What people ask before they hire us
Each one gets a short answer here, and a link where a page covers it in full.
Who owns the code when you build my app?
You do. At handover we transfer the repository, the design files, the store and hosting accounts, and every credential into your name, as a standard term in every package. The repository moves into your own code-hosting account (GitHub, for example), and an Android app's signing key moves with its Play Console account. What you own at handover
How much does it cost to build an app?
A first app falls under Build, from $3,000: a web app, or a web and Android app built once for both, with its admin panel. Launch, from $1,000, covers one website, brand kit, video set or QA audit; Team, from $5,000 per month, is a dedicated team. Your brief gets its own written estimate. Current prices are on Pricing (opens in a new tab). Packages explained
How will I know you're making progress?
Every milestone ends with a link to the working build. You click through progress instead of reading about it. What the link opens depends on the work: a web build in your browser, an Android build on your own phone, an installer on your own machine, or the current cut of a video. How a project runs
What happens if the scope changes halfway?
We re-estimate the change in writing before building it, so the price never moves without you agreeing. The new estimate shows what the change adds to the price and to the milestones. Changing your mind after you've clicked through a milestone is normal; it's usually what the link is for. How a project runs
Do you maintain the app after launch?
Yes: ongoing maintenance and updates are available as a monthly add-on, priced in your estimate. Ask for it in the brief, and the estimate lists it next to your running costs, so you see the whole monthly figure in one place. If you'd rather take it from here yourself, or hand it to another team, the handover already gave you everything you need. How a project runs
What will it cost to run my app after launch?
We list hosting and third-party costs in the estimate, and we design for free tiers where your product allows; that list runs from the domain and an email service to the Google Play registration for an Android app. Those costs are billed to your own accounts. Packages explained
Do you build iPhone apps?
No. We ship to Android and the web. An iPhone user can still open your web app in the browser. Mobile apps here mean a web app and its Android app from the same code.
Can you build a desktop app?
Yes. We build software that installs on Windows, Linux and macOS, with an installer at every milestone and the code repository in your name at handover. The estimate names how signing is arranged for your project, along with any code-signing certificate or store fee your installers need. Open-source tools shows our own Windows app.
Is Zaions open source?
Some of it. Our tools windowsweep, macleanup and linux-cleanup sit in public repositories under the MIT
license. Before deleting anything, windowsweep and macleanup name every path; linux-cleanup asks before each
category, and --scan prints every target first. Client work stays private unless the client asks us to
show it.
Open-source tools
Where is Zaions based?
Lahore, Pakistan, on Pakistan Standard Time (UTC+5). We work remotely with clients worldwide, and we arrange call times with you. You can call +92 304 6619706, and the email addresses are on Contact (opens in a new tab).
How do I pay an invoice?
Pick a method on zaions.com/payments (opens in a new tab), copy its details, and add the reference from your invoice or estimate to the payment note. Use the details on your invoice; they were written for your payment. Paying an invoice
Whose accounts do you build on?
Yours, if you like: you can bring your own hosting and service accounts from the start. Otherwise we set up test accounts and share their logins with you from day one, and you can replace any of them with your own at any point. A store listing always ships from your own developer account. What you own at handover
What's in the written estimate?
The plan, split into milestones; the price, with the package it falls under; the payment schedule; and the running costs, listed apart from the price. How a project runs
Do I need a full spec before I send the brief?
No. If your idea is still a napkin sketch, that's a fine place to start, and only your name and email are required. Writing your brief
What does a software agency do?
It plans, builds, tests and ships software for you. Zaions also handles the design, video and AI work around it. We also built and still run 15+ products of our own.
How do I hire a software development agency?
Start with a brief that says what it must do, who uses it and your budget range, then ask for a written plan and a price before anyone writes code. With us, nothing is built until you say go. Writing your brief
Next: Writing your brief: every project starts there.