Dedicated software development teams for UK startups and scaling businesses.
Who we can embed in your team.
Frontend developer
Builds the part of your product people see and use, fast and accessible on every screen.
React
Next.js
FlutterBackend developer
Server logic, APIs and databases that hold up as your users grow.
Node.js
MongoDB
SupabaseFull-stack developer
Works across the front and back end, so features ship without waiting on a handover.
Interfaces and design systems based on how your users actually behave.
FigmaQA engineer
Functional and regression testing before every release, so bugs reach us before they reach your users.
JiraDevOps engineer
Infrastructure, deployment pipelines and cloud hosting.
AWS
FirebaseAI features and automation built into your product, from chat to document processing.
Open AI
ClaudeYour team needs capacity. Not another contractor to manage.
There's a difference between someone who does the tickets you give them and someone who cares whether the product works. The first is a contractor. The second is a team member.
When you hire dedicated developers through Exline Labs, you get the second. They join your standups, work 8am to 5pm UK time, talk to you on your own channels and treat your roadmap as their own. Every engagement starts with a one-month trial, so you can see the fit before you commit to anything longer.
Have a question? Jump to the FAQs.
How our dedicated development team works.
Tell us what you need
Tell us the role, the seniority, your tech stack and how your team works. We look at your product before we reply, and come back with a matched recommendation, usually within a week, not a pile of CVs.
One-month trial
You work with your matched developer or designer for one month at the agreed rate. You judge the fit with your team, and we judge the fit from our side. Let us know at least a week before the month ends whether you'd like to carry on.
Ongoing monthly retainer
After the trial, the engagement runs month to month on the same terms. There's no long contract to sign up front. You can scale up, scale down or pause as your roadmap changes, and either side can end it with one month's notice.
They work as part of your team
They work your hours, join your standups, use your tools and report to you. We look after sourcing, screening, HR, payroll and continuity, so all you manage is the work itself.
This is not a freelancer arrangement.
A freelancer delivers tasks.
A dedicated team member delivers the product with you.Working with a freelancer
Working with an Exline Labs embedded developer
Most teams who come to us have already tried a freelancer, or a company that rotated different people onto their account. The work got done, but the person never felt like part of the team. This model is built to fix exactly that.
What an embedded Exline team looks like in practice.
C4 Logistics: ongoing UI and front-end retainer
After we redesigned the C4 Logistics portals, the client wanted to keep improving them without growing its own team. Two of our people, a UI/UX designer and a front-end developer, have worked on the platform on a monthly retainer since launch. Their in-house team handles the back end. Ours has improved the interface across all three portals, made it work on every screen size, and added dark mode and accessibility fixes.
Ahead of schedule
Features shipped before their deadlines
Daily updates
Every working day
Retained
Same two people, still on the product
Your code, your accounts, your control.
A dedicated developer works inside your business, so they're held to the same standards as your own team.
NDA first
We sign a non-disclosure agreement before you share anything sensitive.
Your tools
They work in your repositories, your project board and your channels, with the access you choose to give.
You own the work
Everything they build is yours, on a work-for-hire basis.
UK GDPR
We handle personal data under UK GDPR, and because they work in your accounts, you can remove access the day an engagement ends.
Try it for a month.
No commitment beyond that.
You work with your matched developer or designer for one month, at the agreed rate. It's the easiest way to find out whether they fit your team, your tools and the way you work, before you commit to anything longer.
If the trial isn't working, it simply ends. Just tell us at least a week before the month is up, whichever way you decide, and you keep everything that was built. After the trial, either side can end the engagement with one month's notice.
Most clients who finish the trial carry on. Not because they're locked in, but because it works.
Build your team,
see the cost.
Pick the roles you need to hire a dedicated development team, how long for, and whether they're full-time or part-time. You'll see an indicative monthly cost straight away. After a call, we'll send you a tailored quote. Your first month is a trial at the same rate.
Choose your roles
UI/UX designer
£2,200 / month
Software engineer
£2,500 / month
Project manager
£1,600 / month
QA engineer
£1,800 / month
DevOps engineer
£2,600 / month
AI engineer
£3,000 / month
Engagement length
Team size
1 person
Estimated monthly
£2,200 GBP
Full time
Total for 3 months
£6,600 GBP
This is an indicative estimate based on our standard monthly rates. Your first month is a trial at the same rate. We confirm final pricing in a written proposal after a discovery call.
What your working week actually looks like.
Monday
Your developer joins the weekly standup and confirms the priorities with you. There's no briefing to sit through, because they've already been through the board.
Tuesday to Thursday
The work happens. You get a short update at the end of each day on Slack or whichever channel you use. Blockers are raised the moment they appear, not saved up for Friday.
Friday
Sprint review. The week's work is demonstrated, your feedback is captured, and you plan the next sprint together, so you end the week knowing exactly where things stand.
Urgent issues
They're reachable directly on your channel, 8am to 5pm UK time. No ticket queue and no account manager in the way.
What your dedicated developer builds with.
React
Next.js
Flutter
React Native
Native iOS
Native Android
Node.js
Express
MongoDB
Firebase
Supabase
AWS
Figma
Design systems
Component libraries
Automated testing
CI/CD
Cloud
OpenAI
Claude
Automation pipelines
Using something else? Mention it on the discovery call, and we'll tell you honestly whether we're the right fit.
Why UK teams hire dedicated developers from Exline Labs.
We research before we match
Before we recommend anyone, we look at your product, your stack and how your team works. You get one considered recommendation based on that, not a generic shortlist to sort through yourself.
No rotation, no strangers
The person we place stays on your product. We don't move people between accounts to fill gaps elsewhere, so the knowledge they build up about your code stays with your product.
One month to confirm the fit
The trial lets you see how they work with your team, in your tools and on your roadmap, before you commit to anything longer. If it isn't right, it ends there.
We handle everything except the roadmap
Sourcing, screening, HR, payroll and continuity are ours. If someone is ever unavailable, we arrange cover and a proper handover. Your priorities stay yours.
What does a dedicated developer cost?
The monthly retainer depends on the role, the seniority and the hours you agree. Full-time rates start at £2,200 a month for a designer and £2,500 a month for a software engineer. There are no hidden fees, no recruitment charge and no management overhead, just one monthly invoice. After a discovery call, you get a tailored proposal before you commit to anything.
Comparing this with hiring someone? Our hiring cost calculator shows what a UK developer really costs to employ, and our guide explains dedicated developer costs in the UK.
United Kingdom
Excellent service. Very professional, with great advice throughout the project. The team showed real precision and attention to detail. We are extremely happy with the result and highly recommend them.
Sebastien Barth
Managing Director, C4 Logistics
Start with one month. See how it works.
Tharsh Thangavadivel
Founder, Exline LabsNo long-term commitment until you know it works for your team.
Not ready to call yet?
Tell us about your project.
We will review what you send and come back to you within one working day.
01
We read your brief.
02
We reply with our first observations within one working day.
03
If it looks like a good fit, we suggest a discovery call.
Still have questions?
How does the one-month trial work?
After the discovery call, we match you with a developer or designer for your role, stack and seniority. They work with you for one month at the agreed monthly rate, in your hours, standups and channels. Tell us at least a week before the month ends whether you'd like to carry on. If you do, it continues month to month.
How do you make sure they fit in with our in-house team?
They work 8am to 5pm UK time, join your standups and use your tools, such as Jira and Slack, from day one. We also match on how your team works, not just the tech stack.
Which industries do you work with?
SaaS, healthcare, fintech, HR tech, sport, logistics and more, for clients across the UK, Germany, France, Ireland and New Zealand.
What is the minimum commitment?
There's no minimum term. You start with a one-month trial, then stay month to month. Either side can end the engagement with one month's notice.
Who owns the IP?
You do. All work is done on a work-for-hire basis, and we sign an NDA before you share anything sensitive.
Can we scale the team up or down?
Yes. You can change the team size or the hours as your needs change, with one month's notice for a reduction.
Is Exline Labs a software outsourcing company?
In a way, but unlike most outsource software development companies, you don't hand the work over and wait. Your developers join your team, work your hours and follow your roadmap, while we look after hiring, HR and continuity. It's closer to growing your own team than outsourcing a project.
Can I hire one dedicated developer, or do I need a whole team?
Either. Most clients start with one developer or designer and add people as the product grows. Part-time is possible too, if you don't need someone every day.
Do you offer both front-end and back-end developers?
Yes, plus full-stack developers, UI/UX designers, QA engineers, DevOps engineers, AI engineers and project managers.
How much does a dedicated development team cost?
Full-time rates start at £2,200 a month for a designer and £2,500 for a software engineer. You get one monthly invoice and pay no recruitment fee. Use the estimator above to price your team.
Do you offer a trial period?
Yes. Every engagement starts with a one-month trial at the agreed rate. Let us know at least a week before the trial ends whether you'd like to continue. After that, either side can end the engagement with one month's notice.
Do you work UK hours?
Yes. Our team is in Sri Lanka and is online 8am to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday. Your developers join your standups and your Slack or Teams channels like anyone else on your team.
Is this staff augmentation?
Yes. Staff augmentation, also called team augmentation, means adding outside developers to your own team, working under your direction. We look after hiring, HR and continuity, and you run the work. Read more in our guide to team and staff augmentation.
Do your developers use AI tools?
Yes, like most good engineering teams today. It helps them get more done in a month. They decide what goes into your codebase, and everything they build is yours.