Pay for software only after you accept it
₹199/HOUR · USD 2 OUTSIDE INDIA
Custom software, mobile apps and AI work, built by a reviewed team. A signed specification defines done, and the invoice comes after you test the work against it.
- Minimum
- 150 hours, one block
- Advance
- INR 0
- Payment
- After acceptance
- Included
- Senior review, QA, PM
- Tiers
- Prime · Plus · Pro
Why buying software goes wrong
The code is rarely the problem. The terms usually are.
Most disappointments in software projects trace back to three things: when money moves, what done means, and whether the price fits the work at all.
Paying before you see anything
Many quotes start with an advance. If the work then stalls, or arrives in a state you cannot use, the money has already gone and the only lever left is an argument.
Nobody wrote down what done means
The vendor says the feature is finished. You open it and the export does not match your Tally format. Without a signed definition of done, both sides are right.
Prices that rule out the work
A Rajkot engineering firm or a first time founder is often quoted a number that makes custom software look out of reach, so the business keeps running on Excel and WhatsApp.
How acceptance works
Done is written down first. Payment comes last.
Every block follows the same five stages. The order matters: the specification is signed before the build starts, and the invoice is raised only after you accept.
- Step 1Specification signedDone is written down
- Step 2Built in incrementsSenior reviewed
- Step 3Tested by QABefore it reaches you
- Step 4You test itAgainst the specification
- Step 5Accepted, then invoicedNo advance at any point
Follow one block
From a signed scope to an invoice for accepted work.
A 150 hour block for a job card app, from signed scope to invoice. Sample data, real process.
Week 0 · Scope
A Statement of Work that says what done means
Before anything is built, the deliverables and a testable definition of done are written down and signed by both sides, here for a job card app.
2goodStatement of Work, Job cards v1AKStatement of Work, Job cards v1
- Client
- Sample engineering firm, Rajkot
- Tier
- Prime, INR 199 an hour
- Block
- 1 of 1, 150 hours
- Increments
- 5, each with criteria
- Advance
- None
- Ownership
- Yours on acceptance and payment
- First conversation
- Scope drafted
- Signed by both sides
- Build starts
Representative screen with sample data. Client screens stay private. Weeks 1 to 3 · Build
Increments you can see, as they are built
The team works through the increments in order. A senior reviews each output before it goes to QA, and the board is visible to you throughout.
2goodBlock 1 boardAKBlock 1 board
To do1
- Daily owner report
Building1
- Machine list and filters
Senior review1
- Operator login and roles
Ready for you1
- Job card form
Representative screen with sample data. Client screens stay private. Week 3 · Review
Senior review and QA before it reaches you
Each increment is tested against its acceptance criteria by QA first, so the version you test has already been checked once.
2goodChecks on increment 2AKRepresentative screen with sample data. Client screens stay private. Week 4 · Accept
You test it against the specification, then accept
You check each item against the signed criteria. If it meets them, you accept in writing. If it does not, it is not accepted and it is put right.
2goodAcceptance, increment 2AKAcceptance, increment 2
Increment 2, operator login and roles, is ready for your review. The checklist is attached.
Checked all six items on our shop floor tablets. Works as written.
Thank you. Please confirm acceptance so we can record it.
Accepted.
Increment 2 accepted · recorded against the Statement of Work
Representative screen with sample data. Client screens stay private. After acceptance · Invoice
Only accepted work is invoiced
The invoice follows acceptance, with the hours and deliverables against scope, the code, the documentation and a delivery note. Then you decide on the next block.
2goodBlock 1 delivery noteAKRepresentative screen with sample data. Client screens stay private.
What we build
Eight kinds of work, one set of terms.
From a first MVP to an AI agent that drafts replies for your support team. Typical sizes are given in hours, so you can see what one block covers.
- Custom softwareBusiness software built around how your team already works.150 h
- Web applicationsWeb apps, portals and sites that your customers and staff use daily.150 h
- Mobile appsAndroid and iOS apps for customers, dealers and field teams.150 to 180 h
- AI integrationAI features added to the software you already run.150 h
- AI agentsAgents that carry out routine work, with a person approving the exceptions.150 to 200 h
- E-commerceOnline stores and B2B ordering built around how you already sell.150 to 180 h
- Integrations and automationYour systems connected, so data is typed in once and moves on its own.150 h
- Maintenance and supportFixes, updates and steady improvements for software you already run.150 h
Three tiers, same terms
Same 150 hour block. More senior time as the work needs it.
What changes between tiers is how much senior and mid level time sits inside the block. The price per hour follows from that mix.
Prime
USD2/HOUR
INR 199 an hour
Well defined work, built by trained engineers and reviewed by a senior.
- An MVP with a clear, well defined scope
- Features on an existing codebase
- Ongoing maintenance and enhancements
Plus
USD5/HOUR
INR on request
A senior engineer shapes the work and reviews it.
- Scaling a product with architecture decisions ahead
- Integration and API heavy builds
- Legacy modernisation or a platform migration
Pro
USD10/HOUR
INR on request
A senior engineer leads delivery from start to finish.
- Business critical systems with little room for error
- Complex new builds that need senior ownership
- Work where a senior engineer should lead delivery
Compared
Four ways to buy software work. Where the risk sits in each.
Typical arrangements side by side. Individual firms and freelancers vary, so check the terms in front of you.
| Question | An agency on a fixed price | A freelance marketplace | Hiring in house | 2good.dev |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before work starts | Usually an advance | Escrow or hourly | Recruiting and notice periods | Nothing |
| When you pay | Advance plus milestones | Hourly or milestone escrow | Monthly salaries | After you accept the work |
| What done means | The agency's scope document | Agreed with one person | Set by your own team | A signed specification you test against |
| Review, QA and PM | Often priced in, sometimes extra | Up to you | Needs senior hires | Inside every block |
| Who does the work | The agency team | One person, sometimes a few | Whoever you hired | Junior, mid, senior, QA and PM in set proportions |
| Commitment | The quoted project | Per contract | Employment | One block of 150 hours at a time |
| Cost when work is quiet | Depends on the contract | None | Salaries continue | No block, no bill |
Before work starts
2good.devNothing
- An agency on a fixed price
- Usually an advance
- A freelance marketplace
- Escrow or hourly
- Hiring in house
- Recruiting and notice periods
When you pay
2good.devAfter you accept the work
- An agency on a fixed price
- Advance plus milestones
- A freelance marketplace
- Hourly or milestone escrow
- Hiring in house
- Monthly salaries
What done means
2good.devA signed specification you test against
- An agency on a fixed price
- The agency's scope document
- A freelance marketplace
- Agreed with one person
- Hiring in house
- Set by your own team
Review, QA and PM
2good.devInside every block
- An agency on a fixed price
- Often priced in, sometimes extra
- A freelance marketplace
- Up to you
- Hiring in house
- Needs senior hires
Who does the work
2good.devJunior, mid, senior, QA and PM in set proportions
- An agency on a fixed price
- The agency team
- A freelance marketplace
- One person, sometimes a few
- Hiring in house
- Whoever you hired
Commitment
2good.devOne block of 150 hours at a time
- An agency on a fixed price
- The quoted project
- A freelance marketplace
- Per contract
- Hiring in house
- Employment
Cost when work is quiet
2good.devNo block, no bill
- An agency on a fixed price
- Depends on the contract
- A freelance marketplace
- None
- Hiring in house
- Salaries continue
What you see during a block
Hours and deliverables against scope, every week.
Progress updates, sync calls and a plain view of hours used and increments accepted. Senior review, testing and project management are inside the block, so the report shows all of it.
- Documentation and a delivery note at the end of each block
- Your code and IP on acceptance and payment
- A project manager on every block at no extra charge
Block 2 · dealer ordering app
Hours used
92 of 150
Increments accepted
3 of 6
Open review items
2
Advance paid
None
- Junior development70
- Senior review58
- QA62
- Project management55
Why the price is possible
The cost of building software came down. The saving is passed on.
Time per feature
AI changed the daily work
Routine code, the forms, lists, tests and boilerplate that every project needs, now takes far less time with AI assistance. Skilled people spend their hours on the parts that need judgement: the data model, the edge cases, the integration that keeps failing.
Who builds and who checks
A trained team, with a senior at each stage
Much of the building is done by engineers trained in the Code Colonies on the job programme, run under AksharAI, on real delivery standards before they work on client projects. A senior checks every output, which is how quality holds at this rate.
What sits on top of cost
Priced close to cost
The lower cost of the work is passed on. We price near what an hour actually costs us and rely on volume, referrals and clients who come back for the next block. The margin on each hour is small.
Who it is for
Built for the people the old prices left out.
Three kinds of buyer come to 2good most often. Each starts a little differently.
Free tools
Size your work in a few minutes.
Four calculators that work from your own figures, with no sign up. Results are indicative.
- Project cost calculatorPick a tier and the hours, add the AI tool budget and see the total before tax.1 min
- Tier chooserSix questions about your work. A suggested tier, Prime, Plus or Pro, and why.2 min
- Specification starterAnswer plain prompts and get a structured specification outline to copy or email.5 min
- MVP hours estimatorPick the kind of product and its features. See a range of hours and cost.2 min
Resources
Practical reading for people buying software.
- Article · 7 minChoosing a software development company in IndiaA practical checklist for choosing a software development company in India: who does the work, how it is reviewed and tested, how acceptance and payment work, who owns the code, and how to start with a small trial.READ
- Article · 7 minHow much does custom software cost in IndiaCustom software cost comes down to hours multiplied by a rate, plus a few items outside the rate. What drives the hours, how blocks work, and worked examples at 150, 300 and 600 to 1,200 hours.READ
- Article · 7 minOutsourcing software development to India from the UK and USA practical guide for UK and US product teams working with an Indian development partner: the real risks, how to structure the work, overlap hours, invoicing and tax in general terms.READ
What does 2good.dev cost?
INR 199 or USD 2 an hour at the Prime tier, with a minimum of 150 hours. Plus is USD 5 an hour and Pro is USD 10 an hour, with INR on request. Every block also carries a USD 50 AI tool budget. Taxes are extra as applicable, including GST for Indian clients.
How can the rate be this low?
AI now does much of the routine coding, much of the building is done by engineers trained in the Code Colonies on the job programme with a senior checking each stage, and we price close to cost.
What if we stop after one block?
You can. Each block stands on its own: you pay for the work you accepted, and the code, documentation and delivery note for that work are yours. There is no commitment to a second block.
Where do our code and accounts live?
In accounts you own: your code repository, your cloud account, your domain and your app store listings. Credentials are handed over with the documentation at the end of each block.
Who actually does the work?
A small team in set proportions: junior, mid level and senior engineers, a QA engineer and a project manager. Junior engineers are graduates of the Code Colonies on the job training programme, run under AksharAI.
What if we change our minds halfway?
Changes are agreed in writing, and the specification is updated before the changed work is built. Where a change adds work, it is scoped into a block like everything else.
Start with a conversation
Tell us what you want built. We will tell you plainly whether it fits.
The first conversation is free. You get a rough size in hours, the tier that suits the work, and what a first 150 hour block would cover.
Or get a ballpark proposal in two minutes