Hiring a web developer in Dubai should be simpler than guessing who has the most impressive portfolio screenshots. What matters is whether the person understands your business, can deliver the required functionality and will leave you with a site that your team can manage.
A useful hiring process starts with a clear brief and a few focused questions. You do not need to know how to code to evaluate the answers.
Write a one-page brief before contacting developers
Describe your business, your main customer action, existing website (if any), important pages, required integrations and preferred launch period. Include examples of sites you like, but explain why: easy navigation, readable product cards, fast mobile pages or a professional visual style.
If you need a booking workflow, payment integration or Arabic site, mention that upfront. These features affect technology choices and testing more than a generic request for a “modern website.”
Look for relevant project experience
A beautiful screenshot is only one part of a useful portfolio. Ask which sections the developer actually built, whether they handled CMS setup or data migration, and whether the project has a working mobile layout. If a portfolio includes stores, try using their navigation and product filters yourself.
Relevant experience does not require an identical industry. A developer who can explain how they solved a complex content problem may be more helpful than one showing only a polished animation.
Five questions I would ask in an interview
- What would you build first, and why? A thoughtful developer should discuss requirements and risks before colours.
- How will I edit the website later? Ask for a demonstration of the content editor you will receive.
- How are bugs, backups and updates handled? Look for a real staging and testing process.
- What is excluded from the quote? Clarify copy, premium subscriptions, hosting, content migration and extra revisions.
- How will we confirm the project is finished? Agree on acceptance criteria such as forms, responsive layouts, speed checks and user journeys.
Compare proposals by scope, not only price
One proposal may include design, development, content population and support. Another may include only initial templates. Put both into a table covering deliverables, milestones, ownership, revision limits and maintenance. A vague bargain often becomes expensive when essential work appears as extras.
Payment milestones should correspond to concrete, reviewable deliverables. Avoid committing everything upfront without understanding the process, and retain administrator access to accounts owned by your business.
Check communication and handover quality
Good communication means clear questions, visible progress and written decisions. Ask how change requests are handled and where project files will live. At handover, expect logins, documentation and a description of any subscriptions you must maintain.
For a content-led business site, WordPress development may be a practical option. For ecommerce, compare Shopify services with custom web development according to your requirements.
Why mobile and SEO belong in the brief
A site should work for customers before it works for a desktop screenshot. Check tap targets, image loading, readable text and forms on a phone. For SEO, ask for clean URLs, sensible headings, indexability, crawlable navigation and a content structure that matches what customers search for. Nobody can credibly guarantee a number-one Google position from development alone.
The Google SEO Starter Guide is a sensible baseline for technical discussions.
Red flags worth taking seriously
Be cautious of guaranteed rankings, no discussion of ownership, no written scope, reluctance to provide a testing plan, and pressure to install numerous unnecessary plugins. Also question proposals built entirely around what is easiest for the developer rather than what the business needs.
Frequently asked questions
Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?
That depends on project size, specialist requirements and your preference for direct communication. My freelancer versus agency comparison can help.
Do I need to know the website platform before hiring?
Not necessarily. Explain business requirements first and ask candidates to justify their technical recommendation.
What should be in the final handover?
Administrator access, ownership details, relevant source/assets, integration credentials transferred securely, operating guidance and a tested backup/maintenance plan.