FAQ

Yes. This is one of the most valuable things we do: taking a process you currently run manually – or with a patchwork of spreadsheets and tools – and turning it into software that saves time and removes the repetitive work.

We start with a short series of workshops to really understand how your process works today: the steps, the people involved, the pain points, and where time is being lost. From there we map out a software solution designed around how your business actually operates – not a generic, off-the-shelf fit.

Then we build it. You end up with a tool tailored to your workflow, with the manual effort automated away – and we stay on to support and improve it as your business grows.

We’ve done this across a range of industries, so whether it’s a single workflow or a broader internal system, we can help you figure out what’s worth automating and build it properly.

Absolutely. Turning an early idea into a clear, buildable product is exactly what our Design & Discovery phase is for. Since founding, we’ve delivered over 80 software projects, many of them for startups at this same stage.

Here’s how we’d help you shape it:

• Understand your users – we define your buyer personas, so you’re clear on who you’re building for and what problems you’re solving.
• Sharpen the idea – we work with you to find your unique selling point, grounded in what those users actually need.
• Scope what to build – we translate the idea into concrete features and a realistic build plan.
• Design it – wireframes, branding, and final designs, so you can see the product before a line of code is written.
• Build it – we develop the software based on the agreed designs.

So whether you’ve got a rough concept or a fully-formed vision, we can help you get it to something real.

It depends on what you’re building – and we’ll tell you for free. Every project is different, so rather than a one-size-fits-all price, we give you a tailored estimate based on what you actually need.

A few things shape the cost:

• Scope – how much the app does, and how complex that is
• Stage – whether you’re starting from an idea, building an MVP, or extending something that exists
• Pricing model – fixed price for well-defined scope, or Time & Materials when things are likely to evolve

The more you can tell us about your idea, the sharper our estimate will be – and the first estimate is always free, with no obligation. For a sense of how we structure pricing, take a look at our Pricing page.

It’s straightforward, and it starts with a conversation:

1. We talk – fill in the form or book a call with one of our founders, and we’ll talk through your idea and what you’re hoping to achieve.
2. You share requirements – the more detail you can give us, the sharper the estimate we can put together.
3. We estimate and propose – we come back with a clear estimate and a proposal for how we’d approach the project.
4. We visualise it – we map the idea out, whether that’s a rough wireframe just to get us on the same page or a fuller design with our designers involved. Seeing the product before it’s built saves time and money later.
5. We start – once the scope is clear and agreed, we kick off and move into development.

Want the detail? We’ve written up exactly how THEY.dev works with clients on our blog.

Iterative and transparent – you see progress as it happens, not just at the end.

• We work in short cycles, delivering in increments rather than disappearing for months and returning with a finished product. You see the app take shape and can steer it as it grows.
• You have visibility throughout – all work and tasks live in Jira, which you have access to, so you can see what’s being worked on at any time.
• We review regularly – on whatever cadence suits you, we show you what’s been built, gather your feedback, and fold it into the next cycle.
• Quality is built in, not bolted on – we write automated and manual tests as we go, so the app stays stable as it grows rather than accumulating problems.
• You’re never locked out – code, documentation, and project tools are yours and accessible throughout, not handed over only at the end.

The result: no black box. You always know where your project stands and you shape it as it develops.

Yes. We’ll set this up as part of your project – including Google Analytics (GA4) and complementary tools like Microsoft Clarity for heatmaps and session insights – so you can see how your application is being used from day one. Beyond the basics, we can implement custom event tracking tailored to your app, such as e-commerce or conversion events, so you’re measuring what actually matters to your business.

Yes – at every stage of the project, not just at the end.

• Throughout development – we track all work in Jira, which you have access to. This is your live, ongoing record of what’s being built and why: detailed enough to follow, flexible enough to adapt as requirements change.
• In the code itself – from day one, every part of the project (frontend, backend, tests) has a README. Early on it helps our developers set up and work efficiently; later, it’s what lets your own team pick the project up.
• In the tests – where we build automated and manual tests, we write them to be readable. Their names, steps, and expected results double as a clear, plain-language description of how the application is meant to behave.
• On delivery – once you’re ready for production, we produce full application documentation, including:
  • Setup and configuration guide
  • Infrastructure overview and diagram
  • Third-party libraries and their licences
  • Optionally: test scenarios and user stories

And if you later build an in-house team or bring on a CTO, we support the handover – so the project transitions to you cleanly, not dumped with a folder of files.

Yes, we work on a Fixed-Price basis. It’s a good option when you have a set budget and a clearly defined scope.

We scope the project carefully with you up front, agree a price, and deliver to it. Payment can be in full or split across agreed milestones as the work is delivered, so you’re paying against tangible progress. Because the price is fixed to a defined scope, any significant changes along the way are handled as agreed adjustments.

We also offer Time & Materials, which suits projects that are more exploratory or likely to evolve. Custom software is hard to estimate precisely up front, so for open-ended work T&M tends to be more flexible and cost-effective – you pay for actual time spent, with full visibility throughout. Fixed price works best when the scope is well defined from the start.

We’ll talk it through at the start and recommend whichever fits your project.

Yes – always. We sign an NDA before we get into the detail of your idea, as standard practice, for your protection and ours. You can use your own template or one of ours, whichever you prefer.
So your idea is treated as confidential from the very first conversation – that’s simply how we work, not something you have to ask for.

Not in place of payment, and not upfront. Building software takes real time and cost on our side, so we don’t take on projects for equity alone – especially at the idea stage, before there’s anything to value.

Once there’s a working product and real traction, though, we’re open to the conversation. At that point – typically alongside a retainer for ongoing development – a partial equity arrangement can make sense, because there’s something concrete to base it on.

So: not instead of pay, but potentially as part of a longer-term partnership once the numbers are real.

Yes. Once your application is live, we keep it running – staying on top of updates and fixing bugs so it stays stable and current. We don’t build something and walk away.

How it’s arranged depends on your situation:

• If you’re still actively developing with us – support is simply part of that ongoing work, handled during business hours as we go.
• If development is finished – we set up a dedicated support & maintenance plan: an agreed number of hours per month and response times, focused purely on keeping the app stable, current, and bug-free.

Either way, we tailor it to how critical the app is to your business and how quickly you need issues handled.