How to Choose a Web Development Company: What to Look For

The web development market in Thailand has thousands of providers — from freelancers and small studios to large agencies — with prices ranging from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of baht. So how do you choose without wasting money? This article summarizes 8 critical factors to evaluate before hiring a web development company, plus red flags to watch out for. Whether your budget is 5,000 or 500,000 THB, these principles apply. Read to the end and make your decision with confidence. See market pricing for websites in 2026

8 Things to Check Before Choosing a Web Development Company

Before spending a single baht, check these 8 points with every company you are considering:

1. 1.Portfolio — See Real Work, Not Just Screenshots. Ask for links to live websites they have built. Check if the sites load fast, look professional, and are custom work or just templates. If a company cannot provide links to actual live projects, be cautious.
2. 2.Technology — Ask What They Use: WordPress, Next.js, or Custom? The technology used directly affects Performance, SEO, and long-term maintenance costs. Read the Next.js vs WordPress comparison to understand the pros and cons of each approach.
3. 3.Performance — Ask to See Lighthouse Scores from Past Projects. Open PageSpeed Insights and check the scores of the company's previous work. If scores are below 70, they do not prioritize Performance, which will negatively impact your website's SEO and User Experience.
4. 4.SEO — Is SEO Included or an Extra Charge? Some companies sell SEO as a separate add-on, while good companies include basic SEO (Meta Tags, Schema Markup, Sitemap, Alt Text) in the website price. Ask specifically what SEO elements are included.
5. 5.Support — How Many Months of Post-Launch Support? A quality website should come with at least 1 month of post-launch support for bug fixes and minor adjustments. Some companies deliver and disappear — if problems arise later, you must hire someone new.
6. 6.Pricing — Transparent or Hidden Costs? Good companies state prices clearly from the start with no hidden fees. If a company gives vague pricing or says they need to "evaluate later" without providing a price range, be cautious. See market pricing for 2026
7. 7.Communication — Do You Talk to the Developer or an Account Manager? If you communicate through a non-technical Account Manager, information can get lost in translation, resulting in a website that does not match your requirements. Talking directly to the Developer significantly reduces miscommunication.
8. 8.Source Code — Do You Own It? An often-overlooked question: who owns the source code after delivery? Some companies do not hand over source code, locking you in forever. If you want to switch providers, you must rebuild from scratch.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Beyond the 8 points above, there are warning signs you should be especially cautious about. If you encounter any of these, reconsider before committing:

• •Unrealistically low prices — If a company offers a custom website for under 2,000 THB, it is most likely a purchased WordPress template with names changed, not actual custom work.
• •No portfolio or outdated portfolio — If a company cannot show recent work, they may be new with no experience or their previous work was not good enough to showcase.
• •They do not hand over source code — The clearest red flag. If a company keeps the source code, you are locked in with them permanently.
• •Unclear contract — No written contract, or a contract that does not specify scope, number of revision rounds, and timeline clearly.
• •No post-launch support — Companies that deliver and disappear, offering no support whatsoever. If issues arise later, you must hire someone new to fix them.
• •Unreasonably long timelines — A Landing Page should not take more than 2 weeks. A 5-10 page corporate website should not exceed 1 month. If a company claims they need 3-6 months for a standard website, question it.

CherCode Passes Every Criterion

At CherCode, our services are designed to meet every criterion listed above:

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the most common questions business owners ask about choosing a web development company: