What I would ask before hiring anyone to build your software

A lot of software projects for small businesses go wrong in the same way. The app gets built, mostly. It sort of works. Then the developer gets busy, or moves on, and the owner is left with something nobody else understands and nobody wants to touch.

Most of that can be avoided by asking a few questions at the start. These are the ones I would ask if I were on your side of the table.

Who will actually write the code?

Agencies often sell with a senior person on the call and then hand the work to someone much more junior. That is not always bad, but you should know. Ask to speak to the person who will build it, and ask whether that person will still be on it in three months.

Can I see something you built that is running right now?

Not screenshots or a PDF portfolio. A live link you can open on your phone. If they built it, they should be able to show it working and explain how it works underneath.

Who owns the code, the domain and the accounts?

The answer should be you, all three. The domain should be registered in your name. The hosting and app store accounts should be yours, with the developer added as a user. You should get the code. If any of this is "we keep it on our side", think hard.

What exactly is included in the price?

A good quote lists the screens and features, says what is not included, and says what happens after launch. Watch out for quotes that are one line long. Vague scope is where most arguments start later.

How will I see progress?

You should not have to wait three months to see anything. Ask how often you will get a working version you can try, even an unfinished one. Weekly is reasonable.

What happens when something breaks after launch?

Things break. Phones update, a payment provider changes something, a customer finds a bug. Ask how fast they respond, whether support is included for a while, and what it costs after that.

One more, for apps with AI in them

Ask how they test it. AI features fail in ways normal software doesn't: they make things up, get stuck in loops or quietly give up. If they have no answer beyond "it works well", be careful. We publish how we test ours on Break the Agent.

If you want a second opinion

If you already have a quote and want someone to look at it honestly, send it to info@dynetrix.in. If we think it is a good quote, we will tell you to take it.