32 questions to ask any Indian software agency before you sign.
A free checklist to filter the bad agencies in your shortlist. Catches junior-only teams, hidden lock-in, vague timelines, weak code-handover, and the "unlimited revisions" trap. Use it on us, use it on anyone.
Most Indian SMEs choose their software agency based on portfolio + price. That's not enough — half of failed projects are agencies that look fine on paper but ship junior code, lock you into proprietary stacks, or vanish post-handover. These 32 questions surface those risks in the first call. Use them on every shortlisted agency, including us. The goal isn't "yes to everything" — it's that you know what you're getting.
What you get
- 32 specific, scoreable questions in 6 categories
- Each question explains what a good answer sounds like vs a red flag
- Spots junior teams, hidden lock-in, weak handover, vague timelines
- Vendor-neutral — works on any agency including us
- Used by procurement teams across India
What’s inside
- Category 1 — The actual team (5 questions): who codes, who reviews, where they sit, their LinkedIn, what they shipped recently
- Category 2 — Stack & ownership (6 questions): tech stack, source-code handover, GitHub access, repo at signing or end, hosting choice
- Category 3 — Process & timeline (5 questions): discovery format, weekly demo cadence, change-request process, what "done" means, penalty for late delivery
- Category 4 — Pricing transparency (5 questions): GST, payment milestones, what's included vs paid extra, post-launch support cost, year-2 maintenance
- Category 5 — Reference + trust (6 questions): 3 references they'll let you call, how long they've been a Pvt Ltd, GST + CIN, sample contract, NDA willingness, IP clause review
- Category 6 — Risk handling (5 questions): what happens if the lead engineer leaves, escrow option, dispute resolution, post-launch SLA, exit plan if they go out of business
Get your free copy
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Who this helps
- Founders evaluating 3-5 agencies for a single project
- Procurement / IT managers vetting vendors for the first time
- Anyone who's been burned by a previous agency and wants better signal
- Government / PSU buyers who need vendor due diligence on file
Frequently asked questions
Will Big Helpers answer all 32 questions?
Yes — that's the test. We give written answers to all 32 in writing, before any contract, on request. If any agency refuses to answer or gives vague answers, that's signal.
What's the most important question to ask?
Probably question 8: "Will I get the source code in a GitHub repo I own from day one?" The right answer is yes. The wrong answer is "after final payment" or "in our private repo you can request access to". This single question filters out a surprising number of agencies.
Is it OK if an agency can't answer all questions immediately?
Yes — give them 48 hours to come back in writing. A real agency will. A vapor agency won't.
How do I score the answers?
The PDF includes a 5-point rubric per question (red flag → vague → acceptable → good → exceptional). Total possible: 160 points. Most decent agencies score 110-130. Below 90 is a no.
What if I'm hiring a freelancer instead of an agency?
About 22 of the 32 questions still apply. The team-related ones (Q1-5) collapse to one question. The references and Pvt Ltd questions don't apply. We mark which questions to skip in the PDF.
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