Hiring the wrong WordPress developer rarely fails on day one. It fails three months later, when the site is slow, the developer stops replying, or you discover the hosting account is in someone else's name. Most of these problems can be avoided by asking the right questions before you sign.
This guide is part of the WordPress Websites & Care section. Below are eight questions I recommend every business in Saudi Arabia ask a developer, what a good answer sounds like, and how I answer each one myself.
In short: ask for similar live projects, a written proposal, clear ownership, real Arabic and RTL experience, local payment know-how, a plan for speed and security, post-launch support, and a defined way of working together.
1. Can I see live projects similar to mine?
Screenshots and mockups are easy to polish. Ask for live links to projects close to yours in size and type, then open them on your phone.
My own work is public in my portfolio, including a Saudi WooCommerce store that grew from around 3,000 SAR to over 300,000 SAR in monthly revenue.
2. Will I get a written proposal before any work starts?
A good developer defines the scope, pages, features, timeline and price in writing. Without it, every disagreement becomes your word against theirs.
Every project I take on starts with a written proposal that explains exactly what is included before any work begins.
To check whether a quote is reasonable, see my WordPress website cost guide for 2026.
3. Who will own the website, the code and the accounts?
The domain, hosting, WordPress admin and any paid licenses should be registered to your business, not to the developer. Ask this directly, and ask for it in the proposal.
A developer who hesitates here is a risk, no matter how good the portfolio looks.
4. How do you handle Arabic and right-to-left layouts?
In the Saudi market, your Arabic site is often your main site. Yet many developers treat Arabic as a translation job and deliver broken layouts, weak fonts and mixed text direction.
Ask how they build RTL interfaces and bilingual SEO. As a native Arabic speaker, this is a core part of my work, covered in my Arabic localization and RTL service.
5. Which local payment gateways and integrations have you worked with?
If you sell online, your developer should know the tools your customers expect. General experience with international gateways is not enough.
On the Saudi store mentioned above, I integrated Tap for cards, Tamara and Tabby for buy-now-pay-later, and SMSA for shipping, along with Saudi Riyal formatting and tax settings.
6. How will you make the site fast and secure?
Ask what they do about caching, image optimization, updates and backups, and how they measure speed. Vague answers usually mean it will not be done.
On every project I configure caching, optimize images and set up updates and backups from day one, then measure the result with real speed tests. For existing sites, this is exactly what my speed optimization service covers.
Planning a new website? Send me a short description of what you need, and I will send you a written proposal with a clear scope and price. Request a proposal
7. What happens after launch?
WordPress needs regular updates, monitoring and backups. Ask whether support is included, for how long, and what it costs after that.
My maintenance plans start at $49 per month for informational sites, $99 for active business sites and stores, and $199+ for high-traffic sites, with no long-term contract. Details are on my maintenance and support page.
8. How will we communicate, and how fast will you respond?
Agree on one channel, expected response times and regular progress updates. Working remotely is normal today, but silence is not.
I work remotely with clients in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, within an hour of Riyadh time, with response times agreed in writing.
Red flags to watch for
Be careful if a developer refuses to put the scope in writing, keeps accounts in their own name, cannot show live work, or quotes a price before understanding your needs. A price that looks too good usually hides costs that appear later.
Ready to talk?
If you are looking for a WordPress developer for your business in Saudi Arabia or Qatar, take a look at my WordPress development service or book a call and ask me these eight questions directly.
