Executive Summary: Choosing the wrong development partner can cost you 6 months and $100K+. This 15-point checklist, refined through evaluating 100+ agencies for our clients, helps founders and CTOs systematically assess potential partners and make confident decisions.
The Complete 15-Point Evaluation Checklist
Use this checklist when evaluating potential development partners. Score each item 1-5, then calculate the total. Partners scoring below 50 should be eliminated; those above 60 are strong candidates.
Category 1: Experience & Expertise (25 points max)
1. Relevant Industry Experience (1-5 points)
Have they built products in your industry? FinTech requires different expertise than e-commerce. Domain knowledge accelerates development and reduces mistakes.
✓ 5 points: Multiple similar projects with case studies
✓ 3 points: Some related experience
✓ 1 point: No relevant industry experience
2. Technical Stack Expertise (1-5 points)
Do they have deep expertise in your required technologies? Ask about years of experience, team certifications, and projects completed with the stack.
3. Team Composition & Seniority (1-5 points)
Who will actually work on your project? Ask for the specific team, their experience levels, and what percentage of their time you'll get.
4. Portfolio Quality (1-5 points)
Review their past work. Is the code clean? Are the products still running? Can you use/test them yourself?
5. Reference Quality (1-5 points)
Speaking with references is non-negotiable. Ask about communication, delivery, and whether they'd work with them again.
Category 2: Process & Communication (25 points max)
6. Discovery Process (1-5 points)
Do they invest time understanding your business before proposing solutions? Good partners ask lots of questions; bad ones jump straight to estimates.
7. Communication Responsiveness (1-5 points)
How quickly do they respond during the sales process? This predicts how they'll communicate during the project.
8. Transparency & Honesty (1-5 points)
Do they push back on bad ideas? Admit uncertainty? A partner who always agrees is either inexperienced or telling you what you want to hear.
9. Project Management Approach (1-5 points)
What's their methodology? How do they handle sprints, standups, and stakeholder updates? You should know exactly how they'll keep you informed.
10. Documentation Practices (1-5 points)
Will they document architecture, APIs, and processes? Good documentation is essential for future maintenance and team transitions.
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Schedule Discovery Call →Category 3: Business Terms & Flexibility (25 points max)
11. IP Ownership (1-5 points)
You should own 100% of the code and IP. Any hesitation here is a dealbreaker. Review the contract carefully.
12. Contract Flexibility (1-5 points)
Can you pause, scale down, or exit if needed? Long lock-ins without flexibility are risky for startups.
13. Payment Terms (1-5 points)
Milestone-based payments protect both parties. Avoid large upfront payments; 20-30% deposit with milestone payments is standard.
14. Change Request Process (1-5 points)
Scope will change. How do they handle it? Clear processes prevent disputes and budget surprises.
15. Post-Launch Support (1-5 points)
What happens after launch? Bug fixes, maintenance, and support terms should be defined upfront.
Scoring Guide
| Score | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| 65-75 | Excellent partner - proceed with confidence |
| 55-64 | Good partner - address any low-scoring areas |
| 45-54 | Proceed with caution - consider alternatives |
| Below 45 | Not recommended - find another partner |
Conclusion
Thorough evaluation takes time but prevents costly mistakes. Use this checklist systematically, trust your gut when something feels off, and remember: the cheapest option is rarely the best value.
Key statistics (2025)
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
Software Development11 min2025-12-28
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