Choosing a web development partner is not a decision to take lightly. A poor choice can prove costly: delays, bugs, unhappy clients, and hours spent fixing the damage.
This checklist brings together the 15 essential criteria for evaluating a web outsourcing partner. Use it during your conversations with potential providers to ask the right questions and avoid nasty surprises.
Your partner must be proficient in the specific technologies your projects require: Next.js, Astro, React, or others.
A portfolio featuring projects similar to yours and clear documentation of the technologies used.
Vague answers about technologies or a portfolio that does not match your requirements.
Clean, maintainable, and well-documented code will save you high maintenance costs in the long run.
Code samples, Git usage, automated testing, and adherence to industry standards.
Refusal to share code examples or absence of code review processes.
Delivered sites must be fast and optimised for search engine rankings.
Core Web Vitals scores above 90, image optimisation, and semantic HTML structure.
Slow sites in the portfolio or unfamiliarity with technical SEO fundamentals.
Security is not optional. Your partner must follow best practices to protect your sites and data.
SSL certificates, protection against injections, and a clear update policy.
No mention of security in deliverables or unsecured sites in the portfolio.
A responsive partner enables you to meet your commitments to your own clients.
Stated average response times, clear availability windows, and multiple contact channels.
Slow responses from the first contact or unclear availability.
You need to be able to track project progress in real time to reassure your clients.
Access to a project management tool, scheduled regular updates, and progress reports.
No reporting system or communication only when problems arise.
A good partner takes the time to understand your business and your specific constraints.
Pertinent questions during the first conversation, clear restatement of your needs, and tailored proposals.
Generic proposals with no consideration of your specifics.
In white-label work, discretion is essential. Your clients must never know you outsource.
NDA offered, written confidentiality commitment, and no public mention of your projects.
Reluctance to sign an NDA or displaying client projects without permission.
Delays damage your reputation. Your partner must honour their commitments.
Track record of on-time delivery, buffer time built into estimates, and proactive communication about risks.
Overly optimistic estimates or undisclosed history of delays.
A warranty period protects you against bugs and issues after launch.
Written warranty of at least 30 days, clear bug-fix process, and post-delivery support.
No warranty or charges for fixing bugs caused during initial development.
Testimonials and references give you a concrete glimpse of the client experience.
Detailed testimonials, opportunity to speak with former clients, and documented case studies.
No references available or refusal to connect you with past clients.
What happens if your main contact is unavailable? Continuity must be assured.
Backup team members, documented projects, and clear handover processes.
Dependence on a single person with no backup plan.
No nasty surprises: pricing must be transparent and easy to understand.
Detailed rate card, precise quotes before each project, and clear invoicing terms.
Vague pricing, incomplete quotes, or unannounced surcharges.
Your needs evolve. Your partner must be able to adapt to your workload and constraints.
Various collaboration options, ability to scale up, and no restrictive minimum commitments.
Rigid collaboration terms or high exit penalties.
Cheapest is not always most economical. Evaluate the balance between price and delivered value.
Clear justification for rates, identifiable added value, and reasonable total cost of ownership.
Abnormally low rates (quality risk) or high prices without justification.
A good web development partner combines technical expertise, transparent communication, reliability, and clear pricing. Do not settle for the first provider you find: take the time to verify these 15 criteria before committing.
At Kayden Digital, we have built our offering to meet each of these criteria. Transparency, quality, and reliability are at the heart of our approach.
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