Design it first. Then build it.
If you were building a house, you wouldn't start by pouring concrete. You'd get an architect to design it first, so you know what you're getting before the expensive work starts. We work the same way.
- Step 0
Fit conversation
FreeWe talk about the problem, what it's costing you today, and what you're prepared to invest. If we're not the right fit, we'll say so.
- Step 1
System design
$5k–$20kThe architect phase. Two documents that are yours to keep, whether or not you build with us. Together, usually $5k–$20k, depending on the size of the system.
Typically $5kCommitment map
We call it a commitment topology.The full picture of what the business is really asking for, and what it's committing to, before any code gets written. It makes clear what a given budget buys.
Typically $10kBusiness glossary
Also called a semantic ontology.One word, one meaning, across the whole business. One charity founder we worked with used five different words, including "young carer", "participant", "client" and "customer", for the same person. Every system and every report inherited that confusion. The glossary fixes it before it gets built in.
- Step 2
Release 1
No build costThe smallest complete thing that solves the problem in front of you. It's not a demo and not a cut-down version of something bigger. Every feature ships with a pass/fail test we both agreed on before the build started.
We don't charge for the build. If you'd rather take Release 1 somewhere else once it's live, you can: the codebase is yours. We're confident enough in how we run it that we're happy to take that risk.
- Step 3
Run
MonthlyStarts the day Release 1 goes live. Maintenance and upgrades are included, and your tier sets how fast you move: each comes with a monthly allowance of fixes and improvements.
- Full speed$20k / month
- Fast$10k / month
- Steady$5k / month
Advisory and consulting are available as an add-on to any tier.
Take a Rest: just $2k per month, with no improvements.
- Step 4
Scale up
At your paceRelease 1 is the first release, not the last. Dozens, even hundreds, more follow, each a small improvement based on how people actually use the system. No new quotes, no new fees: your Run tier sets the pace.
System design is the roadmap, and Release 1 lays scalable, stable and secure foundations. Because Keystone keeps your business rules in configuration, not code, every change costs far less.
Every feature ships with a pass/fail test, agreed before we start.
No arguments about whether something is "done". Each feature in Release 1 comes with a written, testable condition. Scope doesn't creep, because it was agreed up front, not discovered later.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between managed custom software and hiring a developer?
A developer builds it and walks away. We build it, then stay responsible for it.
How much does a custom system cost?
The fit conversation is free. System design is the one up-front cost: usually $5k–$20k in total, typically $5k for the commitment map and $10k for the business glossary, and you keep both documents whatever you decide. After that, nothing until Release 1 is live, when the monthly Run arrangement starts.
Why pay for system design before the build?
For the same reason you pay an architect before a builder. It's the cheapest point at which to find out what you actually need, and it's what makes a fixed, testable scope possible.
How do you know a feature is actually done?
Every feature in Release 1 has a written, testable condition, agreed before we start. It isn't a judgement call after the fact.
What happens once Release 1 goes live?
Run starts that day. There's no separate negotiation afterwards.
What happens if I don't use all my monthly allowance?
It doesn't roll over. The allowance resets each month, so it's sized to what you actually use.
We're already using off-the-shelf software. Why switch?
Off-the-shelf is the right call while you're still working things out. The time to switch is when the workarounds start costing more than a proper system would.
Will this replace my staff?
That isn't the goal. In our children's programs build, the gains came from the system doing the coordination work, not from cutting staff.
Who owns the system?
You do. Your system lives in its own repository, separate from anything of ours, and we can transfer it to you at any time. That's every configuration file, all custom code, the database and its schema, and your integrations, with nothing withheld. Keystone, the framework it runs on, stays ours, and you get a perpetual, no-cost licence to keep running it, whether or not you're still a client.
Think of Ruby on Rails. Nobody building a Rails application asks whether they own Rails. They own their application, and Rails is the thing it runs on.
Can I leave?
Yes, and nothing switches off. Your repository, your data and your Keystone licence all go with you. What doesn't transfer is our hosting and deployment automation, which runs across all our clients. To run the system yourself, you'd need your own hosting, deployment, backups and monitoring. That's real work, and it usually costs more per month than you'd pay us, because we share that infrastructure across clients. But it's the ordinary cost of taking over any managed service.
What happens to our system if UpScale disappears?
It keeps running. Your licence doesn't expire and doesn't depend on us existing, so you'd only need to take over the hosting. Because your business rules are written as readable configuration, not buried in thousands of lines of code, a new team or a modern AI tool can read what the system does. That makes it far easier to pick up than a conventional codebase.
Do we pay for Keystone upgrades and security patches?
No. New Keystone versions and security patches are free. What costs money is the time to move your system onto a newer version, the same way moving an application to a new version of Windows takes work even when the upgrade itself is free. Fixes are released on the latest Keystone version only, which is why Run keeps your system current rather than letting it drift several versions behind.
Who's responsible for the system once it's built?
We are, with you, for as long as you want us to run it.
What if the business changes?
The system is extended through configuration, not rebuilt. It's designed to change with the business.
How do you handle security and data?
UpScale is ISO/IEC 27001 certified, the international standard for information security management. Before we start, we agree where your data is hosted, who can access it and how long it's kept. Every system includes role-based permissions and a full audit trail as standard. See our certification and security details in our Trust Vault → (opens in a new tab)
Businesses doing $5–50M in revenue, and especially those around $15M.
You already have a working model, and you're running it, not testing it. Owners who've been through a custom software build before and know the real cost isn't the build.