How to Choose a Software Development Company in Kenya: 9 Questions to Ask

Hiring the wrong developer is expensive: lost months, a half-built product and sometimes no access to your own code. Use these questions to vet any software company in Kenya, including us.

1. Can I see live work?

Ask for links to real, running projects, not just screenshots. Open them on your phone. Check speed and whether they work properly.

2. Who will actually build my project?

Some agencies sell with senior people and hand work to juniors or subcontractors. Ask who writes the code and who you will talk to weekly.

3. Will I own the code and the accounts?

The answer must be yes: source code, domain, hosting and databases in your name. Get it in writing as an IP transfer clause.

4. How is the price structured?

Look for a fixed written quote with milestones, for example 50% to start and 50% on delivery. Be careful with vague hourly estimates and with monthly fees just to build.

5. What is the timeline?

A credible team gives dated milestones. A typical business site takes 1-2 weeks, a custom platform 4-8 weeks and a mobile app 8-16 weeks.

6. Can you integrate M-Pesa and local services?

If you sell in Kenya, you need Daraja, SMS and maybe KRA or accounting integrations. Ask for an example.

7. How do you handle security and backups?

Ask about HTTPS, access control, backups and how they respond to vulnerabilities.

8. What happens after launch?

Software needs updates. Ask what a maintenance plan includes, what it costs, and whether you can cancel.

9. How will we communicate?

Weekly demos and one clear contact beat silence followed by a surprise. Agree on channels such as WhatsApp and email up front.

Red flags

• Prices far below everyone else, with no breakdown.
• No portfolio you can verify.
• Refusal to hand over source code.
• Pressure to pay everything upfront.

Want to see how we answer these? Review our portfolio and pricing, then book a free consultation.