Most app shops bill by the hour. I don't. You get one number, a one-page agreement, and that's the price. No timesheets, no "scope adjustments" three weeks in, no surprise invoices.
Why flat rates work better
You can actually budget. Most people I work with are funding their first app out of pocket. They need the real number - not a range, not an estimate - so they can plan the rest of their business around it.
The conversations get better. When the meter isn't running, you can call me without watching the clock, change your mind on a feature, or argue about whether something's a good idea - without it turning into a billing discussion. I'm on your side of the table, not across from it.
It forces honest scoping. A fixed price means I have to actually understand what you're building before I quote it. That's a real conversation up front - what the app does, who it's for, what's in v1. Most agencies skip that and let the hourly meter absorb the ambiguity. I'd rather do the work first and stand behind the number.
You pay the number, you get the thing.
The fine print
- Scope means something. We define what's in and what's not. Changes outside that are a separate conversation.
- Uncertain ideas get scoped first. If your concept is genuinely novel, we start with a small paid consulting engagement before I quote the build. Protection for both of us.
The deal
Every project - app builds, IT overhauls - gets one flat quote before any work starts. The quote includes the scoping conversation, the build, and a real launch.
No retainers, no recurring fees, no surprises. After fourteen years of enterprise IT - where everything is a change order - this feels almost radical. It should just be normal.