Question 1

What does Bitcrowd Agency do?

Accepted Answer

Bitcrowd is a software development studio based in Nairobi. We design and build websites, e-commerce platforms, mobile applications, WhatsApp and Instagram chatbots, POS systems, workflow automation, APIs, databases, and custom business software.

Question 2

Where is Bitcrowd Agency located?

Accepted Answer

Nairobi, Kenya. We work with businesses across Kenya and East Africa. You can reach us on +254 755 800 204 or at info@bitcrowdagency.tech.

Question 3

How do I get started with a project?

Accepted Answer

Send a message through the contact form, WhatsApp, or email describing what you need. A rough description is enough to start. We schedule a discovery call at no cost to go through the requirements, then follow up with a scope, timeline, and price.

Question 4

Do you work with businesses outside Nairobi?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We work remotely with clients across Kenya. For projects that require on-site work, such as POS installation and staff training, we travel to the location and that travel is included in the scope.

Question 5

How much does a website cost in Kenya?

Accepted Answer

Website build costs typically range from KSh 40,000 for a simple business site to KSh 500,000 and above for a custom e-commerce platform. The main variables are the number of pages, design scope, content readiness, integrations such as M-Pesa or booking, and whether ongoing maintenance is included. A price is confirmed against a written scope.

Question 6

How is payment structured?

Accepted Answer

Payment schedules are defined in the project proposal and are usually linked to project milestones. A common structure is 50% on commencement, 30% at an agreed midpoint, and 20% on delivery. Larger projects can be split across monthly milestones instead.

Question 7

Are there ongoing costs after the project is delivered?

Accepted Answer

Usually yes, and they are set out before you commit. Websites need a domain and hosting, which can range from close to nothing to around KSh 15,000 a year depending on traffic. Applications need maintenance for operating-system and dependency updates. Chatbots carry Meta's per-conversation platform charges. Recurring costs are listed in the proposal.

Question 8

How much does a mobile app cost?

Accepted Answer

A focused first version starts from around KSh 200,000. An application with payments, accounts, notifications, and an admin panel starts from around KSh 500,000. Larger platforms are quoted individually. The largest variables are the number of features and the scope of the backend behind them.

Question 9

How long does a typical project take?

Accepted Answer

A business website takes 2-4 weeks. An e-commerce site takes 4-6 weeks. A mobile application takes 6-8 weeks for a focused first version and 3-5 months for a full build. Custom software takes 4-8 weeks for a focused tool and 3-6 months for a larger system. The date is confirmed with the scope, and any change to it is raised as soon as it is known.

Question 10

What is your development process?

Accepted Answer

Discovery call, then a written scope and proposal covering deliverables, timeline, dependencies, and pricing. Design is reviewed before development starts. Development runs in stages with review points, followed by testing, deployment, handover, and any agreed support.

Question 11

Do I need to provide content for my website?

Accepted Answer

Content readiness is usually the largest variable in a website timeline, so having text, photos, and service descriptions approved before the build starts is the cheapest way to shorten it. Where content is not ready, copywriting and image sourcing can be included in the scope, priced separately.

Question 12

Can I update the site myself after launch?

Accepted Answer

For websites with editable content, we provide a content-management system for the agreed sections, along with the handover or training required to use it. Where the content is fixed, a CMS adds build cost and maintenance without a corresponding return, and it is left out of the scope.

Question 13

What technologies do you use?

Accepted Answer

Typically React and Next.js on the frontend, Node.js or Python on the backend, PostgreSQL and MongoDB for data, and React Native or Flutter for mobile. The stack is selected according to the project's requirements, deployment environment, maintainability, security, performance, and integration needs.

Question 14

Can you integrate M-Pesa into my website or app?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We integrate M-Pesa through the Safaricom Daraja API, including STK push for customer-initiated payments, C2B for paybill and till numbers, and B2C for disbursements, with transaction status queries for reconciliation. Card payments through Pesapal, Flutterwave, and Stripe can be integrated alongside.

Question 15

Do you build for both Android and iOS?

Accepted Answer

Yes, using either a shared cross-platform codebase with React Native or Flutter, or platform-specific native development. The choice depends on the product's features, performance requirements, native integrations, testing scope, and budget, and we compare both during scoping.

Question 16

Do you offer hosting?

Accepted Answer

We can set up and manage hosting, or deploy to your existing provider. Hosting is recommended based on the application stack, traffic, storage, data requirements, availability needs, operational complexity, and budget. We commonly deploy to Vercel, AWS, or DigitalOcean.

Question 17

How quickly do you reply?

Accepted Answer

We normally reply within one business day. Where a request needs more information before we can propose a scope, we will ask for it first rather than send a speculative quote.

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