Hiring a web development agency is a high-trust, high-cost decision made mostly on vibes. It doesn't have to be. These twelve questions will surface the difference between an engineering partner and a shop that will hand you a template with a new logo.
1–4: Questions about their portfolio
- 1Which of these sites are still live and unchanged since you shipped them?
- 2Can you share Core Web Vitals field data for two recent launches?
- 3What was the measurable business outcome — leads, revenue, retention?
- 4Which of these did you lead, and which did you white-label from another team?
Portfolio screenshots are marketing. Live URLs, real metrics, and clarity on who actually did the work tell you what you're buying.
5–8: Questions about their process
- 1Who will be my day-to-day contact — and are they on the build team?
- 2How do you handle scope changes mid-project?
- 3What does your QA and accessibility sign-off look like before launch?
- 4What happens in the first 30 days after launch if something breaks?
If your only contact is an account manager and you never speak with a designer or engineer, expect the game of telephone to cost you two weeks of the timeline.
9–12: Questions about technical depth
- 1What is your default performance budget per route, and how do you enforce it?
- 2How do you handle SEO — technical, on-page, and post-launch monitoring?
- 3Do I own the codebase, hosting accounts, and design files at the end?
- 4What's your approach to security — CSP, auth, secrets management?
"An agency that can't answer 'what's your performance budget?' in one sentence has never had one."
Red flags — walk away from any of these
- Quotes without a detailed scope document.
- Refusal to share client references or live URLs.
- Ownership of the domain or hosting held under agency accounts.
- SEO promised as 'included' with no monthly retainer or reporting.
- A designer showing you the exact layout they showed the last three prospects.
Ask us all 12. We'll answer on the record.
Start a project conversationFrequently asked questions
Should I hire freelancers or an agency?
Freelancers win on cost and specialty. Agencies win on continuity, cross-discipline coverage and post-launch support. For anything longer than 6 weeks, an agency usually costs less in total.
Local agency or remote?
For most projects, remote is fine — asynchronous communication and shared tooling matter more than time zones. Local matters if your project needs frequent on-site workshops or photography.
