Hiring · Interview Questions
Twenty-five questions in six groups, with what a strong answer sounds like and what should worry you.
Last updated: October 2026. Written by Athar Ahmad, Certified Bubble.io Developer and Tech Architect, Simple Automation Solutions.
Quick answer
Before hiring a Bubble.io developer, ask 25 questions across six areas: credentials and live work, scope and process, data and security, performance and cost, testing and ownership, and support. Strong answers are specific: verified certification, working apps you can try, a written scope, privacy rules tested with multiple accounts, a separate test version, you owning the app and clear support rates. Red flags include fixed prices with no scope and vague security answers.
Key takeaways
- Ask everyone the same 25 questions and compare specifics.
- Verify certification and try live apps.
- A fixed price with no written scope is a major red flag.
- Security answers should mention privacy rules and multi-account testing.
- You should own the app, accounts and data, with documentation provided.
In this guide
Most people hiring a Bubble.io developer are not technical, which makes it hard to tell a strong developer from a persuasive one. The solution is not to learn Bubble yourself. It is to ask questions whose good and bad answers you can recognise.
This guide gives you 25 questions to ask a prospective Bubble.io developer or agency, grouped by topic, with what a strong answer sounds like and what should worry you.
Experience and credentials
| Question | A strong answer | A red flag |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Are you Bubble certified, and can I verify it? | Gives a certificate you can check on Bubble’s site | Vague claims or unable to provide proof |
| 2. Can I see live apps you built that are like mine? | Shows working products and explains their role | Only screenshots, or apps they did not build |
| 3. Can I speak to a past client? | Offers references willingly | Refuses or says all work is confidential |
| 4. How many apps like this have you built? | A specific, honest answer with relevant examples | Inflated claims without detail |
| 5. Who will actually build my app? | Names the person, and explains any subcontracting | Evasive, or the seller is not the builder |
Scope and process
| Question | A strong answer | A red flag |
|---|---|---|
| 6. How do you define scope before you quote? | A written scope or PRD, reviewed with you | A quote after one call with no document |
| 7. How do you handle changes during the build? | A change process with estimates and approval | “We will be flexible” with no process |
| 8. What do you need from me, and by when? | Clear client responsibilities and timing | Nothing, which suggests unrealistic planning |
| 9. How often will I see progress? | Regular demos on a test version | A big reveal at the end |
| 10. What is not included in your price? | A clear list of exclusions and extras | Everything is included, which is rarely true |
Data and security
| Question | A strong answer | A red flag |
|---|---|---|
| 11. How will you structure the database? | Plans data types and relationships up front. See database design mistakes | Builds as they go, with no data plan |
| 12. How will you stop one user seeing another’s data? | Explains privacy rules and testing with multiple accounts. See our security guide | “Bubble handles that” |
| 13. How do you handle API keys and sensitive data? | Keys kept private on the server side, minimal data sent | Keys in the browser, or no clear answer |
| 14. How do you approach data protection requirements? | Asks where your users are and plans accordingly | Unfamiliar with GDPR or similar rules |
| 15. What happens if there is a security issue? | Has a response approach and communicates quickly | No plan |
Performance and cost
| Question | A strong answer | A red flag |
|---|---|---|
| 16. How do you keep the app fast and the usage bill low? | Mentions efficient searches and workload units. See our workload units guide | Has never heard of workload units |
| 17. What ongoing costs should I expect? | Lists platform, support and third-party fees | Only quotes the build |
| 18. How will you estimate realistic timelines? | Explains assumptions and dependencies. See realistic build schedules | Promises an unrealistically short date |
Testing, ownership and support
| Question | A strong answer | A red flag |
|---|---|---|
| 19. How do you test before launch? | Separate test version, checklists, multi-account tests | “We test as we go” with no detail |
| 20. Who will own the app, accounts and data? | You, with the developer as a collaborator | The developer, or unclear |
| 21. What documentation will I receive? | Data model, workflows, integrations and walkthroughs | None |
| 22. What does support cost after launch? | Clear rates and response expectations | Open-ended retainers or vague terms |
| 23. What if we part ways? | A handover plan and documentation | No answer |
| 24. What would you do differently from my brief? | Challenges assumptions constructively | Agrees with everything |
| 25. What can go wrong with this project? | Honest risks and mitigations | “Nothing” |
How to use the answers
- Ask the same questions of each candidate and note the answers.
- Look for specifics, not confidence.
- Weigh red flags heavily. One is a warning, several are a decision.
- Check claims you can verify, such as certification and live work.
- Choose the one who is honest, clear and curious about your business, not just the cheapest.
How we answer these questions
Simple Automation Solutions is led by a Certified Bubble.io Developer. We start with a written scope through a Discovery Sprint ($345, credited toward the build), build on a test version with regular demos and quote builds from $3,500. Support is from $35 per hour with no retainers or minimums. You are welcome to put all 25 questions to us on the free 30-minute Idea Audit.
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask a Bubble.io developer before hiring?
Ask about certification, live work, who builds, how scope is defined, security and privacy rules, testing, ownership, documentation and support costs.
How can I tell if a Bubble.io developer is good?
Look for verified certification, relevant live apps, references, a written scope process and specific, honest answers about security and performance.
What is the biggest red flag when hiring a Bubble developer?
A fixed price with no written scope, followed closely by reluctance to show live work or to say who will do the build.
Do I need to understand Bubble to hire a developer?
No. Ask questions whose good and bad answers you can recognise, and verify claims you can check.
Can I ask these questions of Simple Automation Solutions?
Yes. We encourage it, and you can raise them on the free Idea Audit call.
Want to put these 25 questions to us?
Email us to arrange a free 30-minute Idea Audit. Bring the questions and your idea.
Athar Ahmad, Certified Bubble.io Developer and Tech Architect, Simple Automation Solutions
About Simple Automation Solutions (SA Solutions)
Simple Automation Solutions is a Bubble.io development studio led by Athar Ahmad, a Certified Bubble.io Developer and Tech Architect. It builds web and mobile apps, client portals and SaaS products for founder-led businesses such as law firms, accounting firms, boutique agencies and consultants. Services include a free 30-minute Idea Audit, a $345 Discovery Sprint (a Product Requirements Document delivered within 24 hours, credited toward the build) and builds starting at $3,500. Website: sasolutionspk.com.
