cowllabs
Independent software studio · UK

We build
web apps

Cowl Labs designs, builds, launches and looks after software. Small team, careful work, private by default, and still here after launch day.

PHP / LaravelJavaScript / TypeScriptReactNode.jsAndroid / KotlinUnity / C#MariaDB / MySQLLinux / Nginx / ApacheWebRTCEnd-to-end encryption PHP / LaravelJavaScript / TypeScriptReactNode.jsAndroid / KotlinUnity / C#MariaDB / MySQLLinux / Nginx / ApacheWebRTCEnd-to-end encryption

// ship it

From idea to live, without the drama.

Every release is checked before it goes out and can be rolled back in seconds. Databases are backed up nightly and the backups are restored to prove they work. You get a plain-English note of what changed.

  • Automated checks on every deploy
  • One-step rollback to the previous release
  • Nightly backups, restore-tested
  • Monitoring that tells us before it tells you

// how we work

Four steps. Click through them.

Clear stages, a fixed scope for each one, and you see working software early and often.

Discover

We learn how your work actually runs, then agree what to build first, what it must never do, and how we will know it works. You get a written plan and a price for the first stage.

  • Workshops with the people who will use it
  • Rough screens before any code
  • Privacy and security thought through up front

Build

Short cycles with something you can click every week or two. Tests are written alongside the code, not after it, so changes later stay cheap.

  • A test site you can try at any time
  • Honest progress notes, including what went wrong
  • Accessibility checked as we go

Launch

We set up the servers, the email, the app store listings and the monitoring, then go live in a quiet moment with a rollback ready.

  • Store listings and reviews handled
  • Load tested before real users arrive
  • A launch-day checklist, nothing left to memory

Look after

Software needs care after launch. We keep it patched, backed up and watched, and keep improving it with you in small, safe releases.

  • Security updates applied promptly
  • Nightly backups with restore tests
  • A named person who knows your system

// what we believe

Principles we don't bend.

0

trackers by default

We don't add advertising or tracking scripts to what we build unless you ask, and we tell your users plainly what is collected.

1

team, start to finish

The people who design it build it, launch it and look after it. No hand-offs, nothing lost in translation.

∞

care after launch

Launch is the start. We stay on to keep your software secure, fast and useful for as long as you need it.

// plan it

How long would it take?

Tick what you need and pick a size. You'll get a rough timeline to a first release. It's a starting point for a conversation, not a quote.

What do you need?

How big?

Small: one main job, a handful of screens. Medium: several user types, admin tools. Large: many integrations, heavy data or real-time features.

rough guide

about 9 weeks

Discover
Build
Launch

Usually included:

Talk it through

// we make games too

Take a break. Squash some bugs.

Tap or click the bugs before they escape. Golden ones are worth three. You have 20 seconds. Your best score stays on this device only.

squashed 0best 020s

Bug Squash

A 20-second game. How many can you catch?

// questions

Good to know.

What size of project do you take on?

Anything from a focused app for a small business to a larger platform built in stages. If it's a fit, we'll suggest a sensible first stage; if not, we'll say so and point you somewhere better.

Who owns the code?

You do, once it's paid for. We hand over the source, the documentation and every account and key in your name, so you're never locked in.

Can you host it for us?

Yes. We run hardened servers in Europe with nightly, restore-tested backups and monitoring. Or we can deploy to hosting you already have.

Do you publish apps to the app stores?

Yes. We handle store listings, content ratings, privacy declarations and reviews, and we can publish under your account or ours.

Have something in mind?

Tell us what you want to build, even if it's rough. We'll reply within two working days with honest next steps.

Start a project