The Biggest Mistakes When Choosing a TYPO3 Agency (and how to avoid them)

Before hiring a TYPO3 agency, it helps to know the common mistakes companies often make and how you can easily avoid them.

Mistake 1 – Choosing by Price Only

Problem:

• When the budget is tight, it is very tempting to choose the cheapest offer, but in most cases, a low price means low expertise, low work quality, or little care.
• Or it means that cost increases could come your way later.
• Cheaper agencies might take shortcuts, not provide proper testing or documentation, or offer no support after launch.
• These things are crucial to ensure that your TYPO3 website remains stable.

How to avoid it:

When comparing different agencies, look not only at the price but also at what is delivered. Examine their TYPO3 experience and the quality of their previous work and consider what support is offered after launch. Often, a little more money means higher code quality, the ability to update the installation more smoothly, and fewer problems in the future.

Mistake 2 – Not Checking TYPO3 Experience

Problem:

• There are many web agencies that claim to work with TYPO3, but only a few that specialize in it.
• TYPO3 is a powerful but complex content management system, and you need developers who are familiar with its structure, extensions, and methods for updating the core.
• Without solid TYPO3 knowledge, you risk encountering performance, update, or content management issues later on.

How to avoid it:

Always ask for examples of specific TYPO3 experience. Look for certified TYPO3 developers and web agencies that have completed similar projects. Ask for a case study or a customer review. If they have GitHub profiles or have developed TYPO3 extensions, ask to take a look at their work. Actual experience with TYPO3 is the only difference between "it works" and "it works well".

Mistake 3 – No Clear TYPO3 Project Plan or Scope

Problem:

• Many projects start with unclear requirements, and this is where confusion begins.
• Without clear direction, deadlines are missed, costs rise, and functionalities are forgotten.
• A TYPO3 project requires a defined process: design, create content, integrate, test, go live.

How to avoid it:

Before starting a project, take a moment to write a brief but clear project briefing. Outline your goals, design style, specific features, and due dates. Ask your agency to provide you with their project plan and communication processes. By bringing structure to your project, you help keep everyone on the same page and avoid frustration later on.

Mistake 4 – Too Many Custom TYPO3 Extensions

Problem:

• You might be tempted to request all customizations, but too many custom extensions usually lead to more problems than benefits.
• It becomes more difficult to update your TYPO3 website, performance decreases, and reliance on a specific developer or agency makes maintaining or upgrading your custom features more time-consuming and expensive.

How to avoid it:

Ensure that the agency uses TYPO3's built-in features or that you rely on community extensions that have been around for a while and continue to be maintained. Use custom code only when there is no other option. Make sure the agency documents every custom feature so that future developers can easily manage or make changes to it.

Mistake 5 – Ignoring TYPO3 Maintenance and Support

Problem:

• Many companies stop paying attention to their website after launch, but TYPO3 requires regular maintenance.
• Without updates, your site becomes increasingly vulnerable to security risks, compatibility issues, or suffers from slow performance.
• Ultimately, ignoring maintenance and letting things slide can lead to more time and money being spent to get the website back in order and fix the issues.

How to avoid it:

When looking for an agency for TYPO3 development, choose one that offers ongoing support options, security patches on request, and version upgrades (for security and performance improvements). Ask what is included in their maintenance plan (e.g., backups, bug fixes, regular updates, and update schedules). A good agency will help you keep your site running securely and smoothly in the long term.

Mistake 6 – Wrong Size or Fit of TYPO3 Agency

Problem:

• It can happen that a company chooses an agency for a project that is not large or complex enough for that agency.
• A small agency simply would not have the resources for large corporate requirements, and conversely, a larger agency might be far too expensive for smaller websites.
• An unsuitable team leads to a poor experience: communication fails, leading to missed goals and wasted valuable time and money.

How to avoid it:

Choose a TYPO3 shop that fits the size of your project. For small to medium-sized website projects, consider a TYPO3 agency that specializes in a specific niche or complex project type.

Larger, enterprise-related projects require an agency with larger teams, established workflows, and experience in the corporate sector. Considering how the agency communicates, receives feedback, and manages schedules can often be more telling than the actual size of the agency.