About the studio

An Australian software studio that builds products, not pitch decks

Viva Studio is a remote Australian software studio. Our clients are small-business owners and founders who need a website, a web app or a custom system, and who want to understand what they are paying for. This page covers who we suit, how a project runs from the first call to handover, and the rules we hold ourselves to; if you would rather talk it through, the first 30-minute consultation is free.

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Who is Viva Studio for?

We suit owners and founders who need a working product more than they need a technology education. You do not have to know what an API is; you need to know what your customers or staff should be able to do on Monday morning, and we take it from there. If that sounds like you, here is what a good fit usually looks like.

A small-business owner whose website has to earn its keep by bringing in enquiries, and who wants to change a price or a photo without ringing a developer
A founder with a tested idea who wants a first version real customers can log in to, rather than a prototype that only works in a demo
A business running on spreadsheets, paper forms or a patchwork of subscriptions that wants one system built around how it actually operates
Anyone who has been burnt by an agency that talked in jargon and delivered late, and wants a plainer, more accountable way of working
Not a fit: budgets that only stretch to a template, or anyone after a pitch deck rather than something that goes live

How does working with us actually run?

The free 30-minute consultation is a conversation, not a sales call: you describe the problem, we ask questions, and we tell you honestly whether software is the right fix. If it is, you receive a written scope and a fixed quote, with the price tied to a defined list of what is included. From there the project follows a rhythm you can plan around.

Nothing goes into production code until you have clicked through the main screens and said yes, so launch day holds no surprises
On app and custom builds you get a short written update each week: what was finished, what is next, and anything we need from you
Changes are welcome, but they are re-quoted in writing before the work starts, never added to the invoice afterwards
Hosting, domain, database and email accounts are created in your name from the beginning, so nothing has to be migrated to you later
Handover includes a walkthrough of how to update content and where everything lives, plus written notes you can pass to anyone who comes after us

What do plain English and no lock-in mean in practice?

Five rules shape every project. They are not slogans; each one comes with something concrete you can hold us to, and we would rather lose a job than bend them.

Plain English: each recommendation comes with the cost of the alternative spelled out in a sentence you could repeat to your accountant, and if you are still unsure what we mean, we have not finished explaining
No lock-in: the code sits in a repository you own and is built with widely used tools (Next.js, TypeScript, Postgres via Supabase, .NET) that any competent developer can pick up
Published prices: the three starting points ($900 for a Starter Website, $2,500 for a Web App / MVP, $4,500 for a Custom Engagement) are where a quote begins, and the figure on the quote you accept is the figure on your final invoice
Working products over presentations: we would rather show you something you can click than a strategy document, and we judge a project by whether it is live and being used
Honest scope: if an off-the-shelf tool would do the job for less, we say so in the first call instead of building something you do not need

Why does it matter that the studio runs its own products?

Alongside client work, Viva Studio builds and operates its own software. Reckonly turns paper receipts into Zoho Books entries for Australian small businesses, Near Space is a marketplace for renting out unused storage and parking, Inferly shows teams what their AI usage costs in real time, and Scentena helps perfumers generate safety-screened formulas. Running them means we live with the same things you will after launch: hosting bills, support emails and what happens when something breaks after hours.

Every product above went from an idea to a public launch, which is the same path your website or MVP will take
Problems like sign-up friction, slow pages and confusing forms are ones we have had to fix on our own products before touching yours
We choose hosting and tooling we are prepared to pay for and maintain ourselves, not whatever is fashionable this year
Recommendations come from tools we use every day, not from a vendor brochure

Which technologies do you build with, and why should you care?

Websites and web apps are built in Next.js and TypeScript, data lives in Postgres (usually through Supabase), and .NET is used where a heavier back end is warranted. None of that needs to mean anything to you on its own. What matters is that each choice is mainstream, well documented and cheap to host, which keeps your running costs down and your options open.

Next.js and TypeScript give you fast pages that Google can read and catch many errors before they reach your customers
Postgres through Supabase provides a proper database with logins, backups and permissions built in, and your data can be exported as a standard file at any time
We reach for .NET on integration-heavy systems that need to talk to accounting, payments or older software
Everything runs on mainstream providers under your own accounts, so support is never tied to one person or one company
We steer clear of page builders and no-code platforms whose monthly fees and lock-in outlast their convenience

About

Built by people who've been on your side of the table.

Viva Studio started with a simple observation: most business owners don't need more tech jargon — they need someone who listens, explains clearly, and delivers software that actually solves problems.

We work with a small number of clients at a time so every project gets real attention. When you work with us, you talk directly to the people building your product — not a sales team or a rotating cast of contractors.

Let's talk

Plain English

We explain options and trade-offs so you can decide with confidence.

No surprises

Clear scope, timeline, and pricing before we start — and updates along the way.

Built to last

Clean code, solid foundations, and documentation you can hand off if needed.

Common questions

Do you take on projects smaller than the listed starting prices?

The starting prices are where a custom build begins, and we would rather tell you that plainly than stretch a quote to fit. If your budget sits below $900, say so in the consultation and we will point you towards a sensible alternative rather than take on work we cannot do properly.

Can you take over a website or app another developer built?

Yes, provided you have access to the code and the accounts it runs on. We start by reading what is there and giving you a plain-English summary of its condition, then quote the work as a Custom Engagement or a maintenance plan depending on what it needs.

Will you tell me if I do not need custom software?

Yes. Sometimes the right answer is a spreadsheet with better structure, a subscription product that already exists, or a small change to a tool you are paying for anyway. The consultation is free either way, and you leave with a clear recommendation even when that recommendation is not to hire us.

What do you need from me during a build?

Mostly decisions and content. Set aside time to review the preview, answer questions within a few days rather than a few weeks, and give us the text, images and logins for any existing accounts early. One person on your side who can say yes or no keeps a project moving faster than anything we do.