WE THINK BUSINESS, THEN DEVELOPMENT.
Magora is an IT consultant that offers digital transformation services to start-ups and enterprises. We are driven by the desire to create amazing web and mobile applications and it remains our passion since 2010. Magora offers a combination of technology and business expertise to deliver products that achieve their goals. The team at Magora consists of 120 talented people and is distributed across our UK and Eastern European offices.
Our skillset is diverse, but we truly excel in the following:
- Bespoke software development
- User experience and user interface design
- Internet of Things
- Native and cross-platform app development
- Team augmentation
Magora's approach is based on the principles of process transparency, radical candour and co-pilot attitude. If we feel that something can be done better, we communicate this in a direct way. This is what our customers like about us, which is proven by our Clutch reviews.
If Magora's expertise and approach is something you are looking for, let’s talk. Contact us at www.magora-systems.com.

headquarters
other locations
Focus
Portfolio
Danone, Unilever, Toyota, Royal College of Art, Experian, Grant Thornton, EasyGroup, EGIS, Astrazeneca, Vileda, SweetDreamers, Accruent. Startups: SwipedOn, Expensify, Anova, Organic Response, Rotimatic, Carhood, Eurekly, KMA 9x9.

KMA 9x9

Edit App
AlphaRCA, a research partnership by Royal College of Art and Telefonica, approached Magora to develop an MVP app that offers a new take on battling the smoking habit.
Edit is an app that helps you fill your daily routine with more positive actions than smoking. It's not about quitting cold turkey or feeling like a patient. It's just about trying new things and seeing if they work for you and your lifestyle.
This cooperation has resulted in a cross-platform solution available for iOS and Android that currently undergoes user testing. The data gathered after the initial launch will be used for further development and research.

Anova
Anova is a technology company that brings participants in the clinical research process together to speed product development, reduce cost and increase clinical trial participation. After a thorough vetting process, they selected Magora as their main development vendor. Our partnership has already resulted in the first version of Anova Onesource platform that helps to match medical research organizations with sponsors. The development process is ongoing, as we implement additional functionality for biopharmaceutical companies, research physicians, and patients.

GoFjords
GoFjords is a travel company that offers bus and boat tours across Norwegian fjords. In pursuit to deliver a great experience to travelers, GoFjords approached Magora to create a companion app for their clients. In close collaboration with the client, we have designed and developed a mobile app that enables users to view their itinerary, listen to their travel guide, track points of interest on a map, purchase additional activities and provide feedback during their tour. Measurable impact of the resulting solution includes increase in repeat clients, client engagement and positive reviews.

AccessFacility
AccessFacility is a project management platform for initiatives that aim for positive social and economic impact. Magora has been approached by a rural development nonprofit to create this platform from scratch. AccessFacility automates the whole process of developing global projects: grants, funding, volunteers, communication and execution. The website is already serving as a platform for the worldwide growth of the organisation.

Healthy diet
Our task was to build an iOS app for healthy lifestyle fans. It should be the place, where people could communicate, get tips on a healthy way of life, and buy the right products online.
Integration with the social nets and the gaming technics should be implemented to support the monetization strategy.

MoPals
The Magora team was assigned to develop a geo-positioning-enabled iOS and Android app for the existing web portal of a Canadian company. The app enables users to share their location with friends via Facebook and Twitter, upload photos and videos, attain bonuses for checking in and writing reviews of the brands they like. Magora managed to deliver a user-friendly business platform and gained precious experience of successful collaboration with the client’s team of developers and designers.

Globi Calls
Globi Calls is a know-how VoiP (Voice over IP) + Server solution created by Magora. It was intented to solve a problem facing an international partner who needed to avoid wasting time and money on international calls within the company, whose personnel were working all around the globe in different time zones. The Magora developers built a new computer integration system consisting of the classic VoiP telephony and integrated remote servers, one for each continent. Using this system, local connections within the company can be redirected to each other and each incoming call can be redirected to any internal company number at domestic IP-phone rates.

Hunger
This Magora development project is a food delivery platform intended to provide customers with an easy way to order lunch via an iOS or Android app and have it delivered to them in minutes. The delivery time is automatically calculated based on the customer’s location, whilst the location of the courier can be monitored in real time. The app also offers notifications and an integrated payment system for credit and debit cards. The platform offers two user roles - courier and customer - removing middlemen between caterers and clients.

VPN Platform as SaaS
The Magora team developed a virtual private network platform, working as SaaS for our West-European clients. This SaaS solution is intended for the Arab, Chinese and European B2C markets and provides cheap, stable and secure mobile and web VPN access to bypass blocks and guarantee the safety of the user’s private data. Complete solution provides the user's advanced functionality and connection speed.

Rotimatic - project with the internet of things background
Rotimatic is an IoT project based around smart kitchen robots, which Magora helped Singaporean business innovators bring to life. In keeping with the client's requirements, the development team built the software architecture with front and back-end components and integrated it with the Rotimatic baking tool. The software works in semi-automatic mode and can update the recipes of a special kind of bread - Roti - once connected to WiFi. Other options, such as remote sensor diagnostics, temperature/time/ingredient consumption control, and remote diagnostics are also available.

Sales Tool
Magora helped a world-renowned enterprise, the cleaning supplies producer Vileda, to build an Android tablet app for a large-scale Sales Tool project. With this software system corporate buyers can cover all their cleaning supply needs, using the intuitive, user-friendly interface to order accessories based on types of surface by uploading interior photos into the system. The intelligent system recognises the photos and recommends supplies and equipment sets from those stored in its DB.

Organic Response
Web and mobile apps for a company that installs Smart Lighting Systems.
Check out the Full Case Study.

Tebengan
Tebengan is a web platform for ride-sharing purposes. An intuitive software solution help drivers and passengers reach each other and have the best travel experience.

VPS:Vessel Performance Solution
The VPS software is an effective cargo ship performance management application. The app aims at automatization of analytical processes and assistance in decision-making practices.
Russian version

tellMasha App for Danone
tellMasha is a mobile app for a multinational food corporation, Danone. The consumer-facing application enables users to participate and improve product quality control.
Find out more about this case in our Projects.

ShowApp
ShowApp is a convenient and multifunctional mobile app that provides users with information about the exact kind of events they will find interesting. The Magora mobile app and web development team have designed a special algorithm that measures user’s preferences, subscriptions and geolocation before using them to find something that is going to catch their attention.

Jurni
Innovative social network. An app that allows users to tell a story. In a video.
More about the project in the Case Study.

InnovoCare: Magora’s web app for internal medical staff
We are proud to say, that the bespoke business software we create is specifically geared to solve unique business problems. Now medical administrators can precisely evaluate the cost-effectiveness of every procedure and treatment performed in their clinic, which helps them monitor and regulate their patient base.

Magora's POS Software
Bespoke POS software for small businesses from Magora.
Approach, tech stack, and more details - in our Case Study.

Core Power Golf: A New iOS Mobile App Designed by Magora
Magora's iOS developers and app designers are proud to present a new educational project for iPhone. Core Power Golf was built exclusively for golfers.
Go to our website to learn more about Core Power Golf.
Russian Version.
PlanDo
PlanDo is a social mobile app that helps users find new friends and create fun events.
To learn more about the project check out our Case Study.
Russian Version - PlanDo.

Magora’s Business Web Tool for Brand Owners
Magora has created a web program for online monitoring of retailers’ pricing with an easy-to-read, multifunctional dashboard.
More info in our Case Study.

Parking Guide
Parking Guide is simultaneously a simple mobile tool with a pleasant, intuitive user interface and quite a complex application.

Bang Track
A mobile recording studio.
Find out more about Bang Track by reading the Case Study.

Estate Rental Management System
Our new project ERMS is a bespoke web software for a real estate leasing company. Magora developed a management system program to automate the company daily routine oparations: monitor local real estate leasing prices and control the profitability of each of the objects.

SwipedOn
Our new work in portfolio is an iPad receptionist visitor management software for SwipedOn. With this application the New Zealand startup has raised over $1M in seed, been recognised as a market leader.

StarBuffet
StarrBuffet is a new Magora iOS mobile app development project for a popular self-service restaurant chain. The Magora team helped the client to make workflow efficient and transparent. With the implementation of the mobile app solution, our partner got business process optimisation, decreased labour costs and now continues to increase profits. Tech Stack Backend: Java, Spring, Docker, Amazon Web Services, AWS EC2 (Ubuntu Server), AWS RDS (Postgresql 9.6), AWS Elastic Load Balancer, AWS S3 (Media Storage), AWS Lambda, AWS SNS/SQS (events from s3 and Lambda), AWS CloudWatch, AWS Route53. Frontend: Angular; AdminLTE; iOS: Alamofire, AlamofireImage, ObjectMapper, RxSwift, SocketRocket, Realm, RxSwift, Core, Foundation, UIKit. Within 2018 the implemented IT system became an indispensable tool for the restaurants of the Star Buffet network. The break-even point was surpassed within the first 9 months. and continues to increase their profitability in 2019.

Pharmcard: enterprise software development case
Pharmcard is a bespoke software system for multinational pharmaceutical company. The project includes an iOS application, web application and integrated DB of pharmaceutical products price, stock availability, sales volumes, sales figures and trends.
Tech Stack
- Back-end: AWS EC2 (Ubuntu Server); AWS RDS (Postgresql 9.6); AWS Elastic Load Balancer; AWS S3 (Media Storage); AWS Cloud Front as cdn; AWS Lambada; AWS SNS/SQS; AWS Cloud Watch; AWS Route 53; Java 1.8; Maven; Spring Boot; Spring Core; Spring Data; Hibernate; Swagger; Lombok; Docker; Ansible.
- Front-end: AngularJS; AdminLTE; Webpack.
- iOS: Alamofire; ObjectMapper; Rx Swift; Core; Foundation, UI kit; Realm.
Implementation of the software system helps to boost efficiency a lot and lead to 30% ROI increase.
Reviews
the project
Mobile App Development for Travel Company
"Their planning skills and business analyzing skills have been extraordinary and detailed."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am a developer at a small travel company located in Norway and is the project owner of the project. Our company has 10 employees and sells trips to beautiful locations in Norway.
For what projects/services did your company hire Magora?
Norway is a complex geographic country, with a lot of fjords and mountains. A lot of trips offered by the company is therefore complicated with a lot of train, bus and boat connections.
To be able to offer the best experience for the customers of the company, we wanted to develop a virtual guide, to make the trip easier and more delightful for the tourist.
As the internal developers of the company did not have the capacity to do this work an external company was needed to help out with the development of the application.
What were your goals for this project?
Create a mobile application to engage travellers and diversify their experience when booking a trip at our company
How did you select Magora?
We found Magora by searching online. We contacted a few different companies, but Magora seemed to be the most professional and easiest to communicate with.
Describe the project in detail.
We started off the project with a lot of initials meetings. Discussing the scope and mapping all the ideas. The result of this was a detailed BPMN and user stories that could be estimated and evaluated by the developers.
By creating this, the scope of the project was clear and ready to start the development. After each development phase both our company and Magora did a QA on the current work. When the QA was completed the project was deployed and released.
What was the team composition?
We were assigned a project manager to support us and serve as the main point of contact throughout the project. We also had a business analyst as well as a designer that came up with the initial design of the application. The company also provided a QA team.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
The app was launched early june 2020. It is still yet hard to see if the app was a success or not because of the impact of the Covid-19 situation affecting the world at this time. Resulting in very few, if any, travellers. The app with expected content was delivered in time, and we are pleased with the result that was delivered. Hopefully we will be able to test the app in more detail 2021.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
The project manager that we were assigned was easy to communicate with and provided us with detailed updated. We had regular meetings to ensure we all were on the same page. Overall impressed with the people we worked with.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
Their planning skills and business analyzing skills have been extraordinary and detailed. The common understanding on what should be delivered or not was perfectly clear during the entire corporation.
Are there any areas for improvement?
The development process slowed pretty heavily when bugs were found in their own QA process. But they always delivered in the end. Overall pleased with the process.
the project
Backend Development for Car Leasing Platform
"Broader than just the code itself, the team strived to understand the entire project."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the founder of a company that supplies software to car leasing brokers.
What challenge were you trying to address with Magora?
My team is composed of product managers and designers, without any development skills in-house. They helped us on the development front.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They handled all of the backend and frontend development for the project. We were looking to build a web platform along with a backend CMS and CRM tool.
What is the team composition?
I work directly with a project manager.
How did you come to work with Magora?
One of my co-workers had worked with them before in a successful partnership, so they were one of three companies that we asked for proposals from. Their proposal was by far the best in terms of what we were aiming to achieve and showed strong attention to detail.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent about $40,000 so far.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in September 2019, and our teams are still collaborating. The project will likely be complete by July 2020.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’re still mid-way through the project, so I can’t comment much on the quality of the code. However, they show attention to detail in their work and have been hitting milestones at the general pace we’re looking for.
How did Magora perform from a project management standpoint?
We set very detailed requirements from the beginning and documented milestones. In the end, we’re doing more than initially expected, so sometimes there was a bit of scope creep. We communicate via Slack and have a very skilled project manager.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Broader than just the code itself, the team strived to understand the entire project. Their attention to detail impressed us. They’ve proven to be understanding of some pretty complex code requirements and data sets. The breadth of their skills and processes is very impressive.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We’ve addressed how we’re going to work around issues with scope creep, and they’ve adapted to our needs.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Share as much about our needed deliverables and context early. That way, you’ll get the most out of their services. They’ve been a great team overall for us.
the project
Mobile App Dev for Education Platform
“I learned to communicate more effectively because of the professionalism with which their team operated.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am a lawyer, and the company I represent is a startup that works in education.
What challenge were you trying to address with Magora?
We developed an application for iOS and iPad that allows users to write in Altai, a language in a region of southern Russia, using a downloadable custom keyboard.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Our team is not very familiar with the process of developing an application, so the Magora team worked with us from the beginning to the end to help scope out the technical requirements of the project and then to build out the entire thing.
What was the team composition?
They provided a project manager as well as a couple developers, so 2–3 people in total.
How did you come to work with Magora?
From our first meetings with them, they were friendly and incredibly helpful, so we knew that we wanted to move forward with them.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent a total of a little over $10,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project ran from around July–December 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The application that they helped us to develop is incredibly useful. We have people using it every day already, and many of them often thank us for much the app has improved their ability to type in Altai. We are totally satisfied with the usability that Magora enabled, and it goes a long way in helping to save our culture and language for a little while longer.
How did Magora perform from a project management standpoint?
We were not a particularly easy customer to work with, because we were often guilty of procrastinating and causing delays, but they were always tolerant and helpful to us. I learned to communicate more effectively because of the professionalism with which their team operated.
We primarily used email, WhatsApp, and phone calls to interact with their team. They were very adaptable to the means of communication that was easiest for us to use, which we appreciated.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their whole team is highly professional, from their project managers to the implementation of all the technical requirements. They worked hard to ensure we were satisfied with every aspect of their work with us, and it really paid off.
Are there any areas they could improve?
If anything, I could have improved with my communication and meeting deadlines, so I certainly don’t think there was anything that they needed to do differently.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
It is easy to work with them because they are eager to communicate and find a way to help no matter what you do.
the project
Web Development for Clinical Technology Company
“Their flexibility and ability to move through processes quickly were impressive.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the president and co-founder of a tech company that was created to transform the way that products are developed by pharmaceutical companies and activate sites that allow patients to participate in research wherever they receive care.
What challenge were you trying to address with Magora?
We wanted to develop apps on our platform to support the management of our research network. It was intended to bring research sites and positions together to support the conduct of clinical trials while increasing access to investigational products for patients in need.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They were responsible for creating the functionality to support a network environment for participants in the clinical research process. It was essential that they put together a clean UI for effective communication with various stakeholders in the clinical research process. They built the product from scratch, using Microsoft Azure.
What is the team composition?
We were working with project managers. Once the project was initiated, we were handed over to the business development department and had a single lead project manager that coordinated with the development and analyst teams.
How did you come to work with Magora?
I was referred to them by someone who had worked with them previously.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent about $250,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in May 2018, and our teams are still collaborating.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They’ve improved our client volume and engagement across the industry. Our plan has remained flexible enough to allow us to change requirements as need through the development process. Their work is consistently high-quality.
How did Magora perform from a project management standpoint?
Communication and reporting have been frequent in our weekly calls and progress reports and priorities discussions. That allowed us to get the key functionality that we needed.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their flexibility and ability to move through processes quickly were impressive.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We were one of the first clients in our industry to partner with them. While that would have made me nervous, they were easily able to pick up on our requirements and regulations.
the project
E-commerce Development for Travel Events Platform
“They are quick to assemble the team and produce what we need when we need it.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the founder and CEO of easyGuide. We enable locals and tourists alike to discover and book tickets to over 1,000 attractions, activities, experiences, tours, and theatre shows in cities around the world.
What challenge were you trying to address with Magora?
We needed to produce a mobile-optimized e-commerce website that connected with multiple APIs.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They have been in charge of building our e-commerce website, basically from scratch. It’s a custom-built platform connected with APIs. They do full-stack development; frontend and backend. They also manage the entire project.
What is the team composition?
There are 4–6 people working, depending on the scope of the project, including a project manager and account manager.
How did you come to work with Magora?
I found Magora after conducting extensive research online. After meeting in person and discussing the project further, they spent time putting together a compelling pitch with great concepts and ideas for us to see.
How much have you invested with them?
We've spent $150,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working together in August 2019, and it’s ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We have seen an increase in site speed, leading to better bounce rates and higher conversion rates. The site looks good and functions properly.
How did Magora perform from a project management standpoint?
Their communication is always on point. We use various technologies to keep track of things. The sprints are defined in detail before starting. They are responsive, and always on time. We speak daily via Skype and have weekly, or bi-weekly calls scheduled as well.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They are friendly, yet professional. They have good planning and execution of sprints. They are quick to assemble the team and produce what we need, when we need it.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, nothing really comes to mind.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be sure you have time to work with them and identify what you’re looking for.
the project
Custom Web App Dev for Technology Startup
“They’re flexible and immediately change anything we don’t like.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a part-time advisor of a technology startup. We have several products, one of which is a data marketplace.
What challenge were you trying to address with Magora?
Magora’s task was to build our MVP. The main challenge was that the idea for the project was just in our heads, and we wanted them to do pretty much everything.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Magora provided design and full-stack web app development services. One of the challenges was connecting different APIs to our marketplace from different data sources. Their team defined the scope and determined which data sources we could start with. They combined all of those in one place and gave us a nice UI.
We gave them flexibility but defined what coding languages and technologies to use. Some suggestions came from them and some from us, such as using React on the frontend. The first phase of our project was research and development. Now, they're working on the development phase.
What is the team composition?
I communicate with one of their salespeople and a project manager. Sometimes, two developers join our conversations.
How did you come to work with Magora?
I googled some companies and found their landing page. Magora had a promising expertise level, and we were looking for a London-based company. They have development teams in other countries, but their headquarters are in London. We also picked them because of their price.
How much have you invested with them?
We've invested around £70,000 (approximately $85,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with Magora in January 2020, and the work is ongoing. They’re finishing our MVP development, and we’ll decide whether to continue our collaboration after we’ve worked on sales and marketing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’re still working on customer engagement so I don’t have any metrics so far. Magora’s work looks good overall. We had some issues with design in the beginning, but they sorted those out. A highlight is that they did a good job of understanding the market and gave us a lot of suggestions and options on the data process.
How did Magora perform from a project management standpoint?
This is one of their strongest points. They have everything in a well-structured manner. We use Trello to outline the project scope, provide timelines, and track feedback from my side.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The way they structure sprints within their project management is their most impressive skill. This has given me a good feeling about them.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I can’t think of anything. I’m pretty happy.
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?
I don’t have any specific advice. They’re flexible and immediately change anything we don’t like.
the project
Mobile App Development for Restaurant Guide App
"Magora are like partners, or a part of the team, rather than a hired vendor."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the owner of a restaurant app startup.
What challenge were you trying to address with Magora?
I needed to develop a mobile app.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Magora did full stack development of the mobile app. Built for iOS and Android, the app is for consumers to use to improve their experience, increasing comfort in any bar or restaurant they visit. There are several complex features, including maps and reviews.
What is the team composition?
We worked with Alex (iOS Developer) and a project manager.
How did you come to work with Magora?
I searched for vendors that spoke Russian, as this is my native language. I’m very comfortable with their team, and we communicated easily with each other.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working together in February 2020. We have taken a break due to the pandemic situation, but plan to resume the project once things reopen.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The app hasn’t launched yet. We only worked together a few weeks prior to COVID-19 causing restaurants to close everywhere.
How did Magora perform from a project management standpoint?
The project manager is productive and professional. We communicate mostly via phone and email. We spoke often, discussing each point of the project.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The team is professional. They communicate well, understanding our vision for the app. Magora are like partners, or a part of the team, rather than a hired vendor.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, but it would always be nice to have it done cheaper.
the project
Mobile App Development for Mental Health Practice
"Right from the beginning, the verbal agreements were never executed properly."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
Respondent 1: I’m the founder of Ayadi, a mental health application startup.
What challenge were you trying to address with Magora?
R1: My target audience was people in the Gulf region that have mental health problems. The app was supposed to be a platform that connected clinicians with patients. I wanted to provide a professional service for the region because there’s a lack of therapists there.
Because reputation is a big thing there, people didn’t really want to go to clinics. I felt like having an app would be a great idea. I’m monetizing the app by taking a percentage from each session cost. I need to do that in order to keep the service going.
What was the scope of their involvement?
R1: They first gave me a price, then put me in touch with the Managing Director and we had a meeting. I just wanted to close the deal, but he seemed to be going back and forth. As someone who’d never done this before, I didn’t know the process. Of course, I needed an in-depth explanation, and I feel like they just wanted to close the deal, and didn’t really care about what I was trying to do.
I wanted to build the app for iOS, Android, and the web. The mobile versions were native.
What is the team dynamic?
R1: I worked with a project manager and a business analyst.
How did you come to work with Magora?
R1: I found them on Clutch, where they had really good reviews. I reviewed three companies in total, and I felt I wanted to go with Magora. At the end of the day, my background is in psychology, and I wouldn’t say I’m amazing on the business side.
What is the status of this engagement?
R1: The project started in late-November 2018. They kept telling me that we’re going to launch, and, at the end, I told them we’re not going to do this anymore. I think I reached my limit and moved by October 2019.
Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.
R1: They told us that the app was done and we should do UAT testing. During that time, if the core functionalities of the app were not working, then they’d revaluate UAT testing. The two core functionalities of the app were video and tests, and they weren’t working during UAT testing. When we told them this, they said that it was working, and we should try it another way. I remember going crazy at the time, thinking that I was doing it wrong. I just didn’t understand what was going on.
I’m not a techie; I just have a passion for mental health, psychology, and helping people. I don’t really know these things, and I doubted myself. I told them to just be honest with me and tell me if they’re having issues. I used that approach more than anything, and I think that that’s why they felt it was okay to continue this. They told us that it was because of our devices, and I kind of believed that.
R2: We got a very bad deal from Magora. Right from the beginning, the verbal agreements were never executed properly. For example, we were never told that it would be a bunch of freelancers working on our projects, and not Magora’s staff. Basically, Magora was doing nothing but subcontracting the whole project to a bunch of freelancers, which wasn’t good for us in any way.
R1: They were charging us something like $60 or £60 per hour. I remember that the name of one of the freelance developers came up during a conference call. I looked him up, and he was charging $20 per hour. I asked them why they were charging us this much and asked for a discount, given that the quality was so low, but they told us that that was the usual price of development. I told him I looked him up on Upwork and he was $20, and he told me he had nothing to say about that.
R2: The core problem was that we were promised a lot and nothing was delivered they committed to deliver. I don’t know how, but they have a very good reputation and reviews, and we were carried away by that. It was a very bad experience. An app that should’ve taken around six months to complete took more than a year and still wasn’t completed. We’ve had to rework a lot of functionalities.
The architecture was a mess because, since it was made by freelancers, they weren’t coordinating between themselves very well. Different pieces of code were written by different people in different ways.
How was project management handled?
R1: Sometimes, people who are in higher positions, especially men, tend to pressure you in a way, when you’re younger and you don’t understand. It’s been two years and a half, and I feel I understand the business better, and I’ve learned a lot of things.
I just felt like they took advantage of the situation. They saw me as someone that’s vulnerable, and they took advantage of that.
It’s been two years, and I’m still kind of traumatized. I just moved to another application company, and they’re great. Comparing the two of them, I think everyone should have the same kind of experience I’m having with the new application company.
Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?
R1: Valentine (Senior Product Manager) was the only person I really liked, and who I felt was suffering with us and didn’t know what to do.
In what specific areas can they improve?
R2: The freelancer structure was the root cause of all our problems. Neither did the quality come out well, nor were our requirements plotted out and executed in a fashion that we wanted. Everything went haywire because they weren’t committed to delivering what was promised. Everything was a mess.
What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?
R2: We also took proactive measures in finding solutions, rather than breaking off. What happened was that many of the issues happened toward the end of the project, and the time and cost for fixing them went beyond any acceptable means.
We were running out of time, and each change request would increase the cost. We were trying our best from our side to proactively help out, but it really didn’t work. The last six months was just trying to work out things, but it never happened.
the project
Software & App Dev for Financial Education Company
"The cleanliness of their code stands out."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the lead front- and backend developer for a financial education company.
What challenge were you trying to address with Magora?
We wanted to modernize our software but our older developer didn't produce scalable or up-to-date products. We didn’t have a team to maintain good development practices.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Magora delivered an overarching program to house all of our individual applications. They also built an application for us including the frontend, which has charting capabilities for all of our recommendations for users. The charts display notifications for when users should act. Their team also built features for recommendations to display in a table format. There’s backend logic to determine a good or bad trade based on rural sets.
What is the team composition?
We work with a main point of contact who liaises between teams and communicates fluently.
How did you come to work with Magora?
We searched Upwork for companies and picked between 3–4 to complete a basic project for us, which gave us an idea of their teams’ skill sets. The project was a basic charting application because that was a big feature of the final application. Magora won out of the top three choices.
How much have you invested with them?
So far, we’ve spent between $50,000–$100,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started the project in July 2019 and have an ongoing collaboration.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We wanted clean, well-documented code to read easily. I reviewed their code firsthand to make sure that they used the correct development standards. They do a good job of keeping clean, standard code, which makes us happy. We’re happy with the application their team built.
How did Magora perform from a project management standpoint?
We use a program called Mattermost. I also talk with the individual developers, a project manager, and the liaison. We communicate with Trello regarding specific questions about the development. Their team’s good with deadlines, completing assignments when needed to be completed. This helps my bosses who want to leverage the products quickly.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The cleanliness of their code stands out. When we compared the top three candidates for this project, Magora provided the cleanest code. Their team gets back to us quickly, which is important. When their team sets deadlines, they make them. And when they can’t make a deadline, their team explains the reasons for it.
Are there any areas they could improve?
The only challenge we face is that Magora’s too in demand. We wanted to start the development of another product in February, but their team was too busy to get it started. It’s a good situation for them but their plate was too full to work on our development request.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be as descriptive as possible for them. Their team asked questions and tried to understand our project well. They do a good job on the communication front, so answer their questions in a timely manner.
the project
Mobile Application for Media Distributor
"Magora understands the entrepreneurial vision."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
We founded our company in late 2018 with a simple idea: we want to tell people personal, powerful and positive stories that you won't find elsewhere. Since then, we've worked to build a growing team of writers, cameramen, editors, animators and designers.
How we work is also simple. We find stories through an expanding network of contacts and work to find the best way to tell them, or we make them up if they are fiction! In order to keep telling quality stories and investing in talent we ask members to pay to see them.
For what projects/services did your company hire Magora?
Mobile Application
What were your goals for this project?
Increase our number of subscriptions and distribute our content to a wider audience.
How did you select this vendor?
Sent via a colleague / friend.
Describe the project in detail.
Application to distribute our content.
What was the team composition?
Size of team the team was around 5 including a efficient project manager.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Magora understands the entrepreneurial vision. They can strategize about what will be successful in the market, which is invaluable. They are recommended for all types of projects.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Amazing - flawless.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
Super efficient and reliable with deadlines.
Are there any areas for improvement?
A deeper understanding about issues that may arise as the project goes ahead.
The app was successfully launched, but there are no results available yet due to the effects of the global pandemic. Overall, the team delivered the app on time and the client has been pleased with the outcome.