Not every client is worth taking on. I learned this the hard way after a project that started with "we just need a simple app" and ended with three months of scope creep, zero pay for the extra work, and a threat to leave a bad review when I pushed back.
Since then, I run every potential client through a mental checklist before I say yes. Here are the 10 red flags I look for — and if you spot more than two or three, walk away.
1. No Budget ("What's Your Best Price?")
If a client won't share even a ballpark budget, they're either fishing for the lowest bid or genuinely have no idea what things cost. Either way, you'll spend hours on a proposal that goes nowhere. A serious client has done at least some research on pricing.
2. Unrealistic Timeline
"We need the MVP in two weeks" — for a full-stack app with auth, payments, and a dashboard. When a client's timeline is disconnected from reality, it usually means they'll blame you when the deadline slips, even though it was impossible from the start.
3. No Clear Decision Maker
You're talking to the marketing lead, but the CEO has to approve everything, and the CTO has opinions too. If you can't identify who actually signs off on deliverables, you'll end up redesigning the same feature four times for four different people.
4. Bad Freelancer History
Ask: "Have you worked with freelancers before? How did it go?" If they've burned through three developers in six months, the problem isn't the developers. Look for patterns — if every past contractor was "terrible," the common denominator is the client.
5. Vague Scope
"We need a website" is not a scope. "We need a 5-page marketing site with a contact form and CMS integration, launching by June" is a scope. Vague requirements lead to endless revisions and the dreaded "that's not what I meant" feedback loop.
6. Refuses to Pay a Deposit
A 25–50% upfront deposit is standard in freelancing. If a client balks at this, they're either not serious or they're planning to disappear after delivery. No deposit = no work. Full stop.
7. Poor Communication
Did they take two weeks to respond to your proposal? Do their emails have no punctuation and contradict what they said on the call? Communication quality during the sales process is the best it will ever be. It only gets worse from there.
8. Disrespects Your Expertise
"My nephew could do this in a weekend" or "Can't you just use a template?" If a client is already undermining your skills before the project starts, they won't respect your recommendations during it. You'll fight over every technical decision.
9. Refuses a Contract
No contract means no legal protection for either party. If a client says "we don't need paperwork, let's just get started," they're telling you they want the flexibility to change terms whenever it suits them. Always have a written agreement.
10. No References or Online Presence
A legitimate business should have some footprint — a website, LinkedIn profiles, reviews, something. If you can't verify that the client is who they say they are, proceed with extreme caution. I once nearly started work for a "company" that turned out to be one guy with a Gmail address and zero intention of paying.
Put It Into Practice
I turned this checklist into a free scoring tool. Plug in the details of any potential client and it gives you a risk score so you can make an informed decision before committing.
Try the Client Red Flag Scorer here
No signup needed — just answer the questions and get your score.
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What's the worst client red flag you've encountered? Drop it in the comments — I bet some of you have stories that would make my experience look tame.
