Ongoing Product Development on Weekly Retainer

JavaScript and TypeScript across the entire web development ecosystem — that's the hard limit. Within that, the default stack is React, Next.js, Node.js, and Firebase, where years of accumulated expertise apply directly. The further your project sits from that default — different cloud, unfamiliar framework, exotic database — the less leverage that expertise provides. Varstatt evaluates this distance per project and only takes on work where it can deliver real value, not learn on your dime.

Web applications, AI-powered apps, SaaS platforms, customer portals, internal dashboards and admin panels, MVPs, proofs of concept, automation tools, and APIs.

Founders and teams with an active product that needs ongoing development — bug fixes, new features, infrastructure improvements, week after week. Best fit: seed-stage or established startups that want consistent progress without hiring full-time or managing an agency. If you don't have a product yet, start with PoC in 2 weeks to validate the idea, or MVP in 6 weeks to ship the first real version — then move to the retainer for ongoing work.

It varies by complexity. Some weeks deliver major features, others focus on bug fixes or infrastructure. You get continuous flow, not fixed deliverables. Average task turnaround is 48-72 hours.

A single, focused piece of work — like add user authentication, build contact form, or integrate Stripe payments. Complex features get broken into multiple tasks. Scope is agreed during development, shaped by appetite, not estimates.

Large features get broken down into smaller, reviewable tasks. This is WIP one in practice: continuous progress and feedback throughout, instead of waiting weeks for a big delivery.

Yes. Pause or cancel directly through the Stripe portal with no penalties or questions asked. Your subscription status updates immediately. This is part of Varstatt's exit freedom commitment.

Billing stops immediately and your task board stays accessible (read-only). Resume anytime — Varstatt picks up where things left off, no re-onboarding. This is pause, not end in practice: projects don't move in straight lines, so the engagement shouldn't pretend otherwise. Useful when you're waiting on decisions, content, or simply don't need development for a period. Bug fixes and maintenance are only included while actively subscribed.

The subscription automatically pauses for those days at no charge. You're never billed for time Varstatt is unavailable.

You do — completely. Client owns everything is set up from day one: repository under your account, every cloud service billed to your card, every API key in your name. Varstatt is a contributor, never an owner. If you cancel tomorrow, you lose nothing — hand the repo to another developer and keep going. Zero vendor lock-in, by design.

Async-first: WhatsApp, email, or Slack for quick questions; task board comments for detailed discussions about specific work. No daily standups, no status meetings, no calendar tetris. Meetings are reserved for genuine strategic decisions or major pivots, not tactical work. Messages get a response within a few hours; a separate channel exists for real emergencies (production down, data loss, security).

Varstatt revises based on your feedback until you're satisfied. Each task goes through review and refinement cycles at no additional cost. If we're fundamentally misaligned, cancel immediately with no penalty.

Yes — subscribe, the task gets completed, cancel. But for one-off work, dedicated single-task packages often fit better: Code Audit, Firebase Audit, DevOps Audit, or Automation Audit for focused reviews; PoC in 2 weeks for a single isolated build. If you're unsure of scope, the build cost & plan tool helps map it out first.

Fill the project brief (2-3 minutes), schedule a 15-minute discovery call to confirm fit, subscribe to the weekly plan, and Varstatt begins work the next business day.