What should I check before hiring a website developer in India?

1. Live examples: open sites they have built on your phone. Check they load fast and the contact forms work. 2. Similar businesses: ask if they have built sites for your type of business.

3. Written quote: every page, feature and integration should be listed with a fixed price. 4. Payment terms: a typical split is part upfront and the rest at launch — avoid paying 100% before work starts.

5. Ownership: your domain, hosting, website files and all logins must be in your name. 6. Content: agree who writes the text and provides photos, and whether that costs extra.

7. Google basics: page titles, descriptions, sitemap, Search Console and Google Analytics should be set up before handover. 8. Speed and mobile: ask them to show a speed score on mobile after launch.

9. Redesigns: if your current site gets Google traffic, ask how old page addresses will be redirected so you don't lose rankings. 10. Timeline: get a week-by-week plan.

11. Support: ask what is free after launch and what monthly maintenance costs (₹3,000–₹8,000 a month is typical for small sites). 12. Editing: confirm you can update text and photos yourself.

Red flags: no written scope, a template sold above ₹40,000, hosting locked to the agency, no Google setup at handover, or promises of guaranteed first-page rankings.