SaaS development
SaaS development for software you sell by subscription
We design and build software-as-a-service products: the web application your customers log in to, the billing behind it and the admin tools your team uses to run it. Based in Wakefield, working with founders and businesses across the UK.
Is SaaS development the right service?
SaaS development is for a product that is going to be run as a business, with customers who sign up, pay on a recurring basis and expect it to keep working. That is a different job from testing an idea or repairing an existing build.
A good fit if…
- You have evidence of demand, such as pilot customers, pre-orders or an MVP people are using
- You are turning an internal tool or spreadsheet process into a product for other businesses
- Your first version is outgrowing its foundations and needs rebuilding for more customers
- You need several customer accounts, user roles, subscription billing and an admin area
Look at a different service if…
- The idea is still untested: start with MVP development
- You already have an AI-built app that is breaking: see fix vibe-coded apps
- You need a marketing website, not a product: see responsive web design
- An existing tool already does the job: subscribing is often cheaper. Our no-code vs custom comparison helps you decide
What a SaaS build usually involves
Typically in scope
- Product discovery and a written specification: user roles, core workflows and what goes in the first release
- Interface and user-experience design for the application
- User accounts, sign-in, roles and permissions
- Subscription billing through a payment provider such as Stripe
- The core features your customers pay for, and an admin area for your team
- Integrations and APIs that connect to the other tools you or your customers use
- Hosting set-up, separate test and live environments, and deployment
- Testing and handover documentation
Separate costs or separate work
- Hosting, payment-provider and other third-party subscription fees
- Legal documents such as terms of service, privacy notices and data processing agreements
- Formal security certifications and external audits
- Your marketing website and launch campaigns (see digital marketing)
- Ongoing development after launch, unless a support arrangement is agreed
Decisions that shape a SaaS product
These choices have the biggest effect on cost, timescale and how easily the product can grow. It pays to settle them early.
How customers are separated
Each customer business (a "tenant") must only see its own data. How that separation is designed affects security, reporting and how the product scales.How you charge
Per user, per tier, per usage or a mix. The pricing model decides how billing, trials, upgrades and cancellations need to work.What it connects to
Accounting packages, CRMs, calendars, email and your customers' own systems. Each integration adds work and an outside dependency.Data and compliance
What personal data you hold, where it is stored and who processes it. UK GDPR responsibilities should be part of the specification, not an afterthought.
How we work
1. Discovery and scope
We work through users, workflows, pricing model and integrations, then agree a specification for the first release and what can follow later.2. Design
We design the key screens and journeys, such as sign-up, onboarding, the main workspace and the admin area, before building them.3. Build in stages
The product is built in stages, with working versions you can review, so feedback shapes the build instead of arriving at the end.4. Launch and handover
We deploy to live hosting, check billing and notifications end to end, and hand over documentation and access. Ongoing support is agreed separately.
Cost and timescales
SaaS budgets are driven by the number of user roles, the features in the first release, the billing model, integrations and security requirements. Our SaaS development cost guide sets out typical UK ranges and the ongoing costs to plan for.
Timescales typically depend on the size of the first release, the number of integrations and how quickly product decisions are made. If you are deciding whether to hire your own developers, read in-house vs outsourced development.
Our portfolio includes web platforms as well as websites, such as the Think Like A Lawyer legal education platform.
Frequently asked questions
Should I build an MVP first or go straight to a full SaaS product?
If you do not yet have evidence that customers will pay, start with an MVP and learn from real use. If you already have paying users, a waiting list with commitments, or an internal tool other businesses want, it can make sense to build the subscription product properly from the start.
Can you take over an existing SaaS codebase?
Often, yes. We start by reviewing the code, hosting and data set-up so we can tell you what is sound, what is risky and what it would take to keep developing it. If the product was built with an AI coding tool, our fix vibe-coded apps service covers that review.
How do you approach security and data protection?
Authentication, role-based permissions, separation of each customer's data, safe handling of secrets and backups are planned into the build from the start. Your obligations under UK GDPR, such as where data is stored and which suppliers process it, should be agreed during scoping. Formal certifications are separate pieces of work.
Who owns the code and the accounts?
Agree this in writing before work starts. We recommend that the code repository, hosting, payment provider and other third-party accounts are held in your business's name, with access given to the development team, so you are never locked out of your own product.
What happens after launch?
A live SaaS product needs hosting, monitoring, security updates, bug fixes and usually new features. Agree how that will be handled, and by whom, before launch so there is no gap when the first customers arrive.
Related services and guides
Services that often go with this one
- MVP Development
A first version of a new product, scoped to the smallest set of features that lets real users test the idea.
- AI Consultancy & Integration
Find the processes where AI is useful, then integrate it into the tools your team already uses.
- Fix Vibe-Coded Apps
Audit, secure and stabilise apps built with Lovable, Bolt, Cursor, Replit and other AI coding tools.
Costs, comparisons and examples
- How much does SaaS development cost in the UK?
What drives the cost of accounts, subscriptions, scale and security.
- In-house vs outsourced development
Cost, control, hiring and risk compared.
- No-code vs custom app development
When a no-code tool is enough, and when it is not.
The Lilybank Agency is based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and works with businesses across the UK. See all our services, browse the portfolio, read our case studies or see the areas we serve.
Talk to us about your project
Tell us what you need and what you already have. We will get back to you within one working day to talk through scope, timings and budget.