7 Questions to Ask a Miami Software Company Before Signing

Before you sign with a Miami software company, ask seven things: who owns the code, what the fixed scope is, what happens if they vanish, who answers the phone, what they have running live, what it costs after launch, and whether it works in Spanish.

By Israel Bernal, Co-founder & CEO, AIKoders LLC

Most owners compare software companies on price and a nice-looking proposal. That is how people end up with a system they can't change, can't move, and can't get anyone to fix.

These seven questions take about twenty minutes on a call. They tell you more than any portfolio page will.

1. Who owns the code when the project is finished?

You want to hear: you do, outright, in writing.

Some companies build your system and then license it back to you. Others host it on their own servers and quietly make leaving impossible. Either way, you are renting something you paid to build.

Ask for the ownership clause in the contract. If the answer is "don't worry about that," worry about that.

If you stop paying a monthly fee, can you still run what you paid for? If not, you don't own it.

2. What exactly is in the scope, and what is the timeline?

A good answer is a written scope and a date, agreed before any work starts. A bad answer is "we'll figure it out as we go."

Open-ended hourly billing sounds flexible. In practice it means the budget grows while you wait. Ask these follow-ups:

• What happens if I want to add something halfway through?
• How is a change priced, and do I approve it before you start?
• What does "done" mean, in plain words?

At AIKoders we fix the scope and timeline before work begins, and most builds ship in weeks, not months. Whoever you hire, get that in writing.

3. What happens if you go out of business or disappear?

This is the real version of "will this company still be around in two years?" Nobody can promise that, and that includes us. We were founded in 2025, so we can't point to a decade of history. What a company can do is make its survival not your problem.

Look for these protections:

• The code lives in a repository you control, not only on their laptops.
• The domain, hosting account, and API keys are registered in your name.
• There is basic documentation so another developer can pick it up.

Imagine Ana runs a cleaning company in Hialeah. Her developer stops answering messages. If Ana owns the accounts and the code, she hires someone else and loses a few days. If she doesn't, she starts over.

4. Who will I actually talk to, and how fast do they answer?

Many shops sell you with a senior person and hand you off to a junior one, or to a ticket queue. Ask who your contact will be after the contract is signed.

Then test it. Call the number on their website during business hours. Do you reach a person? Do you hear back the same day?

If you run a Miami business, ask about hours too. Your problems don't wait for a developer in another time zone to wake up. A company that is local, on Eastern time, and reachable by phone is easier to work with than a name on a freelancer site.

5. Can I see something live, with real customers using it?

Screenshots prove nothing. Ask to see a product or system running in a real business, and ask to talk to someone who uses it.

Be careful with case studies that have a business name and glowing results but no way to verify them. A real client will usually take a short call. A made-up one won't.

Companies that run their own software businesses have an extra edge here. They live with the consequences of their own work. We run our own products, including EasySalon and Guest Concierge, with paying customers, so we feel it when something breaks.

6. What will I pay every month after launch?

The build price is only part of the cost. Ask for a list of every recurring bill the system will create:

• Hosting and storage
• Usage fees for any AI service it relies on
• Text message or phone charges
• Support or maintenance, and whether it is optional

Also ask whether the system is tied to one AI vendor. If it is, your costs move whenever that vendor changes its pricing. A system that can switch providers protects you from that.

For more on what moves the price of a project, see our pricing page.

7. Will it work in Spanish and English?

In Miami, a large share of customers, and often your own staff, are more comfortable in Spanish. If the system only works in English, part of your business is underserved from day one.

Ask for a demo in Spanish, not a promise. Check that customer messages, reminders, and any phone answering sound natural, not machine-translated.

And ask whether the people you will talk to speak Spanish too. Explaining your business in your first language is faster and leaves less room for misunderstanding.

A 60-second scorecard you can use on any call

Write the seven numbers down and mark each answer green or red while you listen.

1. Code ownership: green if it's yours in writing, red if it's licensed or hosted-only.
2. Scope: green if fixed and written with a date, red if open-ended hourly.
3. If they disappear: green if you hold the accounts and code, red if they hold everything.
4. Who answers: green if you reach a real person by phone, red if it's only a ticket form.
5. Proof: green if you can see it live and talk to a user, red if it's only screenshots.
6. Monthly costs: green if every bill is listed up front, red if it's vague.
7. Spanish: green if you saw a real demo, red if it's "we can add that later."

Two or more reds means slow down. Three or more means keep shopping.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if a software company is trustworthy?

Check that they put ownership, scope, and timeline in writing, that you can reach a real person by phone, and that they can show real systems running for real customers. Trust comes from specifics you can verify, not from a polished website.

Is a local Miami company better than an offshore developer?

Not automatically, but local gets you same-time-zone answers, in-person meetings when needed, and an easier path to Spanish-language support. Whoever you choose, the same seven questions apply.

Should I worry if a software company is new?

Age matters less than protection. If you own the code, hold the accounts, and have documentation, a new company is a manageable risk because you can move on if needed.

Talk to a founder before you decide

We're happy to answer all seven questions on a free discovery call, and you can reach a founder directly in English or Spanish. Call +1 (786) 767-6043 or see how we price our work on the AIKoders pricing page.

Have a question? Chat with us on WhatsApp.