Questions to ask a web designer before you hire them

Seventeen questions to ask before you sign anything, why each one matters, and the answers that should make you walk away. They work for freelancers, studios, agencies, and marketplace sellers alike.

Written by the DesignSnipe studio team

01

Ownership

Short answer

If you only ask three questions, ask these: whose name is the domain in, what exactly does the fixed price cover, and who fixes things after launch. Each question below comes with the answer that should worry you.

  1. Whose name will the domain be registered in?The domain is your address on the internet. Whoever is the registrant controls it.They register it in their name or their company's, "to make things easier."
  2. Will I have my own login to the hosting and the site's admin?If you can't log in, you can't move, fix, or even back up your own site."We handle all of that, you won't need access."
  3. If I leave, do I get the files, and who owns the design and code?Copyright belongs to the creator unless the contract transfers it to you.There's a fee to release your files, or the contract says the site stays with them.

Ownership is where small businesses get hurt most. Our guide to who owns your website covers domains, logins, and code rights in detail.

02

Scope and price

  1. Is this a fixed price, and what exactly does it cover?A clear scope is the single best protection against surprise invoices.Only an hourly rate, with no estimate or cap.
  2. How many pages, and which ones?Page count drives most of the cost. Listing them avoids "that page wasn't included.""As many as you need" with no list.
  3. What isn't included that I might need?Copy, photos, SEO, hosting, and support are the usual gaps.They can't name anything. Every quote leaves something out.
  4. How do payments work?Staged payments keep both sides honest.100% up front to someone you can't verify.
03

Copy and content

  1. Who writes the copy?Writing is where most website projects stall, and many quotes assume you'll do it.It's not mentioned anywhere in the quote.
  2. Where will the photos come from, and are they licensed?Unlicensed images can lead to copyright claims long after launch.Images "from Google."
04

SEO

  1. What SEO work is included at launch?Page titles, structure, metadata, and analytics are cheap to get right during the build."Guaranteed #1 on Google." Nobody can honestly promise rankings.
  2. If you're replacing my site, how will you protect my existing traffic?Changed page addresses without redirects can lose rankings you already have.No mention of redirects.

Replacing an existing site? Our free website auditshows what your current site does well and what it doesn't, so you know what to protect.

05

Timeline and revisions

  1. When will it go live, and what do you need from me by when?Most delays come from waiting on content. A schedule makes both sides accountable.No date, or a date with no dependencies.
  2. How many revision rounds are included, and what counts as one?Undefined revisions turn into arguments, or hourly bills."Unlimited" with no end date, or no number at all.
  3. Who will actually do the work?On marketplaces and at agencies the person selling isn't always the person building.They won't say, or the work goes to unnamed subcontractors.
06

After launch

  1. Who fixes things after launch, and what does it cost?Something always needs changing in the first few weeks.Support ends at delivery and there's no rate for later work.
  2. Can I edit the site myself?Small changes shouldn't need a ticket, unless you'd rather hand them off.No way to edit it, and no plan offered to do it for you.
  3. What happens to my site if I stop paying a monthly fee?You should be able to leave with your site, not lose it.The site goes offline or stays with them.
07

Red flags

Any one of these is worth a pause. Two or more, keep looking.

  • Ranking guarantees. "Page one in 30 days" is a sales line, not a plan.
  • The domain in their name. Even with good intentions, it leaves you dependent on them.
  • No written scope. If it isn't written down, it isn't included.
  • Pressure to pay everything up front before you've verified who they are.
  • No live portfolio. Mockups and screenshots are easy; working sites are proof.
  • Vague about who does the work. Common on marketplaces. See our Fiverr comparison.
  • A monthly fee you can't leave without losing your site.
08

How we answer them

It would be odd to publish these questions and not answer them ourselves. Here are our answers in short.

QuestionOur answer
Domain and ownershipOnce your project is paid in full, the site, design, copy we wrote, and your domain are yours. We hand over the files if you ever move.
Fixed priceYes. Launch $1,000, Growth $2,500, Signature $5,000, Flagship $10,000, agreed before work starts.
PaymentsPay in full, or 50% to start and 50% when your site is complete.
CopyWe write it, on every tier.
SEOOn-page SEO foundations and analytics on every tier. We don't guarantee rankings; nobody honestly can.
RevisionsLaunch: 2 rounds of revisions. Growth: 3 rounds of revisions. Signature: unlimited revisions during the build. Flagship: unlimited revisions during the build.
TimelineLaunch: about 2 weeks. Growth: 3–4 weeks. Signature: 4–6 weeks. Flagship: 6–8 weeks.
After launchOptional Website Care at $500/mo covers hosting, edits, and weekly SEO, month to month. It costs more than maintenance-only plans (commonly $30–$250/mo as of 2026) because SEO is included.
If you cancelYou keep your site. Cancel Care anytime and take it wherever you like.

More detail is in our FAQ. Builds start at $1,000.

09

Printable checklist

Take this into every call or email. Tick each item once you have the answer in writing.

  • 1. Domain registered in my nameWhose name will the domain be registered in?
  • 2. My own hosting and admin loginsWill I have my own login to the hosting and the site's admin?
  • 3. Files and rights transfer to meIf I leave, do I get the files, and who owns the design and code?
  • 4. Fixed price and written scopeIs this a fixed price, and what exactly does it cover?
  • 5. Page list agreedHow many pages, and which ones?
  • 6. Exclusions listedWhat isn't included that I might need?
  • 7. Payment schedule agreedHow do payments work?
  • 8. Who writes the copyWho writes the copy?
  • 9. Photo source and licencesWhere will the photos come from, and are they licensed?
  • 10. SEO included at launchWhat SEO work is included at launch?
  • 11. Redirect plan for old pagesIf you're replacing my site, how will you protect my existing traffic?
  • 12. Launch date and my deadlinesWhen will it go live, and what do you need from me by when?
  • 13. Revision rounds definedHow many revision rounds are included, and what counts as one?
  • 14. Who does the workWho will actually do the work?
  • 15. Post-launch support and costWho fixes things after launch, and what does it cost?
  • 16. How I edit the siteCan I edit the site myself?
  • 17. What happens if I cancelWhat happens to my site if I stop paying a monthly fee?
Start your project brief

Questions people ask

What should I prepare before talking to a web designer?

A short description of your business and customers, the main thing you want visitors to do (call, book, buy), your logo and colors if you have them, any photos, and links to a few sites you like. Our project brief walks you through all of it.

How many quotes should I get?

Two or three is usually enough, as long as you ask each one the same questions so the quotes are comparable.

Is it a red flag if a web designer doesn't publish prices?

Not on its own. Many good designers quote per project. It's a red flag if they won't give you a written, fixed quote after you've described what you need.

What should be in a web design contract?

The scope (pages and features), price and payment schedule, timeline, number of revision rounds, who provides content, ownership and transfer of rights on final payment, and what happens after launch. If any of these is missing, ask for it in writing.

Should a web designer guarantee rankings on Google?

No. Nobody controls Google's rankings, so a guarantee is a sales line. A good designer will explain what they do for SEO and how they'll report progress.

Sources

Third-party prices on this page are commonly cited ranges as of 2026, gathered from the pages below. They are not quotes. Our own prices come from our published pricing page.

Ask us all seventeen.

Start a project brief and we'll answer every one of these in writing, with a fixed quote, before you pay anything.

Start your project briefSee pricing

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