Pricing
Honest pricing, no surprises.
A written quote after one conversation, not a rate card guess.
Every project is priced from a written scope, so you know the number before we start. Here's how we structure engagements, what moves the price, and what's always included.
Engagement models
Three ways to work with us.
Pick the one that matches how certain you are about scope. We'll recommend one on the first call, and you can switch later.
Well-defined MVPs, stores and websites
Fixed-scope project
We agree the scope, the price and the milestones up front. You pay per milestone, and scope changes are quoted before they happen, never after.
- Fixed price per milestone
- Written scope with what's in and out
- Best when you know what v1 is
Ongoing products and growing startups
Dedicated developer or team
One developer or a small pod works on your product full time, inside your tools and rituals. You set priorities; we handle the people, reviews and quality.
- Monthly engagement
- Your backlog, your sprint rituals
- Scale up or down with notice
Evolving products and discovery work
Time & materials
You pay for the hours actually spent, tracked against a sprint budget. Good when the problem is still being shaped and flexibility matters more than a fixed number.
- Sprint budgets, not blank cheques
- Weekly time reports
- Change direction any sprint
What drives cost
Six things that move the number.
If you know these going in, the quote won't surprise you.
- 01
Scope and number of user roles
A store with customers only is a different build from one with customers, vendors and an admin. Every role adds screens, permissions and testing.
- 02
Integrations
Payment gateways, WhatsApp, ERPs, shipping and SMS each add work. Local gateways like eSewa and Khalti are well-trodden; legacy systems usually aren't.
- 03
Design depth
Adapting a clean system is faster than a fully custom brand-level design with motion. Both are valid; they cost differently.
- 04
Platforms
Web only, web plus a mobile app, or iOS and Android. Cross-platform keeps it lower; fully native raises it.
- 05
Content and data
Migrating products, writing copy and cleaning data often take longer than anyone budgets for. We say so up front.
- 06
Deadline
A hard launch date (a season, a festival) can mean a bigger team for a shorter time. Same work, different shape.
Typical timelines
Time is usually the bigger cost.
- AI integration
- 2-4 weeks
- MVP
- 4-8 weeks
- E-commerce store
- 4-8 weeks
- Full product
- 2-4 months
How we compare
Studio vs freelancer vs big agency.
| MeetOnChai | Freelancer | Large agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior people on your project | Sometimes | Sometimes | |
| Design, build and DevOps in one team | |||
| You talk to the people building it | |||
| Written scope and fixed milestones | Rarely | ||
| Demo every two weeks | Rarely | Sometimes | |
| Cover when someone is sick or leaves |
Always included
In every quote, at no extra cost.
- Free 15-minute chai call and an honest recommendation
- Written scope before any money changes hands
- NDA on request
- Live preview link every sprint
- Code in your repository, owned by you
- Launch with monitoring and a rollback plan
- Handover docs and credentials
- 30 days of bug fixes after launch
FAQ
Pricing questions.
How long does web app development take?
MVPs typically take 4-8 weeks. Full products range from 2-4 months. We break projects into sprints and deliver working features every 2 weeks, so you see progress continuously.
How much does custom software development cost?
We offer both fixed-price projects (best for well-defined MVPs) and time & materials (better for evolving products). After our discovery call, we'll recommend the model that fits your situation and provide a detailed quote.
Do you provide website maintenance and support after launch?
Yes! We offer 30 days of included bug fixes post-launch. After that, you can choose monthly maintenance packages or on-demand support. We also offer growth partnerships where we continue building as your product evolves.
How do you handle scope changes during a development project?
Changes are normal! We use agile development, so you can adjust priorities between sprints. Major scope changes might affect timeline and cost, which we'll discuss transparently before proceeding.
Should my store be custom-built or on WooCommerce or Shopify?
It depends on how unusual your selling is. If you sell standard products with standard checkout, a proven platform is cheaper to build and run. If your ordering flow is the product, like combo builders, WhatsApp checkout or delivery slots by city, a custom Next.js build usually pays for itself. We've done both and will tell you which fits on the first call.
Every project starts with a conversation
Got an idea? Let's talk over chai.
A free 15-minute call. No pitch deck, no obligation. You leave with an honest read on what to build first.
- We reply within 24 hours, usually much sooner.
- NDA signed before you share the details.
- Based in Kathmandu, working with Nepal, India and worldwide.