Launched isn't
finished.
Bug fixes, new features, and help running the applications your business relies on. Keep moving without building a whole team first.
The software works.
The work keeps coming.
Setfive is a small software team in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Our engineering retainers give businesses ongoing development and maintenance support, with priorities agreed around the application and the people using it.
There's a backlog, but not a full-time role.
A new report here, a workflow change there. You need steady progress, not necessarily a new hire. We agree on engineering capacity and keep a shared list of the work that matters next.
The original developers have moved on.
The business still depends on the application, but nobody owns the code. We review the repository and hosting, document important behavior, and work out whether we can take over its maintenance.
Small problems have become permanent workarounds.
Users know which buttons to avoid and which records need fixing by hand. We work through recurring bugs and rough edges, with improvements tied to how the application is actually used.
Keeping it current keeps getting postponed.
Dependencies age, APIs change, and deployments get harder. We make maintenance part of the work plan alongside features, instead of waiting until an old component prevents the next release.
Agree on the work. Keep talking.
We review the application, access, and backlog before proposing a retainer. Then we agree on capacity, priorities, and how requests get handled. A lead engineer can bring in the rest of the team when the work needs a different skill set.
What keeps slipping
to next month?
Tell us about the application, who supports it today, and the changes you've been meaning to make. We'll work out whether an ongoing arrangement is a fit.
You'll talk directly with the engineers doing the work. We'll ask about the workflow, the systems it depends on, and your budget or timing constraints before recommending a next step.
Prefer email? contact@setfive.com
Before we take it on.
A few things you might be wondering before getting in touch.
Talk about your projectCan you maintain an application you didn't build?
Yes, when the code and setup are a fit for our team. We review the repository, dependencies, hosting, and business requirements before agreeing to take it on. We don't require a rewrite just because another team built it.
Is a retainer just for fixing bugs?
No. It can include new features, workflow improvements, integrations, deployment work, and maintenance. We agree on priorities with you so routine requests and longer-term improvements don't compete without a clear plan.
How much engineering time should we reserve?
That depends on the application and the pace of work you need. We review the backlog and discuss capacity, budget, and expectations before proposing an arrangement. We don't publish a one-size-fits-all support package.
Will we work with the same engineer?
We organize the work around a lead engineer who understands your application and can draw on the wider team. You work directly with the people doing the engineering, rather than routing every technical question through an account manager.
Does a retainer include emergency or 24/7 support?
Not by default. We agree on support hours, response expectations, and operational responsibilities explicitly. Tell us how critical the application is and what coverage you need so we can determine whether the arrangement is suitable.