Document Types and compositions
A content model with clear names and help text, so your editors know what every field does.
The Problem
Your Umbraco Site Still Works, but Its Version Is Running Out of Time
Umbraco sites tend to run quietly for years. The trouble starts when the version reaches end of life and every change needs a .NET specialist.
01 · Unsupported version
The site runs a version that no longer gets updates.
We migrate content into Umbraco 17 LTS and rebuild custom code for modern .NET.
02 · Confusing backoffice
Editors fight unlabeled fields and nested content blocks.
Document Types and Block Grid layouts get clear names, help text, and previews.
03 · One-person knowledge
Only one departed developer understood the code.
Code goes into your repository with notes, tests, and a deployment pipeline.
04 · Security flags
Security reviews keep flagging the old platform.
Supported versions, patched packages, and security headers clear the usual findings.
Your site has run on Umbraco 8 for years, and it still loads. But it sits on .NET Framework, the version no longer gets updates, and your last security review flagged it. Editors fight a backoffice full of nested blocks and unlabeled fields. Every small change needs an Umbraco developer, and the one who built it has moved on. Meanwhile, the path to Umbraco 17 isn't a button: custom code and templates have to be rebuilt.
We start with a review of your Umbraco version, packages, custom code, and hosting. Then we plan your route. Either we patch and tidy what you have, or we migrate content into a fresh Umbraco 17 LTS build. That build uses Document Types and Block Grid layouts your editors understand. Custom code gets rewritten for modern .NET, tested on staging, and deployed through a pipeline. Your site moves to a supported version, not another patch on an old one.
Routes to Umbraco 17 LTS
Planned migrations from 7 and 8, and tested upgrades from 13, onto the current LTS.
Block Grid built for editors
Layouts your editors assemble from named blocks with previews, not from raw property fields.
Security that passes review
Patched packages, current .NET, and security headers configured before your next audit.
Our Umbraco Agency and Development Process
From Version Review to Supported Release in Five Clear Steps
You see the version review, approve the content model, test the backoffice on staging, and pick the launch window. Nothing goes live until your editors have tried it.
We check your Umbraco version, .NET runtime, packages, custom code, and hosting. You get the upgrade or build options, the risks in each, and a fixed quote for the route you choose.
What's Included
What You Get From Our Umbraco Development Services
Every project covers the content model, templates, custom .NET code, migration, security, and launch, sized to whether you need fixes, a new build, or a version upgrade.
Compare Options
DeveloperLook vs Freelancer vs In-House Developer
A freelancer can patch a small Umbraco site cheaply, and an in-house developer learns your business deeply. Here's how each handles your upgrade or build.
| Feature | DeveloperLookBest fit | Freelancer | In-house developer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start time | Review in 2 to 3 days | Often starts quickly | Months to recruit |
| Upfront cost | From $1,250, fixed scope | Lower hourly rate | Salary plus benefits |
| Version migrations | Planned routes from 7, 8, and 13 | Depends on experience | Depends on experience |
| Content modeling | Document Types and Block Grid | Varies by developer | Built up over time |
| Testing | Staging site and unit tests | Often tested live | Depends on your process |
| When people leave | Team plus written notes | One person's memory | Knowledge leaves with them |
| Business knowledge | Learned during discovery | Learned per project | Deep and ongoing |
| Ownership | Code in your repository | Ask for the source | Your employee, your code |
DeveloperLook
Freelancer
- Start time
- DeveloperLook: Review in 2 to 3 daysFreelancer: Often starts quickly
- Upfront cost
- DeveloperLook: From $1,250, fixed scopeFreelancer: Lower hourly rate
- Version migrations
- DeveloperLook: Planned routes from 7, 8, and 13Freelancer: Depends on experience
- Content modeling
- DeveloperLook: Document Types and Block GridFreelancer: Varies by developer
- Testing
- DeveloperLook: Staging site and unit testsFreelancer: Often tested live
- When people leave
- DeveloperLook: Team plus written notesFreelancer: One person's memory
- Business knowledge
- DeveloperLook: Learned during discoveryFreelancer: Learned per project
- Ownership
- DeveloperLook: Code in your repositoryFreelancer: Ask for the source
Projects We've Built
Membership and Business Websites We Have Built
Payroll, construction, fitness, and agency websites our team designed and built, with the member areas, forms, and content structures Umbraco projects often need.
Payrole Global Payroll Website Design & Development
- HR & Staffing
- Dashboard
- SaaS Platform
Huantume Construction Website Design
- Construction
- Website
StriveGym Membership Website Design & Development
- Fitness & Gym
- Membership Platform
- Website
Herile IT Agency Web Design & Development
- Agency
- Website
What Our Clients Say
What Clients Say After Launch
Feedback from teams we have built business websites and platforms for.
We had a pretty specific idea of what we wanted our website to become, but I wasn’t sure how easily we could explain all of it to a development team. There were quite a few moving parts, and we were working toward a deadline, so I expected a few things to get lost along the way. That never really happened. They understood what we were trying to achieve, kept us updated throughout the process, and got everything ready within the agreed timeline. The final site feels much easier to navigate, works beautifully on mobile, and is noticeably smoother for our customers. It was a huge relief seeing the original idea actually turn into the website we had in mind.
The mobile experience is probably my favourite part of the new site. We had spent a lot of time making sure the desktop version looked right, and the team kept pushing us to think about how everything would actually feel on a phone too. They were right. The navigation is clean, the interactions feel natural, and everything we’ve tested so far works exactly as it should. They also went through the links, forms, integrations, and other details more than once before launch, which I really appreciated. And even after going live, we could still reach out when something came up. The whole process felt friendly, organised, and surprisingly straightforward.
What I appreciate most is that the website is actually easy for us to manage now. We can update content ourselves instead of sending a developer a message every time we need to change something small. They also paid attention to the technical SEO side, which mattered to us because we didn’t want a new website to create problems for the traffic we already had. I’ve probably asked more questions than I should have since launch, but every question has been handled patiently and without any fuss. The team is easy to work with, they explain things clearly, and when we need something changed, they focus on getting it done rather than making the process complicated.
1,250+
Projects shipped
10+
Years of experience
Top 3%
Upwork Top Rated Plus
5 stars
Average review score
Want results like these?
Tell us what you are building. You get a reply within 24 hours on business days, then a written estimate.
Work Culture
Why .NET Teams Trust Us With Umbraco
Umbraco sites run for years and pass between many developers. These habits keep yours upgradeable and pleasant for editors to use.
Straight answers on WordPress
Umbraco isn't always the right call. If your team has no .NET skills and the site is simple, we'll recommend WordPress before quoting an Umbraco build.
LTS versions by default
New builds start on the current long-term support release, Umbraco 17. You get security updates until November 2028 instead of planning another upgrade next year.
Clear names for editors
Every Document Type, property, and block gets a plain name and help text. Your editors stop guessing which field changes which part of the page.
Pipelines, not file copying
Code deploys from Git through a build pipeline to staging, then production. Nobody copies DLL files onto a live server on a Friday afternoon.
Packages checked before use
We check every package for a version that supports your Umbraco release. Abandoned packages get replaced before they block your next upgrade.
Your code, your licenses
Source code, Umbraco Forms or Deploy licenses, and hosting stay in your organization's name. Another team can take over without asking us for anything.
Overview
What should an Umbraco agency handle for your website?
DeveloperLook works as an Umbraco agency for organizations running websites on .NET. We build sites on Umbraco 17 LTS, migrate Umbraco 7 and 8 sites, upgrade Umbraco 13 before its end of life, and shape the backoffice around your editors. Projects start at $1,250 and take 1 to 12 weeks, and the code stays in your repository.
DEVELOPERLOOK
Project facts · Umbraco Agency and Development
- Service
- Umbraco Agency and Development (builds, upgrades, backoffice, headless)
- Typical timeline
- Fixes 1 to 2 weeks, builds or upgrades 6 to 12 weeks
- Platforms
- Umbraco 7 to 17, Umbraco Cloud, and Azure or IIS hosting
- Built with
- C#, .NET, Razor views, Block Grid, and the Content Delivery API
- Experience
- 10+ years of development experience and 1,250+ shipped projects
- Post-launch support
- 30, 60, or 90 days by plan
- Communication
- Calls in US, UK, and AU business hours
- Starting price
- From $1,250 USD, fixed scope after a free Umbraco review
Reviewed 7 Oct 2026 by Saimul Islam
Good fit
Organizations stuck on Umbraco 7 or 8
Your site still runs Umbraco 8 on .NET Framework, and every security review flags a platform that no longer gets updates.
Teams on Umbraco 13 LTS
Your Umbraco 13 site reaches end of life on December 14, 2026, and you need a tested route to Umbraco 17.
.NET shops picking a CMS
Your IT team runs Microsoft infrastructure, and you're weighing Umbraco vs WordPress for a new site that editors and developers both accept.
Companies ready to hire Umbraco developers
You need to hire Umbraco developers for a fixed project, not a permanent role, and want an Umbraco development company that quotes up front.
Agencies with Umbraco clients
Your agency has Umbraco clients but no .NET developer, and you need an Umbraco web development agency working under your brand.
Not a fit
No .NET in your stack
Your team runs PHP hosting and has no Microsoft infrastructure. WordPress is cheaper to host and staff, so see our WordPress Development Services page.
Partner status required
Your tender requires an official Umbraco Gold or Platinum partner. We don't claim partner status, so Umbraco's partner directory is the place to look.
Budget under $1,250
Your budget is under $1,250 for a few text fixes. Your editors can usually make those in the backoffice, and we'll show you where.
Simple brochure site
You need a five-page brochure site with no integrations. Our Small Business Website Design page builds that for less than an Umbraco project.
Not sure we're the right fit?
Book a free call or message us. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right team.
Pricing
Transparent Starting Prices for Umbraco Agency and Development
These are starting points in USD. Your final price depends on your Umbraco version, template count, and custom code to rebuild, and you get a fixed proposal after a free Umbraco review.
For a live Umbraco site that needs patches, fixes, and a cleaner backoffice for editors.
$1,250one-time, USD
- Version, package, and hosting review
- Patches to the latest minor release of your version
- Security headers configured toward an A+ grade
- Backoffice cleanup for up to 5 Document Types
- Up to 12 hours of bug fixes
- 30 days of post-launch support
Recommended
For a new site on Umbraco 17 LTS with structured content and editor-friendly blocks.
$3,900one-time, USD
- Everything in Umbraco Health Check
- Document Types and Block Grid for up to 15 templates
- Razor views built from your approved designs
- Umbraco Forms setup, licensed separately off Umbraco Cloud
- Content migration with 301 redirects
- 60 days of post-launch support
For moving Umbraco 7, 8, or 13 to the current LTS, or for multi-site and headless builds.
$7,800one-time, USD
- Everything in Umbraco Site Build
- Migration from Umbraco 7 or 8, or upgrade from 13, to Umbraco 17 LTS
- Custom code and templates rebuilt for modern .NET
- Multi-site or multilingual setup
- Content Delivery API for a headless front end
- 90 days of post-launch support
For Agencies
White-Label Umbraco Development for Agencies and Studios
You own the client relationship. We supply the .NET engineering behind it: Umbraco builds, version upgrades, Block Grid layouts, and deployments, delivered under your brand. Your team keeps the client conversation while our developers handle the C#.
How the partnership works
White label: your client only ever sees your brand
- Your client
- You, the agency
- DeveloperLook
Share the site
Send repository access, the current Umbraco version, hosting details, and the client's goals.
- Client needs
- You share the details
- Details received
We plan and quote
You get the upgrade or build route, its risks, and a fixed price to resell.
- Scope and plan
- Proposal to resell
- Your quoteYOUR LOGO
Build and hand off
We build on staging, deploy to the client's host, and document every change.
- Done by our team
- Your brand on it
- Handed to your clientDone
Partner with DeveloperLookDelivered under your brand
Stay client-facing
Staging links, release notes, and upgrade plans go out under your agency's name.
C# and Umbraco depth
Developers who build Razor views, Document Types, and .NET services every week.
Fixed quotes to resell
A clear price per template, upgrade, and integration that you can mark up.
Upgrade-season capacity
Extra developers while several client sites move off Umbraco 13 at once.
The Right Technology for Your Project
Technology Stack
We build on Microsoft's .NET stack and Umbraco's own tooling, then add front-end and hosting tools that match how your IT team already works.
- Umbraco
.NET- C#
- Visual Studio
HTML5- Sass
JavaScript- Vite
React
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Microsoft Azure
SQLite
Cloudflare
- Git
- GitHub
- Azure DevOps
- Playwright
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers on Umbraco costs, upgrades, security, licensing, partners, and how it compares with WordPress and Optimizely.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
DeveloperLook's Umbraco work starts at $1,250 for a health check with patches, security headers, and up to 12 hours of fixes. A new build on Umbraco 17 LTS starts at $3,900. Migrations from Umbraco 7 or 8, upgrades from 13, and multi-site builds start at $7,800, each fixed after a free review.
Umbraco projects take 1 to 2 weeks for a health check and fixes, and 6 to 12 weeks for a new build or version migration. Moving from Umbraco 7 or 8 sits at the longer end. Your custom code and templates have to be rebuilt for modern .NET rather than upgraded in place.
Umbraco is an open source content management system built on Microsoft .NET and written in C#. Developers model content with Document Types and render it with Razor views or an API. Editors work in a backoffice that can be shaped around each site, which suits organizations that already run Microsoft infrastructure.
Umbraco is used for marketing sites, intranets, member portals, and multi-site setups where editors manage structured content. It suits organizations whose IT teams already run .NET and Azure. Its Content Delivery API can also feed apps and JavaScript front ends, so one content source can serve several channels.
Choose Umbraco when your team works in .NET, wants an open source CMS without license fees, and needs editors to manage structured content comfortably. The backoffice is easy to tailor, and long-term support releases give you a predictable upgrade calendar. Without .NET skills in house, Umbraco vs WordPress usually tips toward WordPress on cost.
Not automatically, though Umbraco faces fewer mass attacks aimed at popular plugins, because its package ecosystem is smaller and runs on .NET. Security still depends on staying on a supported version, patching packages, and locking down the backoffice. An unpatched Umbraco 8 site carries more risk than a well-maintained WordPress site.
Episerver became Optimizely in 2021 and is a licensed digital experience platform, while Umbraco is open source. Choose Optimizely when you need its built-in experimentation, personalization, and commerce and can carry the license cost. Choose Umbraco when content management is the main job and you'd rather spend the budget on build quality.
Umbraco lists its Silver, Gold, and Platinum partners in a directory on umbraco.com. Partner status shows a commercial relationship with Umbraco, so also ask any Umbraco web agency for upgrade examples, code samples, and who will actually write your code. DeveloperLook isn't a listed partner, and we're upfront about that.
Yes, the Umbraco CMS is free and open source under the MIT license. Costs come from hosting, development, and optional paid products: Umbraco Cloud hosting, Umbraco Forms, and Umbraco Deploy. Forms and Deploy licenses are included when you host on Umbraco Cloud, so your hosting choice changes the total cost.
Umbraco can run headless. Since Umbraco 12, the Content Delivery API serves content as JSON to apps and front ends such as Next.js. Umbraco also offers Heartcore, a hosted headless edition. Some sites run hybrid, with Razor views for the main site and the API feeding an app or kiosk.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
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