To choose a web developer, write a clear brief, decide between a freelancer, agency, or website builder, check live portfolio projects and references, ask about speed, SEO, security, and maintenance, compare at least three quotes, and make sure your contract says you own the domain, hosting, and content. Avoid very cheap quotes and anyone who will not share admin access.
Key takeaways
- Start with a written brief so every quote is comparable.
- Judge developers by live projects and real client references, not mock-ups.
- Check speed, mobile design, SEO basics, security, and post-launch support.
- Make sure you own your domain, hosting, and files, and pay in milestones.
In this guide
- Step 1: Be Clear About What You Need
- Step 2: Decide Between a Freelancer, Agency, or Website Builder
- Step 3: Check Their Portfolio and References
- Step 4: Match the Technology to Your Goals
- Step 5: Ask About Speed, SEO, and Mobile
- Step 6: Check Security, Accessibility, and Maintenance
- Step 7: Understand Pricing and Payment Terms
- Step 8: Make Sure You Own Everything
- Step 9: Review the Contract and Timeline
- Step 10: Trust Your Communication Experience
- Red Flags to Avoid
- Questions to Ask Before You Hire
- Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: October 2026
Your website is often the first thing customers see, so the person who builds it matters. A good developer delivers a fast, secure, easy-to-manage site that supports your business goals. A poor choice can mean missed deadlines, broken pages, and a site that nobody can update. This guide gives you a clear process for choosing well.
Step 1: Be Clear About What You Need
Before contacting anyone, write a short brief. Include your goals, the type of site (brochure, online shop, booking platform, web app), the pages and features you expect, your budget range, and your target launch date. A clear brief lets you compare quotes fairly and avoids surprises.
Step 2: Decide Between a Freelancer, Agency, or Website Builder
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | Small to medium sites, tight budgets | Single point of failure if they become unavailable |
| Agency | Complex projects, design plus development plus marketing | Higher cost, hand-offs between team members |
| Website builder (Wix, Squarespace, Shopify) | Simple sites you can manage yourself | Limits on custom features |
| In-house developer | Ongoing, product-focused work | Salary, training, and management time |
Step 3: Check Their Portfolio and References
- Open their live projects on your phone and desktop. Do they load quickly and look polished?
- Ask for two or three clients you can contact and ask about communication, deadlines, and after-launch support.
- Look for projects similar to yours in size and type.
- Be cautious of portfolios that show only mock-ups and no live sites.
Step 4: Match the Technology to Your Goals
Ask which platform they recommend and why. WordPress suits content-heavy sites, Shopify suits online stores, and custom code suits unusual features. The best developers explain trade-offs in plain language instead of pushing the tool they prefer. Make sure you will be able to edit your own content after launch.
Step 5: Ask About Speed, SEO, and Mobile
A website that looks good but loads slowly loses visitors. Ask how they handle image optimisation, caching, mobile design, and basic SEO, including titles, headings, and clean URLs. Google measures real-world performance through Core Web Vitals, explained on web.dev, and you can test any site with PageSpeed Insights. For more on why this matters, read our guide on how user experience affects SEO and our beginner-friendly overview of search engine optimization.
Step 6: Check Security, Accessibility, and Maintenance
- Security: HTTPS, secure forms, regular updates, and backups.
- Accessibility: a good developer follows the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), so people using screen readers or keyboards can use your site.
- Maintenance: who will update plugins, fix bugs, and monitor uptime after launch, and at what cost?
Step 7: Understand Pricing and Payment Terms
- Fixed price: best for clear, well-defined projects.
- Hourly rate: flexible, but costs can grow without limits unless estimates are agreed.
- Monthly retainer: useful for ongoing updates and support.
Prices vary widely by country, experience, and complexity, so compare at least three quotes and check what each includes. Avoid paying everything upfront. Tie payments to milestones such as design approval, development complete, and launch.
Step 8: Make Sure You Own Everything
Your contract should state that you own the domain name, hosting account, design files, and final code or content once paid. Never let a developer register your domain in their personal name. Ask for admin logins to every account at launch.
Step 9: Review the Contract and Timeline
- A written scope listing pages, features, and revisions included.
- A timeline with milestones and what you must provide, such as logos, text, and images.
- Payment schedule and what happens if the project is delayed or cancelled.
- Post-launch support period and bug-fix policy.
- A clear process for extra requests, with costs agreed first.
Step 10: Trust Your Communication Experience
How they behave before you hire them is a preview of the project. Do they reply promptly, ask smart questions, and explain things clearly? If they are vague or pushy now, it rarely improves later.
Red Flags to Avoid
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Very low price compared with other quotes | May mean hidden costs, template reuse, or poor quality |
| No written contract | No protection if things go wrong |
| Refusing to share admin access or hosting details | They may be holding your site hostage later |
| Guaranteeing top Google rankings | No one can guarantee that |
| No live examples or verifiable clients | Hard to trust their claims |
| Pressure to decide immediately | Good professionals give you time to compare |
Questions to Ask Before You Hire
- Can I see three live projects similar to mine?
- Who will actually work on my site?
- How long will it take, and what do you need from me?
- Which platform do you recommend, and why?
- How do you handle speed, mobile design, and SEO?
- What happens if I want changes after launch?
- Who owns the domain, hosting, and code?
- What support and maintenance do you offer, and what does it cost?
If your site will rely on search traffic, also read how to choose an SEO partner in our guide on choosing an SEO agency, and avoid the common SEO mistakes beginners make.
Frequently Asked Questions
Write a clear brief, review live portfolio work, contact references, compare several quotes, and confirm ownership, support, and timelines in a written contract.
Freelancers suit smaller projects and budgets. Agencies suit complex projects that need design, development, and marketing skills together.
It varies widely by size, features, and who builds it. Get several quotes and compare what each includes.
Scope of work, timeline, payment milestones, ownership of files and accounts, revision limits, support period, and how extra requests are handled.
Simple sites can take a few weeks, while larger or custom sites often take several months. Delays often come from late content.
Yes. Updates, backups, security checks, and bug fixes keep your site safe and working.
This guide is general advice. Always read contracts carefully before signing.
