IN THIS ARTICLE · 5 PARTS
When you choose who builds your website, the surest way to avoid a mistake is knowing when to stop. A good developer shows live websites, gives you a written quote with a clear price, registers the domain in your name and explains simply what they will do. If one of those is missing, that is a red flag. Below are the nine most common ones, how to spot them in the first conversation, and what to ask instead.
Why red flags get expensive
A bad choice rarely shows on launch day. It shows six months later, when you want to change one price on the menu and nobody picks up the phone. Or when you decide to switch developers and find out that the domain, the hosting and your Google profile are all in their name. From then on every change costs time and money, and sometimes the whole website.
This situation has a name: vendor lock-in, when you cannot move to another supplier without paying a lot to switch [1]. The point of this list is to never get there.
9 red flags
1. A portfolio without links
Pictures in a PDF or a slide deck prove nothing. Ask for links to websites that are live right now and open them on your phone. Are they fast? Is it clear what the business does? Can you find the phone number in seconds? You can check the speed yourself with Google's free PageSpeed Insights, which reports how a page performs on both mobile and desktop [2].
2. Every website looks the same
If the salon, the garage and the restaurant in the portfolio share one template with different photos, yours will be the fourth. A template on its own is not the problem. The problem is when it is sold to you as a design made for you.
3. A "from …" price with no list of what is included
"Websites from €300" is not a quote. Ask in writing what exactly is included: how many pages, who writes the copy, whether the domain, hosting and SSL are covered, and what one small change costs after launch. More on comparing quotes in what affects the price of a website and cheap vs professional website.
4. No contract, or a vague one
"We'll sort it out" sounds friendly until there is a disagreement. A written contract or clear terms say what you get, when, and what happens if you part ways. What it should say, clause by clause, is in the website contract checklist.
5. The domain is in their name
This is the most expensive flag. The domain is your business's address: your website, your email and every link to you live on it. ICANN, which coordinates domain names worldwide, sets out the rights of the registrant, meaning the person the domain is registered to: to know the registrar's terms and prices and how to renew and transfer the domain [3]. If the registrant is the developer, those rights are theirs, not yours. See also domain and hosting, explained simply.
6. They ask for your password instead of access
A good developer does not ask for the password to your personal Google account or your Facebook page. They ask you to add them as a user. Your Google Business Profile, for example, can have several owners and managers, each with their own account and no shared password, and only owners can add or remove people [4]. Stay the primary owner and give the developer the manager role. Setting up the profile from scratch is covered in Google Business Profile, step by step.
7. They promise first place on Google
Google is blunt about this: no one can guarantee a #1 ranking, and if someone promises it, look elsewhere [5]. Google also advises caution with companies that are secretive and will not explain what they plan to do, and with those that email you out of the blue [5]. The honest answer to "when will we show up on Google?" is that SEO takes time and depends on you, your competitors and your content.
8. Reviews you cannot check
Five glowing reviews with no name, no company and no link to the website do not say much. Ask to see the client's site and, if possible, to talk to the client. Fake reviews are now something regulators deal with too: in August 2024 the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a rule banning fake reviews and testimonials, including AI-generated ones [6].
9. Nobody says what happens after launch
A website does not end the day it goes live. Prices, opening hours and photos change. If the answer to "who do I message when I need a change?" is silence or "we'll see", you will be on your own after launch.
One red flag does not necessarily mean the developer is bad. It means you should ask, in writing. Several flags at once mean it is better to keep looking.
What to ask instead
Ask these questions of everyone you get a quote from, and ask for the answers by email so you can compare them.
- Can you send me links to three websites you built that are live now?
- Who exactly will design and build the site, and who will I talk to after launch?
- What is the total price over two years, including domain, hosting, SSL and small changes?
- Whose name will the domain be registered in?
- What access do you need to my Google profile and social media?
- What do I get if we decide to part ways?
- How long does the first version take, and what do I need to prepare?
More questions for the first meeting are in 15 questions to ask before you hire a web designer, and if you are still unsure what kind of partner you need, compare freelancer, agency or website builder.
The green flags
A good developer is recognisable by the opposite: they show live websites, write the price with everything it includes, keep the domain and profiles in your name, explain without jargon and tell you who will answer you after launch. They do not promise rankings; they explain what they will do for SEO from the start. For more on the choice itself, read how to choose the right web agency.
If you want to see how this looks with us: at Studio V1 a website is about €50 a month, with design, build, hosting, maintenance and minor updates, reviewed by real developers and live within 7 business days. See what the price includes or websites we have built.
References
- Wikipedia. "Vendor lock-in." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vendor_lock-in
- Google for Developers. "About PageSpeed Insights." developers.google.com/speed
- ICANN. "Registrants' Benefits and Responsibilities." icann.org/resources
- Google Business Profile Help. "Manage your Business Profile owners & managers." support.google.com/business
- Google Search Central. "Do you need an SEO?" developers.google.com/search/docs
- Federal Trade Commission. "Federal Trade Commission Announces Final Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials." ftc.gov/news-events
