Extended software development teams for UK startups and scaling businesses.
Who we can embed in your team.
Frontend developer
Builds and maintains the client-facing layer of your product.
React
Next.js
FlutterBackend developer
Handles server-side logic, APIs, and database architecture.
Node.js
MongoDBFull-stack developer
Covers both frontend and backend. Works across the full product without handoffs.
UI/UX designer
Designs interfaces and design systems grounded in how your users actually behave.
Figma
MilanoteQA engineer
Tests every build before it ships. Functional testing, regression testing, and quality standards your users will never have to think about.
JiraDevOps engineer
Manages infrastructure, deployment pipelines, and cloud environments.
AWS
FirebaseAI and LLM developer
Builds AI-powered features, LLM integrations, and automation pipelines. Experienced with OpenAI, Claude, and custom AI workflows.
Open AI
ClaudeFrontend developer
Builds and maintains the client-facing layer of your product.
ReactNext.jsFlutterBackend developer
Handles server-side logic, APIs, and database architecture.
Node.jsMongoDBFull-stack developer
Covers both frontend and backend. Works across the full product without handoffs.
UI/UX designer
Designs interfaces and design systems grounded in how your users actually behave.
FigmaMilanoteQA engineer
Tests every build before it ships. Functional testing, regression testing, and quality standards your users will never have to think about.
JiraDevOps engineer
Manages infrastructure, deployment pipelines, and cloud environments.
AWSFirebaseAI and LLM developer
Builds AI-powered features, LLM integrations, and automation pipelines. Experienced with OpenAI, Claude, and custom AI workflows.
Open AIClaudeFrontend developer
Builds and maintains the client-facing layer of your product.
ReactNext.jsFlutterBackend developer
Handles server-side logic, APIs, and database architecture.
Node.jsMongoDBFull-stack developer
Covers both frontend and backend. Works across the full product without handoffs.
UI/UX designer
Designs interfaces and design systems grounded in how your users actually behave.
FigmaMilanoteQA engineer
Tests every build before it ships. Functional testing, regression testing, and quality standards your users will never have to think about.
JiraDevOps engineer
Manages infrastructure, deployment pipelines, and cloud environments.
AWSFirebaseAI and LLM developer
Builds AI-powered features, LLM integrations, and automation pipelines. Experienced with OpenAI, Claude, and custom AI workflows.
Open AIClaudeYour team needs capacity. Not another contractor to manage.
Every engagement starts with a one-month trial. No long-term commitment until you know it works.
There is a difference between someone who does the work you give them and someone who cares about the product they are working on. The first is a contractor. The second is a team member.
When you hire dedicated developers through Exline Labs, you get the second. A developer or designer who attends your standups, works your hours, communicates on your preferred channels, and treats your roadmap as their own. Not a vendor relationship. An extension of your team.
Have a question? Jump to FAQs.
How our extended development team services work.
Tell us what you need
You tell us the role, the seniority level, the tech stack, and how you work. We research your product and your team before we respond. You get a shortlist of matched candidates, not a generic CV drop.
One-month trial
Before any long-term commitment, you work with your matched developer or designer for one month at the agreed rate. You assess the fit. We assess the engagement. If it works for both sides, the relationship continues. If it does not, there is no obligation to proceed.
Ongoing monthly retainer
After the trial, the engagement moves to a monthly retainer. No forced lock-in. The length of the engagement is determined by what your team needs, not by a contract you signed before the work started. Scale up, scale down, or pause, based on how your product evolves.
They work as part of your team
Your dedicated developer or designer works your hours, attends your standups, communicates on Slack or your preferred channel, and reports directly to you. Exline handles sourcing, screening, HR, and continuity. You handle the roadmap.
This is not a freelancer arrangement.
A freelancer delivers tasks.
An embedded team member delivers outcomes.Working with a freelancer
Working with an Exline Labs embedded developer
Most founders who come to us for external developers have already tried a freelancer or a company that rotated different people onto their account. The frustration is always the same. The work gets done but the person never feels like part of the team. That is the problem this model is designed to solve.
What an embedded Exline team looks like in practice.
C4 Logistics - ongoing UI and frontend retainer
After the C4 Logistics portal redesign shipped, the client needed ongoing capacity without expanding their in-house team. Two Exline team members joined on a monthly retainer since launch. A UI/UX designer handling interface enhancements, responsive screen designs, and accessibility improvements including dark mode. A frontend developer implementing every change.
What the embedded team delivers month to month
- Ongoing UI enhancements across the three portals
- Adaptive screen designs for responsiveness across devices
- Accessibility improvements including dark mode implementation
- Frontend development and implementation of all design changes
- Daily updates delivered consistently through agreed channels
- Features shipped ahead of agreed timelines
Ahead of schedule
Features consistently shipped before agreed deadlines
Daily updates
Delivered without prompting, every working day
Retained
Same two team members, same product, ongoing
Try it for a month.
No commitment beyond that.
Before any long-term engagement begins, you work with your matched developer or designer for one month at the agreed rate. You assess whether the working relationship works for your team. We assess whether the engagement is the right fit from our side.
If it works, the relationship continues on a monthly basis for as long as your team needs it. If it does not, the trial ends with no contract to unwind, no notice period, and no awkward conversation. You walk away with one month of work delivered by someone who was embedded in your team and treated your product as their own.
Most clients who complete the trial continue the engagement. Not because they are locked in, but because it works.
Build your team,
see the cost.
Pick the roles you need and how long you need them. We will send a tailored quote after a quick call.
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
Work time
£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. Roadmap priorities confirmed. No briefing needed they already reviewed the Jira board over the weekend.
Tuesday to Thursday
Work in progress. Daily update sent at the end of each day on Slack or your preferred channel. Blockers flagged immediately, not at the end of the week. Pull requests reviewed and merged. Features shipped ahead of the agreed timeline.
Friday
Sprint review. Work demonstrated. Feedback captured. Next sprint planned collaboratively. You end the week knowing exactly where the product stands.
When something urgent
They are reachable. Not on a ticket system. Not via an account manager. Directly, on your channel, in your timezone.
What your dedicated developer builds with.
Our developers and designers work with modern, well-supported technologies. When you brief us on your stack, we match you with someone who already knows it.
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 pipelines
Cloud infrastructure
OpenAI
Claude
Automation pipelines
If your stack includes something not listed here, tell us in the discovery call. We will tell you honestly whether we have the right match before we propose anyone.
Why UK teams choose Exline Labs for extended software development.
We research before we match
Before we propose a candidate, we review your product, your codebase if relevant, and your team structure. You do not get a generic shortlist. You get a matched recommendation from a team that has done its homework.
No rotation, no strangers
The developer or designer we place stays on your product. Exline does not rotate team members between accounts. The person who starts on your product is the person who is still on it six months later.
One month to confirm the fit
The trial month exists so you can evaluate the relationship before committing to anything longer. No pressure, no obligation. If it works, it continues. If it does not, you have one month of work delivered and no contract to unwind.
We handle everything except the roadmap
Sourcing, screening, interviewing, HR, payroll, and continuity if something changes. You manage the work. We manage the person. That is the division of responsibility this model is built on.
What does a dedicated developer cost?
The monthly retainer is calculated based on the role, the seniority level, and the hours agreed. There are no hidden fees on top of the monthly rate. No recruitment charge, no management overhead, no surprise invoices.
What you pay covers the developer or designer, Exline's sourcing and HR function, and continuity if the team member changes. You get a single monthly invoice.
The dedicated developers team monthly retainer starts with a one-month trial at the agreed rate. After the trial, the engagement continues on the same monthly terms for as long as it works for both sides.
Use the estimate tool below to build your team and see an indicative monthly cost. When you are ready, book a discovery call and we will come prepared with a recommendation and a tailored proposal before you commit to anything.
United Kingdom
Communication was always followed up and deliveries were on time. They were always available for additional help and support. This is not what I experienced with the agency I used before - with Exline I always knew exactly where the project stood.
Sebastian
Managing Director of C4 Logistics Ltd
Start with one month. See how it works.
Tharsh Thangavadivel
Founder, Exline LabsNo long-term commitment until you know the relationship 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 and research your project before responding.
02
You receive an initial response with observations, not a sales pitch.
03
If it looks like a fit, we suggest a discovery call. No pressure, no obligation.
Still have questions?
Can I hire dedicated developers as part of the extended team?
Yes. We offer both dedicated and fractional development team models. You can onboard engineers for full projects or augment your existing team with part-time resources.
How do you ensure alignment with in-house teams?
Our developers work UK/EU hours, attend your standups, use your tools (e.g., Jira, Slack), and integrate with your communication processes to feel like part of your team.
Do you offer both frontend and backend resources?
Absolutely. Our extended teams include frontend, backend, and full-stack developers, as well as QA testers, DevOps engineers, and project managers upon request.
What industries do your extended teams serve?
We've worked with startups and SMEs in SaaS, healthcare, fintech, HR tech, sports, logistics, and more across the UK, Germany, France, Ireland, and New Zealand.
How much does your dedicated development team cost?
We offer packages on a monthly, annual, or bi-annual retainer basis to suit your development needs.
What is the minimum commitment you expect from clients?
We work with clients looking for a long-term development partner, but we do not lock you in with a minimum commitment.
Do you offer a trial period to test out the service?
No, but there is no lock-in either. If it doesn't work, either party can cancel the contract with a month's notice.
Who owns the IP of the work the dedicated team does?
You! Our extended team works on a work-for-hire basis. You own the intellectual property of all the projects.
Do you work UK time zones?
Yes. Though most of our team is based in Sri Lanka, they're experienced with working with UK clients in GMT/BST time.
Could we scale the team up or down as we work together?
Absolutely. We understand that clients' needs change over time, so we're flexible about the number of team members and their work hours.
Can I hire dedicated developers as part of the extended team?
Yes. We offer both dedicated and fractional development team models. You can onboard engineers for full projects or augment your existing team with part-time resources.
Do you offer both frontend and backend resources?
Absolutely. Our extended teams include frontend, backend, and full-stack developers, as well as QA testers, DevOps engineers, and project managers upon request.
How much does your dedicated development team cost?
We offer packages on a monthly, annual, or bi-annual retainer basis to suit your development needs.
Do you offer a trial period to test out the service?
No, but there is no lock-in either. If it doesn't work, either party can cancel the contract with a month's notice.
Do you work UK time zones?
Yes. Though most of our team is based in Sri Lanka, they're experienced with working with UK clients in GMT/BST time.
How do you ensure alignment with in-house teams?
Our developers work UK/EU hours, attend your standups, use your tools (e.g., Jira, Slack), and integrate with your communication processes to feel like part of your team.
What industries do your extended teams serve?
We've worked with startups and SMEs in SaaS, healthcare, fintech, HR tech, sports, logistics, and more across the UK, Germany, France, Ireland, and New Zealand.
What is the minimum commitment you expect from clients?
We work with clients looking for a long-term development partner, but we do not lock you in with a minimum commitment.
Who owns the IP of the work the dedicated team does?
You! Our extended team works on a work-for-hire basis. You own the intellectual property of all the projects.
Could we scale the team up or down as we work together?
Absolutely. We understand that clients' needs change over time, so we're flexible about the number of team members and their work hours.