Choosing the wrong MVP development agency can cost you months of time and tens of thousands of dollars. Here are the questions that separate great agencies from disasters waiting to happen.

1. What's your tech stack, and why?

A good agency has opinions about technology. They should be able to explain why they use specific frameworks and how those choices benefit your project.

Good answer: "We use Next.js with Supabase because it gives you fast performance, built-in auth, and easy scaling — and you own the code."

Red flag: "We use whatever the client wants." (No expertise)

2. Can I talk to a developer before signing?

If you only talk to salespeople, you're dealing with a body shop, not a product studio. The people building your product should be involved from day one.

3. What's included in your quoted price?

Get specifics. A complete MVP should include:

✅ Authentication system
✅ Core features (clearly defined)
✅ Database setup
✅ Payment integration (if needed)
✅ Admin dashboard
✅ Deployment to production
✅ Source code ownership

4. Do you offer a trial or pilot project?

Confident agencies offer some form of risk mitigation — whether it's a paid trial sprint, a small pilot project, or milestone-based payments.

If they demand 50%+ upfront with no way to validate their work first, that's a major risk.

5. What happens after launch?

Your MVP is just the beginning. Ask about:

• Post-launch support period
• Bug fix policies
• Ongoing development options
• Documentation and handoff process

6. How do you handle scope changes?

Scope creep kills projects. A good agency has a clear process for handling change requests — not just saying yes to everything and billing you later.

7. Can I see recent projects?

Not case studies from 2019 — recent work. The technology landscape changes fast. You want an agency that's building with modern tools right now.

8. What's your communication style?

Ask about:

• Primary communication channel (Slack, email, etc.)
• Update frequency
• Response time expectations
• Timezone overlap

9. Do I own the source code?

This should be non-negotiable. You're paying for a product — you should own it completely. No licensing fees, no restrictions.

10. What if the project fails?

Not every project works out. Ask what happens if:

• Deadlines are missed
• Quality doesn't meet expectations
• You need to pivot mid-project

Agencies that build in accountability (like milestone payments or trial periods) show confidence in their work.

The Bottom Line

The best MVP agencies are transparent, opinionated, and focused on outcomes — not billable hours. They make it easy to start small and prove their value before you commit fully.

Looking for an MVP agency?

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