Guide2 min read
20 Questions to Ask a Software Agency Before Signing
Every agency has a polished portfolio. These twenty questions get past it. We answer all of them in our proposals; ask any studio you consider to do the same.
Hassan Kazi
Founder, TrueCodeAI
- Published
HiringOutsourcingFounders
Team
- Who exactly will work on my project, and can I meet them?
- Are they employees or subcontractors?
- Who is my single point of contact?
- What happens if a key person leaves mid-project?
Process
- How often will I see working software?
- How do you handle scope changes?
- What does a typical week of communication look like?
- How do you estimate, and how accurate were your last three estimates?
Ownership
- Who owns the code, designs and data?
- Are repositories and cloud accounts in my name from day one?
- Will you hand over credentials and documentation?
- Do you reuse proprietary components I would need to license?
Quality and AI
- What automated testing do you do?
- How do you handle security reviews?
- For AI features: how do you evaluate accuracy before launch?
- Can I see an eval report or test suite from a past project?
After launch
- What is covered by warranty, and for how long?
- What do maintenance and support cost?
- Can you help me hire and hand over to an in-house team?
- Can I speak to two past clients?
Frequently asked questions
Which answers are red flags?
Vague answers on ownership, no working demos until the end, and no way to measure AI quality.
Should I choose the cheapest quote?
Only if the answers to these questions are as good as the others’. Usually they are not.
Will you answer these for us?
Yes — send us the list and we will answer in writing with the proposal.
