Choosing a web developer or agency in Algeria: brief, quote, contract and who owns the code

Most bad website projects in Algeria fail in the same places: a vague brief, a single-line quote, a domain registered in the developer’s name, no access to the code, and nobody in charge after launch. None of these needs technical knowledge to avoid. This guide is the buyer’s side: what to send, what to ask, what to sign. A checklist to download is at the end.

Disclosure: bizalgeria.com, NEKST DIGITAL and dzcollab share the same owner.

1. Write a one-page brief and send the same one to everyone

Providers can only be compared if they answer the same question. Your brief should say:

• The goal in one sentence: “Get quote requests from companies in Oran”, not “a modern website”.
• The pages or features, and what is not included.
• Languages. If you want Arabic, say so from the start: right-to-left layout is real work.
• Content: who writes the texts and provides photos, and by when. Late content is the first cause of late sites.
• Budget range and target date. A range helps the provider propose the right solution.

2. Ask for a quote you can compare

A good quote is itemised. Ask for:

• one line per deliverable (design, each feature, content entry, training);
• validity date and payment schedule (deposit, milestones, balance);
• number of revision rounds included, and the price of extra work;
• hosting, domain and paid components: included or not, and the yearly cost;
• maintenance after launch: what, how long, at what price.

Get at least three quotes. Compare them line by line, not on the total: the cheapest quote often leaves out hosting, maintenance or content entry. The quote template and pricing method shows what a clear quote looks like from the other side.

3. Own what you pay for

This is where clients lose the most, and it is entirely contractual.

• Domain name in the name of your business, with the login in your hands.
• Hosting account in your name, or written access you keep if you change provider.
• Administrator access to the site, the code repository and analytics.
• The code. Ordinance 03-05 on copyright protects computer programs as literary works (art. 4). For a work made under a contract for work, the person who ordered it holds the rights within the purpose of the work unless the contract says otherwise (art. 20); a transfer of rights must be in writing and state the rights, uses, duration and territory (arts 62 and 64), and it covers only the uses listed (art. 72). Whether your project falls under art. 20 or needs a written assignment is not something we can settle, so put it in writing: the source code and design files are assigned to you on full payment, for all uses, worldwide, with no time limit.
• Hand-over at the end: the source code, a short technical document, and the list of third-party components and their licences.

Your brand name deserves the same care: see registering a trademark with INAPI.

4. Agree on quality and after-launch

• Acceptance tests: list what you will check (phone and computer, forms, payment, page speed).
• Warranty: a period during which bugs are fixed for free.
• Backups: who, how often, where.
• Personal data: contact forms and customer data must respect law 18-07; see what law 18-07 says on direct marketing.
• Payment tied to milestones, with a clause for late payment on both sides; the freelance contract template has wording you can adapt.

5. Red flags

• No written quote, or the price changes after the deposit.
• Domain or hosting only in the provider’s name.
• Refusal to hand over the code or admin access.
• No references you can actually contact; only anonymous testimonials.
• Promises of guaranteed Google rankings or sales.

Who to ask for quotes

Ask different kinds of providers, because they solve different problems: a freelance developer for a small site, a local agency for design and content, a studio for custom software or apps. An example of a studio is NEKST DIGITAL, based in Ouargla, which lists web development, e-commerce, mobile and custom software services and does not publish prices; its pages say it answers with a plan covering scope, timeline and price within two business days. Send it the same brief as the others and compare the answers with the checklist below.

Download the checklist

The checklist covers the brief, the quote, ownership and access, quality, red flags, and a table to compare three providers.

• Download in English (docx)
• Télécharger en français (docx)
• التحميل بالعربية (docx)

What we could not confirm

• Whether a website ordered from an agency falls under art. 20 of ordinance 03-05 or needs a written assignment, and how open-source components affect ownership. A lawyer can settle it for your contract.

Related: what an SME showcase site must include and platform or custom-built online store.