A software studio for early-stage companies and growing businesses
The early bird gets the product.
We build custom software for founders and operators who are done waiting. Production-ready in 6–12 weeks, at a fixed price, and you own every line of code.
6–12 week launches Fixed-scope pricing You own the code
A note on our name
918 Studio is now Early.
Same team, same work, new name. We renamed the studio because Early says what we do better: the best time to get software right is early, before the workaround becomes the process and the spreadsheet becomes the system. Everything else stays the same. Same people, same fixed prices, same weekly demos.
If you know us as 918, nothing changes on your end. Your projects, your contacts and your contracts carry over as they are.
Read the full story →For operators stuck between sheets and software
Your spreadsheet got you to a million. It won't get you to ten.
Most growing businesses don't fail at spreadsheets. They outgrow them. Formulas break when the team gets bigger. Tabs multiply. One person becomes the only one who knows how it all fits together.
We translate that exact logic into a custom application — the same calculations, the same workflow — built for multiple users, real-time data, and the next ten hires. Start small, ship fast, build only what gets used.
Recent work
All case studies → Heartland Rentals
A 14-tab booking, pricing and inventory spreadsheet became a multi-user app the whole crew runs on.
Rent Curve
An interactive pricing demo, shipped ahead of a trade-show deadline, that closed the room.
Claymates
A pottery studio's presence, booking and content — built to reflect who they are.
What we build
Working software for a business that has real customers, real operations and a real deadline.
MVPs
Your first real product — ready for users, investors and the next round.
Internal tools
Replace the spreadsheet, the shared inbox and the "ask Dana" workflow with one system.
SaaS platforms
Multi-tenant, role-based, billing-ready products built to scale past the pilot.
AI features & agents
Summaries, scoring, search, chat and automations — where they create value, not hype.
Mobile apps
iOS and Android apps for teams in the field and customers on the go.
Dashboards
One screen that tells you how the business is doing — live, not last Friday.
How an engagement runs
Four steps. A demo every Friday. No black box.
- Week 1
Scope
A working session, not a sales pitch. Flows, features, priorities — then a fixed-price proposal with milestones.
- Weeks 2–3
Design
A clickable design of the real product. See it, use it, change it before a line of code is written.
- Weeks 3–10
Build
Senior engineers, AI-accelerated, human-reviewed. Real auth, real data, production architecture.
- Launch
Ship & grow
Live with analytics and monitoring on day one. Then we iterate with you — or hand you the keys and the docs.
Engagement models
Clear prices, before we start.
No vague retainers. No hourly surprises. Milestone-based payments on every build.
Discovery sprint
2 weeks
Flows, wireframes, architecture and a fixed-price build plan. Yours to keep, whoever builds it.
- User flows & feature map
- Clickable wireframes
- Technical architecture
- Fixed-price proposal
Fixed-scope build
$30k–$75k
Most MVPs and internal tools land here. 6–12 weeks, defined deliverables, weekly demos.
- Design + build + launch
- Production architecture
- AI features where they pay off
- Full code & IP ownership
Ongoing partner
Monthly
A senior product team on call after launch. New features, performance, onboarding, investor updates.
- Prioritized roadmap
- Releases every sprint
- Monitoring & support
- Pause or stop anytime
Why "Early"
Up before the market. Every time.
The best time to get software right is early. Before the workaround becomes the process. Before the spreadsheet becomes the system. Before the fourth hire inherits a mess nobody can explain. We show up early, we ship early, and we're the partner you want in your company's earliest days — whether that's year one or year thirty of a new chapter.
Early is a small, senior team of designers, engineers and product leaders in Kansas City. We've built and scaled products ourselves, so we know what it feels like when scope creeps and the wrong thing gets built first. Honest scoping, clear communication, no corners cut where it matters.
- Founder-led
- Senior product leadership, not outsourced junior dev.
- AI is our tool. You're our priority.
- Every line reviewed, tested and approved by a human on our team.
How we use AI
AI is our tool. You're our priority.
We use tools like Claude and GitHub Copilot to write code faster — that's how a 6–12 week timeline is possible at this price. Every line still gets reviewed, tested and approved by a senior developer on our team. AI doesn't replace our judgment, our experience, or our accountability to you. Your project is never handed to a machine.
How we use AI →From the blog
Notes on building software that gets used.
What clients say
"They felt like a true extension of our team. The level of detail in the UX thinking and the speed of execution helped us align stakeholders and move much faster than expected."
"They took the time to truly understand our brand, goals and audience. We didn't just get a website — we got an online presence that reflects who we are."
"On or before the promised date, with extra work done to fill in needed features once we got into the details. Done at a fair price."
Questions founders and owners ask us
Something else? Book a call and ask.
What does Early actually do?
We design and build custom software: web apps, mobile apps, internal tools, SaaS platforms and AI features. Some clients are founders launching a first product. Just as many are established businesses replacing spreadsheets and off-the-shelf tools that stopped fitting. Most projects launch in 6–12 weeks.
Do I need to be a startup?
No. About half our work is for businesses that have been running for years and need software built around how they actually operate — scheduling, inventory, quoting, customer portals, dashboards. If you've outgrown your tools, you're our kind of client.
How long does a build take?
Most projects launch in 6–12 weeks. The timeline depends on scope and integrations, but the process is built for speed: we launch the right features first instead of overbuilding, and you see a working demo every week.
How much does it cost?
Most builds land between $30,000 and $75,000. You get a fixed price, defined deliverables and milestone-based payments before we start. No retainers you can't explain, no hourly surprises.
I'm not technical. Is that a problem?
It's the norm. Most of our clients are non-technical founders and operators. We translate your idea into requirements, flows, wireframes and architecture, and explain every decision in plain English.
Who owns the code?
You do. 100%. At completion we transfer the repositories, infrastructure and documentation. No lock-in, no licence fees, nothing you can't take to another team tomorrow.
Can you build AI into my product?
Yes — summaries, scoring, search, chat, workflow automation and custom agents. We add AI where it creates value for your users or your team, not because it's in the headline.
What do you build with?
Modern, boring-on-purpose tools: React/Next.js or Astro on the front end, Supabase for auth and data, OpenAI/Anthropic APIs, Twilio, SendGrid, Vercel for hosting. Clean code in your GitHub, not fragile no-code hacks.
How do you use AI to build?
As a tool. AI helps us write and test code faster. Every line is still reviewed and approved by a senior developer on our team.
What happens after launch?
Whatever you need. Many clients keep us on monthly to add features, improve onboarding and build dashboards as the product grows. Others take the keys and run. Both are good outcomes.
Do you help with strategy and design?
Yes, it's step one. Before we write code we define flows, map features, clarify the business model and agree on architecture. Good software is designed, not rushed.
How do I get started?
Book a call. We'll review your idea or your current setup, talk scope and timeline, and tell you honestly whether we're a fit. If it makes sense, you'll get a structured proposal with pricing and milestones. No pressure. Just clarity.
Early Software Studio is a custom software and product development studio at 43 Kansas Ave, Kansas City, KS 66105, working with founders and businesses across the United States.
Let's start early.
A 30-minute call. We'll review your idea or your current setup, talk scope and timeline, and tell you honestly whether we're the right fit. No pressure. Just clarity.
Not ready to talk? Take the 5-minute quiz