15 questions to ask a web developer before you hire them

Most website disappointments aren't caused by bad design. They come from things nobody asked about at the start: the domain is in the developer's name, the site never appears on Google, every small change costs extra, or the developer stops replying. Ten minutes of the right questions prevents all of that.

Here are the fifteen questions I'd ask if I were hiring a developer, with the answers you should expect. Yes, I'm a developer myself; ask me the same ones.

The short answer#

Ownership and money#

1. Will the domain, hosting and code be in my name?

Good answer:“Yes. You register the domain and hosting with your email, I set them up, and the code is handed over at the end.” If the developer owns the domain, they own your online presence.

2. What exactly is included in the price?

Good answer: a written list of pages, features, revisions, and what is notincluded (content writing, photos, logo, domain and hosting fees). Vague scope is where “extra charges” come from.

3. What will I pay every year after launch?

Domain renewal, hosting, business email, any paid plugins or platform plan, and maintenance if you want it. For a small site this is usually a few thousand rupees a year. See website maintenance cost in India.

4. What is the payment schedule?

Good answer: a part upfront (often 30 to 50 percent) and the rest at milestones or on delivery, tied to work you can see.

Speed, SEO and AI search#

5. What PageSpeed score will the site get on mobile?

Good answer:“90 or above, and I'll show you the report.” Then test their past sites yourself at pagespeed.web.dev. Why it matters: why is my website slow.

6. How will customers find the site on Google?

Good answer:keyword research for your services and areas, a page per main service and area, titles and descriptions, a sitemap, and Google Search Console set up with the pages submitted for indexing. “SEO-friendly theme” on its own is not an answer.

7. Will you add structured data and FAQs?

Good answer:LocalBusiness (or your specific business type), Service, BreadcrumbList and FAQPage where it fits, tested with Google's Rich Results Test, plus FAQ sections built from real customer questions.

8. What about ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews?

Good answer: clear factual answers at the top of pages, consistent business details, AI search crawlers allowed, and the site submitted to Bing as well as Google. That covers AEO and GEO. Be wary of anyone who guarantees rankings in ChatGPT; nobody can. Here is what actually gets a business recommended.

9. Can I see live sites you built, and do they rank?

Open them on your phone. Then search Google for the service and area of one of them. A developer whose own clients can't be found on Google probably won't make you findable either.

Process and timeline#

10. How long will it take, and what do you need from me?

Good answer: a date range, plus what you have to supply (text, photos, logo, login access) and by when. Most delays come from content, so a good developer tells you upfront. A small business site typically takes days to a couple of weeks, not months.

11. How will I see progress?

Good answer:“A live preview link you can open on your phone, updated as pages are finished.” Screenshots in a PDF aren't the same.

12. Who will actually build it?

With an agency, the person selling may not be the person building. Ask who writes the code and whether you can talk to them directly. See freelancer vs agency.

13. Can I edit text and prices myself?

Good answer: a clear way to make small edits (a simple editor or a CMS), or a stated price for small changes. Either is fine, as long as you know which.

After launch#

14. What happens if something breaks after launch?

Good answer: a free fixing period for bugs (often a few weeks), then a stated rate or a maintenance plan. Also ask who gets the domain and hosting renewal reminders.

15. How will we know if the website is working?

Good answer: Google Analytics with call, WhatsApp and form clicks tracked, and Search Console access in your own Google account. A website is a tool to bring enquiries; you should be able to see whether it does. See why a website gets no enquiries.

Red flags#

• The plan is a free AI builder template with your logo on it, sold as a custom site (see what AI-built sites leave out).
• The domain or hosting will be registered in the developer's name.
• No live websites to show, only screenshots or templates.
• “Guaranteed first page on Google” or “guaranteed in ChatGPT”.
• Full payment before any work is visible.
• No written scope, or a price that changes when you ask what is included.
• Unwilling to give you access to Search Console and Analytics.

Copy-paste checklist#

My answers: domain, hosting and code are yours; a written scope and price before work starts; 90+ mobile speed, SEO, schema, AEO and GEO included; a live preview link throughout; and you talk to me, the person writing the code. Business websites start at ₹4,999. See freelance web development, or if you're in Navi Mumbai, we can meet in Vashi.