Most studios bill by the hour. We don't. Before we write a single line of code, we agree one flat price for the whole project. You know exactly what it costs before we begin, and that number does not move unless the scope genuinely does. Here is why we work this way — it is better for you, and, oddly, better for us too.
the problem with the meter
Hourly billing quietly punishes you for the wrong things. Every question you ask has a price. Every "could we also try…" feels like opening the taxi door at a red light. You end up rationing your own ideas to keep the invoice down, which is a terrible way to make something good. Worse, the meter rewards slowness — the longer it takes, the more the studio earns. The incentives point the wrong way from day one, and you spend the whole project quietly wondering what the bill will say.
what flat pricing changes
- No surprises. The number we say at the start is the number you pay at the end. Your finance person can plan around it.
- No clock-watching. Ask the questions, change your mind, send us the idea you had at 11pm. None of it costs extra, so none of it gets strangled.
- Aligned incentives. We are paid to ship something good, not to linger. The faster and better we work, the happier everyone is — including us.
how we land on the number
We map the whole thing first: scope, flows, the tricky corners, the lot. The quote comes from that map, not from a guess. This upfront work is also why a seemingly small change sometimes needs a real conversation — the number is only honest if we understand what is behind the request.
when the scope really does change
Flat does not mean frozen. Sometimes, halfway through, you realise you need something that was never in the plan — a whole new section, a feature nobody mentioned at the start. That is normal, and welcome. What we do is simple and dull on purpose: we stop, describe the new work and what it adds to the price, and you decide before we build a thing. No work happens off the books, and no cost appears that you did not agree to first. The price only moves when the scope moves, in the open, with your yes. That is the difference between a fair change and a nasty surprise.
what flat pricing is not
It is worth being clear about the edges. Flat does not mean cheap — a fair fixed price reflects the real work, it just tells you the number honestly and up front. It does not mean unlimited — "one price" covers the scope we agreed, not infinite new ideas bolted on for free. And it does not mean fixed forever — it covers this project, not every future tweak and year of hosting. Flat pricing is about removing the anxiety of the meter, not about pretending work is free. Anyone promising endless changes for one small number is setting up a fight later.
the catch, said out loud
Flat pricing only works if the scope is clear, so we spend real time at the start getting it right. That is not bureaucracy — it is the homework that lets us make a promise. A vague brief cannot have a flat price, and frankly shouldn't; anyone who quotes a firm number on a fuzzy idea is either guessing or padding.
why it's better for us too
Trust, mostly. A client who isn't watching a meter is a client who collaborates openly, sends the awkward question early, and comes back for the next project. One honest number is the start of a relationship, not the end of a transaction. We would rather have that than a fatter invoice and a client who flinches every time we reply.
Clear scope, one price, no surprises. That is how we both sleep at night. 👋
