Guides.
Plain-English answers to the questions we hear most from CTOs, founders and heads of product. Written by Scott Gulliver, Fluff’s founder.
Development subscriptions
- What is a software development subscription?How flat-fee software development subscriptions work, what ‘unlimited requests’ really means, what they cost in the UK in 2026, and who they suit.
- How unlimited requests workWhy development subscriptions work one task at a time per track, how that keeps ‘unlimited’ fair, what counts as one request, and how to get more done faster.
- Subscription, retainer or fixed price?The three common ways to pay for software development compared: what each is good for, where each breaks down, and how AI tools have changed the maths in 2026.
- How to write a request that ships quicklyA simple template for writing feature requests and bug reports your development team can ship fast: the problem, who it’s for, what done looks like, and what to leave out.
- UAT without the bottleneckHow to review and sign off development work quickly: a daily slot, clear acceptance checks, one decision-maker and feedback that can be acted on first time.
Capacity and hiring
- The real cost of hiring a developer in 2026Salary, 15% employer NI, pension, recruiter fees and months of hiring time, plus the January 2027 dismissal changes: what a senior UK developer really costs.
- Brilliant and buriedSeven signs your sole developer is overloaded, why it’s a business risk as well as a people problem, and practical ways to take the pressure off before they burn out or leave.
- Fractional CTO or product team?A fractional CTO gives strategy and leadership; a product team ships the work. When you need which, how they fit together, and the questions to ask before choosing.
- How to clear a software backlogA practical method for getting a software backlog under control: delete ruthlessly, sort by value and risk, break big items down, and protect a steady release rhythm.
AI and production
- From AI prototype to production: the checklistBuilt your app with Lovable, Bolt, Replit or Cursor? A practical checklist covering access rules, secrets, payments, monitoring and backups before real users and real data arrive.
- Is AI-written code safe?AI coding tools are fast and capable, and their output still needs review. What goes wrong with AI-generated code, what a senior review checks, and what to ask any supplier.
- Should you run AI coding tools in-house?Cursor, Claude Code and AI app builders make one person far more productive. When an in-house hire with AI tools is the right call, and what they still won’t cover.
- Why we stopped charging by the hourScott Gulliver on what AI tools changed about building software, why hourly retainers and fixed-price MVPs stopped making sense, and what clients pay for now.