WATCH · Choosing a Tech Partner_
Why Software Project Quotes Vary So Much (And How to Compare Them)
Saleem Beg · Founder, Teque
● 1:40 · Posted 4 months ago
KEY TAKEAWAYS_
- Cheap quotes answer "what's the minimum?" — expensive quotes answer "what does success require?"
- Always ask: what happens when we change our minds? Who handles bugs after launch?
- The cheapest quote often becomes the most expensive project
TRANSCRIPT_
You've probably experienced this. You send the same brief to five software agencies and you get quotes ranging from£10,000 to £200,000. What's going on? Are some of them trying to rip you off? Are others dangerously cheap? Usually, it's neither. They're just answering different questions. The cheap quote is probably answering what's the minimum we can build that
technically meets this brief. They're assuming you will handle project management, write all the content, do your own testing, and know exactly what you want up front. The expensive quote is answering what does it actually take to deliver this successfully? They are including discovery workshops, user research, change requests, testing, training, documentation,
and three months of support. Neither is wrong, but they're not comparable. So, when you are evaluating quotes, don't just look at the number, look at what's included, and more importantly, what's not included. Ask specifically, what happens when we change our minds? What happens when you find a bug after launch? Who's responsible for hosting security updates, backups? The cheapest
quote often becomes the most expensive project. The goal isn't to find the lowest price. It's to find the clearest scope.
“The cheapest quote often becomes the most expensive project.”
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