How Pricing Works
Software development pricing is scope-based, not hourly. Every project starts with a discovery phase that produces a detailed scope document. We price against that scope — you know exactly what you are paying for and what you will receive before development begins.
This means no open-ended hourly billing, no surprise invoices, and no ambiguity about what is included. If the scope changes during the project (it sometimes does), we agree on the change and its cost impact before proceeding. There are no retrospective charges for work you did not approve.
What Is Included
Every project engagement includes:
- Discovery — understanding your business, mapping workflows, and producing a scope document
- Iterative development — working software delivered in short cycles with demos and feedback loops
- Integration — connecting to your existing platforms with proper error handling and monitoring
- Testing — automated and manual testing before any code goes to production
- Documentation — architecture, data models, and operational procedures
- Deployment — production deployment with environment configuration
- Handover — full ownership of the codebase, infrastructure, and deployment pipeline
- Post-launch support — a defined period of bug fixes and adjustments after launch (typically 2-4 weeks)
What Affects the Price
The main variables that determine project cost:
- Scope and complexity — a simple internal tool costs less than a multi-role platform with complex business logic. The number of features, the depth of business rules, and the number of user types all affect effort.
- Integrations — each third-party integration (Stripe, email, CRM, AI, etc.) adds complexity. Simple REST API connections cost less than integrations requiring OAuth, webhooks, and bidirectional data sync.
- Data migration — if the project involves migrating data from a legacy system, the migration design, validation, and testing add to the scope.
- Timeline — standard timelines are most cost-effective. Accelerated timelines may incur additional cost due to resource prioritisation.
Indicative ranges (for context, not quotes):
- Small internal tool (single-purpose, few integrations) — weeks of development
- Mid-scale application (multi-role, several integrations, custom business logic) — 1-3 months
- Large platform (complex workflows, multiple integration points, data migration) — 3-6+ months
These are rough guides. The actual price comes from the scope document, not a range table.
What Is Not Included
- Third-party service costs — Stripe fees, hosting costs, domain registration, and API subscriptions are your responsibility. We advise on selection but do not bundle them.
- Ongoing development after launch — post-launch bug fixes are included for a defined period. Ongoing feature development, maintenance, and evolution require a support retainer.
- Content creation — if the system requires content (copy, images, data), that is provided by your team unless separately scoped.
Next Steps
The best way to get an accurate price is to start a conversation. We will ask about your business, your workflow, and what you need built — then come back with a scoped proposal and a clear number.
Get a Proposal
Get in touch with your project details and we will scope it for you. No commitment required to get a proposal.
