# Planning & cost — SoftFix LLC blog

What software costs, how long it takes and how to plan a project so the budget holds.

## [How to plan an MVP that is actually viable](https://softfix.dev/blog/how-to-plan-an-mvp)

An MVP is the smallest version of your product that real users can rely on for one important job. Plan it by naming that job, listing the steps a user takes to get it done, building only those steps well, and leaving everything else for later. “Minimum” is about scope, not quality: the parts you build should be fast, reliable and secure, because early users judge the whole product by them.

## [How to write a software project brief (with a template)](https://softfix.dev/blog/software-project-brief-template)

A good software brief explains the problem, not just the features: what the business wants to achieve, who will use the software, what they need to do, which systems it must connect to, and the budget and timeline you are working with. One or two pages is enough. It gets you comparable quotes, better questions from the teams you talk to and a scope everyone can agree on before work starts.

## [How to choose a software development company](https://softfix.dev/blog/choosing-a-software-development-company)

Choose a software development company by the products it has actually shipped, how clearly it explains its process and pricing, and what happens after launch. Look for a discovery phase, a fixed scope and quote, working software shown regularly, full ownership of the code for you, and a plan for maintenance — not just a low hourly rate.

## [How much does custom software cost?](https://softfix.dev/blog/custom-software-cost)

Custom software costs what its scope costs: the number of features and user roles, the platforms it runs on, the systems it must integrate with, the depth of design and the support it needs after launch. The most reliable way to price it is a short discovery phase that turns your idea into a written scope — then a fixed quote against that scope, split into milestones.

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