Common Issues general

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

502 Bad Gateway 500 Internal Server Error This site can't be reached Application error Database connection failed
502 Bad Gateway500 Internal Server ErrorThis site can't be reachedApplication errorDatabase connection failed

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

  1. Get access to everything — Make sure you have the code, hosting login, domain registrar login, and any database passwords before doing anything else
  2. Don't let the original developer make more changes — If they already broke it, more changes from them could make things worse
  3. Get a second opinion — Have a different developer review the code and give you an honest assessment of what it'll take to fix
  4. Check if the hosting is still active — Log into your hosting provider and make sure the subscription hasn't lapsed
  5. 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.

Anthony Akpan Anthony Akpan Developer with 8 years of experience building softwares fro startups Jared Hasson Jared Hasson Full time lead founding dev at a cyber security saas startup, with 10 yoe and a bachelor's in CS. Building & debugging software products is what I've spent my time on for forever Jaime Orts-Caroff Jaime Orts-Caroff I'm a Senior Android developer, open to work in various fields hanson1014 hanson1014 Full-stack developer experienced in fixing and deploying AI-generated apps from Lovable, Bolt.new, Cursor, and Replit. I specialize in debugging Supabase integration issues (auth flows, RLS policies, database connections), fixing broken deployments, resolving routing/blank screen problems, and cleaning up messy React/Vite codebases. I also build production apps with the Claude API and have shipped a Mac desktop dev tool (Nexterm from scratch. Based in Hong Kong, fast turnaround. Basel Issmail 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. Franck Plazanet Franck Plazanet I am a Strategic Engineering Leader with over 8 years of experience building high-availability enterprise systems and scaling high-performing technical teams. My focus is on bridging the gap between complex technology and business growth. Core Expertise: 🚀 Leadership: Managing and coaching teams of 15+ engineers, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. 🏗️ Architecture: Enterprise Core Systems, Multi-system Integration (ERP/API/ETL), and Core Database Structure. ☁️ Cloud & Scale: AWS Expert; architected systems handling 10B+ monthly requests and managing 100k+ SKUs. 📈 Business Impact: Aligning tech strategy with P&L goals to drive $70k+ in monthly recurring revenue. I thrive on "out-of-the-box" thinking to solve complex technical bottlenecks and am always looking for ways to use automation to improve business productivity. Jen Jacobsen Jen Jacobsen I’m a Full-Stack Developer with over 10 years of experience building modern web and mobile applications. I enjoy working across the full product lifecycle — turning ideas into real, well-built products that are intuitive for users and scalable for businesses. I particularly enjoy building mobile apps, modern web platforms, and solving complex technical problems in a way that keeps systems clean, reliable, and easy to maintain. Daniel Vázquez Daniel Vázquez Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience on Startups, Government, big tech industry & consulting. Mehdi Ben Haddou Mehdi Ben Haddou - Founder of Chessigma (1M+ users) & many small projects - ex Founding Engineer @Uplane (YC F25) - ex Software Engineer @Amazon and @Booking.com Caio Rodrigues Caio Rodrigues I'm a full-stack developer focused on building practical and scalable web applications. My main experience is with **React, TypeScript, and modern frontend architectures**, where I prioritize clean code, component reusability, and maintainable project structures. I have strong experience working with **dynamic forms, state management (Redux / React Hook Form), and complex data-driven interfaces**. I enjoy solving real-world problems by turning ideas into reliable software that companies can actually use in their daily operations. Beyond coding, I care about **software quality and architecture**, following best practices for componentization, code organization, and performance optimization. I'm also comfortable working across the stack when needed, integrating APIs, handling business logic, and helping transform prototypes into production-ready systems. My goal is always to deliver solutions that are **simple, efficient, and genuinely useful for the people using them.**

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Frequently 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.

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