White-Label20 janvier 20255 min read

Checklist: 15 Criteria for Choosing Your Development Partner

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.

Technical competence

1

Mastery of required technologies

Your partner must be proficient in the specific technologies your projects require: Next.js, Astro, React, or others.

Look for

A portfolio featuring projects similar to yours and clear documentation of the technologies used.

Red flag

Vague answers about technologies or a portfolio that does not match your requirements.

2

Code quality and best practices

Clean, maintainable, and well-documented code will save you high maintenance costs in the long run.

Look for

Code samples, Git usage, automated testing, and adherence to industry standards.

Red flag

Refusal to share code examples or absence of code review processes.

3

Performance and technical SEO

Delivered sites must be fast and optimised for search engine rankings.

Look for

Core Web Vitals scores above 90, image optimisation, and semantic HTML structure.

Red flag

Slow sites in the portfolio or unfamiliarity with technical SEO fundamentals.

4

Security and updates

Security is not optional. Your partner must follow best practices to protect your sites and data.

Look for

SSL certificates, protection against injections, and a clear update policy.

Red flag

No mention of security in deliverables or unsecured sites in the portfolio.

Communication and process

5

Responsiveness and availability

A responsive partner enables you to meet your commitments to your own clients.

Look for

Stated average response times, clear availability windows, and multiple contact channels.

Red flag

Slow responses from the first contact or unclear availability.

6

Transparency on progress

You need to be able to track project progress in real time to reassure your clients.

Look for

Access to a project management tool, scheduled regular updates, and progress reports.

Red flag

No reporting system or communication only when problems arise.

7

Understanding of your needs

A good partner takes the time to understand your business and your specific constraints.

Look for

Pertinent questions during the first conversation, clear restatement of your needs, and tailored proposals.

Red flag

Generic proposals with no consideration of your specifics.

8

Guaranteed confidentiality

In white-label work, discretion is essential. Your clients must never know you outsource.

Look for

NDA offered, written confidentiality commitment, and no public mention of your projects.

Red flag

Reluctance to sign an NDA or displaying client projects without permission.

Reliability and guarantees

9

Meeting deadlines

Delays damage your reputation. Your partner must honour their commitments.

Look for

Track record of on-time delivery, buffer time built into estimates, and proactive communication about risks.

Red flag

Overly optimistic estimates or undisclosed history of delays.

10

Warranty on deliverables

A warranty period protects you against bugs and issues after launch.

Look for

Written warranty of at least 30 days, clear bug-fix process, and post-delivery support.

Red flag

No warranty or charges for fixing bugs caused during initial development.

11

Verifiable references

Testimonials and references give you a concrete glimpse of the client experience.

Look for

Detailed testimonials, opportunity to speak with former clients, and documented case studies.

Red flag

No references available or refusal to connect you with past clients.

12

Service continuity

What happens if your main contact is unavailable? Continuity must be assured.

Look for

Backup team members, documented projects, and clear handover processes.

Red flag

Dependence on a single person with no backup plan.

Pricing and flexibility

13

Clear and predictable pricing

No nasty surprises: pricing must be transparent and easy to understand.

Look for

Detailed rate card, precise quotes before each project, and clear invoicing terms.

Red flag

Vague pricing, incomplete quotes, or unannounced surcharges.

14

Collaboration flexibility

Your needs evolve. Your partner must be able to adapt to your workload and constraints.

Look for

Various collaboration options, ability to scale up, and no restrictive minimum commitments.

Red flag

Rigid collaboration terms or high exit penalties.

15

Value for money

Cheapest is not always most economical. Evaluate the balance between price and delivered value.

Look for

Clear justification for rates, identifiable added value, and reasonable total cost of ownership.

Red flag

Abnormally low rates (quality risk) or high prices without justification.

In summary

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.

  • Technical competence suited to your projects
  • Responsive and transparent communication
  • Solid guarantees and verifiable references
  • Clear pricing and flexible collaboration

Looking for a partner who ticks all these boxes?

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.

Ready to expand your offering?

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