When a business contacts us, the first thing to work out is not the price. It is the shape of the engagement, because the wrong shape makes every later conversation harder. There are three shapes, and three questions decide between them.
The three shapes
Fixed-scope project. You describe what you need; we agree a scope, a timeline and a price, paid in milestones. You get a thing. Best for websites, MVPs, apps with a clear end state.
Dedicated developer. A named person works on your product for an agreed number of days per month, inside your team, using your tools, taking direction from your lead. Best when you already have a product and a plan and simply need capacity.
Retainer. A set amount of our team's time each month, prioritised with you, for a product that is live and keeps evolving. Best when the work is a stream of improvements rather than a project.
The three questions
1. Can you describe "done"?
If you can write down what finished looks like (screens, features, who uses it), a fixed-scope project fits. If "done" is "whatever we learn next", a dedicated developer or retainer fits, because the plan will change and you do not want a proposal for every change.
2. Who manages the work day to day?
A fixed-scope project is managed by us: we plan the sprints and run the demos. A dedicated developer is managed by you: you set priorities, review the work, run the stand-ups. If you do not have someone with the time and technical judgement to do that, a dedicated developer will drift, and a fixed-scope project or a retainer is the better choice.
3. How long will this last?
Under three months with a clear goal: fixed scope. Longer than six months with a live product: retainer or dedicated developer. In between, start with a fixed-scope project and convert to a retainer when it launches; that is the most common path our clients take.
A quick table
| Situation | Shape |
|---|---|
| New website or MVP, clear brief | Fixed-scope project |
| Live product, steady stream of changes | Retainer |
| Your own product team needs more hands | Dedicated developer |
| Agency reselling to its client | Fixed scope (white-label) |
| Not sure what to build | Discovery sprint, then decide |
The mistake to avoid
Choosing a dedicated developer because it feels flexible, then not managing them. Flexibility without direction is just an invoice. If nobody on your side can run the work, buy outcomes, not time.
The models and what drives cost are on the pricing page. The roles you can hire for are on the hire page.