the behaviour you cannot lose, so the first change is verifiable. Nothing gets refactored before it is covered.
You do, from the first commit. NDA and IP assignment are signed before anyone gets repository or server access, with no licence-back and no shared ownership. Repositories, credentials, deployment scripts and documentation live in your own accounts throughout, so there is nothing to hand back later.
Upgrade first, in almost every case. A rewrite restarts a decade of accumulated business rules that nobody wrote down, and the old system keeps running anyway. Upgrading is staged, reversible and ships value each week. We only recommend replacement for a module that is past repair, and then one module at a time, never all at once.
Yes, and it is the work we do most. We start by reading the code and its history, then produce a written list of what is safe to leave alone and what is costing you every sprint, ranked by risk and effort. You approve that list before anything changes, and every fix afterwards goes through your review process.
Nothing goes to production without a way back. Behaviour is covered by tests before it is touched, changes ship in small slices rather than one release, and each slice goes through your review process with the previous version ready to restore. Upgrades run against a copy of real data first, so surprises happen where they cost nothing.
Still have questions? Let's talk.
Schedule an appointment with us today!
Ready to Hire PHP Developers Who Know Legacy?
Get a free consultation. We'll review your codebase, recommend a plan, and send a detailed written proposal.
