The short version
- Decide what you need first (a simple site, a lead-generating business site or a custom web app). It narrows the field more than any other choice.
- Ask every developer the same questions about scope, ownership, accessibility, what happens after launch and what is not included.
- Walk away from anyone who will not put the price and scope in writing, keeps your domain or code in their name, or cannot show you live work.
- Compare quotes line by line, including running costs and HST, not just the headline number.
- Check past work yourself: open their client sites on your phone, run a free speed test, and ask to speak with a past client.
If you are trying to work out how to choose a web developer, you have probably already noticed that every quote looks different and every portfolio looks good. This guide is for small-business owners, clinics, non-profits and founders in Cambridge, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and across Ontario who want to hire well the first time. I am a web developer myself, so I will be upfront about where I fit, and also about when you should hire someone else or not hire anyone at all.
Start with what you need, not who to hire
The most common hiring mistake I see is comparing people before deciding what the project is. A developer who is perfect for a five-page brochure site may be the wrong person for a booking system, and the other way around. Before you contact anyone, write down a few sentences on each of these:
- What the site has to do. Show your services and get phone calls? Take bookings or payments? Let customers log in? The more it has to do, the more you need a developer rather than a designer.
- Who will update it. If you want to change text and photos yourself, say so now. It changes how the site is built.
- Your budget range and deadline. A range is fine. It lets good developers tell you early whether they are a fit instead of wasting your time.
- What already exists. An old site, a domain, branding, a Google Business Profile, software you already pay for.
Not ready to hire yet?
If you are testing a brand-new idea on a very small budget, a DIY website builder is a reasonable first step. You can hire a developer once you know what customers actually want. My guide to website costs in Ontario compares DIY, freelancers and agencies side by side.Freelancer, studio or agency?
There is no best type of web developer, only the best fit for your project. Here is how the main options tend to compare. These are general patterns, not rules; you will find good and bad examples of each.
| Option | Strengths | Watch out for | Usually a good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent freelancer | Direct contact with the person doing the work, lower overhead, quick decisions | Availability if they get sick or busy; check they have a plan for that | Small businesses, clinics and non-profits with a clear scope |
| Small studio (2–10 people) | Separate designer and developer, some cover for holidays | Who actually builds your site; it may be a junior or a subcontractor | Businesses that want more design input or have a larger site |
| Agency | Strategy, branding, copywriting and marketing under one roof | Higher prices and more layers between you and the developer | Larger organizations with a marketing team and bigger budget |
| Online marketplace hire | Low hourly rates and a large pool to choose from | Time zones, communication gaps and handover of code and accounts | Well-defined technical tasks with someone who can review the work |
Location matters less than it used to, but it still helps to hire someone who understands Ontario requirements such as the AODA website accessibility rules and who can meet you in person if that is how you prefer to work.
How to choose a web developer: the questions to ask
Send every developer on your shortlist the same questions, in writing. You are not just collecting answers; you are seeing how clearly and honestly each person communicates, which is what the whole project will feel like.
Ask every web developer you are considering
- Who will actually design and build my site, and who do I contact day to day?
- Can you show me two or three live sites you built that are similar to what I need?
- What exactly is included in the price, and what is not?
- Will I own the domain, hosting account, design files and code when the project is paid for?
- How do you handle accessibility, mobile performance and basic search engine setup?
- How will I update the content myself, and will you show me how?
- What happens after launch: is there a fix period, and what do updates and support cost?
- What do you need from me (copy, photos, approvals), and by when?
- How do you handle changes to the scope once work has started?
- What is the payment schedule, and is HST included in the quote?
Good answers are specific. “Yes, the domain is registered in your name and I will add myself as a user” is a good answer. “Don't worry, I handle all of that” is not.
Red flags that should make you walk away
Most developers are honest and want you to succeed. These warning signs are worth taking seriously anyway, because they are hard to fix once you have paid a deposit.
- No written scope or quote. If the price and what it includes are not in writing, you have nothing to point to when expectations differ.
- They keep your domain or accounts in their name. Your domain is your business address online. It should be registered to you, with the developer added as a user if needed.
- No live work to show. Mock-ups and screenshots are fine for new developers, but you should be able to visit at least some real sites they built.
- Guaranteed rankings. Nobody can promise you the top spot on Google. Anyone who does is either guessing or selling something you will regret.
- Vague answers about after launch. Every site needs updates. If the plan for that is unclear, you may be stuck with a site nobody will touch.
- Pressure to decide quickly. A discount that expires tomorrow is a sales tactic, not a reason to hire someone.
- Full payment upfront. A deposit is normal. Paying everything before you have seen any work removes your leverage.
How to compare web developer quotes fairly
Quotes for the same project can differ by thousands of dollars, and the cheapest is not always the best value. Put them side by side and check the same rows for each one.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Pages and page layouts | Ten pages that share one layout cost less than ten unique designs. |
| Features and integrations | Booking, payments, logins and CRM connections are where budgets grow. |
| Content | Who writes the copy and supplies photos? Unbudgeted content is a common cause of delays. |
| Accessibility and performance | Cheaper quotes often skip this, and fixing it later costs more. |
| Ownership | Code, design files, domain and hosting should end up in your name. |
| Running costs | Hosting, plugins, licences and maintenance add up every year. |
| After-launch support | A fix period and a clear price for future changes. |
| HST and payment schedule | Compare totals the same way, before or after 13% HST. |
If one quote is far lower than the others, ask what is missing. Sometimes the answer is a lighter scope that suits you fine. Sometimes it is a template, no accessibility work and a monthly plugin bill you did not see coming. For the ongoing side, my post on website maintenance costs covers what care plans should include.
Check their work yourself before you sign
You do not need technical knowledge to vet a developer's past work. Spend twenty minutes on these checks for each finalist:
- Open their client sites on your phone. Most of your customers will. Does the site load quickly, is the text readable, and do the buttons work with your thumb?
- Run a free speed test. Paste a client site into Google's PageSpeed Insights. You are not looking for a perfect score, just for no glaring problems on mobile.
- Try to use the site. Fill in a contact form, try a booking, use the menu. Did it feel easy?
- Ask to speak to a past client. Ask them how communication went, whether the project ran on time and budget, and whether they would hire the developer again.
You can see examples of projects I have built on my work page.
Where I fit, and when I am not the right choice
I am an independent developer based in Cambridge. You work directly with me from the first call to launch, and every project gets a written scope and a fixed quote before any work begins. My package prices are on my services page, and smaller jobs such as audits or fixes to an existing site are billed at $45 an hour, plus HST.
I am probably not the right fit if you need a full branding and advertising agency, or if you need a large team working on your project at the same time. In those cases I am happy to tell you so.
If you are comparing developers now, send me your project details and I will reply with honest questions, a rough range, or a pointer to a better option if I am not it.
Frequently asked questions
How many web developers should I get quotes from?
Three is usually enough. Fewer makes it hard to spot an outlier, and more takes a lot of your time to compare properly.
Should I hire a local web developer in Ontario?
It is not required, but a local developer can meet in person, works in your time zone and is more likely to know Ontario requirements like the AODA. Plenty of good remote developers exist too, so judge the work and communication first.
Is the cheapest web developer quote a bad sign?
Not always. Ask what is missing compared with the other quotes. A smaller scope may suit you, but a quote that skips ownership, accessibility or after-launch support often costs more over time.
Who should own my website and domain?
You should. The domain, hosting account, design files and code should be in your name or transferred to you on final payment, with the developer added as a user where they need access.
Written by Corey Paskewitz
Corey is a full-stack web and software developer in Cambridge, Ontario. Through Corvian Labs he designs and builds websites, booking systems and custom web apps for businesses across Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and beyond.