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ARTICLE · 14 OCTOBER 2019

Developing an app? Five things to know before signing a development agreement

Holding Redlich
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These are 5 things to consider when negotiating terms and conditions with the software developer of your new project.

AustraliaCorporate/Commercial Law
Emily Booth
Emily Booth
Author LinkedIn connections

After conceiving your great idea, perhaps the next Uber or Citymapper, you turn to a software developer to create that magic sitting behind a little icon that will shine brightly on millions of devices. They provide you with a relatively innocent looking set of terms and conditions and you just need to sign them to get the work started and meet your deadline to market.

We outline five 'watchouts' to consider when negotiating with your developer. It is important to take a closer look at the terms and build in some protections, before putting pen to paper.

  1. Quotations are estimates only

The reality is, we are all working to a budget. If a developer tells you the project will cost $70,000 that may be the extent of your budget. If the provider then charges actual amounts that are substantially more, it may not be a matter of just finding the extra cash, but that you would not have proceeded if you were aware of the cost in the first place. We have seen terms

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This publication does not deal with every important topic or change in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you have found this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact one of the named individuals listed.

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