Software prototypes
Fast, affordable prototypes for software tools and apps
You’ve a great idea. Now you need to sell it to senior leaders, test it with users, get investors on board, or explore ways how to make your concept work. We build prototypes to help you with all these things.
Trusting Smudge to deliver powerful insights
Prototypes accelerate experimentation
Bring your ideas to life
Share your ideas in an interactive way. Get support and investment with a prototype that helps people buy in.
Test ideas with users
Put a prototype in your users’ hands so they can have a play. Does your idea resonate with the people it’s for?
Check concepts work
You’ve got a great idea. Make sure it’s feasible. Will your concept work? Is this path worth exploring more?
Prototypes get software projects off to a great start
Get buy in from leadership.
Do market research.
Sell your concept to investors.
Experiment with different ideas.
Real-life examples of prototypes in action
Test your business concept with your market
Software business founders come to us with ideas they want to market test with potential customers. A prototype feels enough like the real thing to check whether users find your tool valuable and easy to use.
Experiment with creative new ideas and tech
We prototyped an app for a photographer to display images in a fluid, experiential way. She doesn’t want a keyboard, so we’ve been using AI to show audio instructions from the user elegantly on screen. Playing with this prototype gave us a feel for where voice-to-text AI tech is at.
Develop more realistic timelines for projects
A business needed help to plan a software project. Prototypes gave them an accurate idea of how long it would take to perfect functionality. Armed with that understanding, they decided to launch a simple version of their tool first, followed by a technically advanced version that takes more time to refine.
Prototypes have so many business benefits
Develop more realistic timelines for your tech projects.
Experiment more to generate stronger creative ideas.
Trial new tech and new ideas the low cost, low risk way.
Evaluate software investments before committing budget.
THE PROTOTYPING PROCESS
Step 1: Tell us about your idea
We spend about an hour exploring your vision. What do you want your prototype to do? What platform do you want to run your prototype on?
Step 2: We build your prototype
Often we can turn prototypes around within a couple of weeks. And that’s it. It’s that simple. The whole point of prototyping is it's quick and easy.
Software prototype fees
Spend a small amount to know your idea is worth investing in
Prototypes typically cost between $5,000-$10,000 + GST. Most prototype projects come in under $5,000 + GST.
Do you need a prototype or custom software?
PROTOTYPE
Test new tech.
For experiments and exploration.
95% + generative AI code.
Coded fast as an experiment.
For one user or a small group to test.
Disposable tech for short-term use.
CUSTOM SOFTWARE
Invest in the right tech.
For production and long-term use.
Mostly hand coded by our team.
Coded using best practice to be a robust base for future development.
Scalable for many people to use.
Robust tech with longevity.
Software prototype FAQs
The prototypes we build are often viable tools that fulfil a need. They’re fine for single users. You can even use some prototypes to carry out a task for a few years.
Prototypes can seem very impressive, so they can appear more robust and scalable than they truly are.
If you want lots of people to use your tool, or you plan to make changes to your prototype, or you’d like to build a business by selling this tool, prototypes aren’t scalable in that way. That’s where custom software comes in.
No. Absolutely not. Many people do other projects with us because they like working with us, but there’s no obligation to do that. We’re happy to build you a single prototype and then say goodbye.
Yes. Your prototype is yours. You can do anything you like with it. We don’t build prototypes to sell you other services. Prototyping is a standalone service.
If you want to build a custom software tool with us once you’ve experimented with prototypes, we’re very happy to discuss that. But we want you to carry on working with us because you like working with us, not because you feel an obligation.
AI tools generate code using a common pool of information. Hypothetically, someone with a similar idea could use AI to generate a similar prototype.
There is no IP protection when you use public generative AI tools and we can’t provide a warranty that your prototype will be truly unique. However, it’s unlikely you're going to find the exact prototype we make for you elsewhere.
The AI landscape is evolving so fast that the AI tools we’re using to prototype this month might not be the same tools we use next month. We’re happy to share the AI tools we plan to use for your project if you’d like to know that info before we start.
Talk to us about your prototype
Software business founders come to us with ideas they want to market test with potential customers. A prototype feels enough like the real thing to check whether users find your tool valuable and easy to use.