Most of the risk in picking a development partner isn't cost or even skill — it's the absence of a process that protects you if something goes wrong. Here's what to check before you sign anything.
The checklist
- Verifiable portfolio. Working links to real, live products — not just case-study screenshots.
- A written scope before payment. If a company will quote you a price without a written scope, that's the first red flag.
- Milestone-based payment. Full payment upfront removes your only leverage.
- A defined communication plan. Async updates plus a real-time overlap window, not "we'll be in touch."
- An answer to "what if it's wrong?" A guarantee, a dispute process, anything beyond good faith.
Comparing quotes properly
Only compare quotes against an identical written scope — otherwise you're comparing numbers attached to different, unwritten assumptions. We write the scope first, for exactly this reason, and back it with a published money-back guarantee.