Choosing a Next.js development agency: what to look for
By Yassine Seghrouchni, founderUpdated 5 min read
The short answer
Choose a Next.js agency on how it uses the technology for your goal, not on how long it has been using the framework. Look at its choices around rendering and caching, where and how the application runs, how the CMS or backend is connected and who handles updates after go-live. Ask for live examples and get them to explain why Next.js was chosen there.
About this guide: written by Your Tech Club, with no ranking and no names of other agencies. How we do it ourselves is set out separately under How Your Tech Club works.
What to look for in a Next.js agency
Next.js is a framework, not a strategy. These eight points show whether an agency uses it deliberately, and whether your site stays fast and manageable once it's live.
Next.js is a choice, not a reflex
Next.js is strong for websites and web applications that need to be fast and easy to find. But not every project needs it.
A good agency can explain why Next.js fits your goal, and when something simpler will do.
Ask in the meetingWhy is Next.js the right choice for our project, and when would you advise against it?Rendering and caching are deliberate choices
In Next.js you decide per page whether it's built in advance, generated on the server for each request or rendered in the browser. That choice determines how fast a page is, how up to date the content is and what the hosting costs.
Ask how the agency makes those choices for your types of pages.
Ask in the meetingWhich pages do you build in advance and which not, and why?Performance is in the agreement
Speed is one of the reasons to choose Next.js. So also put in writing which targets for load speed and Core Web Vitals apply, how they are measured and what happens when a page misses them.
Ask in the meetingWhich Core Web Vitals targets do we agree, and how do we keep an eye on them after go-live?Hosting without unnecessary lock-in
You can run Next.js on different platforms, and on your own servers too. Each platform has its own advantages, costs and terms, for example about where data is stored.
Ask why the agency proposes a particular platform, what it costs as you grow and what it would take to move later.
Ask in the meetingWhere does the application run, what does that cost as we grow, and can we move later?The CMS and the backend fit
A Next.js front end pulls content and data from other systems: a headless CMS, an ecommerce platform, your own backend. The quality of that connection determines how pleasant your content team finds it to work with and how reliable the site is.
Ask which system the agency proposes and how previewing and publishing work.
Ask in the meetingWhere will our content team create content, and how do they see it before it goes live?Framework updates are taken care of
Next.js and React get new versions regularly, sometimes with changes that require adjustments. Security updates you want to apply straight away.
Ask who keeps the application up to date and how you avoid a big catch-up job later.
Ask in the meetingHow do you keep the framework and packages up to date, and who does it?Code another team can take over
Ask to see how the code is set up. TypeScript, tests, documentation and a clear structure make it possible for another team to carry on later.
Agree that the repository is yours.
Ask in the meetingCould another team take over your code, and what's in the documentation?Design and development make the trade-offs together
How fast a site is also depends on design choices: images, fonts, animations, external scripts.
If design and development sit in one team, those trade-offs are made early rather than after the fact.
Ask in the meetingHow do you take speed into account in the design?
Questions to ask in the first meeting
Take this list to your first meetings. A partner that suits you gives a concrete answer to every question, even if that answer is that something can't be done.
- Why Next.js for our project, and when not?
- Which pages are built in advance, and which aren't?
- Which Core Web Vitals targets do we agree?
- Where does the application run, and what does that cost as we grow?
- What would it take to move to a different platform later?
- Which CMS or backend do you propose, and why?
- How do previewing and publishing work for our content team?
- Who keeps the framework and packages up to date?
- Which of your live Next.js sites can we look at?
- Is the repository ours?
When Next.js is a good choice
Next.js is a logical choice if one or more of these situations applies to you:
- Your site needs to load fast and be easy to find, even with lots of pages.
- Content comes from a headless CMS or an ecommerce platform.
- There are sections for logged-in users or integrations with your own systems.
- You want to be able to renew the front end independently of the systems behind it.
Next.js makes less sense for a small site that rarely changes and that your content team can maintain in a standard package. Then a simpler solution is cheaper to build and run.
How Your Tech Club works with Next.js
This part is about us. The points above apply to any partner, including us: feel free to hold us to them.
We build websites and web applications in Next.js, for example connected to a headless CMS such as Strapi or to an ecommerce platform. Strategy, design and development sit in one team, so choices about speed and content are made early.
We choose Next.js when it fits what the site needs to do, and say so when something simpler will do. The code is yours, and after go-live we keep the framework and packages up to date if you want us to.
- ISO 9001 and ISO 27001, certified by Kiwa
- 500 projects delivered
- 4.8 from 127 reviews
- 90% returning clients
- Office on Duivendrechtsekade in Amsterdam
- Founded by Joey van Vliet and Yassine Seghrouchni
Frequently asked questions
What is Next.js?
Next.js is an open source framework based on React for websites and web applications. It combines pages built on the server with interactive parts in the browser. That's good for speed and search visibility.
What does a Next.js website cost?
That depends on the size, the number of integrations and what your content team needs to be able to do themselves. Also ask about ongoing costs: hosting, support and framework updates.
Is Next.js good for SEO?
Yes, if it's used well. Because pages are built on the server, search engines get complete HTML. Speed, metadata, structured data and a logical structure still need to be set up deliberately.
Does a Next.js site have to run on Vercel?
No. Vercel develops Next.js and offers hosting that works well with it, but you can also run Next.js on other platforms or your own servers. Choose based on cost, terms and where your data needs to be stored.
Which CMS works with Next.js?
Any headless CMS with a good API, such as Strapi. Choose based on how your content team works, whether you want to host the CMS yourself and which integrations you need.
Can another agency carry on with our Next.js code later?
Yes, if the code is well set up and documented. Agree that the repository is yours and ask how the agency makes sure someone else can take over the code.
How do you keep a Next.js application up to date?
Apply security updates straight away and schedule larger version upgrades, so the backlog doesn't build up. Agree who does that and how it's tested.
