# Engagement and Pricing Context - Software Chains

Last updated: 2026-05-16

Software Chains is a founder-led product engineering service provider. Pricing is scoped to the product goal, technical risk, delivery timeline, and level of senior product-engineering ownership required.

## Pricing Model

- Fixed public packages: Not currently published.
- Hourly staffing rates: Not the primary engagement model.
- Typical approach: Qualified discovery, scope definition, technical risk review, then a scoped engagement proposal.
- Budget discussion: The contact form asks for an expected budget range when known.

## Engagement Types

### SaaS MVP Development

- For: SaaS founders turning an idea, prototype, or early product into a focused MVP.
- Typical work: Product scope, MVP architecture, UI and workflow execution, backend and integrations, production readiness, and post-MVP iteration.
- Relevant page: https://www.softwarechains.com/saas-mvp-development

### AI Product Development for Startups

- For: Founders building AI-enabled SaaS products or moving AI concepts toward launch.
- Typical work: Product scoping, SaaS architecture, LLM integration, retrieval workflows, release hardening, and launch support.
- Relevant page: https://www.softwarechains.com/ai-product-development-for-startups

### LLM Application Development

- For: SaaS teams building production LLM features, chat systems, copilots, retrieval workflows, or automation.
- Typical work: Model integration, context design, RAG pipelines, backend APIs, tool calling, observability, and failure-mode testing.
- Relevant page: https://www.softwarechains.com/llm-application-development

### Fractional CTO and Product Engineering

- For: Founders and early-stage teams that need senior technical leadership plus hands-on execution.
- Typical work: Architecture decisions, delivery oversight, engineering prioritization, release hardening, and roadmap-to-delivery alignment.
- Relevant page: https://www.softwarechains.com/fractional-cto-product-engineering

## Not a Fit

Software Chains is usually not the right fit for:

- Cheapest hourly development requests.
- Large outsourced team staffing.
- Isolated implementation tickets with no product context.
- Open-ended execution without scope or product decisions.

## How to Request Pricing

Use the contact page to share product context, stage, timeline, budget range if known, and the type of help needed:

https://www.softwarechains.com/contact

Qualified inquiries are reviewed for fit before a proposed engagement path is discussed.