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Leading Web, Mobile, & Digital Marketing Team

5.0
15 reviews

Bastion Rare was formed in 2018 by Bastion Collective through the merger & acquisition of two leading digital agencies in Orange County, CA.

With offices in the U.S. and Australia, Bastion Collective consists of more than 200 people working together to help companies succeed in a digital world.

Bastion Rare is the Digital Agency within Bastion Collective where the planning and implementation of innovative creative, engineering, and digital marketing concepts come to life.

We are a leader in developing award-winning Web & mobile applications and helping organizations and entrepreneurs translate complex business challenges into innovative digital solutions. Bastion Rare is unique in that it also SPECIALIZES in developing and optimizing systems to CONVERT, by providing strategic thinking and execution of local and national digital marketing initiatives, including search engine optimization (SEO), PPC management (SEM), and local SEO.

Bastion Rare has experience delivering solutions across a wide-range of industries, including consumer goods & services, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing & distribution, retail & e-commerce, entertainment, education, real estate, and training & marketing.

With expertise in most major Web & mobile technologies, including iOS, Android, and other mobile platforms, the Rare team offers expertise in creating user interfaces and experiences that people love and share!

Bastion Rare consists of business analysts, technology architects, project managers, user interface & experience (UI/UX) designers, engineers, quality assurance & testing specialists, and marketing experts, providing customers with innovative solutions tailored to their specific needs.

READ MORE...
 
$10,000+
 
$100 - $149 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
2018
Show all +
Newport Beach, CA
headquarters
  • 4041 MacArthur Drive, Suite 400
    Newport Beach, CA 92660
    United States
    949-690-6858
other locations
  • 202 North Avenue 64
    Los Angeles, CA 90042
    United States

Focus

Service lines
  • Mobile App Development
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Custom Software Development
SHOW ALL +
Client focus
  • Midmarket ($10M - $1B)
  • Enterprise (>$1B)
  • Small Business (<$10M)
Industry focus
  • Consumer products & services
  • Advertising & marketing
  • Health Care & Medical
SEO
Mobile platforms
Mobile focus
Frameworks and CMS
Programming & scripting
Application platform
PPC Focus
User Experience

Portfolio

Key clients: 

Toyota, Guess?, Snapchat, Total Warehouse, Covidien, Siemens, Planet Beauty, Carrier, US Storage Centers, Tamiya America, UCSF, MarketingProfs, HCL, Raymond Corporation, Greyhound, Arnette, Pirouline, K1 Speed, Arnette, Oracle, Hoonigan, Wet Seal, AQUAhydrate, Lather, Salesforce, Cobra, Medtronic, Q-See, Boston University

Psychological Well-Being Monitor App Image

Psychological Well-Being Monitor App

Bastion Rare designed this application to provide therapists /clinicians with a mobile platform to monitor patient well-being. The screen shown above displays the view a user would see when attempting to check in and enter progress report information.

Mobile Mortgage Calculator App Image

Mobile Mortgage Calculator App

This mortgage calculator application developed by Bastion Rare provides current and future home owners 4 easy-to-use calculators to effortlessly crunch numbers with a simple and clean interface. The application also provides real-time mortgage rates from leading banks.

World's First Mobile Photo Zoom Game Image

World's First Mobile Photo Zoom Game

Bastion Rare developed the world's first photo zoom game allowing users to take a photo of something interesting, zoom into the photo, and define a word that best describes the picture. Users of the app share pictures and try to guess each others picture.

Custom Web-based CRM Platform Image

Custom Web-based CRM Platform

Bastion Rare designed and developed a leading CRM platform, with integrated customer billing, and product management modules. The screen depicted above displays the primary dashboard for a system user.

Award-winning Image Correction App Image

Award-winning Image Correction App

Currently in use by 400,000+ paying users worldwide, this application was designed by Bastion Rare to provide users with advanced photo manipulation and correction tools.

Social Blogging / Community Application Image

Social Blogging / Community Application

Designed for one of the fastest growing network marketing group in the United States, the application displayed above is used on a daily basis by over 300K users to publish blog messages via text, image, audio, and video. The application also provides easy access to educational products and provides a community where members can share information and communicate amongst each other.

Local Movie Deals Application Image

Local Movie Deals Application

This application was created to provide moviegoers with discounted movie ticket offers and concession deals from local movie theaters. The screen shown above displays the view a user would see when searching for deals at local theaters.

Custom Project Management Platform Image

Custom Project Management Platform

Bastion Rare created a Web-based project management platform to be used for managing complex software projects. The screen shown above displays the view a user would see when managing their tasks and viewing stakeholders on a project.

Social Photo Sharing App Image

Social Photo Sharing App

Bastion Rare created this application to provide people with a new and innovative way to share and experience photos with family and friends. The screen shown displays a view of a photo album cover that the user can create before sending to friends.

Movement Tracking Apple Watch App Image

Movement Tracking Apple Watch App

This app was created to manage and track user movement from Apple Watch and notify the user of defined activities that should be accomplished after a set interval. The screen shown depicts the timer and instructions to set and start the timer.

Leading Web-based Self Storage Auction Platform Image

Leading Web-based Self Storage Auction Platform

Founded by some of the members of A&E's hit TV series Storage Wars, the team at Bastion Rare was hired to create a leading auction management platform for the Self Storage industry. The company has become the dominant Web-based auction management leader in the Self Storage industry. The screen depicted above shows the dashboard.

Social Nutrition App Image

Social Nutrition App

This app was created to track the number of grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fats consumed by users on any given day. The application also includes exercises, products, and meal plans settled in a social environment that encourages accountability. The screen shown displays the basic dashboard view for users to view their macro intake, with a newsfeed shown below.

Custom Network (Direct) Marketing Platform Image

Custom Network (Direct) Marketing Platform

Bastion Rare was commissioned by a leading network marketing company to design and develop their primary network marketing platform for marketers to manage products, company data, downline, and consume information. The platform was highly engaging with social media content and multimedia (video, photos, audio).

Social Good Community Application Image

Social Good Community Application

Launched by Bastion Rare, this application allows users to engage in a global movement and community to shift the course of humanity for good. Participants are required to perform actions that impact the world around them while engaging in a gamified social experience.

Concierge Application (Four Seasons) Image

Concierge Application (Four Seasons)

Bastion Rare designed this application for the Four Seasons Residences with the aim at becoming a mobile destination exclusive for residents of the Four Seasons looking to discover local and exclusive attractions, dining options, events, and more.

Web-based Financial Services (SEC) Filing Platform Image

Web-based Financial Services (SEC) Filing Platform

Developed by the team at Bastion Rare, this platform is a leading SEC filing system, enabling publicly traded companies, and legal representatives to file SEC requird documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The shown screenshot above depicts the platform dashboard.

Reviews

5.0
15 reviews
Sort by

Mobile App Dev for Agricultural Products Company

"Bastion Rare puts their customers first."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.5
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Oct. 2019 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Bastion Rare was hired to develop software for a fertilizer sales and science company. The team worked on previously designed sketches. The first application will be released for iOS. 

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Camarillo, California
Eryn Wingate
Agronomist, Tri-Tech Ag Products
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The iOS app will launch in a few months. There are plans for a web and Android version. The team at Bastion Rare exceeded expectations. They're hardworking, engaging, and skilled. Their responsive approach complemented their clear communication style. 

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an agronomist at Tri-Tech Ag Products. I’m a certified crop advisor who makes fertilizer plans for fruit and vegetable growers. We sell fertilizer and pesticides. We also walk in the fields and apply our products to make sure everything looks good. Our team also tests leaves and soils by sending them out to a lab to get analyzed to make sure that the crop is getting all the nutrition it needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Rare?

We hired Bastion Rare to develop a software that makes fertilizer recommendations for our customers, and then it has those customers track the fertilizer that they have actually applied. The idea is that improvements can’t be made unless we figure out what’s already been done.

We don’t realize feedback all the time on whether customers take our advice and recommendations. Bastion Rare was tasked with building this mobile application and an accompanying admin web-based software to keep better records and improve communication with our customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our team originally started working with a different company, so we had a few sketches already made. We knew roughly what we wanted the functionalities and format to look like. We switched to Bastion Rare because their pricing was much more reasonable.

Our mobile app will first be released on iOS. We hope to release an Android version in the future.

What is the team composition?

I’ve mostly worked with Ruby (Director of Product Management). I’ve also worked with Jeremiah (Founder) a bit in the beginning.

How did you come to work with Bastion Rare?

After working with the last company, I searched for development companies in Southern California. I found them on Clutch.

Along with their affordable cost, the team at Bastion Rare was more flexible with our budget. The other company would’ve required an additional fee for negotiation. When we started with Bastion Rare, they understood what we wanted right away.

How much have you invested with them?

I believe we’ve spent over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We were in contact with them for a while before starting our engagement in October 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Bastion Rare has allowed us to bring a product to market at a price we can afford. We’re excited to launch the first version of our app in a month or two. Right away, we’ll start making plans for version two, a web app, and an Android version.

We asked for something complex. Ruby dedicated herself to learning more about the agriculture industry. She put in every effort to understand what I wanted in the app. She also brought in her own ideas, remaining straightforward about what she thought would work well or if we needed to limit the scope of the project.

Ruby taught us a lot about being focused within an app rather than trying to put too much on the customer right out of the gate. She wanted to nail down the purpose and what we wanted to achieve. With that clear goal in mind, she created designs that fit that need.

Bastion Rare puts their customers first. Along with being great listeners, they’re very supportive. Throughout the engagement, they’ve made us feel taken care of.

Most of our customers are excited to try the new software. Just building the software has increased our credibility and reputation as a sales and science-based consulting company.

How did Bastion Rare perform from a project management standpoint?

Ruby made everything easy for me. In the beginning, we had phone calls with Ruby every week. Now that development is well underway, I’m speaking with her every three weeks or so. She’s been extremely responsive. Every couple of weeks, she sends me a checklist through email, and we also have a running Google Doc.

She reminds me when things need to get done, and she gives me ample time to think about things before they become urgent. That communication style has been very helpful.

About a year ago, their team, including the CEO, came out to visit us. We spent all day getting to know each other. We went out to a strawberry field and introduced them to one of the growing customers. It solidified our partnership.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their goal-oriented approach stands out. They’re not trying to sell us too much, but they want to give us the value to improve our business. It takes a lot of humility to take themselves out of it and think of what’s best for their customer.

It’s a competitive industry and business, and I think it takes a special company to do the right thing and give honest feedback. They truly have our best interests in mind.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I think they’re doing an awesome job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen carefully to their feedback because they have a lot of experience with mobile apps. They understand the way users work with technology. Don’t undervalue the advice that they give.

Communication is also key. Be as clear as possible about what you need and what your goals are. Keep the scope as narrow as you can in order to fulfill your goals.

5.0
Overall Score Excellent.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    Very likely.

Mobile & Web App Dev for Youth Development SaaS Firm

"Bastion Rare has extended our vision for the application beyond what we thought we could do."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Oct. 2019 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Bastion Rare was hired to build an e-learning platform as a web and mobile app. They led a thorough scoping process to create a detailed roadmap and quote for the client before starting development.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Newport Beach, California
Partner, Youth Development SaaS Firm
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The client was pleased with the scope’s level of detail. Shoring up the client’s lack of software expertise, Bastion Rare has suggested ideas to improve the product and smooth the development process. Their diligence, enthusiasm, and honesty stand out.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a partner for an e-learning platform that teaches character and skill development to children.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Rare?

We needed software development services to build the platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The platform is to be a gamified mobile and web app. Kids will access it through a smartphone or laptop, spend 5–10 minutes completing opportunities, and earn badges and coins to redeem. It’s a very complex app.

We’re new to the software development side, so Steven (Head of Growth) walked us through the potential process and what it would be like. After that, we paid a fee to spend 10–15 hours with their engineers to scope out the project and get a detailed price for their work. Bastion Rare fleshed out the functionality and our vision of the app. After that, they delivered the blueprint of what needed to get done.

What is the team composition?

Steven is our lead contact. We also work with a full-time person and sometimes 2–3 other people.

How did you come to work with Bastion Rare?

We’d heard horror stories about software development companies, so we took a tedious, detailed approach to find the right partner. We wanted an agency that would understand the bandwidth of what we were trying to build as an application and accomplish as an organization.

We sent an RFP to 6–7 software development companies and then invited each candidate to our office, where we presented what we were looking for. It was important for us to find a team that didn’t just understand our project but also could bring a lot of value with out-of-the-box thinking.

When Bastion Rare introduced us to their team, it gave us peace of mind. Their portfolio impressed us, and so did the intelligence of Steven. I also appreciate that they insisted on scoping the project out fully before quoting a price to us. That stood out from the competition.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $10,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership started early this year or late last year. Once we raise the money, we’re going to start building the application.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We only have a scope of work so far. However, we’ve shared it with other people in our organization, and the level of detail and complexity is second to none.

How did Bastion Rare perform from a project management standpoint?

Steven is as detail-oriented as any person I’ve ever met. He’s also extremely accessible and motivated. We’ve had investor calls where Steven has spoken as our CTO and answered questions about software development. When it comes to meeting deadlines, the whole team has been amazing. They used some advanced software with us to come up with initial ideas and build the plan.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their knowledge and depth of ideas stand out, but to me, the most important thing is their transparency. It really feels like Bastion Rare has nothing to hide.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I haven’t seen any yet. Bastion Rare has done a great job of showing how important they consider our partnership to be.

Any advice for potential customers?

Lean on them to contribute their ideas and keep an open mind. Bastion Rare has extended our vision for the application beyond what we thought we could do.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Migration for Hand Dynamometer & Pinch Gauge Firm

"It was the smoothest website development project that I’ve ever been a part of."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Less than $10,000
 
Jan. - Apr. 2020
Project summary: 

Bastion Rare migrated the client’s website from Magento to Shopify. They also implemented some modifications and updates to the design and layout of the website. 

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Santa Ana, California
Gary Corcoran
President, B&L Engineering
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The team at Bastion Rare was exceptional in regard to the speed of delivery and quality of their work. They were proactive and responsive, which made the collaboration go smoothly.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of an engineering company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Rare?

We had an existing site with Magento, but Magento was no longer going to support the version we were using. We needed assistance either updating to the newest version of Magento or migrating our site to a new platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They migrated our website from Magento to Shopify. We made some modifications to the content, layout, and design of our website as well. 

What is the team composition?

Steven (Head of Growth) was my main point of contact, but I believe there were a few other project managers and an offshore development team. 

How did you come to work with Bastion Rare?

I found them through a Google search. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested less than $10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January–April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

It was the smoothest website development project that I’ve ever been a part of. We went live and had no problems. They were on time with deliverables and were easy to work with. The new website is easy for us to update and maintain internally, which was important to us. 

How did Bastion Rare perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m not sure what project management tools they used. However, Steve was very responsive. He got back to us with any questions we asked. The team was very proactive and the project went smoothly. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They took the time to really understand our needs and confirm the prototype with us. Other companies we looked at just provided quotes very quickly without taking the time to think about what the project entailed. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No. Steven was a good partner. I’m happy with the team and I wish them all the best. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Spend the time upfront to ensure everyone understands what is expected and the customer understands what is going to be delivered. 

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Development for Law Firm

“Until recently, I didn’t know why they called it Windows, and Steven was able to make website development easy for me.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Apr. 2019 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Bastion Rare built multiple websites from the ground up for the owner of a law firm in Atlanta, Georgia. They worked from user descriptions to provide full development and design services.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Atlanta, Georgia
Charles Dalziel
Principal & Owner, Dalziel Law Firm
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The quality of work delivered by Bastion Rare completely satisfied all project requirements, making the engagement easy for the client to manage and helping to bring in a wider clientele. They are incredibly professional, communicative, and intuitive in their work.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’ve been a lawyer for 40 years and recently started my own firm. I have several assistants, but I am the sole attorney.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Rare?

My company needed a website, so I bought the domain and then looked for a team to help me develop the site. I started out with a company that I had worked with before, but they put the content on the wrong domain by accident, so I decided to switch to another provider.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They delivered the website from the ground up. I walked him through what I wanted everything to look like verbally, and then Steven (Head of Growth) handled the entire process of actually selecting the platform, putting information up onto the site and designing the layout so that it would fit what I had described to him.

What is the team composition?

I interacted directly with Steven for all of the work.

How did you come to work with Bastion Rare?

I met Steven on LinkedIn, compared his statements to some of the quotes I got from other local companies and decided that he would be the best person to help extract the information that we needed to put on the site, and we went from there.

He’s also helping me to handle the upkeep on my two current legal websites. We are planning to work on a personal website as well where I can post movie and restaurant reviews and other things that I am interested in with the goal of building a following across all three sites

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $10,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started around April 2019, and we are continuing to work together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Although most of my satisfaction from them comes from more subjective measurements, I couldn’t be happier with the overall quality of his work. For example, I’ve given him very specific requests at times, such as an old-school library backdrop for my personal website, and a helicopter going over the Atlanta skyline on my legal site. He has been able to deliver those requirements completely and quickly every time.

How did Bastion Rare perform from a project management standpoint?

We didn’t use any particular tools for it, but their communication was fantastic. We’ve become friendly over the course of our work together because of how good their communication skills are. We share a lot of common ground on different subjects and have been able to develop a rapport that allows our work to progress even more smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In 40 years of working in the law, I’ve never met anyone who was as perceptive as Steven is over the phone. You hear about people being able to complete each other’s’ sentences when they’re really on the same page, and he was able to interpret my requirements with that level of accuracy, which made everything really easy for me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I really don’t think there’s anything I wish he would do differently. I’ve been 100% pleased with his work. Until recently, I didn’t know why they called it Windows, and Steven was able to make website development easy for me.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s not by any means the traditional, hands-off business relationship. You’ll get the most out of them if you really open up and explain what you want out of the project because they will take as long as you need to talk about how you can highlight your strengths and what he is able to deliver for you.

5.0
Overall Score The relationship has been great.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    It was really easy to schedule communication between our two companies
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    His prices were very reasonable.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    The service and deliverables were well beyond my expectations.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’ve recommended them to many people already.

Web Development for Defense Contracting Company

"I required some guidance at times, and they did a great job of providing that assistance."

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4.5

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Sept. 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Bastion Rare fronted web and e-commerce developments for a defense contracting company. They created the site from scratch and implemented distinctive e-commerce features to differentiate the platform.  

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Miami, Florida
Arthur Castiglia
CEO, Defense Contracting Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Effectively prioritizing their time during two comprehensive development projects, the team built a trusting relationship with the partner by consistently delivering quality. They made themselves available through several communication channels to make collaboration seamless.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a defense contracting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Rare?

We’ve collaborated on two separate projects: one is for our company website and the other involved the development of an e-commerce platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

While the e-commerce site was templated with WooCommerce, they created the company site from scratch. The defense organization website served an informational purpose while the e-commerce site was intended for medical dales directed at healthcare professionals. We needed specific development features to aim the solution in the medical field, and they focused closely on that.

How did you come to work with Bastion Rare?

Originally, I was looking at about 30 developer options. After narrowing my search down to about four companies, I selected them because they were local and responded to me very quickly. After I reached out to them, we were able to meet the same day to discuss the project. I liked that hussle, so we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

Between our two projects with them, we’ve spent about $29,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

They started working with us in September 2018, and we’re still collaborating on projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They’re a professional team that always does a good job with the tasks I give them. I’m very happy about the engagement. I’m able to trust in the quality of their development and design work with ease.  

How did Bastion Rare perform from a project management standpoint?

They keep me on track for moving the project along. We can easily get ahold of them via several different forms of communication. I know I can shoot them a text whenever needed. They’re extremely engaged with the work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re an efficient, time-conscious team. It’s been easy to work with them. I required some guidance at times, and they did a great job of providing that assistance. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They did exactly what I needed from them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them a wide enough scope to allow them to present you with options. They’re great at translating an idea into reality. My project turned out better than I originally thought it was going to be because they had expertise in the field. Give them the room to be creative and provide the best solution for your needs.

4.5
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They kept me on track for my own project, adjusting to my needs.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They’re pricey, but you get what you pay for.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They exceeded my expectations.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’d definitely recommend them.

Database Development for Financial Services Firm

"Bastion Rare is a great team to work with because they're very responsive to the needs that we have."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
Project summary: 

Bastion Rare developed a web application to allow users to file Securities and Exchange Commission forms through the cloud. They also contributed business expertise to the project.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
San Diego, California
Dan Rumsey
President, SEC Connect
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Bastion Rare applied their entrepreneurial spirit to ensuring maximum user satisfaction, resulting in increased online engagement overall. Helpful in all regards, they behaved more like a partner than a vendor.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president and founder of SEC Connect, a full-service filing agent for public companies required to file documents and periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Rare?

We were trying to make the process of filing SEC documents more efficient for our clients and put the process in the cloud and, as a result of both of those objectives, reduce the cost to our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought on Bastion Rare to build our own online application that allows our public company clients to file certain forms directly, typically the most frequently filed forms with the SEC.

How did you come to work with Bastion Rare?

We interviewed numerous developers and database developers in the process of selecting Bastion Rare. We selected them because it was the most entrepreneurial firm. Their objectives and their insights into what it is that we're trying to develop aligned perfectly with our own. I think they got what it is that we were trying to achieve. The fact that they have a very entrepreneurial approach to our business and were willing to work with us to achieve our objectives and they understood what those objectives were resulted in us selecting them.

How much have you invested with them?

The was a $200,000-plus project.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project is completed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

There's not one particular thing. I think the application has been very stable and has worked exactly as we designed it to work, and it's being used by hundreds of clients and without issues.

When there are issues that come up, Bastion Rare is quick to address them and to assist us in resolving them to our satisfaction and to our clients' satisfaction, so this has resulted in lots of our clients taking their business online. It's been very much a success from that perspective.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Bastion Rare is a great team to work with because they're very responsive to the needs that we have and to the issues that we have. We were treated very much like a partner as opposed to a client. They were very responsive to any issues that came up, given the fact that we were an early stage company they worked with us to ensure that, not only we're successful but the product was successful so that was very helpful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Bastion Rare has certainly grown since we engaged with them, and I think their capabilities are much greater than when we were working with them. Their biggest challenge is just managing their growth, but they've done a terrific job and there's not really anything that I could go back on and say I wish we would have done that differently with them.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Wearable Application for Startup Company

"They are open to any changes you want to do. They want to build something that works for the client." 

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
2005 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Bastion Rare developed a movement-tracking app for the AppleWatch. Bastion Rare has been a quality development partner for a full decade and has previously provided e-commerce and marketing websites.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Los Angeles, CA
Co-owner, Wearable App Startup Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Bastion Rare distinguished themselves as a provider interested in long-term partnership. They valued collaboration and meeting client expectations, whatever those might be. Their deliverables were always excellent. The only downside was that they could be overly busy. 

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm one of the owners of a startup company. Our application is a movement-tracking app that is designed to help users be more productive with their new mobile devices.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Rare?

We engaged with them to develop our mobile application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bastion Rare was responsible for developing our application from start to finish.

How did you come to work with Bastion Rare?

We have previous experience working with them. We've collaborated with them on other projects and other companies for almost 10 years now. They've done some websites and e-commerce platforms for us in the past. 

How much have you invested with them?

The first phase will be under $50,000

What is the status of this engagement?

It's ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're more like a true partner. Other companies are only interested in delivering what's on the contract and they want to get it done so they can move onto the next thing. Bastion Rare considers you a partner for the long term. They are open to any changes you want to do. They want to build something that works for the client. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They're very busy right now. I know they're expanding their mobile team. Right now, we need to fight for the slot. They have other projects, too.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They've always kept my schedule. If they can't they will tell you in advance. One time, they had the whole teamwork the whole weekend to be sure it happened.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They have developers in India. The cost is usually competitive, especially compared to who we used before who was purely U.S. based.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Their quality has always been their strong point. They'll always make sure it's what the client wants.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I recommend them all the time.

Fitness Tracking Wearable Application Development

"Bastian Rare has been the easiest to work with. They’ve been the easiest piece of the project."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
Project summary: 

Bastian Rare developed a nutrition-tracking app focused on creating customized meal plans based on serving sizes. Key features included a massive food database and macronutrient calculations.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Los Angeles, CA
Charles Leonard
CEO and President, Fitness Application Startup
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Bastian Rare served as a true partner, providing far more than just coding. They were highly responsive and easy to work with, providing business advice, mobile strategy, and personal attention from start to finish.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is a nutrition and fitness mobile app. I’m the CEO and president.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bastian Rare?

We wanted to create a nutrition and fitness app that had many features you don’t currently find in many of the fitness apps on the market now.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

There are many other apps that are calorie trackers they total calories, proteins, or carbs. We wanted to create an app for people who have no nutrition and fitness knowledge or even those who do have it but have a hard time knowing what serving sizes and what meals to choose from. We want to be able to provide users enough information so that they achieve the correct macronutrient numbers each day.

Our app catalogs food so users can select from a wide variety of foods to create an ideal meal to meet their needs. Once the food is selected, our app identifies the serving size the user can have in order to achieve the user’s overall macronutrient goals for the day.

How did you come to work with Bastian Rare?

I interviewed four other app development firms. Some of the other firms didn’t seem to understand the concept I was going for so it was hard instill any confidence in them. When I interviewed Bastian Rare, any question I asked, they were able to answer and even more importantly help me to understand the complexity of the development. Bastian Rare also recommended things that helped shift my project in a better direction regarding my mobile strategy. 

How much have you invested with them?

This partnership has been extensive and has cost more than $200,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What did you find most impressive about them?

With this project, I’m dealing with business partners in many areas, not just on the development front. Bastian Rare is the most important part and they've been the easiest to work with. When I email them, it’s practically like I sent them a text because they always respond within minutes. It’s like I’m their only client. I’m really happy to be working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If anything has gotten delayed, it’s because they’re waiting for me. They’re on top of everything.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web & Mobile App Development for Leading Digital Agency

"Their quality is superior to anything else we have experienced in our industry."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
2009 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Bastion Rare augments the development capacity for various client projects. Technologies used include Python, Ruby, and Java, and they develop applications for iOS, Android, and BlackBerry.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Los Angeles Metro Area
CEO, Digital Agency
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The client has remained with Bastion Rare for over five years because of their seamless business relationship and the consistent delivery high-qualityity work.

The client submitted this review online.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of a digital agency based in Southern California with a large customer base, including corporations like Chevron, Home Depot, IKEA, Hyundai, Jaguar, and Medtronic.

We have been in business for more than 15 years, which is a long time in this industry. We provide our clients with custom digital solutions, including creative services, development, and marketing. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Rare?

As we have a large customer base with various needs, we engaged Bastion Rare on many occasions for staff augmentation and to work alongside our management and delivery team.

Bastion Rare has worked on many projects with our company ranging from a custom web e-commerce solution for a leading beauty product manufacturer to mobile solutions for a global healthcare organization. Our customers demand the best in quality and innovation from our organization as most of them have a spot on the Fortune 1000 list.

Since we are a digital agency offering similar services as Bastion Rare, our challenge was to come up with an engagement model between our two firms to support our clients in a seamless way while making sure the client account was serviced through our company and led by our brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bastion Rare has worked on iOS, Android, and BlackBerry applications for us. They have also supported projects at our company with the following technologies: Python, Ruby, Perl, Java, PHP5, C++, and UI technologies [like] HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript.

How did you come to work with Bastion Rare?

We were initially connected to Bastion Rare through one of their previous clients. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We've continued working with them for more than five years due to the easy and seamless relationship, not to mention their quality is superior to anything else we have experienced in our industry, especially for an offshore company.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Bastion Rare provides a solid testing environment, which is evident in their final code delivery of code. This is important for us since we are held to a very high standard of excellence by our clients. Since I'm very knowledgeable about the digital service industry, I can nitpick quite a bit. However, overall, I am very impressed and satisfied with the service Bastion Rare provides.

How did XYZ Company perform from a project management standpoint?

We have been through a lot together, good times and bad times, mostly due to unreasonable clients on our end. Bastion Rare has always been available at a moment's notice to listen and advise when needed. They are very responsive, which is key. We can contact them even on weekends and late at night and will usually get a response within the hour.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Bastion Rare was very easy to work with. Their team of project managers and engineers have even taken on our company email addresses and branding in some cases to provide a type of white-labeled offering for us to give a more seamless experience to our customers.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Custom Search Engine Platform (Big Data Application)

"They have been very easy to work with, from the perspective of a growing startup organization."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
2012 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Bastion Rare developed a comprehensive search platform that combines inventories for pricing, availability, and datasheets from over 850 suppliers. It's optimized to support over a billion data records.

The Reviewer
 
2-10 Employees
 
Los Angeles Metro Area
CEO, Component Search International
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The client has been very pleased with the software's performance and Bastion Rare's responsiveness to their needs as a startup company. They continue using an agile working methodology to assist the client with site updates and changes.

The client submitted this review online.

BACKGROUND

The client is a leading provider in the component sourcing market committed to becoming the industry standard for the procurement of components. With millions of components in our vendors' inventories and more than 300 million parts in our component database, the client is a one-stop shop for everything from procuring to researching parts. The client prides itself on offering the most user-friendly website in the industry, complete with the most advanced tools for engineers, managers, and procurement professionals alike. I'm the CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

The client was established to provide the combined inventories, such as for pricing, availability, and datasheets for manufacturer part numbers, from 850-plus component suppliers and distributors worldwide, so users can locate part information easily and quickly. We saw a need to assist part researchers while saving them time and money by implementing a platform that people can locate parts from one place, and compare prices from different suppliers in one view to get the best pricing available.

Through our platform, users can also gain access to basic part information and datasheets to more than 430 million parts. The platform combines the main features from other basic sites, in order to provide you the most comprehensive part search platform in the industry.

SOLUTION

The platform was architected using a variety of technologies and libraries. Among the technologies are Apache Lucene, Apache Solr, MySQL, and MongoDB. It also included HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, PHP, and a few other supporting frameworks. The entire platform is custom developed and optimized to support a database consisting of more than 1 billion data records including high availability requirements and supporting metadata amounting to many terabytes of data.

Bastion Rare has significant expertise in the architecture and performance tuning of Big Data applications. This expertise has helped us develop the company to this day in becoming a world-class, reliable, and easy-to-use source for part search data. Bastion Rare was referred to our company by a previous Bastion Rare client that had a good experience working with Bastion Rare in the past.

The scope of work that Bastion Rare covered entailed system architecture, software engineering, and performance optimization of Big Data systems. The project with Bastion Rare started over two years ago and has continued ongoing to this day. The software is performing well, and we are constantly making updates and changes based on customer feedback. In this respect, we have adopted an agile working methodology in working with Bastion Rare on our platform, and this has worked very well for our team. We have a full in-house team of engineers that work with Bastion Rare's engineers on daily tasks. Our current model of engagement with them is based on a fixed monthly cost for full-time engineering assistance. This model allows us to contract or expand as needed on a month-to-month basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

We are a growing startup with ongoing development needs, and Bastion Rare has accommodated our company in many ways, even providing extensions on payment due dates. They have been very easy to work with, from the perspective of a growing startup organization.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer