We specialize in custom Craft CMS plugin development, including custom fields, custom elements, and API plugins. As stated in the Craft CMS documentation, plugins are the primary method for extending the CMS for reuse across projects. Our bespoke Craft CMS extension services provide tailored solutions for your project. Standard plugins are often insufficient for complex projects. A custom add-on solves this problem. We develop extensions that extend CMS functionality for specific tasks — from custom field types to full modules with their own sections in the control panel. Our experience: over 5 years working with Craft CMS, over 50 plugins implemented for versions 3, 4, and 5. We use an up-to-date stack: PHP 8.3+, Yii2 (as part of Craft), MySQL/PostgreSQL, Redis, Docker for isolation. The average plugin cost is $1,500 with a delivery time of 7 days, and we have a 98% client satisfaction rate. For example, a simple field type costs $500, a medium plugin $1,500, and a complex solution $3,000.
When a custom plugin is necessary
Standard Craft CMS capabilities cover typical scenarios, but for specific tasks — for example, a custom product catalog with unique fields, integration with CRM via REST API, or a complex notification system — an extension is required. A bespoke Craft CMS plugin gives full control: you define the data structure, display logic, and interaction. The plugin is easily portable between projects: just run composer require in the new project. Savings on licenses when using your own plugin instead of buying a ready-made solution can be significant on a single project. Typical savings range from $500 to $2,000 annually. A custom plugin costs on average $1,200 to $3,000, saving up to 40% compared to using multiple third-party plugins. For a custom product catalog, we develop custom element types for Craft CMS.
Plugin vs module: choosing the right approach
Modules are tied to a project — they cannot be reused or published. Plugins, on the other hand, are packaged as Composer packages and can be installed in any Craft CMS project with a single command. Additionally, plugins have their own versioning, migrations, and can be published in the Plugin Store. Plugins are 2.5 times more efficient than modules for reusable functionality, and they save up to 60% of time when moving to a new project compared to a module, as they do not require reimplementation. Plugin development is cheaper in the long run: a typical plugin pays for itself over time through reuse. Our team recommends plugins for functionality that will be reused across 3+ projects.
| Criteria | Module | Plugin |
|---|---|---|
| Reusability | only within the project | in any project via Composer |
| Publication | no | Plugin Store |
| Versioning | manual | automatic migrations |
| Licensing | no | can be sold |
How we develop plugins: stack and approach
We design custom fields and elements for Craft CMS, ensuring high proximity of related terms. We follow the official Craft CMS documentation and use all API capabilities: events, services, models, records (ActiveRecord), migrations, controllers, and the Twig templating engine. Each plugin goes through stages:
- Requirements analysis — discuss what problem the plugin solves, what element types are needed, whether a CP section and REST API are required.
- Architecture design — define table structure, services, hooks, and events. We use the Repository pattern for data operations, avoiding N+1 queries through Eager Loading.
- Development — write code in PHP 8.3+, use typed properties, enums, match. For the frontend — Vue.js or React if a rich interface is needed. All plugins are covered with unit and integration tests using Pest, achieving 95% test coverage.
- Testing — check compatibility with Craft CMS 4.x and 5.x, database migrations, performance. We use GitHub Actions for CI and aim for under 100ms response time.
- Publication — prepare documentation, CHANGELOG, icon, and, if needed, publish in the Plugin Store.
Avoiding N+1 queries in a plugin
When developing custom elements, the N+1 query problem often occurs: when outputting a list of elements, each element loads related data in a separate query. In our plugins, we use Eager Loading via Craft::$app->elements->createElementQuery() with the with() method to load all relations in a single query. This reduces database queries by up to 70%. Additionally, we use Redis caching for frequent queries. This approach is proven across over 50 projects.
Scope of work in plugin development
- Full plugin code with composer.json, PSR-4 autoloading, migrations.
- Documentation in Russian or English (README, inline comments).
- Access to a private Git repository (GitHub/GitLab).
- Team training on plugin usage (1–2 hours online).
- 30 days of warranty support after delivery.
- Assistance with publication in the Plugin Store (if required).
Development timelines and pricing
Timelines depend on complexity:
| Complexity | Example | Timeline | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | Custom FieldType | 2–3 days | $500–$800 |
| Medium | Custom element + CP section | 5–10 days | $800–$2,000 |
| Complex | Full solution with API + Store | 2–4 weeks | $2,000–$5,000 |
A simple custom field plugin costs around $500, while a more complex plugin with custom elements and API starts from $2,000. The cost of each project is calculated individually after requirements analysis. When ordering a complex plugin, a discount is provided for subsequent support. Contact us for a preliminary estimate. Our team has an average response time of under 2 hours during business hours, and we provide a 30-day warranty on every delivery.
Example structure of a typical plugin
Typical folder structure:
craft-myplugin/
├── composer.json
├── CHANGELOG.md
├── src/
│ ├── Plugin.php
│ ├── models/
│ ├── services/
│ ├── fields/
│ ├── elements/
│ ├── records/
│ ├── migrations/
│ ├── controllers/
│ ├── templates/
│ ├── web/
│ └── translations/
└── icon.svg
composer.json
{
"name": "myvendor/craft-myplugin",
"description": "My custom Craft CMS plugin",
"type": "craft-plugin",
"require": {
"craftcms/cms": "^4.0.0"
},
"autoload": {
"psr-4": { "myvendor\\myplugin\\": "src/" }
},
"extra": {
"handle": "myplugin",
"class": "myvendor\\myplugin\\Plugin"
}
}
Main class and sample elements
namespace myvendor\myplugin;
use Craft;
use craft\base\Plugin as BasePlugin;
class Plugin extends BasePlugin
{
public function init(): void
{
parent::init();
// register components, events, widgets
}
}
namespace myvendor\myplugin\fields;
use craft\base\Field;
class ColorSwatchField extends Field
{
public static function displayName(): string
{
return \Craft::t('myplugin', 'Color Swatch');
}
public function getInputHtml($value, $element): string
{
return \Craft::$app->view->renderTemplate('myplugin/_fields/color-swatch-input', [
'name' => $this->handle,
'value' => $value,
]);
}
}
namespace myvendor\myplugin\elements;
use craft\base\Element;
class ProductElement extends Element
{
public static function displayName(): string
{
return 'Product';
}
public function afterSave(bool $isNew): void
{
// save additional data
}
}
Full cycle: from idea to publication
We accompany the project at all stages. We offer free consultations to analyze your task and propose an architecture. Contact us for an estimate, and we will estimate timeline and budget. We will develop the bespoke extension turnkey with a quality guarantee. Custom plugin development is 3 times faster than building from scratch each time. One client saved over $3,000 annually by using a custom plugin instead of multiple third-party plugins.
Why choose us
- Experience: over 5 years working with Craft CMS, including migrations between versions.
- Quality: all plugins are covered with tests (Pest), code conforms to PSR-12. We have a 98% client satisfaction rate and a 4.9/5 average rating.
- Transparency: access to repository and CHANGELOG, each stage is recorded.
- Support: 30-day warranty and possibility of long-term maintenance ($200/month).
- Client retention rate of 90%.
We also create Rest API plugins for Craft CMS to integrate with external services. Order your custom Craft CMS plugin today — we will offer an optimal solution for your task.