Frequently asked questions.

Most 5–7 page business websites take 3–5 weeks from signed proposal to go-live. E-commerce stores with payment integration usually take 6–10 weeks. Complex custom software runs on its own scoped timeline. We'll give you a specific date range — not a vague estimate — in the proposal.

Yes — and outside Kenya. We work remotely with clients across East Africa and the diaspora. Discovery calls, design reviews and project updates all happen over Google Meet, WhatsApp or email. For Nairobi clients, we can also meet in person at our Westlands office.

A rough idea of what you want to build and who it's for is enough to start. Bring any existing branding (logo, colors), examples of sites or apps you like, and a sense of your budget range. We'll handle the rest in the discovery call.

Yes. We accept M-Pesa (paybill or till), bank transfer and card. Project payments are split: typically 50% deposit to start, 25% at the mid-point milestone and 25% on completion. Support retainers are billed monthly or annually.

Yes. On project completion and final payment, full intellectual property — code, designs, assets — transfers to you. We don't hold your files hostage or charge additional licensing fees.

A clean 4-page starter site starts from KES 45,000. A full business site with ads, SEO and a CMS starts from KES 80,000. E-commerce stores with M-Pesa integration start from KES 150,000. See the Packages page for all options. Every quote is fixed-price, not hourly.

On-page SEO — proper title tags, structured data markup, sitemap, page speed and mobile optimisation — is included in every web project. We also offer ongoing SEO and ad management as part of the Website + Ads package. Ranking takes time; we'll set realistic expectations.

Yes. All our sites are built with a content management system you can update yourself without touching code — change text, swap images, add blog posts and update products. We include a short training session on handover.

We can manage hosting, domain registration and SSL for you, or deploy to infrastructure you already control — whichever you prefer. Hosting costs are separate from build costs and are billed at cost with no markup.

An Android app starts from KES 180,000. A cross-platform Android + iOS app (Flutter) starts from KES 280,000. Enterprise apps with complex multi-role architecture start from KES 500,000. All prices include Play Store / App Store submission.

For most Kenyan businesses, Android first makes the most sense given device market share. If you need both platforms and want to minimise cost, we recommend Flutter — one codebase, two app stores. If your audience is predominantly iPhone users (hospitality, finance, diaspora), we'll advise iOS priority.

Yes. We build offline-first architecture for apps where connectivity is an issue — the app reads and writes data locally and syncs when a connection is available. This adds some development time but is strongly recommended for field-team and logistics apps.

An AI chatbot is software trained on your business data that can answer customer questions, take orders, book appointments and capture leads automatically — on your website and/or WhatsApp. If you're spending significant time answering the same questions repeatedly, or missing leads outside business hours, an AI agent will pay for itself quickly.

Yes. We build bilingual agents that respond in English or Swahili depending on how the customer writes. We can also train region-specific vocabulary and common Kenyan shorthand.

We configure a handover rule: if the bot doesn't have a confident answer, or if the customer asks to speak to a human, it escalates the conversation to your WhatsApp or a designated team member. The bot never leaves a customer completely unattended.

We integrate the Safaricom Daraja API into your website or app. When a customer clicks "Pay with M-Pesa", they enter their phone number and receive an STK Push prompt on their phone. They enter their PIN, the payment confirms in seconds, and your system is updated automatically. We handle the Daraja sandbox testing, go-live process and reconciliation logic.

Yes. M-Pesa online payments require a registered M-Pesa paybill or till number. If you don't have one, we can guide you through the Safaricom registration process. Approval timelines are set by Safaricom, not us.

A D-U-N-S Number (Data Universal Numbering System) is a unique nine-digit identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet that identifies your business globally. It's required to register as a vendor on many international platforms (Apple Developer, US government procurement, etc.), apply for export tenders and build an international business credit profile.

No. D-U-N-S Numbers are issued solely by Dun & Bradstreet, free of charge, at their discretion. Qaribuhub does not issue, sell or guarantee D-U-N-S Numbers. We provide paid assistance and guidance to help your business prepare documents and navigate the application process correctly.

Dun & Bradstreet's standard processing time varies — typically 30 business days for a free application. Expedited options may be available directly from Dun & Bradstreet at their own pricing. We cannot guarantee or accelerate Dun & Bradstreet's processing timelines.

Uptime monitoring, security patches, WordPress/CMS/plugin updates, browser compatibility fixes, minor content changes and a direct line to the team that built your system. Premium plans include performance reporting and priority phone support. See the Packages page for a full comparison.

On Basic support, we'll investigate within 48 hours. On Premium and Annual plans, monitoring is 24/7 and critical issues are responded to within 4 hours. For hosting we control, most incidents are resolved before you even notice them.

Check whether the team can explain discovery, architecture, security, testing, deployment, source-code ownership and support in plain language. Ask for a written scope, milestones, acceptance criteria and named responsibilities before comparing prices.

Ask who owns the code, where it is stored, how changes are approved, what testing is included, how data is protected and what happens after launch. The answers should appear in the proposal and contract, not only in a sales call.

Custom development is useful when your workflow, integrations, permissions or reporting cannot fit a standard product without excessive workarounds. Start with the smallest valuable workflow and prove adoption before expanding the system.

Compare total cost across discovery, build, hosting, maintenance, change requests, security and staff training. A lower initial quote can cost more when requirements, testing, documentation or support are excluded.

A useful comparison should evaluate delivery evidence, technical depth, security controls, communication, ownership terms, support capacity and fit for your sector. There is no single best team for every budget, risk level and project type.

Look for a disclosed methodology, update date, evidence and commercial disclosures. Treat any list as a starting point, then run your own technical and commercial due diligence against the requirements of your project.

Services can include support, networks, cloud administration, cybersecurity, websites, mobile apps and custom systems. Confirm whether you need operational IT support, product development or both because the required skills and contracts differ.

No. Some focus on hardware, support or infrastructure while others design and build software. Ask for the actual delivery team, engineering process and examples relevant to your required system.

Delivery may range from a visual prototype to a fully coded application with an administration system and integrations. Clarify scalability, export rights, recurring fees, source-code access and what must be rebuilt if you outgrow the initial approach.

Yes. The handover can include architecture notes, deployment instructions, administrator guidance, API references and known operational procedures, with the exact documentation agreed during scoping.

Expect discovery, content planning, responsive design, development, performance checks, analytics setup, search foundations and launch support. Confirm which items are included and who supplies copy, images and product data.

Yes. Most design and review work can happen remotely. Qaribuhub serves CBD organisations while operating from Ring Road, Westlands; meetings can be planned according to project needs.

Compare usability, mobile quality, page speed, accessibility, content structure, maintainability and conversion goals rather than screenshots alone. Also confirm ownership, hosting, updates and post-launch support.

A proposal should define pages, features, content responsibilities, integrations, design rounds, testing, timeline, payment milestones, hosting, maintenance, ownership and acceptance criteria.

Scope can include research, information architecture, responsive layouts, development, forms, search foundations, analytics, security setup, training and launch. Your quotation will state the exact inclusions.

A focused business website often takes several weeks, while a content-heavy or integrated platform takes longer. Content readiness and feedback speed usually affect the schedule as much as coding.

Define what best means for your project: sales, credibility, applications, bookings, accessibility or speed. Score candidates against evidence, process, technical quality, ownership and support instead of relying on an unverified ranking.

We design for small screens and keyboard-friendly interaction from the start, then test larger layouts. The agreed accessibility target and testing depth should be written into the scope.

Typical scope includes product catalogues, inventory rules, checkout, payment integration, delivery options, order notifications, administration, analytics, security and staff training.

They reduce friction through clear categories, useful product information, fast mobile pages, transparent delivery costs, trusted checkout flows and measurable calls to action. Design should be tested against real buyer tasks.

A shopping site manages products, stock, carts, payments, orders, delivery and customer communication. It needs stronger operational planning, testing and security than a simple information site.

Prepare your product list, prices, images, stock rules, delivery areas, returns policy, payment preferences and staff responsibilities. Clean product data reduces delays and improves the buying experience.

Yes, when the other system provides a suitable integration method. We first map which system owns products, stock, customers and transactions to prevent duplicate or conflicting data.

Controls include encrypted transport, server-side validation, minimal data collection, protected administration, secure payment hand-off, logging, backups and regular updates. Exact controls depend on the architecture and risk.

Ask about offline behaviour, device coverage, security, testing, administration, release support and ownership. A strong team should explain trade-offs and produce a written delivery plan.

Yes. App delivery and support can be remote, while discovery and field testing can include the locations where staff actually work. Qaribuhub serves CBD clients from its Westlands office.

Share the user problem, target users, essential workflow, current process, expected integrations, budget range and deadline. Screenshots or a simple process sketch are helpful but not required.

Cost is driven by roles, screens, offline storage, integrations, payments, location features, reporting, security, administration, testing and release support. A phased scope is usually safer than pricing an unclear full vision.

Choose an iOS build when your target users require it, device capabilities are important or your product plan needs a dedicated experience. Validate audience and commercial need before committing to a platform.

Yes. We define what can be created or viewed offline, how conflicts are resolved, what is encrypted on the device and what users see when synchronisation fails.

NGO field apps can support visit planning, beneficiary records, service delivery, stock movement, referrals, evidence capture and offline reporting while applying role-based access and clear data-retention rules.

A safety app can provide check-ins, journey plans, emergency escalation, incident records and limited location sharing. The design should minimise sensitive tracking, define who can see alerts and work in weak connectivity.

Yes. Forms and reference data can be stored securely on the device and synchronised later. The project must define conflict handling, device loss controls, consent, validation and safe deletion.

It should connect indicators, activities, locations, participants, evidence, targets and reporting periods without collecting unnecessary personal data. Dashboards must preserve the definitions behind every metric.

Collect only necessary data, document purpose and consent, limit access by role, encrypt sensitive records, log important actions, define retention periods and prepare a response for loss or unauthorised access.

Yes. It can record receipts, storage, transfers, approvals, distributions and exceptions with offline support. Controls should reduce duplicate entries while keeping an auditable trail.

Use least-privilege roles, separate programme and location access, review accounts regularly and remove access promptly when assignments end. Shared accounts should not be used for sensitive work.

Yes, once indicator definitions, validation and reporting periods are consistent. Automated reports should retain links to source records and show data-quality exceptions rather than hiding them.

Adapt an existing system when workflows and reporting fit. Consider custom development when integration, offline operations, permissions or programme logic create material gaps. Compare long-term ownership and support, not only setup cost.

Pilot one workflow and location, train users, test offline recovery, collect support issues, verify data quality and then expand in controlled phases. Keep a manual fallback during early rollout.