// engagement & pricing
Two steps. No open-ended contracts.
Every engagement starts with the audit, not a retainer. You get a clear read on what's actually wrong before committing to anything ongoing.
// services provided
Data infrastructure
Databases, schemas, migrations, and the pipelines that connect your app to everything it talks to.
New feature work
Building the features your app doesn't have yet.
Bugs & small improvements
The steady stream of fixes and polish that keeps an app healthy.
STEP 1 · ONE-TIME
Audit & Stabilization
$2,800 flat fee
A hands-on review of your app to figure out what's broken, what's shaky, and what's actually fine. You'll come away with fixes for the urgent things and a clear picture of where the app stands.
- Full codebase and architecture review: up to 20 hours, usually done within about a week
- Triage of critical bugs, security gaps, and fragile patterns
- Hands-on fixes for the highest-priority issues I find
- A written stabilization report covering what's fixed, what's still at risk, and which retainer tier (if any) makes sense next
- A live walkthrough call to go over findings in plain language
Best for: founders who need to know, with confidence, what state their app is actually in.
BEFORE WE START
What you provide / what I provide
WHAT YOU PROVIDE
- Access to your repo (read access is enough to start)
- A short recorded walkthrough of how the product works, from a user's perspective
- How you work day-to-day (a browser AI tool, a terminal, a code editor, or some mix), so my recommendations fit how you'll actually maintain things
- A way to run the app: a staging environment, or steps to run it locally
- Any existing docs, architecture notes, or context on known issues
- A point of contact for questions during the audit window
- What's most urgent to you, if anything; otherwise I prioritize by risk
WHAT I PROVIDE
- A full codebase and architecture review
- Hands-on fixes for the highest-priority issues found
- A written stabilization report you can keep
- A live walkthrough call to go over findings
- A clear recommendation for what's next
Most people move onto a retainer once the audit's done ↓
STEP 2 · ONGOING RETAINER
Standard
$1,400 /mo
Up to 10 hours
- Ongoing bug fixes and small improvements
- General response within 2 business days
- Support for new feature work, not just fixes
- A living list of goals, outcomes, and priorities, kept current
Best for: Steady, ongoing upkeep with room for small feature work.
Pro
$1,875 /mo
Up to 15 hours
- Everything in Standard
- General response within 24 hours
- Ongoing feature development, not just fixes and maintenance
- Priority scheduling when something's time-sensitive
Best for: Founders still actively building who need a steady hand.
How retainers work: I invoice monthly, and payment is due before the engagement month starts. Your September retainer, for example, is invoiced and due by August 31. Hours don't roll over; if your needs shift from month to month, we adjust the plan directly rather than banking hours. Anything beyond your monthly hours is billed at $150/hr, and I'll agree it with you before starting.
RETAINER CLIENTS
What I'm on the hook for
- Tier 1 · critical (site down, data loss, security exposure): response same business day
- Tier 2 · high (a broken feature, a blocking bug): response next business day
- Tier 3 · low (minor issues, questions, polish): response within 3 business days
Ownership: everything built during an engagement (code, content, and deliverables) is yours. This is work-for-hire; I don't retain rights to anything created for you. This page is a summary; the signed services agreement is what governs the engagement.
// don't have an app yet?
Start with a prototype.
If you're validating an idea rather than fixing an existing app, I'll build a working prototype of your core flow first. It's a smaller, faster engagement than a full build.
Prototype Build
$4,500 flat fee
For founders who don't have an app yet. I'll build a working prototype of your core flow, enough to test the idea and put it in front of real people. It's not a full production build, and it's not meant to be one yet.
- A working prototype of your core user flow: the one or two features that prove the idea, built end-to-end
- We'll scope it together so the prototype answers the question you actually have
- A deployed, clickable build you can put in front of users or investors
- A clear read on what it would take to go from prototype to production
Best for: founders validating an idea before investing in a full build.
Questions about what makes sense for your app?
Book a free 15-minute call and I'm happy to talk it through before you commit to anything.
Book a free call