The Good Apples

“I’m signing the pledge because I can’t believe the number of website owners who come to me with horror stories about being locked out of their own website, or their developer disappearing, or tying them into something they can’t get out of. I want people to be able to tell the good apples from the bad, so that it’s easier for them to choose who to trust.”

“I’ve seen many businesses left frustrated, confused, even locked out of – or tied into – their own websites by thoughtless or unethical practices. I signed this pledge along with these other good apples because technical work like development and support should be built on trust, clarity and respect. No surprises, no lock-ins, no jargon, no disappearing acts. Just the best professional work we can do for your purpose-driven business or organisation.”

“Many solo business owners are stuck with 2 bad options: The template that does nothing for your business. Or hiring someone and ending up dependent. I give them a 3rd option. And that’ what it means to me to be a Good Apple.”

“The website is yours. You’re paying me to create something you can use for years, and I will always make sure you own your domain, hosting, and files once the contract is executed. I even provide training documentation you can keep even after we’re done! “

“I’m signing because as technology makes it easier and easier for dishonest scoundrels to flood the market and make a quick buck, I want to show that there are plenty of skilled, honest and just plain nice web developers out there. We’re here and we’d love to work with you. Just click through and say hello. We don’t bite 😀”

“I take pride in how I treat my clients. I hate that website design is the car sales of the internet. I have helped my clients with so many horrible situations with past website providers and I would be honored to be a good apple!🫡 “

“I’m signing because I care deeply about helping small business owners feel less overwhelmed by their websites. I believe in clear communication, honest recommendations, thoughtful support, and making sure clients understand and have access to the tools their business depends on.”

“I’m tired of soloprenuers and small businesses being locked out of their own website and digital assets by a develeper or agency extorting more money from them. One of Waymark’s Four Promises is: you will always own your assets. Everything remain yours. No strings attached. No hostage situation.”

“I’m fed up of hearing horror stories where business owners are treated poorly by their web developers.”

“Clear communication & client training is at the heart of everything we do at Web Goddess. We want to prevent clients from being stung by bad apples in the first place & prove that not all web designers are the same.”

“The standards laid out in the pledge should be the baseline for all developers, the fact that they aren’t shows how much work the industry has to do.

I’m signing the pledge to ensure that WholeOcean is placed to help those that have been burnt before find someone they can rely on to deliver what they need, whether it’s us or another agency. “

“We’re signing the pledge because we see the same problem again and again. A business comes to us after working with another developer, and we’re left picking up the pieces. They can’t get into their own accounts. They don’t know where anything is stored. They have no idea what was actually built for them, or what was never part of the original brief. And all too often, we find pages that went live half-finished, or were poorly designed from the start.”

“Having been in the industry for about 30 years, I’d like to think I’ve seen it all. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. I talk to business owners almost weekly who have either been scammed by a “bad apple” or have no idea how anything about their website works. My aim is to educate any prospective client first, regardless of whether they choose me to build, host, and manage their site. I would rather anyone who is looking to build a new site know all the basics and decide on another agency, than just hand over their hard-earned money!”

“What we do in life echoes in eternity. I want to help good things to flourish in this life with good people. Where I can put my skills to use, to that end, I hope to. I hope I can build your perfect website, and liberate you from services that don’t respect your ownership, privacy, or dignity, marred by greed and dishonesty. You find in me a developer who believes deeply in digital ownership, freedom, and resilience.”

“After more than a decade working in agencies, in-house teams, and freelance roles, I saw the same crappy patterns pop up time and time again – unclear expectations, confusing tools, and websites that became hard to manage over time. Eventually, I started calling these issues out. That’s when I was labelled a “bad egg”. So instead of resisting it, I leaned into it and set up Bad Egg Digital alongside my partner Elizabeth, who shares my rebel tendencies. We’re purposely approaching things differently. We’re not doing things the ‘usual’ way just because that’s what people do. Instead, we approach every project with integrity, genuine helpfulness, and transparency. Because while we’re website specialists, it’s never just a website. It’s trust, empowerment, and allowing you to make a real impact.”

“I’m in the business of offering solutions, not creating problems. I treat business owners as project partners, which means explaining my recommendations, being upfront about costs, and making sure they own and understand their site. Signing this pledge puts that commitment in public, where clients can hold me to it.”

“I totally agree that clients are often bamboozled as if web design is some secret, magical, highly complicated industry. I want to keep things clear, easy and simple because we are all too busy.”

“I want to instill trust, good practice and strong ethical standards for clients considering working with Limepixel. I want all my clients to feel confident in recommending my web design services.”

“Because clients deserve developers who are straight with them. At Pixel Mixel we want people to leave a project feeling informed, in control of their site, and glad they chose us, not wondering what they missed. The Good Apples pledge puts into words how we already want to work, and I’d like to help clients who’ve been burned before feel confident taking a second bite.”

“It’s easy to say all of the above – and many people do. But it’s nice to be able to confidently pledge that it’s all true.”

“Organization leaders and business owners deserve quality websites that attract visitors and drive growth, created by designers and devs who care about the people they serve. As clients, they shouldn’t be handcuffed or left in the dark. They already have enough to do to meet their goals. Their website and its maintenance shouldn’t become an obstacle standing in the way of those goals. “

“Because I believe I’m a Good Apple. 😁”

“It feels like every second client I talk to has a story about their website being held hostage or their developer disappearing. I never want to be that guy. From the start I decided I will always put my clients best interests first, and give honest, transparent advice they can trust.”

“There’s a tonne of good folk in our industry, and here we group together to show potential customers we uphold to high standards.

We will listen well, explain clearly, do as we say we’ll do, and let you leave when you want to.

That should be a minimum requirement from all web folk :)”

“Too many times, I’ve had to help people get access to their own website, train them how to use it, or fix things when the original designer has ghosted them. I’m signing because I would never treat a client that way. I believe in always giving them full access to their site, along with all the info they need to take ownership and keep it updated. If a client comes back to me for more work, I want it to be because they chose to, not because I forced them to.”

“I’m a nice guy and I get a lot from helping others out. I have included in my website special rates for all registered charities. I aim to do my best when delivering a website for an organisation.”

“I shout this ethos from the rooftops because most of my clients come to me after having horrible experiences with shady web devs. 2 of my 5 core values are: Integrity – we have high morals & standards. We do what’s best for our clients and their goals, not what is going to make us a quick buck. Education & Empowerment – we want you to be confident with your software and tech. We work with our clients to make sure they feel empowered to use their websites as needed.”

“I want web developers who treat people with respect and do the right thing to gather together to show people our industry is full of good people. Say no to cowboy website builders!”

“Because people shouldn’t be ripped off!”

“I’d love to be a part of a great group of like-minded web developers who are just like me, we treat our clients fairly, and beleive in trust and responsibility over profits. I see so many bad apples out there, and hear the horror stories to go with them. Clients should own their domains/licenses and plugins and content not held to ransom with silly charges.”

“It’s not all about money. We do business to make the world a better place – we help our clients and they help us. This pledge symbolises a commitment from me to always do the best I can in this regard.”

“I’m signing the pledge because having done this type of work over 20 years I’ve seen all sorts of horror stories and practices I felt were just wrong. I also want to join other like-minded developers who put people over profits, honesty over invoices and just want to do the right thing. We demand respect from clients for our time and expertise, we should honor them with the same respect for their time and money. “

“When I stumbled across Good Apples – my heart gushed! It’s refreshing to see other people in the web industry committed to being solid, reliable, honest, and fair designers/developers. I’ve worked with the same values you have listed above and would be honoured to uphold the Good Apple promises.”

“Why are you signing the pledge?: What a fab idea! I’ve been in this industry for 30 years now and I’ve lost count of hearing from people who’ve been treated badly by web designers/developers. On handover I give clients everything they need so they can operate their websites without me – no domains registered in my name, no cms login details kept to myself. I also offer support plans so I can help my clients with ongoing support. Let’s do better!”

“I believe small businesses deserve websites that are looked after properly – maintained honestly, supported reliably, and treated like the business asset they actually are.”