- Judge live websites you can open on your phone, not screenshots or design mock-ups
- Test speed, the WhatsApp button and the enquiry form on two or three of their sites; it takes about 15 minutes
- Ask one past client about the launch, the timeline and how fixes were handled after go-live
- Get domain, hosting, code and Search Console ownership in writing before the first payment
- Compare quotes on the same scope and treat a guaranteed Google ranking as a red flag
Every web design company in Sharjah, Ajman and Dubai has a portfolio page, and almost all of them look good. A polished grid of screenshots tells you very little about whether the sites load on a phone, whether the enquiry buttons work, or whether the business behind them still owns its domain. This checklist shows you how to test a company's real work in about 15 minutes, what to ask before you pay a deposit, and which warning signs mean you should keep looking.
If you are still deciding what kind of help you need, read web design vs web development first. If you already want prices, our web design company in Sharjah page lists them.
The short answer
- Test live sites, not screenshots. Ask for three websites that are live today and open them on your own phone.
- Press the buttons. The WhatsApp, call and form actions are what turn a visit into an enquiry. Check they work.
- Check speed with a free Google tool. PageSpeed Insights shows how real visitors experience a page, where enough data exists.
- Talk to one past client. Ask how the launch went and how quickly fixes happened afterwards.
- Get ownership and scope in writing. Domain, hosting, code, logins, page count, timeline and yearly running costs, before the first payment.
Step 1: Ask for live websites you can open
Ask the company for three websites it designed and built that are live now, ideally for businesses like yours or in your emirate. Screenshots, design files and "concept" work show what a designer can draw; a live site shows what the team actually delivered and whether it still works months later.
When you get the links, check three things before you look at the design:
- Is the site really live on the client's own domain? A link to a demo address or a page builder's preview is not a delivered project.
- Does the footer or the client confirm who built it? Many agencies add a small credit line. If there is none, ask the company whether you can speak to that client.
- Is it current? Look for recent dates, current prices or offers, and working contact details. A site with a copyright year from several years ago and broken links may no longer be maintained by anyone.
Step 2: The 15-minute live-site test
Do this on your own phone, on mobile data rather than office Wi-Fi, because that is how most of your customers will meet your website. Repeat it on two or three of the company's sites.
| Check | How to do it | What good looks like | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| First screen on a phone | Open the homepage and do not scroll | You can tell what the business does, where it works and how to contact it | A large slider or video and no clear offer or button |
| Loading speed | Count how long until the page is usable, then run it through PageSpeed Insights | Content appears quickly; Core Web Vitals pass where field data exists | A blank or jumping page for several seconds |
| WhatsApp button | Tap it | WhatsApp opens with the business number, often with a short message ready | Nothing happens, or it opens a wrong or old number |
| Call button | Tap it | Your phone offers to call the number shown | The number is plain text, or only in an image |
| Enquiry form | Look at the fields; ask the company how form messages are delivered and tested | A short form with a clear confirmation message after sending | Long forms, no confirmation, or nobody can say where messages go |
| Sideways scrolling | Drag the page left and right | The page stays put; tables scroll inside their own box | The whole page slides sideways or text is cut off |
| Arabic version (if offered) | Switch language | A proper right-to-left layout with its own pages | English layout with Arabic text pasted in, or a translate widget |
| Inner pages | Open two service pages and the contact page | Each service has its own page with real content | Every link goes back to one long page, or pages say "coming soon" |
Please do not send fake enquiries through another business's form to test it. Looking at the form and asking the agency how delivery is tested is enough, and it is fairer to their client.
How to read a PageSpeed Insights result
Paste a page address into PageSpeed Insights. Google's documentation explains that the tool shows two kinds of data: field data from real Chrome users over time, and lab data from a simulated test that is useful for debugging. Focus on the field data when it appears. Google classes a page as good when Largest Contentful Paint is 2.5 seconds or less, Interaction to Next Paint is 200 milliseconds or less and Cumulative Layout Shift is 0.1 or less.
Small business sites often have too little traffic for field data. In that case the lab score is a rough guide only: one page scoring in the 70s is not a reason to reject a company, but every site in its portfolio feeling slow on your phone is. We explain why speed matters for enquiries in why your UAE business needs a fast website.
Step 3: Check the results claims
Many agencies show results: "page one on Google", "300% more leads", logos of large brands. Some are true, some are old and some belong to a different team. You can test them politely:
- Ask what the claim is based on. A real result has a date, a source (Search Console, Google Analytics, an ad account) and a named or anonymised business. A percentage with no starting number tells you little.
- Search for it yourself. If they say a client ranks for a search, try it. Results vary by location and device, so treat a single search as a rough check, not proof either way.
- Treat guarantees as a warning. Google's own guidance on hiring an SEO says no one can guarantee a number one ranking, and advises caution with anyone claiming a special relationship with Google.
- Check logos. Ask what the agency actually did for each brand. "We designed one social media post" and "we built their website" are very different projects.
Step 4: Speak to one past client
A five-minute call or WhatsApp message to a past client tells you more than any portfolio. Ask the agency to introduce you, and ask the client:
- Did the site launch on the date you agreed, and if not, why?
- Was the final price the same as the quote?
- Who wrote the content, and how many rounds of changes did you get?
- When something broke or needed changing after launch, how quickly was it fixed?
- Do you have the logins for your domain, hosting and website?
- Has the site brought you enquiries, and how do you know?
Google's hiring guidance makes the same point for SEO providers: ask for examples of past work and ask past clients about the service they received. Public reviews on Google Maps help too, but read the detail of the reviews rather than only the star average.
Step 5: Ownership, before you pay anything
The most expensive website problems in the UAE are not design problems. They are businesses that cannot change a phone number, move hosting or renew their domain because the agency holds every login. Settle these points in writing before the deposit:
| Asset | What to ask | Good answer |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | In whose name will the domain be registered? | Your business, with your email as the contact; for an existing domain, it stays in your name |
| Hosting | Which host, on whose account, and what does renewal cost? | A named host, a stated yearly cost, and access for you |
| Website files and code | Do we own the code and content on final payment? | Yes, in writing, with a copy or access provided |
| Admin logins | Will we have our own administrator login? | Yes, separate from the agency's login |
| Google Search Console and Analytics | Who will be the owner of these accounts? | Your business is the owner; the agency is added as a user |
| Images and fonts | Are photos and fonts licensed for business use? | Your own photos, or licensed stock and fonts, named in the handover |
Two official references are useful here. ICANN's registrants' benefits and responsibilities page says domain holders are entitled to know who their accredited registrar is and how to manage, transfer and renew their names, and must keep their contact details accurate. Google's Search Console help explains that an owner has full control of a property and that only an owner can add or remove users. If the agency is the only owner, you depend on them for your Google data.
For our own projects, the domain, site, code, content and every login are yours on final payment, as stated on our Sharjah web design page.
Step 6: Read the quote line by line
A one-line quote ("Website: AED X") cannot be compared with anything. Ask for these items to be named:
- Pages: how many, and which ones (each service, each area, contact, about).
- Content: who writes the text and supplies photos, and in which languages.
- Platform: custom code, WordPress, Shopify or a site builder, and any paid plugins or licences.
- SEO setup: titles, descriptions, structured data, a sitemap and Search Console, included or extra.
- Timeline: a start date, a launch date and what you must supply to keep it.
- Payments: deposit size, when the balance is due, and what happens if the project stalls.
- Revisions: how many rounds of design changes are included.
- Running costs: domain, hosting, licences and any monthly care plan, per year.
Our website cost guide for Sharjah and Ajman explains what typically drives the price up or down, so you can tell whether a quote is low because it is efficient or because something is missing.
Red flags that should stop you
| Red flag | Why it matters | What to ask instead |
|---|---|---|
| Only screenshots, no live links | You cannot test speed, buttons or whether the site still exists | "Can you send three live sites built in the last year?" |
| Guaranteed Google rankings | Google says no one can guarantee a number one position | "How will you set up the site so Google can index and understand it?" |
| Full payment upfront | You lose leverage if the project stalls | "Can we split payment between start and launch?" |
| Agency keeps the domain or logins | You cannot move, renew or edit without them | "Will the domain and logins be in our name on final payment?" |
| No written scope or timeline | Disputes about what was included are almost certain | "Please list pages, content, revisions and launch date in the quote." |
| A very low price with no detail | Often a theme with your logo, slow hosting or extras added later | "What exactly is included, and what costs extra?" |
| Nobody can explain how form messages arrive | Enquiries may be lost without anyone noticing | "Where do form messages go, and how do you test them before launch?" |
The checklist in one place
Save or screenshot this list and use it with every company you shortlist.
- Three live websites, on the clients' own domains, that you opened on your phone.
- Clear first screen, working WhatsApp and call buttons, no sideways scrolling.
- PageSpeed Insights checked on at least one page; field data reviewed where available.
- Results claims backed by a date, a source and a real (or anonymised) business.
- One past client spoken to about timeline, price, changes and support.
- Domain, hosting, code, admin login and Search Console ownership agreed in writing.
- Quote lists pages, content, platform, SEO setup, timeline, payments, revisions and yearly running costs.
- No guaranteed rankings, no full payment upfront.
A worked example (hypothetical)
This example is illustrative, not a client. A car-service garage in Ajman's industrial area shortlists two companies. Company A sends a portfolio PDF of 12 attractive screenshots and a price that is lower than Company B's. When asked, it can share only one live link, which loads slowly on mobile data and has a WhatsApp button that opens an old number. Its quote is one line and says hosting and domain are "managed by us". Company B sends three live sites, two for service businesses in Sharjah and Ajman. They load quickly on the owner's phone, the WhatsApp buttons open the right numbers, and one past client confirms launch was a week late because their own photos arrived late, but the price did not change. Company B's quote lists eight pages, Arabic as an extra, a launch date and ownership on final payment. Company A is cheaper on paper; Company B is the lower-risk choice, and the comparison only became clear by testing the work.
How we suggest you check us
Apply the same checklist to UpStream. Our website portfolio links to live sites, including AC Repair Sharjah, Noor Duct Cleaning and Skylight Printing & Graphics, so you can open them on your phone and press the buttons yourself. Our prices are published on the Sharjah web design page, and we are happy to introduce you to a past client before you decide.
Common questions, answered
How many portfolio sites should I check?
Two or three is enough if they are live and similar to what you need. Checking one site can mislead you either way; checking ten takes time without adding much.
Is it normal to pay a deposit for a website in the UAE?
Yes, a deposit at the start and the balance at or near launch is a common structure. Be cautious about paying the full amount before any work is shown, and make sure the quote says what the deposit covers.
What if the company built the site but the client changed it later?
That happens, especially with older projects. Ask the company which parts are still its work and when it last worked on the site. Recent projects are the fairest test.
Should the agency own my Google Search Console or Analytics?
No. Your business should be the owner, with the agency added as a user. Google's Search Console help says only an owner can add or remove users, so owning the property keeps you in control if you change agency.
Can a web design company guarantee I will rank on Google?
No. Google's own guidance says no one can guarantee a number one ranking. A good company can promise a properly built, indexable site and a clear SEO setup, and explain what it will measure.
Does it matter whether the company is in Sharjah, Ajman or Dubai?
Not for the build itself, which is done remotely. A company in your emirate is easier to meet, works in your time zone and knows the areas and customers you are designing for.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Do you need an SEO? (checked 4 November 2026)
- Google for Developers: About PageSpeed Insights, field and lab data and Core Web Vitals thresholds (checked 4 November 2026)
- web.dev: Web Vitals (last updated 31 October 2024, checked 4 November 2026)
- Search Console Help: Managing owners, users, and permissions (checked 4 November 2026)
- ICANN: Registrants' Benefits and Responsibilities (checked 4 November 2026)
- UpStream web design in Sharjah (prices and ownership terms as published 4 November 2026)
Related reading: understand what you are buying in web design vs web development, see typical prices in the website cost guide for Sharjah and Ajman, and if you need a store, use our guide to choosing an ecommerce developer in Sharjah.