Working With a Freelance Developer
A good freelancer can build a small business app well. The relationship works when ownership, scope and handover are agreed in writing at the start.
Agree ownership first
- Who owns the source code and design files at the end.
- Which accounts (stores, hosting, domain) are in your business's name.
- Which third-party components are used, and under what licences.
Pay by milestone
A deposit, payments at clear milestones and a final payment on delivery protect both sides. Define each milestone as something you can check.
Insist on access
From the first week, the code should live in a repository your business owns, with the developer invited as a collaborator. That one decision prevents most handover disputes.
Plan the handover
- Written instructions for building and deploying the app.
- A list of every external service, account and credential, transferred securely.
- A short walkthrough recorded on video.
- An agreed period for fixing defects after launch.
If you cannot rebuild and publish the app without the original developer, the handover is not finished.
Revised 2026-10-20