Software made by Half Shell Studios

Ship real software without the agency fluff.

Half Shell Studios is founder-led out of Teesside, with trusted senior developers brought into the fold as project scope demands. We're not flashy salesmen—we're developers who take pride in doing a good job. I've spent years inside big-name web agencies and seen the smoke-and-mirror tactics up close—we don't play that game. When we commit to a project, we're all-in: straight answers, accountable delivery, tested builds shipped on time. Walk through the onboarding flow and we'll shape a plan around you.

Integrity Straight talk and ownership from scope to launch.
Avg. time to MVP 6–12 weeks, depending on project size.
Transparency We communicate openly and honestly the whole way through.
  • Fractional CTO support + delivery team
  • Playbooks for discovery, build, and growth
  • Transparent pricing and checkpoints
  • Affordable, ongoing support options

Onboarding flow

How can we help you

3 quick steps. Your responses route straight to our inbox.

Step 1 · How can we help?

In-house, without the onboarding headache

We plug into your team like a seasoned senior engineer.

Fixed contract positions to cover your roadmap without the HR overhead.

Half Shell Studios behaves like your dedicated dev squad—no sales fluff, no micromanagement. We sit alongside your product folks, your leadership and your existing engineers to ship tests, features and fixes that keep your roadmap moving.

  • We adopt your tools, rituals and sprint cadence within days.
  • Weekly demos, Loom updates and open repos keep everyone aligned.
  • From greenfield MVPs to rescue missions, we match your pace.
  • Budget-friendly retainers, fractional CTO cover, and expert dev time.

What a Half Shell engineer looks like

Founder-led, Teesside-based developers who bring agency polish without the smoke and mirrors.

  • Trusted by tech teams who need stability + velocity.
  • Ready to jump onto your backlog, sprint board and retrospectives.
  • Committed to tests, monitoring and measurable outcomes.
Start Onboarding

How we partner

From idea to shipped code in three decisive moves.

Each phase has tangible deliverables, so you always know what’s coming next.

01 · Discovery Sprint

We host working sessions, map user stories, and design a pragmatic architecture. Includes delivery roadmap + budget confirmation.

02 · Build & Validate

Design, frontend, backend, infra — handled by the same team. Weekly demos, automated QA, and load-ready deployments.

03 · Launch & Scale

We stay on as your product crew. Roadmap iteration, monitoring, and growth experiments to keep momentum.

Mobtag platform rebuild
Asset Management Rebuild · 9 weeks
  • 300% Growth recorded
  • 7 New major clients
  • 9 weeks
    Development time

Half Shell Studios revamped and built upon Mobtag's existing platform. The result was a more scalable system that halved our support queue and positioned us for rapid growth.

— Chris Birrell · Founder, Mobtag

Rapid Kickoff

We start with a tactical discovery sprint. By week two you’ll have user journeys, architecture options, and a confident budget.

Senior Engineering Only

No handoffs to juniors. We’re a compact veteran team that writes code, designs, deploys, and joins your Slack.

Transparent Delivery

Weekly demos, Loom updates, and GitHub visibility keep you in control while we push velocity.

Commitment & Quality

When we commit to a project, we're all-in. Top-tier builds, tested code, and on-time delivery—every time.

Pricing

Simple, transparent pricing

No surprises. No hidden costs. Just straight talk from day one.

£500 per day (it's worth it)

We quote in days. That's it. Simple.

  • Typically a 20% deposit to get started
  • No hidden costs or surprise fees
  • Full transparency from the start

Straight Talking Software Engineering

We tell it like it is, no BS. Our team have worked throughout the industry for years and have seen first-hand how some agencies operate, we want to be better. If we can't do something, we'll be honest and let you know. If we can, we'll deliver it to the highest standard possible.
Mobile App Development
Mobile App Development

We specialise in creating cutting-edge mobile applications with a focus on user experience and performance.

Design and Development
Design and Development

We encompass a wide range of technologies to create modern, responsive, and feature-rich websites.

Bespoke Development
Bespoke Development

Our bespoke development services focus on crafting tailored solutions to meet your unique business needs.

Hosting and Support
Hosting and Support

We provide secure and scalable hosting solutions with dedicated support to ensure your systems run smoothly.

Legacy Code Migration
Legacy Code Migration

We help businesses migrate and modernise legacy codebases to improve performance, security, and maintainability.

Small Business Solutions
Small Business Solutions

We offer tailored digital solutions for small businesses to establish a strong online presence and streamline operations.

Our Core Values

At the heart of everything we do are the principles that define us: integrity, empathy, transparency, and excellence. These values guide how we work and how we help you succeed.
Integrity

We are committed to doing what’s right, delivering on our promises, and maintaining the highest ethical standards in everything we do.

Empathy

We listen, understand, and genuinely care about the needs of our clients and colleagues, building meaningful connections along the way.

Transparency

We value open communication, honesty, and accountability to ensure clarity and trust in every interaction.

Excellence

We strive for the highest standards in everything we do, constantly learning, improving, and exceeding expectations.

Share our no-nonsense values and want to work together?
Get in touch

Have a question?
Check these answers.

At our agency, we value integrity, empathy, transparency, and excellence. Here are some answers to the questions we often receive:
At our core, we believe in integrity, transparency, and empathy. We've seen first-hand the impact a bad development company can have on clients. Their lack of honesty, quality, and genuine interest in your success is something we simply won't stand for. We work with you to understand your goals, offering an honest assessment and ensuring every step we take is in your best interest. If we can't do something, we'll let you know. If we can, we will deliver it to the highest possible standard.
We pride ourselves on transparency. When you reach out to us, we'll provide you with a clear and honest quote for the work required. Our process includes a 20% deposit upfront, ensuring we're committed to delivering on our promises. Rest assured, we’ll give you an honest assessment—no hidden fees, no surprises. Our aim is for your project to succeed, and we want to be the team that helps make that happen.
Absolutely! We believe in maintaining an open line of communication throughout the entire project. Our values of transparency and empathy guide us in ensuring you’re always in the loop. You’ll receive regular updates, and we’re always available to address any concerns you may have. We want you to succeed, and our goal is to make sure you feel informed and confident at every stage.
We understand that ideas evolve, and we’re committed to adapting to your needs. Our focus is on excellence, so if there are any changes or revisions during the project, we’ll handle them with care and professionalism. We’ll work with you to ensure your vision is realised, and we’re always transparent about any implications, such as changes in timelines or costs.
Yes, we do! We’re not just interested in delivering a project; we want to build a long-term relationship with you. Our integrity drives us to be there for you even after the project is finished. Whether it's support, updates, or future enhancements, we're here to help you every step of the way. We want to see your business grow, and we'll be there with you to ensure its continued success.
We understand that things don’t always go to plan, and we’re committed to addressing any issues that arise with honesty and transparency. If something goes wrong, we’ll own it and work tirelessly to find a solution. We believe in empathy—putting ourselves in your shoes—and we’ll always ensure you're taken care of. We’ve seen the negative impact of bad development companies who aren’t truly invested in their clients, and that’s not how we operate. If we can do something, we’ll do it to the highest standard possible; if we can’t, we'll let you know upfront.
Still have a question?

Get in Touch

We’d love to hear from you! Whether you’re looking to start a new project, need support, or just have a question, we’re here to help. Let’s build something amazing together.