I Paid Someone to Build My App and Now It's Broken
You hired a freelancer on Fiverr, Upwork, or another platform to build your app or website. It worked for a while, but now something is broken. Maybe the developer disappeared, isn't responding, or wants more money to fix what should have worked in the first place.
This is one of the most frustrating situations — you already spent money, you have a product that half-works, and you don't know enough about the code to understand what went wrong. The original developer might have cut corners, left messy code, or built something that was never meant to last.
You need someone new to look at the code, figure out what's broken, and actually fix it — without starting from scratch and losing everything you already paid for.
Error Messages You Might See
Common Causes
- Developer used shortcuts — Many budget freelancers copy-paste code from templates or use AI without testing properly, leaving hidden problems
- No documentation — The developer didn't leave any notes about how the app works, making it nearly impossible to maintain
- Hosting or server expired — The developer set up hosting under their own account, and the subscription ran out
- Hardcoded credentials — Passwords and API keys were written directly into the code instead of being stored securely, and they've since changed or expired
- No version control — There's no history of changes, so there's no way to undo what broke
How to Fix It
- Get access to everything — Make sure you have the code, hosting login, domain registrar login, and any database passwords before doing anything else
- Don't let the original developer make more changes — If they already broke it, more changes from them could make things worse
- Get a second opinion — Have a different developer review the code and give you an honest assessment of what it'll take to fix
- Check if the hosting is still active — Log into your hosting provider and make sure the subscription hasn't lapsed
- Document what's broken — Write down exactly what works, what doesn't, and any error messages you see so the next developer can start quickly
Real developers can help you.
rayush33
JavaScript (React.js, React Native, Node.js) Developer with demonstrated industry experience of 4+ years, actively looking for opportunities to hone my skills as well as help small-scale business owners with solutions to technical problems
Taufan
I’m a product-focused engineer and tech leader who builds scalable systems and turns ideas into production-ready platforms.
Over the past years, I’ve worked across startups and fast-moving teams, leading backend architecture, improving system reliability, and shipping products used by thousands of users. My strength is not just writing code — but connecting product vision, technical execution, and business impact.
Yovel Cohen
I got a lot of experience in building Long-horizon AI Agents in production, Backend apps that scale to millions of users and frontend knowledge as well.
BurnHavoc
Been around fixing other peoples code for 20 years.
Jaime Orts-Caroff
I'm a Senior Android developer, open to work in various fields
Omar Faruk
As a Product Engineer at Klasio, I contributed to end-to-end product development, focusing on scalability, performance, and user experience.
My work spanned building and refining core features, developing dynamic website templates, integrating secure and reliable payment gateways, and optimizing the overall system architecture.
I played a key role in creating a scalable and maintainable platform to support educators and learners globally.
I'm enthusiastic about embracing new challenges and making meaningful contributions.
Antriksh Narang
5 years+ Experienced Dev (Specially in Web Development), can help in python, javascript, react, next.js and full stack web dev technologies.
Basel Issmail
’m a Senior Full-Stack Developer and Tech Lead with experience designing and building scalable web platforms. I work across the full development lifecycle, from translating business requirements into technical architecture to delivering reliable production systems.
My work focuses on modern web technologies, including TypeScript, Angular, Node.js, and cloud-based architectures. I enjoy solving complex technical problems and helping teams turn product ideas and prototypes into working platforms that can grow and scale.
In addition to development, I often collaborate closely with product managers, business analysts, designers, and QA teams to ensure that solutions align with both technical and business goals.
I enjoy working with startups and product teams where I can contribute both as a hands-on engineer and as a technical partner in designing and delivering impactful software.
Pratik
SWE with 15+ years of experience building and maintaining web apps and extensive BE infrastructure
Tejas Chokhawala
Full-stack engineer with 5 years experience building production web apps using React, Next.js and TypeScript.
Focused on performance, clean architecture and shipping fast.
Experienced with Supabase/Postgres backends, Stripe billing, and building AI-assisted developer tools.
Describe what's wrong in plain English. No technical knowledge needed.
Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
Should I ask the original developer to fix it?
If they're still responsive and the project is under warranty or guarantee, you can try. But if they've disappeared or are asking for more money for basic fixes, it's usually better to find someone new who can properly assess the code.
Do I need to start over from scratch?
Usually not. A good developer can review the existing code and fix what's broken. Starting over is only necessary if the original code is so messy that fixing it would cost more than rebuilding.