The honest trade-offs
Each option suits a different kind of project:
- A freelancer: usually the lowest price and a direct line to the builder. The risk is reliability, so look for a track record and a written agreement.
- A small studio: the same direct line, with a business behind it, a set process and written terms.
- An agency: designers, developers and project managers in one place, for big projects with many moving parts. You pay for that team, and you may rarely speak to the people building your site.
Full disclosure
TigerPoint is a studio of one, on purpose: the person who writes your plan is the person who builds your site. So weigh what follows knowing where it comes from, and ask these questions of anyone you consider, including us.
What to ask anyone you hire
- Can I see sites you built that are live today?
- Will the domain, hosting and logins be in my name?
- Is the price fixed and written down before work starts?
- Who will I talk to, and who does the actual work?
- What happens after launch if something needs changing?
Warning signs
Walk away, or at least ask harder questions, when you see:
- No live work you can open yourself.
- The domain registered in their name, not yours.
- A price that only comes after a long sales call.
- A monthly contract you cannot leave without losing the site.
Getting it in writing
Whoever you pick, get the scope, timeline and price in writing before you pay anything. At TigerPoint that written plan is free and arrives within 48 hours, and a business website starts from $499 (see what moves the price).