Discovery Sprint · Pricing and Process
A $345 flat fee, delivered in 24 hours, credited toward your build. Here is exactly what you receive, who it is for, and when it is not the right move.
Most failed software projects do not fail because the developer could not build the thing. They fail because the thing that was built was not quite the thing that was needed. A Discovery Sprint exists to close that gap before you spend serious money. This post explains what it includes, what it costs, who it suits and, honestly, who should skip it.
What a Discovery Sprint is
It is a flat-fee engagement of $345 that turns your idea into a clear, execution-ready plan. It is delivered as a Product Requirements Document (PRD) within 24 hours, through online meetings, chats and conversations. If you are new to the term, start with our guide to what a PRD includes or read the Discovery Sprint page.
What you get
| Deliverable | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Refined product vision and problem definition | A clear statement of what you are building and for whom |
| Complete MVP scope and feature prioritisation | A defined first release, with what is out as well as what is in |
| Bubble.io system and workflow architecture (user flows) | How the product works, step by step, before any building starts |
| Cost and timeline estimates | A realistic number and schedule you can base a decision on |
| Clear development roadmap | What gets built first, what follows, and in what order |
The maths: why $345 is a small number
Web and mobile builds at Simple Automation Solutions start at $3,500, with the final quote depending on the scope in your PRD. At $345, the sprint is under 10 percent of that starting build price. And if you approve the build, the sprint fee is credited toward it, so it is not an extra cost on top.
Now compare that with the alternative. If you skip planning and discover halfway through a build that a core flow was misunderstood, you pay to rebuild it. One rebuilt workflow or reshaped database can cost more than the entire sprint. The sprint is cheap insurance against that.
The simple version
If you go ahead and build with us, the $345 comes off the build price. If you decide not to build, you have still paid a small fixed amount to find out what the product would cost and whether the idea holds together, before spending thousands.
Who the Discovery Sprint is for
- Founders with an idea or a manual process they want to turn into software, but no written scope.
- Teams who have received quotes that vary wildly and do not know which to trust.
- Business owners (law firms, accountants, agencies, consultants) who know their process well but not the technology.
- Anyone about to spend a meaningful budget who wants the plan checked first.
Who should skip it
It is not for everyone, and saying so helps you decide.
- You already have a detailed specification, data model and flows. You may be ready for a scoped quote directly.
- You only need a small fix to an existing app. Our support and maintenance is billed by the hour instead.
- The idea is still very vague. Start with the free Idea Audit. If it is not ready, you will be told what to do first rather than being sold a sprint.
How the path works
- Free Idea Audit (30 minutes). You explain the idea; you leave knowing what to build and roughly what it costs.
- Discovery Sprint ($345). If the idea is ready to scope, you get the full PRD within 24 hours.
- Approval. You decide whether to build. The $345 is credited toward the build.
- Build and launch. Typical launches land in 2 to 6 weeks depending on scope. See realistic MVP build schedules.
Common objections
“Can’t I just start building and figure it out as I go?”
You can, and some people do. But a build without a plan tends to drift, and every change is paid for. A PRD makes changes deliberate. Our article on scope creep shows how quickly this adds up.
“Can’t I use AI to write the plan?”
AI is useful for drafting, and we use it too. But the value of a Discovery Sprint is the decisions: which features to cut, how data should be structured in Bubble, which integrations are essential. Those come from an experienced person asking the right questions about your business.
“What if I do not like the result?”
The sprint is a collaborative conversation, not a document thrown over a wall. You review the scope and flows with us as they take shape, so there are few surprises at the end.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Discovery Sprint take?
The PRD is delivered within 24 hours, built through online meetings, chats and conversations.
Is the $345 credited if I build with you?
Yes. The Discovery Sprint fee is credited toward the build.
What does the build cost after the sprint?
Builds start at $3,500. The final quote depends on scope from your PRD. See our cost guide.
Is there a cheaper first step?
Yes. The 30-minute Idea Audit is free and is the recommended starting point.
Not sure if your idea is ready to scope?
Start with a free 30-minute Idea Audit. If the sprint is the right next step, we will say so. If not, you will know what to do first.
Athar Ahmad, Certified Bubble.io Developer and Tech Architect, Simple Automation Solutions
