Hire a Developer to Finish an AI-Built App: Send, Ask, Sign

Why AI-built apps need a developer to finish them

AI builders are fast at screens and slow at everything the user doesn't see. Founders usually get stuck in the same places. If one of these sounds like your app, more prompts won't fix it. You need someone who can read the code. The next question is how to hire that person without getting burned.

• Login works, but anyone can read anyone's data. Database rules (row level security on Supabase, for example) are missing or too loose.
• Secrets in the wrong place. API keys sit in the front end, where anyone can find them.
• Payments that only work in test mode. Stripe webhooks, failed payments and refunds were never handled.
• Every new prompt breaks something. The code base got too big for the AI to keep track of.
• No path to the App Store. Apple wants a real mobile app with native features, not a wrapped website.

What to send before you hire a developer to finish an AI-built app

Most first calls are slow because the developer can't see the project. Send this pack before the call and you get a useful answer in the first 30 minutes. One rule: send the GitHub link, never screenshots of code. If your builder can't export to GitHub, say so on the call. That changes the plan.

• Access to the code (GitHub repo or builder export). Why it matters: no one can price code they can't read.
• The tool you used (Lovable, Bolt, Cursor, v0, Replit, Claude Code). Why it matters: each one leaves its own patterns and weak spots.
• Backend and hosting (Supabase, Firebase, Vercel, the builder's hosting). Why it matters: shows what can be kept and what has to move.
• A list of what works and what's broken. Why it matters: splits the "finish" work from the "rebuild" work.
• Whether you have real users or real data. Why it matters: moving live data is its own task.
• Where you want to launch: web, iOS, Android. Why it matters: App Store work is a separate scope.
• What has to be live on day one. Why it matters: lets the developer cut everything else.

Finish or rebuild: decide with the developer, not alone

Some apps need a punch list fixed. Others need the core rebuilt, using the prototype as the spec. A good developer gives you that answer after reading the code, and explains it. We cover how to read your own situation in When to Bring in a Developer for a Lovable or Cursor App.

5 questions to ask the developer before you sign

These questions separate a developer who will ship your app from one who will keep billing. Ask them on the call and keep the answers in writing.

1. "Will all the work happen in my GitHub repository?"

The right answer is yes, from day one. Hosting, database, Stripe and App Store accounts should be in your name too. If the code lives in their repo, you don't own your app until they decide to hand it over.

2. "Harden or rebuild, and why?"

Ask them to name the problems they found in your code, not in AI apps in general. "Rebuild" with no reason is a guess. A good answer points at specific parts: the access rules, the payment flow, the data model.

3. "What exactly is in the price, and what isn't?"

You want a list of what will be live on launch day, and a list of what is out. If a feature you need sits in neither list, ask now. Vague scope is where budgets break.

4. "How will I see progress each week?"

You should be able to test the app on your own phone or browser while it's being built, not only at the end. Ask for a staging link and a weekly check in.

5. "What happens after launch?"

Real users find bugs the developer didn't. Ask how long fixes are covered after launch and what counts as a fix. No answer means no cover. A sixth one worth asking: "Will I talk to the person who writes the code?" Messages that pass through three people lose detail on the way. Want to hear our answers to all five? Book a call and bring your GitHub link.

What to sign: hourly or fixed quote

What you sign matters more than the exact number. Before you sign, check that the document names the scope, the price, the platforms, where the code lives and the fixes window after launch. If one is missing, ask for it to be added.

• Hourly. Fair for small, clear fixes. Risky for "make it production ready", because nobody knows when it ends.
• Fixed quote. You agree the scope and the price before any code is written.

What decides the price

The price depends on what the code needs: harden or rebuild, the security work, payments, the platforms and any live data to move. We break these down in our article on what bringing in a developer costs. We work on fixed quotes. Our MVP package, detailed on the MVP Development page, is Fixed at $3,460. It covers iOS, Android and web, design, 100% code ownership on your GitHub and 2 weeks of fixes after launch. That price is for the MVP offer. It is not a set price for finishing an AI prototype. For an existing prototype, we read the code first, then give you one fixed price for the path that fits: harden, migrate or rebuild. No discovery fees.

Finishing a Lovable, Bolt or Cursor app: the 4 steps

Here is how a well run handoff goes.

• 1. Free call. You show the app and share the repo. The developer asks what has to be live first and who the users are. You leave knowing what they think the path is.
• 2. Fixed quote. The developer reads the code and writes a punch list: auth, access rules, secrets, payments, deployment, App Store path. They recommend harden or rebuild and put one fixed price on it, with what's included and what isn't.
• 3. Build sprint. The work happens in your repository. You see progress every week.
• 4. You ship. The app goes live on the platforms you agreed. The code stays 100% yours, on your GitHub. The fixes window after launch covers what real users find.

Red flags when hiring someone to finish your app

Two or more of these on one call is enough to keep looking. For more on this path, browse our guides on Lovable and AI builders and AI prototype to production, or see apps we've already shipped on our projects page. Ready to get your prototype live? Book a call. We'll read your code and tell you the fastest way to launch it, at one fixed price.

• They quote before seeing the code.
• They want the code in their own repository instead of yours.
• They suggest a full rebuild without explaining what's wrong with the current code.
• They charge hourly with no cap for "making it production ready".
• They never mention security, access rules or secrets.
• They offer no fixes after launch.

Where do I find a developer to finish my AI-built app?

Look for developers or studios that already take AI prototypes to production and can show apps they've shipped. Send them your repo before the call, then compare their answers to the five questions above.

Can a Lovable or Bolt app go to production?

Yes, often. Many need security and payment work first: database access rules, keys moved out of the front end, real Stripe webhooks and a proper deploy. Some get rebuilt on a clean structure, with the prototype used as the spec.

Who owns the code after a developer finishes my AI app?

You should. Insist that all work happens in your own GitHub repository and that every account (hosting, database, Stripe, App Store) is in your name.

Can a developer put my AI-built web app on the App Store?

Yes, but Apple rejects apps that are only a website in a wrapper. Your app needs native features such as push notifications and native navigation. That usually means building the mobile app properly, often while keeping your existing backend.