Before you hire a web or app agency: a checklist

Start with the outcome, not the features

Write down what the website or app must achieve in the next six months: more enquiries, online orders, fewer support calls. Features follow from that. An agency that asks about your goals before your colour preferences is a good sign.

Prepare a one-page brief

• Who your customers are and how they find you today
• Two or three websites or apps you like, and why
• What must work on day one, and what can wait
• Your deadline and the budget range you are comfortable with
• Who on your side will approve designs and content

Protect your idea with an NDA

If your product or data is sensitive, ask the agency to sign a non-disclosure agreement before you share details. A professional team will agree without fuss. At EvoAstra we sign one on request before the first detailed call.

Make sure you will own everything

The domain, hosting account, source code, app store accounts, marketplace seller accounts and ad accounts should be registered in your company’s name, with your email. Agencies can be added as users; they should not be the owners.

Ask for a written estimate

A good estimate lists the pages or screens, the features, the timeline, what happens after launch and what is not included. It should arrive quickly: we send ours within 24 hours of understanding what you need.

Check real, live work

Ask for links to live websites and apps, not just screenshots. Open them on your phone. Install the app. If the agency claims marketplace or social media results, ask to see the accounts they run.

Agree how you will work after launch

Websites and apps need updates, security fixes and improvements. Agree on response times and a monthly plan before launch, so support isn’t an afterthought.