Hiring a web designer · Updated October 2026
Twelve questions to ask a web designer before you hire them.
Most website problems we are asked to fix started before the website was built: a price that left out the ongoing costs, a domain in the designer’s name, or nobody responsible for the site after launch. Asking these questions up front makes it easy to compare designers fairly, and the way they answer tells you as much as the answers themselves.
Cost and Scope
1. What exactly is included in the price?
Design, number of pages, copywriting, photos, forms, SEO basics, training. Two quotes are only comparable when you know what each one covers.
2. What will it cost every month or year after launch?
Hosting, domain, security, updates, backups and support. Ask for the yearly total, not just the build price.
3. What happens if I need changes later?
Is there a monthly plan, an hourly rate, or a wait? Find out how long a small change usually takes.
How we approach this: how our pricing works.
Ownership and Control
4. Whose name will the domain be in?
It should be yours. If the designer registers it, ask for it to be in your business’s name from day one.
5. Can I take the website with me if I leave?
Some sites only run on the designer’s own platform. You want a site you can move, with a clear handover if you part ways.
6. Who owns the Google accounts?
Analytics, Search Console and your Business Profile should belong to you, with the designer added as a user. More in who owns your website?
Process and Results
7. Can I see sites you built that are still live?
Look at them on your phone. Ask if you can speak with one or two of those clients, and read their reviews.
8. Who writes the words and supplies the photos?
Content is the most common cause of delays. Know whether you are expected to write it, or whether help is included.
9. How long will it take, and what do you need from me?
A typical small-business site takes a few weeks to a few months. The answer should include the points where you review and approve.
10. How will the site help people find and contact us?
Listen for mobile-friendly design, fast loading, basic SEO set up correctly, clear calls to action, and forms that are tested and tracked.
After Launch
11. Who keeps it updated and secure?
Websites need software updates, backups and monitoring. If nobody is responsible, problems tend to show up at the worst time. See what website management covers.
12. How do I reach you, and how fast do you reply?
Ask how they handle support and what their usual response time is. A designer who is hard to reach before you sign rarely gets easier after.
Red Flags
A price that seems too good
Very cheap packages usually leave out content, support or ownership, and the cost shows up later.
Guaranteed rankings
Nobody can guarantee a position on Google. A promise like that is a reason to keep looking.
Long lock-in with exit fees
Know the contract length, the notice period and any fee for getting your own files.
Already Have a Designer Who Has Gone Quiet?
Our step-by-step guide ghosted by your web designer? shows how to get control back, and switching web companies explains how a move works. If you are comparing designers now, we are happy to answer all twelve of these questions for you.
