FAQ topic
Ten common questions about DesignKey engagement pricing - real cost ranges, fixed vs T&M structure, retainer options, and what drives the variance. Updated for 2026 rates.
Last updated: May 2026 · 8 min read
Focused MVP: $30k-$80k. Multi-tenant SaaS MVP: $70k-$140k. Enterprise platform: $150k-$400k. Regulated builds add 20-30%. Fixed price when scope is clear; T&M when it is genuinely fluid; weekly progress reports either way. Senior rate $150-$225/hour. Free first call; paid discovery is creditable.
A focused single-workflow MVP: $30,000 to $80,000 over 10-14 weeks. A multi-tenant SaaS MVP with billing, auth, and admin: $70,000 to $140,000 over 14-20 weeks. An enterprise platform with multiple stakeholder surfaces and integrations: $150,000 to $400,000 over 20-32 weeks. Regulated builds (fintech, healthcare, EdTech compliance) typically add 20-30 percent for compliance design and review cycles.
Five things drive variance: (1) scope clarity at discovery (clearer scope = tighter quote), (2) number of integrations (each external API adds risk and time), (3) regulatory surface (PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2 add controls work), (4) team composition needed (design + engineering + QA + PM costs more than engineering alone), and (5) operator-tooling depth (the admin dashboard often costs as much as the customer surface).
Both, depending on what fits. When discovery is solid and the scope is genuinely lockable, we quote fixed price and stick to it. When the scope is honestly fluid - we are still discovering the right shape together - we work time and materials with weekly written progress reports and a soft cap. We do not pretend fluid scope is fixed and surprise you with a change order in week 8; that is the most common failure mode in agency pricing and we don't repeat it.
Our blended senior rate runs $150-$225 per hour depending on the discipline and engagement length. Senior engineering at the upper end of that range; design and PM closer to the middle; junior or specialized contributors not on the team. For comparison, NYC/SF fintech and healthcare specialist rates typically run $250-$400 per hour for equivalent senior talent.
Three common structures. (1) Fractional capacity: 10-30 hours per week of senior engineering, billed at our blended rate, with a monthly minimum commitment of 3 months. (2) Maintenance flat-fee: a fixed monthly fee covering bug response, dependency updates, monitoring, and small feature work, typically $4,000-$10,000 per month. (3) Project-based features: shipped as discrete fixed-price scopes on top of either of the above. Most clients land on a hybrid.
No. We have considered it three times and declined three times. Equity-for-services creates misaligned incentives (we ship fast even when you should pivot) and undervalues both sides. Cash, fixed scope, clear acceptance criteria works better. If your funding is tight and the project is the right kind of important, we sometimes phase scope into smaller chunks with lower individual cost.
Third-party software licenses (Stripe, Plaid, OpenAI, hosting, monitoring), domain registration, your own legal review of contracts, your time. Hosting on Vercel for a typical SaaS MVP runs $20-$200 per month initially. Stripe takes their published rates from your revenue. AI API costs depend on usage. We estimate these for you upfront so there are no surprises but we do not pay them on your behalf.
First call is free, always - 30-45 minutes to understand your concept and decide if we are a fit. If you want a deeper paid discovery (1-2 weeks producing a scoped brief, architecture sketch, and quote), that runs $4,000-$15,000 depending on complexity. That paid discovery work is credited toward the engagement if you contract us for the build, and yours to keep regardless if you do not.
Standard structure: 30 percent at engagement start, 30 percent at design completion, 30 percent at MVP completion, 10 percent at launch + post-launch review. For longer engagements we split into monthly invoicing. For fixed-price work the schedule is fixed; for T&M we invoice monthly. Net 15 terms. Payment via ACH (preferred) or wire; credit card with 3 percent surcharge on smaller engagements.
We can give cost RANGES from a written brief, like the ones in this FAQ. We cannot give a firm quote without at least one discovery conversation because the variance drivers (scope, integrations, regulatory surface, operator tooling depth) are not visible from a written brief alone. The discovery call is 30-45 minutes and free.
A 30-minute discovery call where we walk through your concept and constraints. You leave with a real cost range and timeline framing, regardless of whether you engage us.
Schedule a discovery call