How to Find and Hire the Best Drupal Company

Drupal is a complex framework, but it delivers exceptional results, making your investment worthwhile. To fully leverage its potential, it's crucial to follow correct architecture and coding standards, ensuring the project’s long-term success. Working with a knowledgeable partner can get you a long way compared to the situation you’d be in if you started with someone without Drupal experience. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of finding a solid Drupal development company.

In this article:

• Why selecting the right Drupal company matters?
• Development company or a freelancer?
• How to choose a top Drupal company?
• Hiring Drupal development company - interview process
• Choosing a Drupal development company that checks all the boxes

Why selecting the right Drupal company matters?

Drupal is one of the most powerful and flexible content management systems (CMS) available today. Its open-source nature, scalability, and extensive customization options make it the preferred choice for businesses, government institutions, nonprofits, and enterprises worldwide. However, the success of the Drupal project depends significantly on the expertise and reliability of the company handling its development.

The role of a Drupal company in project success

The right Drupal development company does more than just build custom websites. It ensures that every aspect of the project - from architecture and development to security and ongoing maintenance - is executed with precision. Whether you're developing a corporate website, an e-commerce platform, or a large-scale enterprise solution, partnering with the right Drupal experts can mean the difference between a system that thrives and one that struggles with performance issues, security risks, and poor user experience.

Avoiding common pitfalls in Drupal development

Selecting the wrong Drupal company can lead to costly delays, technical debt, and inadequate solutions that will make your website fail to meet your business needs. Common pitfalls include:

• Poorly optimized performance - Without a strong technical foundation, your Drupal site may suffer from slow loading times, affecting user experience and SEO rankings.
• Lack of security best practices - Inadequate security measures can expose your Drupal site to vulnerabilities, leading to data breaches and compliance issues.
• Limited scalability - A company without expertise in scalable Drupal architectures may develop a system that struggles to handle increasing traffic or content expansion.
• Insufficient post-launch support - Many businesses underestimate the importance of ongoing Drupal maintenance, which is crucial for keeping the platform updated and secure.

Aligning Drupal development with business goals

The right Drupal company will take the time to understand your business objectives and tailor the solution accordingly. Instead of offering generic implementations, a strategic partner will:

• Develop a scalable platform that aligns with your long-term digital strategy.
• Provide custom features and integrations to enhance functionality.
• Ensure ongoing support and future-proofing so your Drupal platform remains relevant and adaptable to market changes.

By choosing an experienced and reliable Drupal development company, businesses can unlock Drupal's full potential while avoiding unnecessary risks and inefficiencies.

Development company or a freelancer? 

When planning a Drupal project, you may consider choosing a freelancer instead of a Drupal development agency. This can sometimes be a cost-efficient solution, but there are a few crucial factors to keep in mind. While freelance Drupal developers offer flexibility and lower costs, they also come with challenges related to reliability, scalability, and long-term support.

A freelancer works solo

Hiring a freelancer means placing a lot of reliance on one person. If, for any reason, your ways part or the freelancer becomes temporarily unavailable, you must have a contingency plan. However, realistically, the only real fallback is that you become the expert on your own system, as no one else will know it as well as the freelancer.

This makes a freelancer a suitable option only in cases where:

• The project isn’t business-critical, and delays are acceptable.
• The system isn’t yet live, and launch deadlines are flexible.
• You have in-house expertise to step in if the freelancer is unavailable.

For more complex or long-term projects, relying on a single person creates risks in terms of availability, continuity, and long-term maintenance.

A team of freelancers requires coordination

If you decide to hire a group of freelance Drupal developers to deliver your project, you’ll need to coordinate their work effectively. Unlike an established web development team, freelancers usually don’t know each other and may not follow the same standards or workflows. This can lead to several challenges:

• Lack of process alignment – Different Drupal developers may work in different ways, leading to inconsistencies in code quality and architecture.
• Coordination overhead – You’ll need to take on the role of a project manager to ensure that all freelancers work towards a common goal.
• Inconsistent technical solutions – Drupal developers from different backgrounds may choose different approaches to solve the same problem, leading to unnecessary complexity.

Without strong technical oversight and coordination, a team of freelancers may struggle to deliver a cohesive, well-structured Drupal project.

The advantages of choosing a Drupal development company

A Drupal development company eliminates many of the risks associated with freelancers by providing a structured, reliable, and scalable approach to Drupal web development services. The key benefits of working with an experienced Drupal agency include:

• A dedicated team – A well-organized team of Drupal developers who follow the same processes and best practices (e.g. in coding standards).
• Established workflows – Development companies have predefined methodologies, ensuring consistency and quality.
• Reliability and continuity – If one developer is unavailable, another team member can take over, ensuring smooth progress and long-term stability.
• Project management included – No need to coordinate multiple freelance Drupal developers. The company handles the entire process, including planning, development, testing, and deployment.
• Ongoing support and security – Top Drupal development companies provide long-term maintenance, security patches, and performance monitoring, ensuring the system remains stable and secure.

Making the Right Choice

If your Drupal project is small, non-critical, and flexible in terms of deadlines, a freelancer may be an affordable option. However, if your project requires structured development, long-term support, security, and scalability, working with a Drupal development company is the more reliable and strategic choice. A professional agency not only delivers a high-quality product but also ensures that your system remains future-proof, well-maintained, and aligned with your business goals.

How to choose a top Drupal company? 

Finding the right Drupal development company can make or break your project. With so many options available, it’s not just about picking the first agency you find. It’s about choosing one that aligns with your business needs, technical requirements, and long-term goals. A great Drupal partner shouldn’t only have strong development skills but also provide a seamless collaboration experience, ensuring your project runs smoothly from start to finish.

Before you start looking for a Drupal agency, there are a few things you should consider that will make your search much more effective.

Custom Drupal development services

Every business has unique needs, and off-the-shelf solutions often fail to deliver the best experience. Custom Drupal development allows businesses to build tailored solutions that align perfectly with their goals, whether it’s a complex web application, an enterprise-grade CMS, or an advanced e-commerce system.

A reliable Drupal development company should have deep expertise in crafting custom modules, themes, and integrations that enhance functionality while maintaining performance, security, and scalability. Instead of relying solely on pre-built solutions, skilled Drupal developers create custom features that provide a competitive edge and support long-term digital strategies.

Custom Drupal development is especially valuable for businesses that require:

• Unique workflows and business logic that aren’t covered by standard Drupal modules.
• Specialized content management systems for industries like finance, healthcare, e-learning, and government agencies.
• Advanced integrations with third-party tools, such as CRMs, payment gateways, and marketing automation systems.
• Personalized user experiences, including role-based content delivery and dynamic personalization.

With the right Drupal development company, businesses can go beyond the limitations of traditional CMS solutions and create digital experiences that are efficient, scalable, and future-proof.

Advanced Drupal specializations

Not all Drupal projects are the same, and certain development challenges require specialized expertise. When selecting a Drupal company, it’s essential to verify whether they have experience in handling complex Drupal implementations.

Expertise in complex migrations (e.g., Drupal 7 to 10/11)

With Drupal 7 reaching end-of-life, many businesses must migrate their websites to Drupal 10 or 11 to maintain security, performance, and support. A reliable Drupal company should have:

• Experience with large-scale content migrations without data loss.
• The ability to rewrite custom modules and themes for compatibility with newer Drupal versions.
• A clear strategy to minimize downtime and ensure a smooth transition.

Drupal migrations can be challenging, and only experienced agencies know how to navigate the process while preserving functionality, SEO rankings, and user experience.

Handling multilingual and multi-domain websites

Many international businesses, government agencies, and enterprises require multi-language and multi-site capabilities. A Drupal company with experience in multilingual development can:

• Configure Drupal’s built-in multilingual system to manage translations efficiently.
• Set up multi-domain and multi-site architectures to power multiple websites from a single Drupal installation.
• Ensure seamless user experiences across different languages, regions, and content structures.

A strong multilingual setup helps businesses reach global audiences, improve accessibility, and enhance localization efforts.

Experience with custom module development

While Drupal offers thousands of contributed modules, some projects require custom-built functionality. Whether it's a unique business workflow, a specialized API integration, or a non-standard content structure, a skilled Drupal development company should be able to:

• Develop custom modules from scratch, following best coding practices.
• Extend existing Drupal functionality to meet business-specific requirements.
• Optimize performance to ensure that custom features don’t slow down the website.

Custom module development is essential for businesses with specific technical needs that can’t be met with off-the-shelf solutions. A top Drupal agency should be able to create scalable, secure, and maintainable custom modules tailored to your project.

High traffic websites

A well-optimized Drupal website should be able to handle large volumes of visitors without performance issues. Businesses that experience traffic spikes, seasonal demand fluctuations, or rapid growth need a Drupal company with expertise in scalability and performance optimization.

Key strategies for handling high-traffic Drupal websites include:

• Optimized caching strategies – Using technologies like Varnish, Redis, and Drupal’s built-in caching to minimize server load.
• Efficient database management – Structuring queries and optimizing indexes to handle large datasets without slowing down.
• Load balancing and CDN integration – Distributing traffic across multiple servers and using Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to improve global performance.

Case study: A high-traffic recipe website

A great example of high-traffic Drupal optimization is the recipe website Kwestia Smaku developed by Droptica which handles millions of visitors and thousands of daily interactions. It’s also in top 25 most visited websites in Poland. The webpage required:

• Fast load times despite a constantly growing number of recipes and images.
• Scalable infrastructure to support traffic surges during peak hours.
• A seamless user experience for both visitors and editors adding new content.

Kwesita Smaku - complete case study

Through advanced caching, performance tuning, and cloud infrastructure optimization, we ensured that the site remained fast, reliable, and scalable, even under heavy traffic loads.

Case study: A high-traffic news portal

We handled the migration of a big media website from custom CMS to Drupal. We migrated several thousand pieces of content and several hundred gigabytes of photos. We configured the website with the Cloudflare CDN system in such a way that 90% of the traffic is handled by the CDN and only 10% of the traffic reaches the server. Thanks to that, we significantly reduced the hosting costs of the news portal.

The final solution uses Drupal 10 and Thuder, Drupal distribution for publishers. The media portal now handles over 2 million unique users per month and over 400 million requests to the website per month.

Agency’s experience

One of the best ways to assess a Drupal agency’s capabilities is to review their past projects. Asking about similar projects or ones of comparable size and complexity can give you a clear idea of whether they are the right fit for your needs. Many Drupal agencies have experience in building marketing websites but aren’t able to create and maintain a complex content management system with multiple users and business logic.

If your project requires advanced features such as custom workflows, API integrations, or high-traffic scalability, you need a Drupal development services company with experience in delivering projects of similar complexity.

That said, finding an agency that has built exactly the same type of system you need may not always be possible. Instead, focus on whether they have successfully handled projects of a similar or greater scale. Look at case studies, testimonials, and portfolio examples to evaluate:

• The size and scope of their past projects.
• The technical challenges they solved.
• Their ability to handle ongoing support and future development.

By reviewing their past work, you can better understand their strengths and determine if they have the expertise to bring your Drupal platform to life.

Security and compliance standards

Security is a key factor in choosing a Drupal development company. Whether you're running a corporate website, enterprise platform, or government system, protecting sensitive data and ensuring compliance with regulations is essential. A reliable Drupal agency follows best security practices, actively monitors risks, and builds protection into every stage of Drupal development.

ISO 27001 certification

A Drupal development company with ISO 27001 certification, like Droptica, ensures:

• Structured security policies and risk mitigation strategies.
• Strict access controls to prevent unauthorized data exposure.
• Regular audits to maintain compliance with global security standards.

This guarantees a secure development environment and adherence to industry best practices.

Proactive security and threat prevention

A security-first Drupal agency takes a proactive approach, including:

• Regular security updates for Drupal core, modules, and themes.
• Vulnerability scanning and firewall protection to block threats.
• SSL encryption and secure authentication to prevent unauthorized access.

With these measures, businesses stay protected from cyber threats before they become problems.

Disaster recovery and business continuity

Even with strong security, unexpected incidents can happen. A reliable Drupal company provides:

• Regular backups to restore data quickly.
• Failover strategies to prevent downtime.
• Incident response plans to handle security breaches effectively.

This guarantees business continuity and minimal disruption.

Maintenance

Building your Drupal project is just the beginning - ongoing maintenance and support are just as important as the initial development. Like any software, Drupal requires regular security updates, performance monitoring, and occasional bug fixes to keep it running smoothly. Additionally, as your business evolves, you may need to introduce new features, integrate with other systems, or make incremental improvements over time.

That’s why it’s essential to understand how the agency handles post-launch maintenance. Will they continue supporting your project, or will you need to find another provider once the initial development is complete? Having clarity on this from the start can save you time, effort, and potential headaches down the road.

At Droptica, we offer dedicated Drupal support through a specialized team that takes over once a project is finalized. Our team continuously monitors, upgrades, and optimizes Drupal systems to ensure they remain secure and high-performing. Whether it’s applying security patches, fixing bugs, or implementing small feature updates, we ensure that your website or application remains stable, up-to-date, and aligned with your evolving needs.

When choosing a Drupal company, always check whether they provide long-term maintenance and support services - it’s an investment in the future reliability and success of your project.

Budget

Having a clear idea of your development budget can make the process of finding the right Drupal company much easier. Most agencies specialize in projects of a certain size, such as:

• Small – up to €10k
• Medium – €10k – €100k
• Large – €100k – €500k
• Enterprise-level – €500k+

A smaller agency may struggle with the complexity of a large-scale project due to limitations in processes, experience, and team coordination. On the other hand, a large agency may find it difficult to adjust its workflow to fit a smaller budget effectively.

Why having a budget in mind helps

Many Drupal agencies will ask about your budget early on. A top-tier Drupal agency receives multiple inquiries and typically has a process in place to quickly assess whether a project is a good fit. While you don’t need to provide an exact number (especially if you’re still figuring it out), having a general budget range in mind helps both sides determine if the collaboration makes sense.

An experienced Drupal services company will be upfront if your budget expectations and project scope are misaligned - helping you avoid wasting time on discussions that won’t lead to a viable partnership.

At Droptica, we have solutions for all types of budgets. For small or medium budgets, we recommend our starters—pre-built CMS systems that can serve news portals, company websites, or intranets. Ready-to-use functions cut down both development time and costs. For bigger budgets, we suggest our custom development services, which allow for better adjustment of the final solution to the client’s needs.

Read also: How Much Does It Cost To Build a Website With Drupal

Location

Ideally, you'd want to work with a Drupal company that's nearby. But let's be honest - true Drupal experts aren't on every street corner. Thanks to modern technology, distance is no longer a big issue, and most agencies are used to working remotely with clients from all over the world.

That said, there are two potential challenges when working with a company in a different location: time differences and language barrier.

1. Time difference

It's always easier when your working hours overlap, even if it’s just by an hour or two. If there’s no overlap at all, things can still work, but it requires more planning and clear, written communication to keep everything on track.

In Droptica, we still manage to deliver successful projects with clients in U.S., but we have our representative in there. For the rest of the team - our project managers take the asynchronicity of communication much more into account and sometimes also adapt working hours to allow for an evening status call with clients just starting their day on the other side of the world.

2. Language barrier

Language can be another challenge, but it's usually manageable. When working with a Drupal company from another country, English is typically the default language for communication. As long as both sides are comfortable with it, this shouldn’t be a major issue.

However, differences in communication styles can sometimes lead to misunderstandings, so it’s important to set clear expectations from the start. Using written documentation, structured project management tools, and recorded meetings can help keep everyone on the same page. If you're unsure about an agency’s language proficiency, a short discovery call can quickly reveal whether communication will be smooth and efficient.

Communication

Effective communication is key to a successful project. When it's well-structured and aligned with the development process, it helps everyone stay on track and move forward efficiently. But if it's disorganized or unclear, it can lead to confusion, delays, and frustration.

To ensure smooth cooperation, here are some important questions to ask a potential Drupal software development company about their communication style:

• How will the communication be handled?
• Who will be your primary point of contact?
• Will you be able to communicate directly with the entire team or only through a project manager?              
• What tools will be used to track progress and stay in touch?
• How will requirements be gathered, and will there be a clear way to access them (e.g project specification)?

These questions help you understand how your requirements will be managed and how you'll stay informed about your project's progress.

How we handle communication at Droptica

At Droptica, we use a structured communication approach with four main channels:

1. Jira (project management and ticketing system)
   Jira is the backbone of every project. All tasks, along with their acceptance criteria, are logged and tracked here. It helps the team and the client see what’s planned, what’s currently in progress, and what has been completed.
2. Documentation system
   We maintain a centralized documentation system where all project-related information is stored. This ensures that essential details are always accessible to the team and stakeholders.
3. Slack (team and client chat)
   Slack provides a quick and easy way to stay connected. It’s used for real-time discussions, asking questions, and resolving issues efficiently.
4. Google Meet (video conferencing)
   We use video calls for daily status meetings, progress reviews, demos, and important discussions. Sometimes, a quick call is far more effective than sending multiple Slack messages when discussing detailed topics.

By using these tools and structured communication methods, we ensure that projects run smoothly and all stakeholders remain aligned throughout the development process.

Recognized expertise & industry certifications

A reliable Drupal company should have recognized certifications and partnerships that prove their technical excellence and commitment to best practices. Some key credentials to look for include:

• Drupal Certified Partner – This status is awarded to companies that meet high standards in Drupal development, support, and innovation.
• Acquia Certified Developers – Acquia, a leading company in the Drupal ecosystem, offers certifications for developers to verify their expertise in building, optimizing, and maintaining Drupal applications. Agencies with Acquia-certified developers (like Droptica) demonstrate a high level of proficiency in Drupal best practices.
• Drupal Association Ripple Makers – Ripple Makers is a vibrant community of dedicated individuals who actively support the mission of the Drupal Association - the official non-profit organization that supports Drupal’s growth and development. Being a member of the Ripple Makers community signals an agency’s dedication to the platform and its continuous improvement.

Silver Drupal Cetified Partner badge, owned by, among others, Droptica. Source: TheDropTimes

Working with an agency that holds these certifications reduces risks, ensures high-quality development, and guarantees that best practices are followed throughout your project.

Active involvement in the Drupal Community

Top Drupal development companies don’t just use Drupal—they contribute to its growth. The Drupal Community is one of the biggest strengths of the platform, with thousands of developers, designers, and businesses working together to improve it. A strong Drupal company is often deeply engaged in this ecosystem by:

• Contributing modules, patches, and updates to Drupal’s open-source codebase.
• Supporting or organizing Drupal events to share knowledge and foster innovation.
• Participating in discussions, forums, and working groups to help shape the future of Drupal.

This active participation ensures that the agency stays up to date with the latest Drupal trends, security practices, and performance optimizations - which directly benefits your project.

Hosting and organizing Drupal events

A company that is truly invested in Drupal often organizes or sponsors Drupal events, such as meetups, conferences (f.e. Drupal camps), and hackathons. These events provide a space for developers, businesses, and enthusiasts to share knowledge, improve skills, and collaborate on new solutions.

At Droptica, we proudly organize DrupalCamp Poland, an international Drupal conference that has been gathering Drupal professionals, users, and fans for over 12 years. This annual event brings together developers, agencies, and businesses to exchange ideas, discuss best practices, and explore the future of Drupal.

Participants of DrupalCamp Poland 2024

By actively hosting and participating in such events, we ensure that our team remains at the cutting edge of Drupal development.

Hiring Drupal development company - interview process 

Once you have the basics in place, it’s time to start searching for Drupal development agencies and reach out to them. A quick Google search for “Drupal development company” will yield plenty of results, giving you a solid list of potential partners to contact. However, with so many options, it’s essential to carefully vet each agency to find the right fit. Below are some tips to help you streamline the selection process.

Don’t start with the project details

It’s natural to feel eager to dive into the details of your project - after all, that’s why you’re looking for a development partner in the first place. However, focusing too much on specifics early on can slow down the selection process and make it difficult to objectively compare agencies.

Discussing detailed project requirements with five or more companies is not only time-consuming but can also be impractical, especially if it involves granting access to designs, documentation, or internal systems. Instead, it’s best to shortlist one or two final candidates before getting into in-depth discussions.

At the initial stage, provide a brief overview of your project, including its scope, size, and timeline, but avoid diving into technical specifics right away. This preliminary information allows agencies to determine whether your project aligns with their expertise without overwhelming the selection process. By taking this approach, you’ll be able to evaluate agencies more efficiently and make a well-informed decision.

Understanding how a Drupal development company works

Once you've shortlisted potential agencies, the next step is to understand how they operate. This will give you insight into their project management approach, communication style, and overall workflow. Knowing how an agency plans to handle your project will help you set clear expectations and determine if they are the right fit for your business.

At this stage of the interview, consider asking:

• Does the company follow a structured work process?
• Is the process well-organized and predictable?
• Does their approach align with your organization, or are they willing to adapt?

Don’t hesitate to ask follow-up questions. These can help clarify general information and distinguish between a company that genuinely follows best practices and one that is simply saying what you want to hear.

Project methodology: Agile vs. Waterfall

One crucial aspect to discuss is how the agency plans to deliver your project. Different project management methodologies impact both the development process and your level of involvement.

• Agile (e.g., SCRUM) – Focuses on incremental development and regular feedback loops. This approach delivers results quickly but typically requires ongoing client involvement, such as participating in sprint reviews and providing feedback throughout the process.
• Waterfall – A more traditional approach where the entire project is planned in advance. This requires detailed specifications upfront and minimizes client involvement during the development phase. However, it carries a higher risk of the final product not meeting expectations, as there are fewer opportunities to make adjustments along the way.

Understanding an agency’s workflow and methodology will help you determine if their approach aligns with your preferences and whether they can adapt to your specific needs.

Prices, estimates, and agreements

After the initial interviews, it’s time to discuss pricing. Depending on the size and complexity of your project, this stage can be quick and straightforward or require detailed negotiations. To keep things manageable, it's best to narrow down your list of agencies at this point, avoiding an overwhelming number of discussions.

When evaluating pricing, consider asking:

• How does the agency calculate costs?
• What payment terms do they offer?
• If installments or prepayments are required, how will progress be monitored?

While cost is an important factor, it shouldn’t be the only deciding factor. In software development, quality is often more cost-effective in the long run. A well-built project reduces future expenses on bug fixes, security patches, and maintenance.

Opting for a cheaper but less experienced agency may seem like a cost-saving decision upfront, but hidden costs can add up. Poorly developed solutions often lead to frequent fixes, performance issues, and higher long-term maintenance costs, ultimately making the project more expensive than expected.

Read more: Our Tips on How to Estimate a Software Project Accurately and Effectively

Long-term partnership

When interviewing top Drupal development companies, it’s important to think beyond development. Choosing a long-term partner ensures your system remains secure, scalable, and well-maintained, saving time and reducing risks.

Why ongoing collaboration adds value

A reliable Drupal development services company offers more than just development - they provide continuous support, updates, and strategic improvements. When assessing agencies, ask:

• Do they offer long-term support plans?
• How do they handle updates and security patches?
• Will they be available for future development?

A long-term partner understands your content management system, enabling faster updates, better performance, and proactive improvements that align with business growth.

What’s more, keeping a single Drupal development company ensures:

• Faster issue resolution – No time wasted learning your system from scratch.
• Better security – Regular monitoring and proactive patches.
• Easier scalability – Seamless upgrades and performance optimizations.

Ask agencies about their experience with ongoing support and their approach to long-term client relationships.

Overall impression

While gathering information about a Drupal development company, it’s also important to consider your overall impression. How do you feel about the company and the people you’ve spoken to? If you choose to work with them, you’ll likely be in regular contact, so ask yourself:

• Do you feel comfortable communicating with them?
• Is there a good cultural fit?
• Does the team give off a positive and professional vibe?

Good chemistry matters. A strong working relationship makes collaboration smoother, more enjoyable, and more productive. If you genuinely like and trust the people you’re working with, your Drupal project experience will be much more rewarding and efficient.

Choosing a Drupal development company that checks all the boxes 

Choosing the right Drupal development services company is about more than just cost it requires evaluating expertise, communication, and long-term commitment. A great agency shouldn’t only excel in technical skills but also foster strong collaboration and project alignment.

A true Drupal partner goes beyond initial development, providing ongoing support, security updates, and scalability planning to keep your platform modern and adaptable. Long-term collaboration ensures stability, efficiency, and business growth.

When selecting a Drupal web development services company, consider factors like certifications, community involvement, and proven technical experience. At Droptica, we bring together industry-recognized credentials, deep Drupal expertise, and active participation in the Drupal Community to deliver high-quality, scalable, and secure solutions. Whether you need custom development, support, or migration services, we are committed to ensuring your project’s long-term success.