| Feature | SEIRO | Traditional Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Team you work with | Founder-led, direct senior access | Account managers relay to dev teams |
| Definition phase | We agree what to build, and what to leave out, before any code | Discovery phase: often 2–6 weeks, 5,000–20,000 EUR |
| Budget model | Price agreed once scope is clear | Time and materials (final cost uncertain) |
| Scope management | What to leave out is agreed before building | Scope often grows during development |
| Timeline (MVP) | 4–8 weeks | 8–20 weeks |
| Communication | Async-first, direct with engineers | Scheduled meetings, layered communication |
| IP ownership | 100% yours from day one | Varies by contract |
Pros / Cons
SEIRO · Pros
- Direct access to the founder and senior engineers
- Scope agreed before development, so fewer surprises
- Scope reduction: we cut what does not add value
- Faster delivery with async communication
SEIRO · Cons
- Smaller team, not suited for very large enterprise projects
- Less brand recognition than established agencies
Traditional Agency · Pros
- Larger teams for big, complex projects
- Established brand and track record
- Wider range of specialized services
- Better for enterprise-level compliance requirements
Traditional Agency · Cons
- Higher minimum budgets exclude startups and small teams
- Account managers create distance from the development team
- Time-and-materials billing means uncertain final costs
- Projects often take longer due to organizational overhead
- Scope tends to grow rather than shrink
When to choose
SEIRO
Choose SEIRO when you want a founder-led partner who defines before building and cuts unnecessary scope. Best for startups, small teams, and focused products where you need direct access to senior engineers.
Traditional Agency
Choose a traditional agency when you have a large enterprise project (100,000+ EUR), need a team of 10+ specialists, or require specific industry certifications that only larger firms provide.
Frequently asked questions
How does SEIRO's scoping compare with a traditional agency's discovery phase?
Traditional agencies often run discovery phases of 2–6 weeks with larger teams. At SEIRO, we agree with you what to build, and what to leave out, before any code, working directly with the engineers. How long that takes depends on the project. A free 15-minute call is a good place to start.
Can SEIRO handle large projects?
SEIRO is a small team of engineers, so we work best on focused products and first versions. For large enterprise projects that need big teams, a traditional agency fits better. We will tell you if that is your case.
How do I get a reliable number before building?
Define scope first: the core action, what is out, and how you will measure success. With that, quotes become comparable. For a rough idea before talking to anyone, the cost calculator gives an approximate estimate. It is not SEIRO pricing.
Get a range for your project.
Send three lines about it, or book a 15-minute call. Either way you get a range, at no cost.