What is a paid discovery and why should I pay for one?
A paid discovery costs $1500-4000 and turns a conversation into a written scope, a technical approach and a risk list. It is credited in full against the project if you proceed, and it is yours if you do not.
A free proposal is written to win the work. A paid discovery is written to be correct, which is a different document and occasionally an unwelcome one.
You get a written scope, a technical approach, a risk list with a plan against each risk, and a clickable prototype where it helps. It takes one to three weeks.
It costs $1500-4000 and is credited in full against the project. If you decide not to proceed, or to proceed with someone else, the document is yours and you can hand it to them. That is not generosity; it is the only way the document can be honest.
Updated: August 15, 2026