What to look for, what to ask, and the warning signs worth walking away from when hiring a studio or freelancer.
Most people choosing a developer are doing it for the first time, comparing things they cannot easily evaluate. Here is a way to assess the parts you can judge without technical knowledge.
Look at their work, then look harder
A portfolio shows what they can produce. What it does not show is whether those sites still work, so check.
- Open three of their recent projects on your phone
- Time how long the pages take to appear
- Check whether the sites are still live at all, which is more revealing than it sounds
- Look for variety. A portfolio of near identical sites means you get that template too.
Questions worth asking
- Who specifically will do the work, and are they in New Zealand?
- What is your process when something takes longer than estimated?
- What do we own at the end, and how is it handed over?
- Can we update content ourselves, and can you show us that working?
- What happens the week after launch if something breaks?
- Can I speak to a client from a project like mine?
Warning signs
- A quote produced without asking questions about your business
- Guaranteed first page rankings, which nobody can promise
- Reluctance to say plainly that you own the code and accounts
- Pressure to decide quickly, or a discount that expires today
- No written scope, only a number
Freelancer or studio?
| Freelancer | Studio | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Usually lower | Higher, covers more roles |
| Risk | One person, so illness or other work stops yours | Continuity if someone leaves |
| Range | Deep in one area | Design, build and release under one roof |
| Best for | Well defined smaller projects | Projects with several moving parts |
Neither is better. A good freelancer beats a bad studio comfortably. The question is whether your project needs several skills at once, and whether you can absorb the risk of a single person being unavailable.