Hiring a Next.js Development Company: Complete 2026 Checklist 

Next.js is one of the most popular full-stack frameworks that has earned a solid reputation among both developers and businesses. Many well-known high-traffic companies include it in their core toolkit for developing their digital products. Among those who prefer Next.js for creating high-performance frontend interfaces and backend logic are recognizable brands such as Nike, Walmart, TikTok, Twitch, Vercel, and others. 

Thus, if your digital project requires superior performance, strong SEO, high scalability potential, and other strong features, Next.js is the best choice. However, to unlock the full potential of this framework, you will need a well-coordinated team, not just a couple of professionals.

How do you determine which IT company will be the best partner for your project? In this article, we will cover the criteria to help you compare various Next.js development services and choose the best ones for creating innovative digital products.

Who Might Need Next.js Development Services?

Next.js is effective for solving a wide range of tasks when developing highly productive and scalable applications. That is why Next.js development can be useful for companies of virtually any type: 

• E-commerce businesses. If you want to develop your e-commerce project independently of marketplaces, Next.js will help you create a conversion-focused online store with high search visibility.
• Marketplaces. If you offer your digital platform as a marketplace to multiple merchants, Next.js will ensure an ideal user experience even with very high traffic.
• Content-heavy media sites. Next.js’s SSG and SSR capabilities ensure instant loading of heavy video and audio content, providing users with a seamless streaming experience.
• Enterprises. Large businesses require complex apps with robust performance to streamline their workflows. Next.js perfectly addresses their increased requirements for security, scalability, and resilience of digital products. 
• SaaS platforms. Next.js is often chosen by companies building software as a service (SaaS) apps. These include AI micro-SaaS, B2B SaaS Dashboards, Multi-Tenant Applications, and other products for which adaptability and scalability are crucial.
• Startups. The high developer productivity of Next.js makes it ideal for creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

Criteria for Choosing a Company for Next.js Development

If you’re looking for companies developing their products with Next.js, you will find thousands. Since it’s the leading framework for React, it’s used by both teams working on full-stack applications and those creating only the frontend. Therefore, to choose the right team for your digital product, you should narrow your search using certain criteria.

Creating a Shortlist for Detailed Evaluation 

• Discard all applicants who cannot provide examples of successfully working digital projects built using the Next.js framework. 
• Study customer reviews and eliminate companies with a significant number of negative reviews from your shortlist. If there are few reviews about a company, seek referrals on specialized forums or talk to professional online communities.
• Evaluate the development companies’ experience in creating products for your industry. If such experience is completely absent, exclude such teams from your priority list.

You should also eliminate companies from the shortlist whose services are too expensive for the business goals you want to achieve with your project. After this initial filtering, you’ll be left with a shortlist of candidates. Now you should conduct a comprehensive assessment based on four key criteria: 

• Technical competencies 
• Expertise in Next.JS development 
• Soft skills 
• Post-launch support

Technical Competencies 

Next.js development requires specific knowledge and skills in working with various tools from the framework’s ecosystem. Therefore, ensure the development team you want to hire has the following technical competencies:

• Working with React, including the latest features of this JavaScript library
• Strong experience with SSR/SSG/ISR 
• Ability to work not only with Page Router but also with App Router 
• Proficiency with TypeScript 
• Experience in performance optimization 
• Knowledge of popular CSS frameworks, such as Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui, Radix UI 
• Understanding state management techniques
• Familiarity with API routes 
• Proficiency with testing tools
• Knowledge of Code Quality Tools such as ESLint or Prettier 
• Understanding of Deployment & CI/CD Principles

Hands-on Experience with Next.js Development 

Find out whether the team specializes in the type of digital product you need, such as an online store, news site, web app, complex SPA (Single Page Applications), etc. Review its real-world projects for performance, design quality, usability, and more. Conduct a detailed technical audit of previous cases to assess the coding quality. You can also begin collaboration with a small pilot project to ensure the team’s competence.

Soft Skills 

Assessing soft skills is essential for assessing teamwork, adaptability to challenges, or communication style. These can be assessed as early as the pre-sales stage by observing discovery workshops, transparency of communication, and so on. Also, pay attention to whether the Tech Lead explains the smallest details of the future project’s architecture upon your request.

Evaluate a company not only by the cohesion of its team but also by its willingness to openly collaborate with your staff. Thus, a complex project can take more than nine months, and the quality of communication with your team will play a significant role in the whole process.

Post-Launch Support 

Learn about the team’s approach to post-launch maintenance, new feature integration, bug fixes, and so on. Some companies focus solely on Next.js development and delivery, without providing any post-launch support. Others limit their initial warranty period, which can be challenging for customers without in-house support. 

Therefore, if you want infrastructure scaling, bug fixing, or technical updates to go smoothly, shortlist only companies with comprehensive post-launch support. For example, Next.js development company Stubbs provides long-term support, making improvements to the digital product and releasing updates to keep your customers engaged.

The Bottom Line 

Developing digital products using the Next.js framework is an effective solution for many business challenges. Still, like any other technology, working with Next.js requires specialized knowledge and skills. To avoid wasting time collaborating with an unprofessional development team, you will need to evaluate them during the candidate selection process.

Simply reviewing a portfolio or collecting online reviews isn’t enough to establish a long-term partnership. Take a holistic approach to evaluating Next.js development companies. This way, you will choose the right partner, ideal from both a technical and human perspective.