Guides
Straight answers before you build.
Written by the engineers who do the work. Real numbers, dated, and updated when they change.
Planning and pricing
Contracts Fixed price vs hourly software development Fixed price or time and materials for software projects? How each model shifts risk, when each makes sense, and the contract terms that protect you. 5 min read Mobile apps Flutter vs React Native in 2026 Flutter vs React Native for a startup app in 2026. How they differ on feel, performance, hiring, code sharing with the web and cost, and when to choose each. 6 min read Planning How long does it take to build an MVP? Realistic MVP timelines in 2026, from a few days with AI builders to three to six months with agencies, and the week-by-week plan for a 21-day build. 5 min read Pricing How much does an MVP cost in 2026? What an MVP really costs in 2026 with an AI builder, a freelancer, an agency in India or the US, or a fixed-price studio, and what moves the price. 7 min read Pricing How much does it cost to build an app in 2026? App development cost in 2026 by app type, platform, team and region, plus store fees, running costs and maintenance. Real ranges and what moves them. 9 min read Definitions MVP vs prototype vs proof of concept The difference between a proof of concept, a prototype and an MVP, what each costs, and which one you need before raising money or launching. 5 min read Planning The one-page MVP scope template A one-page MVP scope template founders can fill in before talking to developers, with an example, and the ten questions that prevent scope creep. 6 min read
From AI prototype to production
How to take a Bolt app to production Built your app on Bolt? What usually needs fixing before real users and payments, how long it takes and what it costs. Bubble app hitting its limits? What to do next When to keep scaling your Bubble app and when to rebuild in code, what a migration involves, and realistic costs. How to take a Lovable app to production Your Lovable prototype has real users. Here is what usually needs fixing before production, how long it takes and what it costs. How to take a Replit app to production Your Replit-built app works. What to fix before real users, whether to keep it on Replit or move it, and what it costs. From v0 to a working, production app v0 gives you a beautiful front end. Here is what it takes to add the backend, sign-in, database and payments that turn it into a product.