10 questions to ask before you hire a software developer

The 10 questions

• 1. Who will own the code, the store accounts, the domain and the hosting accounts?
• 2. Is the price fixed, and what's included in it?
• 3. What's the written plan: what will the software do, for each type of user?
• 4. How is the work split into stages, and what can I test at the end of each?
• 5. What happens if I change my mind halfway?
• 6. How do you handle personal information under POPIA?
• 7. What do you fix after launch, and for how long?
• 8. What will it cost me each month to run?
• 9. Who will actually do the work, and who do I talk to?
• 10. If we part ways, what do I get, and how?

Ownership of code and accounts

This is the question that causes the most pain later. If your app is on the developer's store account, your domain in their name, or your code on their servers, you're tied to them.

Insist that the code, the App Store and Google Play accounts, the domain, the hosting and the data are all in your business's name, with your own logins. Your developer gets access, not ownership.

Fixed price vs hourly

A fixed price on a written plan means the developer carries the risk of the work taking longer. An hourly rate means you do. Hourly work can make sense for small, open-ended jobs, but for a defined build, ask for one fixed price and a clear list of what it covers.

Ask, too, how changes are priced. A good developer quotes each change before doing it, so there are no surprises on the invoice.

Stages and planning

Large builds delivered all at once at the end are risky: you only find out what's wrong when the money's spent. Ask for the work in stages, each one something you can test on your own phone or computer.

The plan should be in writing before work starts: who uses the software, what each user can do, what it connects to, and the stages. If a developer won't put it in writing, the price is a guess.

POPIA

If your software handles names, phone numbers, addresses, ID numbers or payments, POPIA applies to how that data is collected, used, stored and secured. As the business, you're the responsible party.

Ask how the developer limits access to personal data, where it's stored, how it's secured, whether actions are logged, and whether your data is ever used for anything else, including training AI. This is a plain summary, not legal advice.

After-launch support

• How long are bugs fixed for free after launch?
• Who keeps the app working when Apple, Google or browsers change?
• What does monthly support cost, and what does it cover?
• How fast do they respond when something is down?

Red flags

• A price without a written plan.
• The developer wants to publish on their own store account or register your domain in their name.
• No mention of monthly running costs.
• Everything delivered at the end, with nothing to test along the way.
• Vague answers about who does the work.
• Pressure to sign today.
• No answer on POPIA or data security.

How Peak Software answers them

You own the code and the accounts. A short call, then a written plan and one fixed price before work starts. We build in stages you can test, build to POPIA from day one, and fix anything that comes up in the first 30 days. The optional care plan, from R800 a month, covers what comes after. We work remotely with businesses across South Africa.

Questions