Start with what you need
Before you contact anyone, write down who the users are, what they need to do, when you need it, and roughly what you can spend. A short brief lets every company price the same thing, and it shows you quickly who asks good questions back.
Be clear about the kind of work: a new product, a website, an app, improving an existing system, or ongoing DevOps and support. Companies are strong at different things.
What to check
| Check | What good looks like | How to verify it |
|---|---|---|
| Shipped work | Live products and case studies you can look at | Click through them and ask what the team built and what it integrated |
| The people | Named engineers with relevant experience or certifications | Ask to meet them and check their public profiles |
| Ownership | You own the code and the accounts | Look for it in the proposal or contract |
| Process | A written plan, milestones and regular demos | Ask for a sample plan from a past project |
| Communication | One named contact and agreed working hours | Notice how they handle the first calls |
| Security | An NDA, careful access to your systems, testing | Ask how access and secrets are handled |
| References | Past clients you can talk to, and independent reviews | Ask for two references and read reviews on neutral sites |
| After launch | Clear support terms | Ask what support covers and what it costs |
Questions to ask on the first call
- Which products like mine have you shipped, and can I see them?
- Who will actually work on my project, and will I meet them?
- What exactly is included in the price: design, testing, deployment, documentation?
- Who owns the code, the repositories and the cloud and store accounts?
- How often will I see working software?
- What happens if I want to stop or move to another team?
- What does support look like after launch?
Red flags
- A price with no written scope.
- Work samples you cannot open or verify.
- You never meet the engineers, only sales.
- No clear statement on code ownership.
- Pressure to pay everything upfront.
- Promises of an unrealistically short timeline.
Where being in Ahmedabad helps
Choosing a company in your own city lets you meet the team in person, work in the same time zone, and get people who know local needs, such as Gujarati interfaces and local compliance. It is a real advantage, but it is not a substitute for checking the evidence above. Our guide on why Ahmedabad is a growing software hub covers the wider picture.
How MOUNTSMY answers these checks
- Shipped work: case studies and live products on our site, including EnvironDesk, Green PG and OM Campus ERP.
- The people: our engineers hold AWS, Azure, RHCSA and CEH certifications, and you can meet them at our office in Memnagar.
- Ownership: you own the code and the accounts.
- Process: a free 30-minute call, then a written plan and quote before any work starts.
- Security: an NDA before any details are shared.
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify a software company's past work?
Ask for live links or case studies and click through them. Ask what the team built itself and what it integrated, and ask to speak with a past client.
Should I choose the cheapest quote?
Not by price alone. Quotes often cover different things. Compare what each includes, such as design, testing, deployment and support, before comparing totals.
Is it better to choose a company in my own city?
It helps with meetings, time zone and local knowledge, but check the company's work, people and terms in the same way you would for any company.
Is fixed price or hourly better?
Fixed scope suits work you can define up front; hourly suits work that will change. Our software cost guide explains how to choose.
Can I start with a small project?
Yes. Starting with a small, fixed-scope project is a good way to see how a team works before a larger commitment.