Straight answers, including the awkward ones

Tell us briefly what you need through the inquiry form or by email to angelika@apsoftwaretech.com, and we'll arrange an introductory video call to talk through the problem, your timeline and your budget. There's no charge for that first conversation and no obligation afterward. If it looks like a good fit, the next step is either a written proposal with a fixed quote or, for projects that still need defining, a short paid discovery phase.

Nothing formal. A few sentences on the problem, who will use the result, any deadline that matters and a rough budget range are plenty. If you have spreadsheets, screenshots or documents that show how things work today, keep them handy, but a polished brief isn't required.

No. We explain options and trade-offs in plain language, and every important decision is written down so you can review it at your own pace. What you do need is someone who knows the business process well and can make decisions, usually for a few hours a week while a project is active.

We work with individual founders, independent professionals and private clients as well as businesses and organizations, and the approach is the same for everyone: a written scope, a fixed quote and code that you own. If you're starting from an idea rather than a specification, a short discovery phase is often the best first step, because it turns the idea into a plan you can budget for.

Then we'll say so, ideally on the first call, and explain why. If the work falls outside what we do well, or an existing product would serve you better than custom software, we'd rather tell you than take on a project we can't do justice to. Where we can, we'll suggest what kind of product or specialist to look for instead.

As a guide, a focused tool for a single workflow usually takes 4 to 8 weeks, a department-wide business system 3 to 4 months, and a larger platform 5 months or more, released in phases. Consulting engagements are usually measured in weeks rather than months. Discovery, when it's needed, typically takes 1 to 2 weeks, and every proposal includes a dated schedule.

If the delay is on our side, we tell you as soon as we see it coming, explain the cause and give you a revised plan, and the fixed price for the agreed scope doesn't change. If the schedule moves because of scope changes or because we're waiting on feedback, content or access, we agree on a new date in writing before carrying on. Because you see working software every sprint, slippage shows up early rather than at the deadline.

Often, yes. If a date can't move (a launch event, a contract start or a funding milestone), tell us at the beginning and we'll shape the scope around it, usually by agreeing which features are essential for that date and which can follow in a later release. What we won't do is promise a date we don't believe we can hit.

Plan for a kickoff session, a short demo every two weeks and prompt answers to questions as they come up, which usually adds up to a few hours a week. Discovery and acceptance testing need the most input, because that's when we need the people who will actually use the software. Feedback that arrives late tends to push dates back, so we agree on a review rhythm at the start.

You'll have access to a shared project board showing what's planned, in progress and done, and to a staging environment where you can try each new feature as it's finished. We demo working software at the end of every two-week sprint and send a short written update in between, including any risks or decisions we need from you.

Development projects start from $2,500 and consulting engagements from $1,900, and each service page shows its own starting price. Small, well-defined pieces of work sit close to those figures, while systems with several user roles, integrations or data migration cost more. You'll always receive a fixed quote against a written scope before you commit to anything.

Yes. Once the scope is written down and agreed, the price for that scope is fixed, and it only changes if you approve a change request. If the requirements are too uncertain to price responsibly, we'll suggest a short paid discovery phase first rather than inflate the quote to cover unknowns.

The main factors are the number of features and user roles, integrations with other systems, how much data needs migrating and what condition it's in, design requirements and the timeline. Each proposal breaks the price down by phase or deliverable, so you can see where the money goes and which parts could wait for a later release.

Yes, and it helps to share your budget early. A clear figure lets us suggest a scope that fits, usually by focusing the first release on what matters most and planning the rest for later. If the budget isn't realistic for what you need, we'll tell you plainly rather than cut corners to make the numbers work.

It's a short, fixed-fee engagement, typically 1 to 2 weeks, for projects that aren't yet defined well enough to quote responsibly. We map the process, review your existing systems and data, and produce a written scope, a recommended approach and a fixed quote for the build. The deliverables are yours to keep, whether you build with us, with another team or not at all.

Usually there are some, and you'll know what they are before you commit. Hosting, domains, email delivery and any paid third-party services are billed directly to accounts in your name, and the proposal includes an estimate of those running costs. Ongoing support from us is optional and agreed separately.

Yes. Connecting systems through their APIs, extending an application someone else built and modernizing older software in stages are all core parts of what we do. We begin with a technical review of the code, data and hosting, so you get an honest assessment before committing to anything, including whether replacing a system would be smarter than extending it.

We favor established, well-supported technologies with large developer communities, so maintaining what we build never depends on a rare skill set. Hosting is usually on AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud, and if you already have a technology stack or an in-house team, we'll generally work with it rather than against it. Every significant technical choice is documented, along with the reasoning behind it.

Design is part of every build. We create user flows and clickable prototypes for you to try with real users before development starts, then design production screens that are clear, fast and accessible on any device. If you already have brand guidelines or a design system, we'll work within them.

Yes. We help founders and product teams define the smallest version of a product that can test the idea with real users, then build it on foundations that won't need to be thrown away if it takes off. The hardest part is usually deciding what to leave out, and we'll push back on features that don't serve the first release.

Our focus is web applications that work well on phones, tablets and desktops, an approach that suits many business tools and avoids the cost of separate app store releases. If your project genuinely needs a native app, for example for offline use or access to device hardware, we'll talk through the options and tell you honestly whether we're the right team for that part of the work.

Automated tests cover business rules and key user journeys, every change passes through a staging environment before it reaches production, and your team runs a structured acceptance phase before launch. Security is designed in from the start: role-based access, encrypted connections, credentials kept out of the code and dependencies kept up to date. If you have specific obligations around health, financial or personal data, we build them into the scope and test against them.

Most engagements answer a specific question: which system to choose, whether and how to move to the cloud, how to fix an architecture that's struggling, or how to sequence a modernization. We agree on the question, the scope and the deliverables up front, work through interviews, workshops and technical review, and finish with a written report and a walkthrough of the recommendations. Consulting is billed per engagement at a fixed fee rather than by the hour.

Yes. We don't accept commissions or referral fees from software vendors or cloud providers, so a recommendation to buy a product, keep what you have or build something custom carries no hidden incentive. If our advice is that custom development is the answer, you're free to take the plan to any team to deliver it.

Yes, and it's one of the most valuable questions to settle early. We compare realistic options against your requirements and the long-term costs (licensing, customization, integration and support) and give you a written recommendation. Buying a product is often the right answer, and when it is, we'll say so.

We can, but you're never obliged to use us. Consulting deliverables are written so that any capable team, including your own, can act on them. If you'd like us to carry out the work, it's scoped and quoted as a separate project.

Yes. Some engagements are about strengthening the team you already have: reviewing designs and code, helping with a difficult technical decision, or acting as an independent technical advisor to leadership. We agree on the scope and the time commitment in advance, so the arrangement stays focused and the fee stays fixed.

Work starts once a deposit has been paid. Development projects are then billed in milestones, such as design sign-off, delivery of the main build and launch, while consulting is billed per engagement. Invoices are due within 14 days, and the exact schedule is set out in your proposal before you sign anything.

Your written proposal sets out the scope, deliverables, schedule, price and payment terms, and our terms of service cover the rest, including ownership, confidentiality, warranties and how changes are handled. If your organization has its own contract or procurement requirements, send them over and we'll review them with you.

Yes. We're happy to sign a reasonable non-disclosure agreement, mutual or one-way, before you share anything sensitive, and we can provide one if you don't have your own. Confidentiality is also built into our terms of service, so what you share is protected either way.

You do. Once the project is paid in full, ownership of the custom code, designs and documentation we create for you transfers to you, and the software runs in accounts registered in your name from the start. Open-source components keep their own licenses, and any pre-existing tools of ours included in the work come with a permanent license for you to use and modify them.

Raise it as soon as something doesn't look right; the written scope and acceptance criteria are there to settle exactly this kind of question. If what we delivered falls short of what was agreed, we fix it at no extra cost, and if the issue is really a new requirement, it's handled as a change request. If we still can't agree, our terms set out a simple path: a direct conversation between the decision-makers on both sides, then mediation, before anything more formal.

That's expected, and there's a simple process for it. Send us the change, and we'll reply in writing with its impact on cost, timeline and risk, along with any alternatives, such as swapping it for something of similar size. Nothing changes until you approve it, so your price only moves when you say yes.

Small refinements within the agreed scope, such as wording, layout adjustments or minor tweaks to an agreed feature, are part of the normal review cycle and don't cost extra. Anything that adds functionality, changes a business rule or affects the schedule goes through a change request, so you always know what you're agreeing to before the work is done.

No. You're only invoiced for the agreed price, approved change requests and the milestones in your proposal. If something unexpected comes up, such as a third-party system behaving differently from its documentation, we raise it with you and agree on a way forward before any extra cost is incurred.

Yes. Removing or postponing a feature goes through the same process as adding one: we assess the effect on cost and schedule in writing, and you decide. Work already completed on that feature is still charged, so it pays to make these decisions early.

Every development project includes a defect-fixing period, typically 30 days after launch, during which we fix anything that doesn't work as specified at no charge. After that, you can choose an ongoing support plan, request work as it comes up, or run the software yourselves using the documentation and handover we provide.

Plans are tailored to each system and typically cover monitoring, security patches, dependency updates, backup checks and an agreed allowance of time for fixes and small improvements. Response times and the allowance are set out in writing before the plan starts, and you can cancel with notice.

Yes. You own the code and the accounts it runs in, and we write it to be handed over: readable, tested and documented, with deployment instructions and a recorded walkthrough. If you move to another team or bring development in-house, we'll help with the transition, and there's no exit fee or license to buy back.

Often, yes. We start with a technical review of the code, hosting and documentation, so we understand the risks before agreeing on what we can support and how. If the review turns up serious problems, you'll get a clear explanation and options, from targeted fixes to a staged modernization plan.

Let us know in writing by emailing angelika@apsoftwaretech.com, including the date you'd like work to stop. You can also call +1 (425) 560-3363, and we'll confirm the cancellation by email so there's a clear record. We then send a final statement showing the work completed, any costs incurred and any balance or refund due.

You pay for work completed up to the cancellation date, plus any non-refundable third-party costs already incurred on your behalf, such as licenses or domain registrations. There's no separate cancellation fee, and everything we've completed and you've paid for is handed over to you.

Yes, for any amount that hasn't been used. If your payments exceed the value of the work completed plus third-party costs, we refund the difference within 14 days of the cancellation taking effect.

Yes. Once discovery is paid for, the written scope, prototypes and other deliverables are yours to use however you like, including with another supplier. That applies whether you decide not to proceed or cancel later in the project.

Yes. Sessions can be moved at no cost with at least 48 hours' notice, and with shorter notice we'll still try to find another time, although late changes or missed sessions may count as delivered. If we ever need to reschedule, we'll give you as much notice as possible and you won't be charged for the change.

Send us written notice by email. Support plans can be canceled with 30 days' notice unless your plan agreement says otherwise, and anything you've prepaid for the period after the notice ends is refunded. We'll also hand over access and documentation if you're moving support elsewhere.

Yes. We work remotely with clients worldwide, and every engagement runs the same way wherever you are: video calls, a shared project board and a staging environment you can check at any time. Meetings are scheduled at times that work for both sides, and most day-to-day communication happens in writing, so progress never depends on being online at the same moment.

All engagements are conducted in English, including calls, documentation and contracts. If the people using your software need it in other languages, we can build in multilingual support and work with your translators or a translation service.

Quotes and invoices are issued in US dollars, and payment is usually made by international bank transfer. If your organization needs to pay in another currency, ask before the proposal is finalized and we'll confirm what's possible.

Yes. We can design and build systems around the rules that apply to you, such as GDPR, UK GDPR or US state privacy laws, covering areas like data location, retention, consent and access controls. Where we handle personal data on your behalf, we'll sign a data processing agreement. For interpretation of your specific legal obligations, we work alongside your own legal advisors.

Our engagements are designed to run remotely, and workshops, user interviews, demos and training all work well over video. If time on site would genuinely help, for example to observe a process on a shop floor, we can discuss a visit, with travel costs agreed in advance.