Rescue a struggling software product

Signs you need a rescue

• Your developer or agency has stopped responding.
• The app crashes, payments fail, or the App Store keeps rejecting it.
• An AI-generated prototype (built with tools like Lovable, Bolt or Cursor) works in a demo but not with real users.
• Every new feature breaks two old ones.
• Nobody can explain how the system works or how to deploy it.

How a rescue works

1. Diagnosis: we review the code, infrastructure, accounts and any documentation, then give you a written report on what is wrong, what is worth keeping and what it will take.
2. Stabilise: critical problems come first, such as crashes, failing payments, security holes and broken releases.
3. Decide together: continue on the existing code, or rebuild parts of it by agreement. You choose, with the evidence in front of you.
4. Never locked in again: documentation, access and deployment steps handed over, whether we carry on with the work or not.

Rescues we have done

Shielder reached us as a broken, AI-generated prototype built with Lovable. We diagnosed what was wrong and guided the project through its initial phase; by agreement, the admin panel, mobile apps and web experience were then rebuilt from scratch.

Blueberry, an existing SaaS point-of-sale product, had a payment flow failing in production. We traced the failure to a missing parameter, corrected it and migrated the fix to production.

App maintenance and support

A working app still needs looking after. New iOS and Android versions, App Store and Google Play policy changes, security patches, outdated libraries and server updates all need attention, or things quietly start to break. We maintain apps and web platforms we have rescued or built, and ones another team built, so problems are caught before your users find them.

• Updates: keeping the app building and working on each new iOS and Android release.
• Security and dependencies: patches, library upgrades and expiring certificates.
• Monitoring: crash reports, failed payments and server errors, with fixes prioritised by impact.
• Small improvements: the changes your users and team ask for between larger releases.

We will tell you the truth

Sometimes the honest answer is that most of a codebase should be replaced; often it is a handful of fixes. Either way, we show you what we found and let you decide. We work across mobile, web and backend, so one team can look at the whole system. See mobile app development and web development.

Frequently asked questions

Can you work with code someone else wrote?

Yes. Most rescues start with someone else’s code. We read it, run it, and document how it works before changing anything.

What if we do not have the source code or server access?

We help you recover access through the accounts you own, such as your app store, hosting, domain and code repository accounts, and tell you plainly what can and cannot be recovered.

Do you fix apps built with AI tools like Lovable or Bolt?

Yes. Shielder began as a Lovable prototype. AI tools are fast at producing a first version; we make the parts that need it secure, reliable and ready for real users.

How much does app maintenance cost?

It depends on the number of platforms, how often the operating systems and stores require changes, the hosting and third-party services the app relies on, and how much new work you want along the way. After reviewing the app we recommend a level of support that matches what it actually needs, with a written estimate.

Do we have to rebuild everything?

Not necessarily. Many products need targeted fixes rather than a rewrite. The diagnosis tells us which, and we recommend a rebuild only when it is genuinely the cheaper path.

How quickly can you start?

We start with a short call about the problem, then agree a diagnosis. Urgent production issues, such as failing payments, are prioritised.