10 questions to ask before hiring a web developer

For many businesses, hiring a web developer is the first time they work with someone from the digital world. It is easy to focus only on the price and the look and forget the questions that prevent problems two years down the line.

These are the ten I would ask in your shoes.

Is the price fixed?

Ask for a written quote with everything it includes. Be wary of "let's start and see", unless the project really is uncertain.

Are there monthly fees? What do they cover?

Maintenance, hosting, licences, plugins… Ask what happens if you stop paying: does the website keep working? Does it stop being updated?

Whose name will the domain be in?

It must be in your name and in an account you can access. It is the most important question on this list. More in how to choose a domain.

Will the website be mine after hiring a web developer?

Can you take it to another provider? Will they give you the files? With some builders and some agencies, the answer is no.

Is it a template or a custom design?

Both are valid, but they should be priced differently. Do not let a template with your logo be sold as "custom".

How long will it take, and what does it depend on?

A realistic timeline and what they need from you to meet it. Websites are most often delayed by text and photos, not design. More in how long it takes to build a website.

How will it look on mobile and on Google?

Ask what they do so the website loads fast, looks good on phones and Google understands it: titles, descriptions, business data, Search Console setup…

Can I see other websites by the web developer?

Not just screenshots: ask for live addresses to open on your phone. If you can, ask a client how the experience was.

What happens if I want to change something later?

Can you do it yourself? How much does a change cost? How quickly is it done? Better to know before than to find out with the first opening-hours update.

Will I talk to the web developer or a salesperson?

At a big agency you may talk to a salesperson while someone else builds the website. With an independent professional you usually talk directly to the person building it. Neither is wrong, but it is worth knowing.

Red flags when hiring a web developer

• No written quote.
• "We'll register the domain for you."
• No real websites to show.
• Promises of "first page on Google" by a certain date.
• Mandatory fees with no explanation of what they cover.

How I answer these questions

At Nueva Página the price is fixed and in writing, it is paid once with no subscriptions, the domain is in your name, the design is custom and you always talk to me, the person building the website. In English or Spanish, fully remotely. It is all in how I work and you can see real websites in work.

How to compare quotes from web developers

Two quotes with the same price can include very different things. So put them side by side and compare the same points in both: number of pages, whether the design is bespoke, timelines, later fees and whose name the domain is in. If one does not say, ask in writing before you decide.

Also, be wary of promises nobody can keep. Google itself warns about this in its guide Do you need an SEO?: nobody can guarantee the top spot. What a good developer can do is leave your website well prepared for Google and AI assistants, as explained in what basic SEO includes. That way you choose by what you get, not just by the final figure.

On a related note, you may also find what to prepare before ordering a website useful.

Frequently asked questions

Is hiring an agency better than a freelance web developer?

It depends on the project. For large websites involving many specialists, an agency. For a small business website, a good freelancer usually delivers the same result with direct contact and lower cost.

How much should a small business website cost?

It depends on what you need, but there are clear ranges. See the guide how much does a website cost.

Do I have to pay everything upfront?

Each professional has their own payment terms; what matters is that they are in the written quote before work starts.

What does a Nueva Página website price include?

Bespoke design, the website published on your domain, basic SEO and Google registration, as a one-off payment. The breakdown is in how much a website costs.