Pricing you can reason about before you talk to us
We do not publish starting prices because the range between projects is too wide to be honest. Here is what drives cost, what sits outside our fees, and how we get to a written estimate.
Request an estimate
Fastest route: describe your project with the estimator, or tell us about it directly.
What moves the cost
Cost follows the amount of real business logic, not the number of screens.
- Workflows and user roles
- Each distinct workflow and each type of user (owner, staff, customer, accountant) adds design, build and testing work.
- Custom logic
- Pricing rules, approvals, tax handling, stock rules and exceptions take time to specify and test properly.
- Integrations
- Every connected tool needs access, mapping, error handling and testing. Some have limits or approval steps outside our control.
- Data migration
- Moving records from spreadsheets or an old system depends on how clean they are.
- Reporting
- A few clear views are cheaper than many configurable reports.
- Support level
- Faster response and wider cover cost more than best-effort support.
Fixed scope or an evolving system
Fixed scope
Suits a clearly defined first release, such as a booking flow, a quoting tool or a business website. We agree what is included and excluded, then estimate against it.
Changes after sign-off are discussed and priced as changes.
Evolving system
Suits operational systems that grow with the business. Work is planned in small releases with regular review, and cost follows what you choose to build next.
It gives flexibility, but needs steady involvement from your side.
Third-party software and subscriptions
Many systems rely on paid services we do not own: payment gateways (fees per transaction), WhatsApp or SMS providers (fees per message), email delivery, maps, accounting software, AI model usage and domain names.
These are paid to the providers, usually from accounts in your name. Their prices and terms can change. We list the ones we expect in your estimate so you can plan.
Hosting and infrastructure
Live systems need somewhere to run, plus storage, backups and monitoring. Costs depend on traffic, data volume and the level of reliability you need, so we give an expected range rather than a promise.
A small business website can be inexpensive to host. A system with files, many users or heavy processing costs more.
Software needs looking after
Frameworks, browsers, hosting platforms and connected services keep changing. A system with no upkeep slowly becomes less secure and eventually stops working.
We include maintenance and support in the conversation from the start: what is covered (updates, monitoring, defect fixes), what counts as new work, and the response you can expect. It is a real running cost and we would rather you see it early.
From conversation to written estimate
Discovery conversation
You describe the problem. We ask questions and say plainly if the idea is a poor fit or can be done more cheaply.
Scoped options
We outline what a first release would include, what is left out and where the main uncertainties are.
Written estimate
You receive a scope, the assumptions behind it, expected third-party costs and a maintenance proposal, to review before you commit.
Describe your project in a few minutes
The estimator helps you shape what you need into a brief we can respond to.
Complexity indicator
Needs discovery
The category is not settled yet, so scope cannot be judged until the problem is discussed.
Total: 0 points.
How this is calculated
Points are added for the project type, each module, each integration, user roles, migration, reporting and support. The total maps to a level: Light up to 14, Moderate up to 29, Substantial up to 44, and above that Needs discovery. An unsettled category, no modules, or a large migration with three or more integrations also gives Needs discovery.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| User roles: 1 | 0 |
| Data migration: None, we start fresh | 0 |
| Reporting: No reports needed at first | 0 |
| Support: Hand over after launch | 0 |
Role tiers: 1 role = 0, 2 to 3 roles = 2, 4 to 6 roles = 4, 7 or more roles = 7.
The weights are our rough rule of thumb for how much each choice adds uncertainty and work. They are not measured hours.
Generated project brief
Project type
- Not selected
Required modules
- None selected yet
Integrations to evaluate (potential targets, not confirmed)
- None selected
Users and data
- User roles: 1
- Data migration: None, we start fresh
- Reporting: No reports needed at first
After launch
- Hand over after launch
Complexity indicator
- Needs discovery. The category is not settled yet, so scope cannot be judged until the problem is discussed.
Open questions for discovery
- Which steps of the current process are the biggest daily pain?
- Which third-party accounts, plans and API access already exist?
- Who approves decisions, and who will use the system every day?
Important
- This is a complexity indicator and a starting brief, not a quotation. A quotation needs technical discovery: reviewing your actual process, data and the third-party services involved. Third-party costs (gateway fees, message fees, hosting, subscriptions) are separate and set by those providers.
Want an estimate for your project?
Tell us the problem. We will come back with questions first, then a written estimate.