By Sahil Kataria, Chief Executive Officer, QServices
Updated June 13, 2026
Sahil Kataria is the CEO of QServices, a Microsoft Solutions Partner delivering AI agents and custom software for regulated industries. He leads enterprise AI strategy and FinTech delivery. LinkedIn ↗
Written from QServices' hands-on delivery work and reviewed by Rohit Dabra, Chief Technology Officer, QServices, before publishing.
QServices is a remote-first custom software development company serving Manchester businesses in tech, manufacturing, and media. We are not based in Manchester, but we work with UK clients under full UK GDPR compliance, with approximately three and a half hours of GMT morning overlap each working day.
What Manchester buyers typically need from custom software development
Manchester's three primary sectors, tech, manufacturing, and media, each have software requirements that packaged products rarely meet.
- Tech companies building SaaS products or internal tooling need a delivery partner who can own the full build, not just write code to a spec someone else defines.
- Manufacturing firms need production management systems, inventory software, or supply chain integrations with existing ERP platforms. These projects require phased delivery and clear requirements agreed before work begins.
- Media businesses need content management systems, distribution platforms, or audience analytics tools with defined performance and scale requirements.
UK GDPR applies across all three. Any software handling personal data of UK residents must meet the standards set by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): data minimisation, lawful basis documentation, data subject rights workflows, and breach notification procedures built in from the start, not retrofitted later.
For Manchester projects involving personal data, budget at least 15–20% above the base project cost for UK GDPR compliance work. See our full custom software development pricing for scope-based breakdowns.
How we work with Manchester clients
Our team works in IST (GMT+5:30). Manchester operates on GMT, which puts our working day (9am–6pm IST) in overlap with Manchester business hours from 9:00am to 12:30pm GMT, roughly three and a half hours of shared time each morning. This is what that looks like in practice:
- Weekly standups run between 9:30am and 11:00am GMT, which is 3:00pm–5:30pm IST for our team.
- Sprint reviews and demos are scheduled in the same morning window at the end of each two-week sprint.
- Async updates go out on Slack or Microsoft Teams by the close of our business day (12:30pm GMT), so Manchester stakeholders see progress updates before or after lunch.
- Code reviews and pull requests are turned around within 24 hours. Our team reviews overnight UK time; Manchester gets feedback the next morning.
On-site visits to Manchester are available for key milestones, discovery workshops and final handovers, scheduled in advance and factored into the project budget.
Relevant work in similar markets
We do not have a current case study from a Manchester-based client, and we will not claim otherwise. Our closest relevant work is in FinTech and financial software, which sits adjacent to Manchester's tech sector.
Cross-Border Payment Platform (Varipay): We built a payment gateway aggregator integrating Stripe, PayPal, Wise, and regional gateways into a microservices architecture. Transaction fees dropped by approximately 30% through optimised routing, and settlement times were cut from 3–5 days to under 24 hours. Read the case study.
Financial Analysis SaaS (Analyst Intelligence): We built a forecasting platform with Excel and Google Sheets add-ins for a US-based financial analysis startup. Data handling speed improved 100x over the previous manual process, and the product drew enterprise interest from Goldman Sachs and Franklin Templeton. Read the case study.
Both are full custom software builds with data integrity and performance requirements at their centre. For Manchester clients in manufacturing or media, we are happy to discuss analogous project experience during a discovery call.
What custom software development costs for a typical Manchester project
We price in USD. UK clients convert at the prevailing GBP/USD rate. Indicative ranges by project scope:
- Small (MVP or single module, 80–200 hrs): $2,000–$8,000. Covers a focused deliverable with a tightly defined scope.
- Medium (full application, 200–600 hrs): $8,000–$30,000. Covers a complete working application with integrations and user roles.
- Large (multi-module platform, 600–2,000 hrs): $30,000–$120,000. Covers complex platforms with multiple integrations and compliance requirements.
- Platform scale (2,000–6,000 hrs): $120,000–$400,000. Enterprise builds with performance, compliance, and operational requirements.
Most Manchester engagements fall in the medium to large range: $8,000–$120,000 USD over 12–36 weeks. Add 15–20% for UK GDPR compliance work, and $3,000–$12,000 per non-trivial system integration (ERP, CRM, third-party APIs).
How to start working with us
Three steps:
- Discovery call (30–60 minutes): We talk through what you are building, your timeline, and your budget range. No obligation.
- Scoping document: We produce a written scope of work, effort estimate, and proposed approach within 3–5 business days.
- Project start: Once scope and contract are agreed, we begin within two weeks.
Use the form below to book a discovery call or send us a question.
Can you work with Manchester companies remotely?
Yes. QServices is a remote-first company based in India. We do not have a Manchester or UK office. All client work runs over Slack and Microsoft Teams, with weekly video calls in the 9:00am–12:30pm GMT window. For project milestones that benefit from in-person time, we can arrange visits to Manchester with advance notice.
On data residency: UK GDPR does not require a software vendor to be UK-based. It requires that personal data of UK residents is processed lawfully and that any international data transfers meet ICO requirements. We sign Data Processing Agreements before any project involving personal data begins, and we document our compliance posture clearly for your legal and IT teams.
Ready to discuss your project?
Share your requirements with QServices. Our engineers will give you a straight answer on fit, timeline, and cost — no sales scripts.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have an office in Manchester? +
No. QServices is a remote-first consultancy based in India. We do not have a UK or Manchester office. Engagements run over Slack and Microsoft Teams, with weekly video calls in the GMT morning window. For key milestones such as discovery workshops or final handovers, we can arrange on-site visits in Manchester with advance scheduling.
What is the time difference between Manchester and your team in India? +
Manchester runs on GMT; our team works on IST, which is GMT+5:30, a 5-hour 30-minute difference. In practice this gives us roughly three and a half hours of shared working time each morning: 9:00am to 12:30pm GMT. We schedule all live calls and standups within that window to keep both sides available.
Have you worked with UK companies before? +
Our direct UK client base is limited and we will not claim otherwise. Our closest relevant case studies are in FinTech and financial software: a cross-border payment platform for an international remittance business and a financial analysis SaaS for a US startup. Both are complex custom software builds with parallels to Manchester's tech sector requirements.
How do you handle UK GDPR requirements for software you build? +
We build UK GDPR compliance in from the start: lawful basis documentation, data minimisation, data subject rights workflows, and breach notification procedures. Before any project involving personal data begins, we sign a Data Processing Agreement and document our compliance posture. Budget at least 15–20% above base project cost for this work, depending on data processing scope.
What industries do you serve in the Manchester market? +
We work with Manchester businesses in tech, manufacturing, and media, the three primary sectors in the city. For tech companies we build SaaS platforms and internal tools. For manufacturing firms we build production management and supply chain systems. For media businesses we build content management and distribution platforms. UK GDPR compliance is built into all three.