What to Know Before Hiring a Web Developer

If you run a business in Lebanon — a restaurant, a shop, a clinic, a small company — and you've decided it's time for a website, the most important question is what to know before hiring a web developer so you don't get burned. The catch is that you're probably not technical, the developer speaks a language you don't, and if you don't pay attention you can end up locked in: unable to move your own site, not knowing who holds the passwords, and paying a new fee for every tiny change. This checklist is written for the business owner, not the developer. It gives you clear, plain-language points to agree on from day one and helps you avoid the most common traps in the Lebanese market.

First decision: a simple site or a web app?

Before you talk to anyone, understand this distinction, because it drives the entire cost.

A simple site (static / brochure site): pages that present your business — who you are, what you offer, prices, a phone or WhatsApp number. No logins, no complex database. This is enough for about 80% of small businesses in Lebanon. Budget roughly $150-$600 fresh depending on design and the number of pages.

A web app: it has logic — bookings, user accounts, a cart and checkout, a dashboard where content changes on its own. This costs significantly more, starts around $800 and climbs with complexity, and needs ongoing maintenance.

The big mistake is paying app prices when all you need is a "brochure" online. Many developers will happily sell you features you'll never use. Ask yourself one simple question: will the content change every day, or once a month? If it rarely changes, you need a simple site, not an app.

If you want to understand the scope of this service and what it includes, look at our web development services page, and specifically what to expect when you hire web development in Beirut.

Who owns the code? The question everyone forgets

This is the single biggest trap in Lebanon. Plenty of people pay thousands of dollars and later discover the site isn't really theirs — the developer registered everything under his own account, every year you pay him to renew, and the day you fall out, he disappears and takes your site with him.

Before you sign anything, agree in writing on:

• Source code: when the work is done, the code becomes yours. Ask for a full copy (for example on GitHub or as a zip file).
• The domain name: register it under your name and your email, never the developer's. This is the most important point. The domain is your digital identity — it must be 100% in your name.
• Hosting: know where the site will live and who holds the passwords. Ideally the account is yours and you grant the developer temporary access.

Treat these points as part of the contract. If you want to know how to document all of this properly, we have a step-by-step guide on how to scope a freelance project with a clear contract.

Mobile first: your site has to work on a phone

In Lebanon, most people open the internet on their phone, not a computer. If your site looks broken on mobile, you've lost the majority of your customers in the first second.

Tell the developer explicitly: the site must be responsive — it adapts to every screen size (phone, tablet, desktop). And don't just take their word for it. Ask to see a version on your own phone before you pay the final installment. Open the site on an iPhone and on an Android, tap the buttons, test the WhatsApp link — everything must work smoothly.

An important Lebanon point: many people have slow internet or are burning through a mobile data plan. Ask for a light, fast site — compressed images, no heavy videos that eat data. Speed here isn't a luxury; it directly affects how many visitors stay on your page.

Arabic and right-to-left (RTL) support

If you want your site in Arabic, or Arabic and English together, this is the detail that quietly gets forgotten and blows up at the end. Arabic is written right-to-left (RTL), and many ready-made templates simply aren't built for it — text comes out scrambled and buttons land in the wrong place.

Ask the developer from the start: is there full RTL support? And if the site will be bilingual, how will the user switch between languages? Ask to see an example of an Arabic site they've built before. Don't assume "Arabic is easy" — it's one of the things that most often gets done wrong when the developer has no experience with it.

A maintenance plan: what happens after the site is done?

A website is not a job you finish and forget. Agree in advance on what happens next.

Updates and fixes

Browsers change, and sometimes something stops working. Ask: if something breaks two weeks after delivery, who fixes it and for how much? It helps to have a warranty period (say, one month) during which small fixes are free.

Who changes the content?

If you want to swap a price or add a photo, do you have to call the developer every single time, or can you do it yourself? If your content changes often, ask for a simple dashboard (a CMS) where you can edit things yourself without being technical.

The real monthly cost

Do an honest sum: the domain (roughly $10-$20 a year), hosting (anywhere from free to $10-$30 a month depending on size), and any other subscriptions. Have the developer write these numbers down in black and white before you start, so you're never surprised by a bill you didn't expect.

Payment: fresh dollars and staged installments

Payment is a sensitive subject in Lebanon. Make it clear from the start that you're paying in fresh dollars (new cash or an international transfer), not old "bank dollars" (lollars), because the value differs enormously and the developer needs to know exactly what he'll receive.

And never pay the full amount upfront. The right approach is staged payments (milestones): a first payment at kickoff, a payment when the design is delivered, and a final payment only when everything is finished and works on your phone. That way you're protected and the developer is reassured he'll get paid. We have a full article on how to set milestones when hiring a freelancer that shows you how to split them sensibly.

This is where Furrsati comes in. When you hire the developer on the platform, the money is held in escrow until you confirm the milestone is complete. Neither side loses out — the developer is guaranteed payment, and you only pay once you've seen the work actually done. Payouts come out the way that suits you: OMT, Whish, bank transfer, or USDT.

If your budget is tight

You don't need to spend a fortune to get started. If you're a startup or a small business just launching, begin with a simple site and grow it later as your business grows. What matters most is that you own the domain and the code, so any other developer can pick it up later. We have a dedicated guide on how to hire a freelancer on a Lebanese startup budget with practical ideas to save money without sacrificing quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a website cost in Lebanon?

A simple brochure site runs roughly $150-$600 fresh, while a web app with real features starts around $800 and climbs with complexity. These figures are approximate and shift with the design, number of pages, and the developer's experience.

How do I make sure the site is actually mine?

Agree in writing on three things: the source code becomes yours after payment, the domain is registered under your name and your email, and the hosting account is in your name. Make it part of the contract, not a verbal promise.

Does my site need to be in Arabic?

If most of your customers are Lebanese, yes — Arabic brings you closer to them. A bilingual site (Arabic and English) is usually best. Just make sure the developer has experience with right-to-left (RTL) support so the page doesn't come out scrambled.

What's the difference between a domain and hosting?

The domain is your site's name (e.g. yourshop.com) — your digital identity. Hosting is the place where the site is stored online. Both should be in your name so you stay in control of your site no matter what happens with the developer.

How do I protect myself if the developer disappears?

Pay in stages rather than everything upfront, and hold the money in escrow on a platform like Furrsati. And make sure from day one that the domain and passwords are in your name — that way, even if the developer vanishes, your site stays in your hands.

Let's get your project started right

The whole thing comes down to agreeing well on day one: decide whether you need a simple site or an app, make sure you own the code and domain, insist the site works on a phone, and settle a clear maintenance plan. When you're ready, post your project on Furrsati and receive offers from trusted Lebanese developers — with your money protected in escrow until you're 100% happy. We've got you, and your site starts off on the right foot.