Pricing custom software is one of the most misunderstood parts of running a development studio. Clients often arrive expecting a number before a conversation. We arrive expecting a conversation before a number. Both positions are reasonable. The gap between them is where most projects go wrong before they start.
How we think about estimation
We estimate in weeks of senior-engineer time, not in features. A feature is ambiguous. A week of work is a constraint that forces clarity: what exactly needs to happen in that week for the project to move forward?
Every estimate includes three numbers: a best case, a realistic case, and a worst case. We share all three with clients. The worst case is not a threat — it is a planning tool. Projects that plan only for the best case tend to finish at the worst case.
What we charge
Our day rate for senior engineering work is competitive with Johannesburg and Cape Town market rates for permanent staff, which means clients are typically getting equivalent capacity at a lower total cost of employment. We do not charge project management fees separately — that overhead is baked into how we run projects, not bolted on as a line item.
The honest answer to "how much does it cost" is: between R150k and R2m for most of the engagements we take on, depending on scope. The honest answer to "how do I get a number" is: 30 minutes on a call, and we will give you a range within two hours of hanging up.