Frequently asked questions
Every question we get about SimpleApps, our products and our client services, in one place. Can't find what you're looking for? Ask us directly.
General FAQ
What services does SimpleApps provide?
SimpleApps provides custom software development, web applications, business process automation, and purpose-built SaaS applications. We design, build, and host custom digital solutions for businesses in South Africa and globally.
How much does custom software development cost with SimpleApps?
SimpleApps offers custom software development and business automation at competitive South African rates, providing high-quality custom engineering without Silicon Valley prices. Pricing is tailored to business size and project scope.
Does SimpleApps build POPIA-compliant software?
Yes, all software, web applications, and SaaS platforms built by SimpleApps are designed to be POPIA-conscious, ensuring customer and business data remains secure, protected, and compliant with South Africa's privacy regulations.
Can SimpleApps automate existing business workflows?
Yes, SimpleApps specializes in business process automation. We integrate existing software systems, automate customer updates via WhatsApp and email, automate report generation, and streamline internal forms to eliminate repetitive admin work.
Where is SimpleApps located, and which regions do you serve?
SimpleApps is based in South Africa and serves businesses across South Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand with local support and cloud software solutions.
Our products
Shepherdly FAQ
Can my existing members be imported?
Yes, contact Shepherdly and they will import your members for free on signup. Terms and conditions apply.
What counts as an active member?
An active member is anyone in your member directory. You can archive members who have left without losing their history.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes, cancel anytime with no penalties. Your data is always yours and can be exported at any time.
8tend FAQ
Who pays for 8tend?
You choose: parents/members can pay R29/month per child, or the organisation can pay from R599/month (up to 25 included) and make it free for parents.
Do parents need to install an app?
No, every organisation gets a branded public page with a one-tap join button, no login or app store download required.
How fast is attendance marking?
One tap, about two seconds per child, with bulk-marking for a whole group and exceptions handled afterwards.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, every organisation gets a 14-day free trial with no credit card required to start.
Loyalty FAQ
Do customers need to install an app?
No, customers scan a QR code at the till and join in the browser in under 10 seconds, nothing to download.
What reward types can I run?
The classic stamp/punch card, a spin-to-win scan-to-win game, or both at the same time.
How much does it cost?
From R99/month, priced by member count, with the bill capped at R899/month regardless of how many members you have. There is a 14-day free trial with no card required.
Do I need special hardware?
No plastic cards or point-of-sale hardware are needed. Everything runs from a QR code and the customer's own phone.
Learners FAQ
What is the CLLT?
The CLLT (computerised learner's licence test) is South Africa's new computer-based learner's licence exam, replacing the old paper test.
How much does SimpleApps Learners cost?
Free for the first 7 days, then R50/month for the next 3 months, and R99/month thereafter.
Do the questions repeat?
No, every practice session and mock exam randomises questions and answer order, so you can't rely on memorised positions like you might with a static question bank.
Does it explain wrong answers?
Yes, right or wrong, every answer comes with an explanation of why the correct option is correct.
SimpleApps Forms FAQ
How much does SimpleApps Forms cost?
R99/month, free for the first 14 days, with up to 1,500 submissions per month included.
Do respondents need an account?
No, no app to install and no account for respondents. Share a link or QR code and it fills in on any phone.
Is the signature a real signature or a checkbox?
A real, legible, timestamped signature captured as an image on the respondent's own phone. Not a checkbox that says "I agree".
Is it POPIA-compliant?
Every submission automatically captures consent, IP address, device and timestamp, giving you a POPIA-ready consent trail.
SimpleApps Studio FAQ
How much does SimpleApps Studio cost?
R299/month, free for the first 14 days, covering the whole platform with no tiers or per-feature fees, up to 1,500 form submissions per month.
Do members need to install an app or create an account?
No login is required to sign a waiver, view the schedule, or make a booking. A studio can also offer its own branded, installable web app for members.
Can clients book a class themselves?
Yes, if the studio turns on Bookings. Clients can then reserve a seat in a specific upcoming class from the public studio page, with an automatic waitlist once it is full.
Is SimpleApps Studio POPIA compliant?
Every form submission automatically captures a consent trail (a consent checkbox, timestamp, IP address and device details), covering the record-keeping most POPIA-related processes need.
Our services
Website Development FAQ
Do you only build marketing sites, or web applications too?
This service covers marketing and business websites. For a site with logins, accounts, a database and its own backend logic, see our Web Application Development service instead.
How much does a website cost?
A basic 5-page business website starts from R5,000 once-off, and an e-commerce site starts from R20,000. Exact scope changes the number, so get in touch with what you need and we'll give you a clear, fixed quote up front.
Do you handle hosting?
Yes, hosting and ongoing maintenance are included, so you don't need your own server or an in-house developer to keep the site running.
Can you show examples of what you build?
Yes, Shepherdly, 8tend, Loyalty, NeighbourHub, SimpleApps Learners, SimpleApps Forms and SimpleApps Studio are all live products we designed, built and host, and are the best evidence of our standard of work.
Can you fix or take over a website someone else built?
Yes. If your current site is slow, broken, outdated, or you have lost touch with whoever built it, we can take it over, fix the issues and keep it running. You do not need to start from scratch with a brand new build.
Web Application Development FAQ
What's the difference between this and Website Development?
Website Development covers marketing and business websites. Web Application Development is for browser-based applications with logins, accounts, a database and backend logic, closer to a piece of software than a website.
Can you build a SaaS product for us?
Yes, this is exactly the kind of work behind SimpleApps' own products (Shepherdly, 8tend, Loyalty, Learners, Forms and Studio), and we build the same way for clients.
How much does a custom web application cost?
Web applications start from R50,000, depending on scope. Tell us what you need and we'll give you a clear, fixed quote up front.
Do you host it once it's built?
Yes, hosting, monitoring and ongoing support are included, so you get a running application, not just handed-over source code.
SEO, GEO & AEO FAQ
What is GEO?
GEO (generative engine optimisation) is optimising your content so AI-generated answers, like Google's AI Overviews, can accurately understand, quote and cite your business.
What is AEO?
AEO (answer engine optimisation) is optimising specifically for AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity, so they can find, understand and recommend your business when someone asks a question.
Is traditional SEO still relevant?
Yes, Google search rankings still matter and often feed the same AI Overviews. GEO and AEO extend SEO rather than replace it, so we do all three together.
How is this different from a generic SEO agency?
We built our own audit tool rather than reselling a third-party dashboard, so the checks, the scoring and the fixes are all things we can actually explain and change, not a black-box report.
How much does this cost?
A report-only audit starts from R3,500 once-off. Add ready-to-use rewritten fixes from R7,500. Having us implement and deploy everything is quoted per project. Ongoing SEO/GEO/AEO work starts from R3,500/month.
Do you need access to our code to run the audit?
No, just your website address. The audit is entirely external: crawling, a headless browser, and Google's own APIs.
Do you only do this for SimpleApps' own products?
No, this is a service SimpleApps offers to any business, anywhere, that wants to be found in Google, Google AI Overviews, and AI assistants.
Business Process Automation FAQ
What kind of tasks can be automated?
Anything repetitive and rule-based: sending confirmations, syncing data between tools, generating documents, routing form submissions, scheduled reminders, and more.
What platform do you build on?
We build on an n8n-based automation platform, the same one running the backend of every live SimpleApps product (Shepherdly, 8tend, Loyalty, Studio and others).
Can automations send WhatsApp messages?
Yes, WhatsApp, email and SMS notifications are common automation building blocks we use across our own products and client work.
Does this replace my existing software?
Not usually, automation typically connects the tools you already use rather than replacing them, so you keep what works and remove the manual glue between systems.
Custom Software Development FAQ
What kind of software do you build?
Anything from a focused internal tool to a full customer-facing web or mobile-friendly application, with real accounts, a real database, and integrations with the tools you already use.
Do you host it once it's built?
Yes, hosting, monitoring and ongoing support are included, so you get a running product, not just handed-over source code.
How do you prove you can deliver?
We run our own products the same way: Shepherdly, 8tend, Loyalty, NeighbourHub, SimpleApps Learners, SimpleApps Forms and SimpleApps Studio are all live, in production, serving real businesses today.
How much does custom software cost?
It depends entirely on scope, so we quote per project. Tell us what you need and we'll give you a clear, fixed quote up front.
Website Subscription FAQ
How much does it cost?
R499/month, which includes the website build, a .co.za domain, hosting and basic ongoing support.
Is the domain included?
Yes, a .co.za domain is included at no extra cost. Already own a domain? We'll connect it instead.
How many pages do I get?
Up to 5 pages is included in the standard plan. Need more? Just ask, and we'll quote the difference.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes, it's billed month-to-month with no lock-in contract.