Every week spent figuring out how to start is a week your idea isn't in front of real customers. Here's what going it alone, hiring a consultant, or using Surdio actually costs — in time, money, and the ideas you don't get to test.
| Do it yourself | Hire a consultant | Surdio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to market-ready | 3–5 months, often longer | 2–3 months, but depends on their schedule | 3–4 weeks of focused work |
| Cost | Free upfront, but high risk of stalling out | ₹1,60,000–3,10,000 across the journey | $99 for the full journey |
| What you manage | Every research method, framework, and decision alone | Multiple vendors, calls, revisions | One guided process, at your own pace |
Consultant cost ranges are illustrative India-market estimates in ₹, not benchmarked quotes.
| Doing it alone | With a consultant | With Surdio | |
|---|---|---|---|
Brainstorm | 2–3 weeks of scattered research and second-guessing | ₹15,000–25,000 for a discovery workshop | Free, guided in a single sitting |
Understand | 3–4 weeks of interviews and market sizing, often skipped under time pressure | ₹40,000–75,000, 2–3 weeks | Structured validation in days, not weeks |
Innovate | 2–4 weeks cycling through ideas with no outside challenge | ₹30,000–60,000, 1–2 weeks | A sharpened concept, pressure-tested fast |
Launch | 4–6 weeks piecing together a GTM plan solo | ₹75,000–1,50,000, 3–4 weeks | A launch-ready plan in about a week |
Develop | Open-ended — most first-time founders stall here | ₹1,00,000+ or equity for an advisor, ongoing | A structured roadmap that keeps you moving |
Same outcome, a fraction of the cost, and none of the stalling.
Consultant cost ranges are illustrative India-market estimates in ₹, not benchmarked quotes.
Pay only for the phases you actually reach — or unlock the whole journey at once and save.
Phase 1 · Brainstorm
Phase 2 onward
All 5 phases
Phases only unlock in order — you can't skip ahead. Additional idea slots are available in-app once you're working on an idea.
Straight answers about pricing, phases, and how billing actually works.
Start freeEach phase builds on the one before it — Understand needs the groundwork from Brainstorm, Launch needs the clarity from Innovate. Phases unlock in order so the guidance actually applies to where you are.