I'm a Shopify developer based in Cebu City, and I've worked with store owners in Australia, the United States, Canada, the UK and Europe. I've also been asked to fix many stores after a previous developer's work. Most of those problems could have been avoided with a few checks before hiring.
Below are the 9 things I'd check if I were hiring a Shopify developer, from the Philippines or anywhere else, plus the questions to ask in the interview and the red flags to watch for.
Contents (10)
1. Real Shopify work you can check #
A portfolio of nice-looking designs doesn't tell you whether someone can build them in Shopify, or make them work well. Ask for real Shopify work: stores they've built or improved, features they've developed, and what problem each one solved.
What to look for:
- Shopify-specific work: themes, custom sections, apps, checkout, tracking, speed.
- Write-ups that explain what was needed and what they did, not just screenshots.
- Work similar to what you need (a redesign, a custom feature, B2B, speed).
2. Reviews for the kind of work you need #
A high rating is a good start, but read the reviews themselves. A developer with many reviews for quick theme edits may not be the right fit for a complex custom feature, and the other way around.
What to look for:
- Reviews that mention the kind of work you need.
- Repeat clients and long-term contracts: clients who come back are the strongest signal.
- Comments about communication, honesty and meeting estimates.
3. They ask questions before they quote #
A good developer wants to understand your store and your goal before giving a price. They ask about your theme, your apps, what's already been tried, and what "done" looks like. For existing stores, they often suggest a short paid review first.
What to look for:
- Questions about your store, your customers and the result you want.
- An offer to review your store or setup before giving a final estimate.
- A clear explanation of what's included, and what isn't.
4. Clear estimates and progress updates #
You should know roughly how long the work will take before it starts, and how it's going while it's in progress. Experienced developers usually give a range, explain what could change it, and keep you updated with the time spent.
What to look for:
- An estimate broken into parts, with a total range.
- Regular updates, especially on hourly contracts.
- Honesty when something takes longer, or when the estimate turns out lower.
5. Native features first, not an app for everything #
Every app you install adds code to your store, often a monthly fee, and access to parts of your store data. A developer who installs an app for every request may be quick at first, but leaves you with a slower, more expensive and less secure store.
What to look for:
- They check what Shopify can do natively first.
- When a feature isn't available, they can build a small custom solution instead of installing an app they can't vet.
- They still recommend a trusted app when it's clearly the better option.
Read more: Why is my Shopify store so slow? 9 causes I find in speed audits →
6. They never work directly on your live store #
Changes made directly on a live theme can break your store while customers are shopping. A careful developer duplicates your theme, works on the copy, uses version control (like Git), and only publishes after you've reviewed and approved the work.
What to look for:
- Work done in a draft (unpublished) theme, with a preview link for you to check.
- Version control, so changes can be tracked and undone.
- Care with store-wide settings (like Markets, B2B or checkout), which affect your live store even when the theme is a draft.
7. Testing on real devices, and real speed results #
Most of your buyers shop on their phones, using different devices and browsers. A good developer tests on iPhone and Android, Windows and Mac, and in different browsers before anything goes live.
For speed work, be careful with promises of a perfect PageSpeed score. Some developers use tricks that improve the score without making the store faster for real customers.
What to look for:
- Testing on mobile and desktop, in several browsers.
- Speed improvements you can see in real use and in Search Console's Core Web Vitals, not just in a score.
8. Communication and time zones #
Clear written English and reliable communication matter as much as technical skill. The time zone matters too. Developers in the Philippines (UTC+8) usually overlap with Australian business hours, and for the US, Canada and Europe, work can happen while you sleep and be ready in your morning.
What to look for:
- Clear, specific messages, not vague answers.
- Agreed working hours and how quickly they usually reply.
- A video call before starting if you want one.
9. The cheapest rate is rarely the lowest cost #
It's tempting to hire the lowest rate. But the total cost of a project includes the hours it really takes, the rework when something isn't done right, the apps added along the way, and the sales lost while your store has problems.
An experienced developer often costs less in total: fewer wasted hours, fewer mistakes, and work that doesn't need to be redone. The best value is usually the developer who can show you real results and explain how they'll approach your project.
What to look for:
- Value over the hourly number: experience, reviews, approach and estimate together.
- Developers who finish under estimate and explain their time.
Questions to ask in the interview #
- "Can you show me a Shopify project similar to mine, and explain what you did?"
- "How would you approach my request? What do you need to know first?"
- "Would you use an app for this, or build it? Why?"
- "Will you work on a draft theme? How will I review the changes?"
- "How do you test before going live?"
- "How will you keep me updated, and how often?"
- "What's your estimate, and what could make it change?"
What clients say about this kind of work #
“Working with Philip is great! While Upwork has lots of 'dodgy' freelancers who rip you off, Philip is not that!
He's honest.
He's hard working.
Best of all, he gets your job done properly.
Really appreciate working with you Philip, what a great experience.”
“Great collaboration. Philip is great to work with. He has strong work ethic, gives upfront estimation for time and cost and sticks to it. He understood the tasks perfectly and never had any communication issue. Will definitely work with him again!
Thanks for your hard work!”
“I've now worked with Philip on half a dozen or so projects and he continues to impress us. Great work, very little need for re-work or restated requests, and very good at managing expectations for time to completion. Would not hesitate to hire and will be using him again on future projects as needed.”
