10 Questions Before Hiring a Web Developer in India (2026)

This is the most important question. Not portfolio screenshots - live URLs you can visit right now.

Visit each one on your mobile phone. Check: does it load in under 3 seconds? Does it look professional? Is it easy to navigate? Does it work on a small screen?

A developer who can't show you live work is either inexperienced or showing you work that's no longer live (often because the client was unhappy and took the site down). Three live examples is a minimum reasonable requirement.

This question exposes agencies that outsource to cheaper developers or assign your project to their most junior team member.

If you're talking to a solo freelancer, the answer is simple: they do. If you're talking to an agency, ask specifically: who is the developer assigned to my project? Can I speak with them? What is their experience level?

The person who understands your requirements should be the same person building your website. Every layer of translation between you and the developer introduces misunderstandings.

You don't need to understand the technical answer in detail - but a good developer will explain their choice clearly and in plain language.

Acceptable answers: "I'll use WordPress because it's easy for you to update content yourself and fits your budget." Or: "I'll use Next.js because you need a fast website that ranks well on Google and handles high traffic."

Red flag answer: "We use the latest technologies" without specifics. Or: "Whatever you want." A developer who doesn't have a considered technology recommendation for your project hasn't thought about your project.

You should own all three, always. No exceptions.

Domain: Registered in your name, with your email as account owner. Not the developer's account.
Hosting: Either in your own hosting account, or on a server you pay for directly. Not a "managed" setup where the developer can take your site down if you stop paying them.
Code: All source files handed over to you on project completion. You should be able to give the code to any other developer to modify.

Any developer who hesitates on any of these three points is creating dependency. Walk away.

Get the total year-one cost in writing, not just the development fee. Ask specifically:
- Is domain included? For how long?
- Is hosting included? For how long, and what's the renewal cost?
- Is SSL included? Is it free Let's Encrypt or a paid certificate?
- Are there any monthly fees after delivery?
- What's the cost for content updates after the project?

A trustworthy developer answers all of these clearly. Vague answers about "we'll discuss later" should raise concern.

Get a realistic timeline with milestone dates, not just a final delivery date. A standard 5-page business website should take 10-21 working days.

Also ask: what information do you need from me, and when? The most common cause of project delays in India is the client taking too long to provide photos, content, or approvals. A good developer will tell you exactly what they need and when, so delays stay on your side of the fence.

Understand the post-delivery policy before signing. Standard practice:
- Minor revisions during development: included
- Post-delivery bug fixes (developer error): should be free
- Content updates after delivery: typically INR 500-INR 2,000 per session
- New features or pages after delivery: new quote

Some developers charge for every small change after delivery, making your website effectively locked. Clarify what "support after delivery" means concretely.

Any developer building a business website in 2026 should include basic on-page SEO as standard. Ask what specifically they do: meta titles and descriptions, proper heading structure (H1, H2, H3), image alt tags, page speed optimization, mobile responsiveness, and Google Search Console submission.

If a developer says "SEO is a separate service" and can't explain these basics, be cautious. Basic technical SEO is not an add-on - it's part of building a website correctly.

Reputable developers either share a staging link (a live preview URL) for review before final payment, or show you relevant past work as a style reference. You should never pay 100% upfront without seeing design progress.

Standard payment structure in India: 30-50% upfront to start work, remaining 50-70% on delivery and approval. Any developer demanding full payment before showing any work is a risk.

Ask for a Google review link or Clutch profile. Ask if you can WhatsApp a past client who had a similar project. A developer with nothing to hide welcomes this.

Reviews on Google, LinkedIn recommendations, and Clutch.co listings are more reliable than testimonials on a developer's own website (which can be fabricated). If a developer has no verifiable public reviews after more than a year of work, ask why.