5 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Dev Studio

Anyone can put a slick portfolio on a homepage. These are the questions that tell you what you’re actually signing up for.

1. Who exactly will work on my project?

A senior team pitches you, then a junior team you’ve never met builds it. Ask for names before you sign, not after.

2. Can I see real architecture decisions, not just a demo?

A working demo proves the design looks right. It doesn’t prove the code underneath is something you can scale, hand off, or maintain in two years. Ask how they’d explain a technical decision to you in plain language.

3. What happens after launch?

Studios that disappear post-launch are more common than they should be. Ask what maintenance looks like, what’s included, and what isn’t — in writing.

4. How do you handle scope creep?

Every project changes shape once real users show up. The answer isn’t "we don’t" — it’s having a clear, fair process for handling it when it happens.

5. Can I talk to a past client?

Not a testimonial on a page — an actual person you can call. If a studio can’t produce one, that’s the answer to your question right there.

We’re happy to be on the other end of that call for someone else’s due diligence.