How to Choose a Website Design Company in Lebanon: A Practical Checklist

Search for a website design company in Lebanon and you will find dozens of agencies and freelancers, with prices that range from very cheap to very expensive. Many of them show nice portfolios. So how do you tell which one will actually deliver a website that brings you customers?

This checklist covers what to look at before you hire anyone, the questions to ask, and the red flags that usually mean trouble later.

1. Be Clear on What You Need First

You will get better quotes, and compare them more fairly, if you know what you want before you contact anyone:

• The type of site: a business website, an online store, a single landing page or a redesign of your current site.
• The goal: phone calls, WhatsApp messages, bookings or online sales.
• The pages: a rough list (home, about, services, contact, blog).
• Who will update it: you, your team, or the company you hire.

2. Look at Their Real Work

A portfolio should show real, live websites you can open, not just screenshots. When you look at their past work:

• Open the sites on your phone. Most of your visitors will.
• Check whether they load quickly.
• Notice whether the sites look different from each other, or all use the same template.
• Look for work in a business similar to yours (e-commerce, services, restaurants).

3. Ask Which Platform They Use, and Why

Most business websites in Lebanon are built on WordPress, Shopify or WooCommerce. A good company explains why one fits your business better, rather than pushing the only platform it knows. If you are deciding, read our comparison WordPress vs Shopify in Lebanon. If you plan to sell online, also ask how customers will pay. Our guide Does Shopify work in Lebanon? covers the payment options.

4. Check That SEO and Speed Are Part of the Build

A beautiful site that nobody finds on Google will not bring you leads. Ask:

• Is basic on-page SEO included (page titles, descriptions, headings)?
• Is the site fully mobile-responsive and tested on different devices?
• What do they do to make the site load fast (image optimization, caching)?
• Is HTTPS (an SSL certificate) set up?

These things are much cheaper to get right during the build than to fix later.

5. Make Sure You Own Everything

This is the point people regret skipping. Before you pay, confirm that:

• The domain name is registered in your name or your company's name.
• You get admin access to the website.
• You know where the site is hosted and who manages it.
• You keep your content, images and data if you ever change provider.

6. Ask for a Clear Quote, Including Monthly Costs

A good quote lists what is included: the number of pages, design, features, payment setup and how many rounds of changes. It should also say what you pay after launch: hosting, maintenance, domain renewal and business email. Our guide How much does a website cost in Lebanon? explains what drives the price.

7. Ask About Timelines

Ask how long the project will take and what they need from you to stay on schedule. As a reference, most business websites we build take 2–4 weeks, and e-commerce stores 3–6 weeks, depending on complexity. Delays often come from missing content, so prepare your texts, photos and logo early.

8. Find Out What Happens After Launch

Websites need care: plugin and theme updates, security monitoring and backups. Ask whether the company offers maintenance, what it covers and what it costs. A company that disappears after launch leaves you alone the first time something breaks.

Red Flags

• No live examples of their work, only mock-ups.
• The domain registered in their name, not yours.
• Guaranteed first place on Google. Nobody can promise that.
• A price with no list of what is included.
• No answer about maintenance, hosting or who you call when there is a problem.
• No questions about your business. A good designer asks about your customers and goals before talking about colours.

Questions to Copy and Send

1. Can you show me 3 live websites you built, ideally in my industry?
2. Which platform do you recommend for me, and why?
3. Is basic SEO, mobile testing and SSL included?
4. Will the domain and admin access be in my name?
5. What exactly is included in the price, and what are the monthly costs after launch?
6. How long will it take, and what do you need from me?
7. What does maintenance cover, and how much is it?

How SHADES Works

As a web design company in Lebanon, SHADES builds WordPress, Shopify and WooCommerce websites with a custom design (not a generic template), mobile-responsive layouts and basic on-page SEO included. Our process is simple: discovery, design, development, then launch & support. A WordPress website or a Shopify store starts at $800, a WooCommerce store setup at $150, a landing page at $50, and maintenance at $100/month. You can see our work in the portfolio and all services on the website development page.