Don't leave your budget

to guesswork

Most founders pay for their app twice. Once to build it. Once to fix it.

Almost every week, a founder shares their development horror story.

They paid for an app that doesn't function like they need it to.
They got three quotes and have no idea which one is accurate.
They spent double or triple what they were told their application would cost.
They signed a quote without understanding it protects the developers but not them.
They missed out on thousands of government funding because no one told them how to qualify.
They're locked-in to expensive proprietary software.

We’d rather prevent this. We built the App Cost Calculator to give you complete clarity.

You get:

A clear spec so developers builds exactly what you need and nothing more.
An accurate estimate that you can measure other quotes against — apples to apples.
Your project documented and built in a way that allows you to qualify for government rebates.
A real low-and-high number for investors and grant programs.
Complete ownership and freedom from vendor lock-in.

Save your budget

Build lean

Most agencies charge $5,000 to $25,000 just to scope your project.

Discovery is essential, but it shouldn't break your bank.

The App Cost Calculator gives you the same clarity for $197.

This amount is credited back to you should you choose to hire New Idea Machine.

Avoid overpaying for a roadmap. Launch on time and on budget.

Built by our CTO, for you.

This isn't a generic estimator someone built over a weekend.

It's the exact process New Idea Machine uses internally to scope and estimate every app we build.

Created by our CTO, Al Del Degan, a developer with over 30 years of experience and a track record with DC Bank, the City of Calgary, and Calgary Airport Authority.

We built it for ourselves first. We're sharing it because founders deserve better than a guesstimate.

How it works.

Answer simple questions about your project.

These are the same questions a senior developer would ask.

You don't need to be technical.

You don't need all the answers.

Just share what you know.

Your idea stays private throughout. All inputs are confidential. Your IP remains yours.

Within 24 hours, 3 documents will be emailed to you.

A detailed document telling developers exactly what to build - nothing lost in translation.
A map of how real people will use your app, every screen, every decision point, documented before a single line of code is written.
A realistic cost estimate with a low and high range. No padding, no inflated fixed-bid buffers. A number you can use to budget, pitch investors, apply for grants, or compare developer quotes.

Sample Reports.

Download sample reports to see the quality and detail of what you receive.

Ready to protect your investment?

Get developer-ready specs, a realistic cost estimate, and complete clarity on what it takes to build your app, in about 20 minutes.

We built it for ourselves first. We’re sharing it because founders deserve better than a guesstimate.