# How to choose a web designer: questions to ask before hiring

> Choose a web designer by defining your goal, checking live sites for speed and mobile use, and getting ownership, scope and aftercare in a written contract.

By Sotirios Terzis, Ariston Studios — updated 2026-10-10 — https://us.aristonstudios.com/guides/choose-web-designer

## Key takeaways
- Decide what the website must achieve (calls, bookings, quote requests, sales) before you talk to anyone, so you can compare proposals on the same terms.
- Judge a portfolio by live sites, not screenshots: open them on your phone and run them through Google PageSpeed Insights.
- Your domain should be registered in your name, and the contract should say you own the content and the finished site once you have paid.
- No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google; Google itself warns against anyone who promises it.
- A good contract names the scope, number of revision rounds, timeline, payment schedule, what happens after launch and how you can leave.

To choose a web designer, first decide what your website must achieve, then shortlist people whose live work is fast and works well on a phone, and ask each one the same set of questions about ownership, scope, aftercare and exit. Pick the one who gives clear, written answers, not the one with the most impressive pitch.

## What should you decide before contacting a web designer?

Write down, in one or two sentences, what the website is for. "More quote requests from homeowners within 30 km" is a goal. "A modern website" is not. A clear goal lets a designer propose the right number of pages, the right calls to action and the right budget, and it lets you compare offers like for like.

Also note the practical basics before you ask for quotes:

- How many pages you think you need, and in which languages
- Who will write the text and supply the photos
- Whether you need extras such as online booking, a shop, or a client portal
- Your budget range and your deadline, and why that deadline matters
- Who will update the site after launch

## How do you judge a web designer's portfolio?

Ask for links to live sites they built, not just images. Screenshots show design; live sites show whether the work actually holds up.

1. **Open each site on your phone.** Most small-business visitors arrive on mobile. Check that text is readable without zooming, buttons are easy to tap and the contact details are easy to find.
2. **Run each site through Google PageSpeed Insights** (pagespeed.web.dev). It reports Core Web Vitals, the measures Google uses for loading speed, responsiveness and visual stability. Google counts as "good" a Largest Contentful Paint of 2.5 seconds or less, an Interaction to Next Paint of 200 milliseconds or less and a Cumulative Layout Shift of 0.1 or less. Real-user data only appears for sites with enough traffic, so for small sites look at the lab score and the listed problems.
3. **Check that the sites are still theirs.** Ask which sites they still look after and whether you may contact one or two of those clients.
4. **Look for range.** If every site looks the same, you are probably buying a template with a new logo.

## What questions should you ask a web designer before hiring?

Ask every candidate the same questions, by email, so you have the answers in writing.

1. **Who owns the domain name, the website, the code and the content after launch?** The answer you want: you own the domain and your content, and you own or receive a licence to use the finished site once paid.
2. **What exactly is included in the price?** Number of pages, contact form, analytics, privacy policy, cookie notice, launch on your domain.
3. **How many revision rounds are included, and what does an extra round cost?**
4. **What is the timeline, and what do you need from me to keep it?** Most delays come from waiting on the client's text and photos.
5. **Who writes the copy?** If they do, is it included or extra? If you do, when is it due?
6. **What SEO basics are included?** At minimum: unique page titles and descriptions, sensible headings, a sitemap, a Google Search Console setup, and redirects from your old URLs if you are replacing a site.
7. **How do you handle accessibility?** Ask which standard they work to. The current W3C standard is WCAG 2.2; level AA is the common target.
8. **How do you handle GDPR and cookie consent?** In the EU, non-essential cookies such as most analytics and advertising trackers need prior consent. Ask whether the site will use a consent banner or cookie-free analytics, and whether they will sign a data processing agreement if they host your form submissions.
9. **Who hosts the site and who maintains it after launch?** What does it cost per month, what does that include (updates, backups, security, small changes), and how fast do they respond?
10. **What happens if I want to leave?** Will they hand over the files, database, logins and domain transfer code, and is there a fee or notice period?
11. **What are the payment terms?** A deposit with the balance at launch is common. Be wary of paying 100% up front.
12. **Who will actually do the work?** With agencies, the person selling is often not the person designing or building.

## What are the red flags when hiring a web designer?

- **The domain is registered in their name or their company's name.** If the relationship ends badly, they control your web address and email.
- **Lock-in.** A proprietary system only they can edit, or a refusal to hand over files when you leave.
- **No written contract,** or only a one-line quote.
- **Vague scope** such as "complete website" with no page count, no revision limit and no list of deliverables.
- **Ranking guarantees** like "#1 on Google in 30 days". Google's own guidance says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.
- **Hosting tied to the build** with no price shown for hosting on its own.
- **No questions about your business.** A designer who quotes without asking about your goal is quoting for a generic site.

## Freelancer, studio, agency or DIY builder: which fits?

There is no single right choice; it depends on budget, complexity and how much of your own time you can give. Prices vary widely by country and scope, so treat the table as a guide to trade-offs, not costs.

| Option | Best for | Strengths | Watch out for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freelancer | Small sites, tight budgets | Direct contact, flexible, often lowest price | Single point of failure; may lack copy, SEO or hosting skills |
| Small studio | Small and medium businesses wanting a custom site plus aftercare | Senior people do the work, fixed packages, ongoing support | Limited capacity for very large projects |
| Agency | Large sites, complex integrations, big campaigns | Broad team, project management, many specialists | Higher cost, more layers, junior staff may do the work |
| DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace and similar) | Very simple sites, testing an idea | Low start-up cost, you control edits | Your time, template limits, harder to move away later |

The main drivers of price are the number of unique page layouts, who writes the copy, custom features (booking, shop, integrations), the number of languages and the level of aftercare. Ask each candidate whether their price is fixed or hourly, and get the monthly cost of hosting and maintenance as a separate line.

## What should a web design contract include?

A short, clear contract protects both sides. Check that it covers:

- **Scope:** pages, features, languages and what is explicitly not included
- **Deliverables and timeline:** milestones and what you must supply, and by when
- **Revisions:** how many rounds, and the price of extra work
- **Price and payment schedule:** deposit, balance, and when each is due
- **Ownership and licences:** your domain, your content, the finished site, and any third-party fonts, images or plugins and who pays for their licences
- **Hosting and maintenance:** monthly price, what it includes, response times, minimum term
- **Data protection:** a data processing agreement if they process personal data for you
- **Exit:** notice period, handover of files and logins, domain transfer

> If a designer is reluctant to put any of this in writing, treat that as your answer.

## Where to start

Before you contact anyone, it helps to know where your current site stands. Ariston Studios offers a [free website audit](/audit) based on Google Lighthouse data that you can use as a neutral baseline when comparing proposals, or you can [get in touch](/contact) to talk through your project. For budgeting, see [how much a website costs](/guides/website-cost), and for life after launch, [website maintenance](/guides/website-maintenance).

## Frequently asked questions
### Should my domain name be registered in my name or my web designer's?
In your name, or your company's name, with login details you control. A designer can manage it for you, but you should be the registrant so you can move it at any time.

### Can a web designer guarantee a #1 ranking on Google?
No. Google's own Search Central guidance states that no one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google, so treat any such promise as a red flag.

### Who owns the copyright to my website?
In many countries, including the Netherlands and the US, copyright stays with the creator unless it is transferred in writing. Make sure your contract assigns ownership of the site to you, or gives you a clear, permanent licence, once you have paid.

### How many revision rounds are normal for a small business website?
Two or three rounds is common for small sites. What matters most is that the number is written down, along with the price of extra rounds.

### Is a freelancer or an agency better for a small business website?
For most small sites, a freelancer or small studio is enough and usually costs less. An agency makes sense for large sites, complex integrations or when you need many specialists at once.

## Sources
- [Google Search Central: Do you need an SEO?](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/do-i-need-seo)
- [web.dev: Web Vitals](https://web.dev/articles/vitals)
- [Google for Developers: About PageSpeed Insights](https://developers.google.com/speed/docs/insights/v5/about)
- [W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/)
- [EDPB: Guidelines 05/2020 on consent under Regulation 2016/679](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/our-work-tools/our-documents/guidelines/guidelines-052020-consent-under-regulation-2016679_en)
- [EUR-Lex: General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj)
- [EUR-Lex: ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EC](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2002/58/oj)