Nobody enjoys the money conversation, so let's have it right now, in plain English, before you've spent a penny.
We're Flare Software: two FileMaker developers, trading for over 25 years. In that time we've settled on a way of charging that we believe is the fairest in the business — not because we're saints, but because it keeps clients happy for decades, and long-term clients are our entire business model.
Monthly invoicing, completed development work only
At the end of each month, we invoice you for the development work we actually finished that month. That's the whole system.
No big deposit before we've earned anything. No milestone payments engineered around a contract rather than your needs. No invoicing for "progress" you can't see. If we built it and it works, it's on the invoice; if we didn't, it isn't.
This does something subtle and important: it keeps us permanently motivated. We don't get paid for promises — we get paid for delivery, every single month. After 25+ years, we can report that this arrangement concentrates the mind wonderfully.
Cancel anytime. Really.
There's no lock-in and no notice period. If you want to pause the project, pause it. If you want to stop entirely, stop. You'll pay for the completed work to date and part as friends.
We can offer this because we've never needed contracts to keep clients — clients like Hercules Plc and Labeline International have stayed with us for years because the work is good, not because a document says they must. A client who's free to leave, and doesn't, is the only endorsement worth having.
Estimates, not fixed quotes — and why that's more honest
Here's where we differ from firms who'll promise you a fixed price on day one. We give estimates, and we're upfront about why.
Bespoke software scope evolves. It just does. Halfway through a build, you'll see the first working screens and realise the process could be even better than you'd imagined — or a part of the business you'd forgotten about turns out to matter. This isn't poor planning; it's the point of bespoke software. It's shaped around a living business, and living businesses move.
A "fixed" quote handles this in one of two ways, both bad. Either it's padded with a hefty safety margin (you overpay for certainty you didn't need), or every discovery becomes a formal change request with its own fee and its own argument (the relationship curdles into contract lawyering). We've watched both movies. Neither ends well.
So instead: an honest estimate up front, visible progress throughout, and a monthly invoice that keeps you continuously informed of the real cost. You always know where you stand, and you can adjust course — or stop — at any month's end. Combined with cancel-anytime, the estimate isn't a leap of faith; it's a starting point you get to verify every few weeks.
Who owns what
Simple: you own the software you've paid for. It's yours. If we were hit by a runaway cider lorry tomorrow, another developer could take over your system.
The one nuance, stated openly: Flare Software retains the rights to our underlying code library — the tried-and-tested building blocks we've refined since 1998 and bring to every project. They're part of why your system gets built faster and more reliably than starting from a blank page. Your system, your data, your business logic: yours. Our reusable toolbox: ours. Everybody knows where they stand.
The free consultation
Every engagement starts with a conversation that costs you nothing. We'll talk about your business, what's hurting, and what a fix might look like. You'll get honest first impressions — including, sometimes, "you don't need us for this". Then, if it makes sense to continue, a written estimate.
We work with everyone from sole traders to firms with 100+ employees, so no problem is too small to bring us. Curious what the work itself looks like? See FileMaker development, API integrations and ongoing support.
FAQ
What does FileMaker development actually cost?
It depends on scope, which is why you won't find a price list here — any figure we published would be wrong in both directions for most projects. The free consultation gets you a realistic estimate for your project, and monthly invoicing means the running total is never a surprise.
Why won't you give a fixed quote?
Because fixed quotes for bespoke software are either padded or policed — priced high to absorb the unknown, or enforced through change-request bureaucracy. Our estimate-plus-monthly-invoicing model means you pay for what's actually built, see the cost as it accrues, and can stop at any point. We think that's more honest, and 25+ years of long-standing clients suggests they agree.
Is there a minimum commitment or contract period?
No. No minimum spend, no notice period, no exit fee. Monthly invoices for completed work, cancel anytime.
Do we own the finished system?
Yes — you own what you've paid for, outright. Flare retains rights only to our underlying code library, the reusable components we bring to every build. Your system and your data are entirely yours.
Does support cost extra?
Support is billed monthly like everything else. Most clients pay for the work actually done; others prefer a fixed monthly fee that keeps us on call whether they need us that month or not. No compulsory support contract — details on our support page.
Start with the free bit
The consultation costs nothing, commits you to nothing, and will leave you better informed either way.
Call 0330 113 0958 or email info@flaresoftware.co.uk. Flare Software, The Hive, 6 Beaufighter Road, Weston-super-Mare BS24 8EE — near Bristol, serving the UK and worldwide.