Guides · 64 articles
Guides to commissioning a game or app
What things cost, what a first version needs, how to brief a developer and what you own at the end. Each guide links to the matching game type or app page when you are ready to scope your own.
Buying a mobile game
Cost, hiring, timelines, briefs and the build options, for any genre.
- 6 min readMobile game development cost in 2026What a mobile game costs in 2026: studio price ranges by game type, the fees people forget, and how a focused iOS and Android game starts at $499.Read more
- 5 min readHow to hire a mobile game developerHave a game idea but no team? Compare freelancers, studios and done-for-you builders on price and risk, and learn what to get in writing before you pay.Read more
- 4 min readHow do mobile games make money?How free mobile games earn from rewarded ads and in-app purchases, what one ad view pays, what Apple and Google keep, and a worked monthly example.Read more
- 5 min readMobile game development timeline: how long launch takesA mobile game development timeline that keeps build milestones, your approvals, Google Play closed testing and store review separate, so launch dates hold.Read more
- 4 min readGame template vs custom game vs a done-for-you packageGame template vs custom game vs done-for-you: compare scope, source ownership, support and total cost honestly, and see which route fits your idea and budget.Read more
- 5 min readMobile game design document template: what to put in your briefA free mobile game design document template: a complete sample brief for a word game, a blank checklist to copy, and notes for puzzle, word and arcade games.Read more
- 4 min readDFY Games process: what happens in your first ten business daysThe DFY Games process day by day: intake, blueprint, prototype, art, QA and submission kit, what you approve at each step, and how Core and Advanced differ.Read more
Guides by game type
Cost and scope for each of the game types we build.
Sort puzzle games
Sort Puzzle Game development →Endless runner games
Endless Runner Game development →Idle tycoon games
Idle Tycoon Game development →Merge games
Merge Game development →Arcade sports games
Arcade Sports Game development →Tower defense games
Tower Defense Game development →Cozy simulation games
Cozy Simulation Game development →Word game games
Word Game development →Block puzzle games
Block Puzzle Game development →Space shooter games
Space Shooter Game development →Arcade racer games
Arcade Racing Game development →Pixel platformer games
- Platformer game development: cost and scope
- Mobile platformer controls: what to test before commissioning
Hero battler RPG games
RPG Game development →Buying a custom app
App cost, briefs, ownership, maintenance and launch.
- 8 min readMobile app development cost: a practical scope guideWhat drives mobile app development cost: screens, user roles, integrations and backend. Scope tiers, an MVP example and the fees you keep paying after launch.Read more
- 5 min readApp source code ownership: who owns the code and art after a buildWho owns the source code, art and accounts after a commissioned app or game? What a handover includes, what stays under third-party licenses, and what to check.Read more
- 4 min readApp development brief template: screens, roles and integrationsAn app development brief template with worksheets for user roles, screens, integrations and data, filled in for a booking app, so your quote is accurate.Read more
- 5 min readApp maintenance cost: what you pay for after deliveryApp maintenance cost after an app or game ships: account renewals, OS and store policy updates, hosting, monitoring and support, and who handles each one.Read more
- 4 min readBefore you submit: a mobile app launch checklistA mobile app launch checklist for iOS and Android: accounts, build requirements, privacy disclosures, children's rules, monetization and the store page.Read more
Guides by app type
Scope, integrations and build-versus-buy decisions for the apps we build.
Booking apps
- Booking app development cost: what changes the quote
- Custom booking app vs scheduling software: how to decide
- Booking app integrations: a commissioning checklist for one workflow
Membership apps
- Membership app development cost: what to include
- Custom membership app vs community platform: which fits
- Gym and creator membership app: scope and cost of version one
Marketplace MVPs
- Marketplace app development cost: scoping a bounded MVP
- Marketplace MVP features: the minimum marketplace worth testing
- Marketplace app payment integration: a buyer's responsibility checklist
Internal operations apps
- Inventory app scope and cost: one workflow, four tradeoffs
- Replace spreadsheet with app, or fix the spreadsheet first?
- Offline checklist app development: a field-app brief
Education apps
- Education app development cost for a course companion
- Course app vs mobile website: which fits the learner?
- Education app MVP features: a first-release checklist
Calculators and configurators
- Custom calculator app development cost and scope
- Web calculator vs native app: which suits your customers?
- Pricing configurator app development: from spreadsheet to app