How to Choose a Website Developer — 12 Questions Before You Sign
How do you choose a website developer? Ask the 12 questions from this checklist before paying any deposit. A portfolio with live links, a quote itemised line by line, code and access ownership, a defined process, post-launch support — a developer who cannot answer these in two minutes should not build your website.
Choosing the developer is the most important decision in the whole project. The price will spread over years, and the quality of collaboration will show at every stage. This article gives you the checklist, the red flags and the contract essentials — whether you pick a freelancer, an agency or a dedicated developer.
The 12 questions to ask before signing
1. How many sites have you built?
Show me a portfolio with links. A portfolio is not a gallery of images but working websites you can open and test. Check whether they load fast, work on mobile and appear in Google under the company name. If the developer shows screenshots without links, ask why you cannot see the work in action.
2. Who will be my contact, and who actually works on the site? In agencies you may talk to a salesperson while the build goes to the production team — and contact fades after signing. Ask directly who is responsible for delivery and what the communication channel looks like.
3. What exactly does the quote include, and what costs extra? Ask for a line-by-line quote: analysis, design, build, content, SEO, training, support. The exclusions list is as important as the inclusions — that is where the costs that “pop up” mid-project hide.
4. Which technology will the site be built on, and why that one? WordPress, Laravel, a custom CMS — any answer is fine as long as the developer justifies it with your needs, not their habits. Be wary of “it is the only thing I do” when the project clearly needs something else.
5. Who will own the domain, hosting, code and design? The right answer is: you. Domain registered under your details, hosting on your account, code in a repository you can access, copyright transferred in the contract. If the developer “provides” the domain as part of a subscription, that is dependency, not ownership.
6. Will I get full access after launch — including Google and the domain? You should receive everything: hosting panel, domain, repository, Search Console, Analytics and social accounts. A missing access is a potential lock-in when you change developers.
7. What does the process look like, stage by stage? A good developer describes the process in two minutes: brief, architecture, design, content, build, testing, launch. If the process is vague or “we will see as we go”, the risk of delays and extra charges grows fast.
8. How long will it take, and what could delay it? Ask for a schedule with stages and dates. Also ask how the developer protects the project from client-side delays — does the build stop when content is missing, and what does that mean for the price?
9. What happens if a bug appears after launch? The standard is 30 days of free fixes after launch and a defined response time during care. Ask what happens if something breaks on a weekend.
10. Will the site be fast and visible in Google?
How will we measure it? The answer should contain specifics: LCP under 2.5 s, Core Web Vitals, structured data, Search Console. If the developer says “I will do SEO” without numbers and measurement tools, nothing verifiable will happen.
11. What does post-launch support include, and what does care cost? Check whether training and documentation are included, how long post-launch support lasts and what the monthly care packages cost. An honest developer will tell you plainly what is standard and what is billed extra.
12. Can I see the contract before deciding, and who handles GDPR? The contract should cover scope, deadline, price, payments, code ownership, confidentiality and liability. GDPR matters for the site (privacy policy, consent banner, processing register) should be explicitly assigned — to the developer, or to you with their support.
Red flags — when to walk away
Prices far below market. A “full corporate site with SEO” for 1,000 PLN means a template, no optimisation and probably no support. Someone pays for it — with your time or the quality of the site.
No contract, or a one-page sketch. “Let us do it over email, why the formalities” is the shortest path to a scope dispute. A contract protects both sides, the developer included.
A portfolio without links. If you cannot open the results, verify whether the developer actually built them — portfolio sites sometimes belong to an agency where someone once worked.
The developer’s own site is slow or down. A developer who cannot maintain their own website will not maintain yours. It sounds harsh, but it holds true in 90% of cases.
Pressure to decide fast. “Today only”, “this month’s slots are closing” — sales pressure before signing usually returns as pressure over invoices.
No questions from the other side. A good developer asks about your goals, customers, competition and budget. If they accept the job without asking, they will deliver it without thinking.
Where to look for a developer
DIY builder — cheapest, but you build everything yourself. Sensible for a simple card without sales ambitions; weak for a site meant to rank.
Freelancer — good value for a standard scope, but check portfolio, reviews and availability. Risks: no warranty, one person, limited capacity.
Agency — process, team and a retainer. Verify who actually works on your project and how communication flows. Risks: overheads and rotation.
Dedicated developer / studio — combines freelancer pricing with studio process: contract, NDA, SLA, code ownership, direct contact. That is the model I work in — see the full comparison in the agency vs freelancer article.
What the contract must include
Scope with a list of pages and features. A schedule with stages and dates. Price and payment schedule (typically 30–40% deposit, 30% after design, 30% on acceptance). A clause on ownership of code, design and access. The number of design revision rounds and the scope of post-launch fixes. Response times for bugs during support. Confidentiality and handover rules. GDPR provisions — who is the data controller for form submissions and who prepares the documentation.
Sign the contract after the brief and quote, but before work starts. Attach drafts and email agreements as annexes — they decide scope disputes.
Frequently asked questions
Freelancer or agency — who builds a better website?
It depends on the project and budget, not the model. A freelancer with 10 years of experience will build a better site than an agency that assigns the project to a junior. Agencies shine on large builds with marketing campaigns and many stakeholders. The key criteria are portfolio, process and communication — not company size.
How much should a good website cost?
A good business card site costs 1,500–3,500 PLN net, a corporate site with custom design 3,500–8,000 PLN, and a service with special features from 8,000 PLN. “Good” here means: fast, visible in Google, legally compliant and editable by you. The full ranges are broken down in the website cost article.
How do I verify a developer’s portfolio before signing?
Open 3–5 sites from the portfolio and check four things. Do they load fast (test on your phone), do they appear in Google under the company name, are the contents current (a site unchanged since 2021 is a signal), do the forms work. Call or email one of their clients and ask about the collaboration — 15 minutes that save months of frustration.
Is a contract necessary, or are email agreements enough?
A contract, always. Email agreements are useful as annexes but do not replace clauses on scope, deadline, payments and code ownership. A contract protects both sides: you from an unfinished project, the developer from scope creep. No contract is the most common cause of the disputes you read about in reviews.
What should I watch for in the cheapest offer?
Three things. First: what is excluded from the price (hosting, content, SEO, fixes). Second: whether you get code and access ownership. Third: who is responsible for maintenance and security after launch. If the offer does not answer these, the “cheapest” quote will turn out the most expensive — at the second build.
Can I change developers mid-project?
Yes, though it always costs time and money. The key question is whether you have the access and the code — if so, a new developer takes over after an audit (typically 500–2,000 PLN). If the access stayed with the previous developer, the process drags on and may require rebuilding parts of the work. Ask about code ownership before the start, not after.
📖 See also: How much does a website cost in 2026?, agency vs freelancer vs website builder and website development process in 7 stages. See how I deliver website development for businesses — with a contract, SLA and code ownership as standard.