Choosing a web developer is easier when you know what to ask. The checklist below applies whether you are considering a freelancer, a small studio or an agency. Use it to compare candidates on the same terms.
The checklist
- Relevant work. Ask for examples close to your type of project, and open them on a phone as well as a computer.
- Who does the work. Find out whether the person you meet will build your site or pass it to someone else.
- Written scope and price. A good quote lists pages, features, timeline and payment milestones.
- Ownership. Confirm that you will own the code, content, domain and hosting accounts.
- SEO foundations. Ask how titles, headings, schema, sitemaps, redirects and speed will be handled.
- Mobile experience. Most UAE visitors browse on phones, so mobile design should lead, not follow.
- Security. Ask about updates, backups, form protection and how data is stored.
- UAE requirements. Check experience with local payment gateways, Arabic layouts, privacy terms and business details.
- Communication. Notice how quickly and clearly they reply before you hire them, because that continues after.
- Process. Look for a staging link, review rounds and a clear approval step before launch.
- Support after launch. Ask what is included, what it costs and how problems are handled.
- Honest expectations. Be wary of anyone who guarantees rankings or promises unrealistic timelines.
Warning signs
Be cautious if the price is far below every other quote, if nobody will explain what the price includes, if you cannot see any previous work, if the developer insists on owning your domain or hosting, or if every answer is a sales pitch rather than a question about your goals.
Questions worth asking in the first call
What is the main goal of the site? Who is the customer? What happens when a visitor becomes a lead? How will success be measured? A developer who asks these questions before talking about technology is thinking about your business, not just a build.
Next step
If you would like to talk it through, read about hiring a web developer or a full stack developer, or send a brief and compare my answers with this checklist.
Questions that reveal quality
Ask how they would structure your service pages for search, how they handle Arabic layouts, what happens if a payment webhook fails, how backups are tested and what they would remove from your brief to save money. Clear, specific answers show experience. Vague answers or immediate talk of packages usually mean a template process. Also ask to speak with a previous client, and notice whether the developer encourages it.