# High Sierra Technology

> Custom web development, mobile applications, and digital strategy for businesses ready to grow.

High Sierra Technology builds custom websites, web apps, and iOS apps for small businesses and nonprofits across California and Nevada.

Founded 2021. Built and maintained by John Fansler, Founder & Lead Developer. Projects are quoted from a written scope at a fixed price; clients own the domain, hosting, content, and source code.

## Core pages

- [Home](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/): Services, project process, pricing model, comparison with template platforms, and FAQ.
- [About](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/about): The studio, the founder, working commitments, and project history.
- [Portfolio](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/portfolio): Selected client projects with summaries and live links.
- [Contact](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/contact): Project inquiries and general questions.
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/privacy): How we collect, use, and protect data.
- [Terms of Service](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/terms): Scope, payment, ownership, and liability terms.

## Services

- **Custom website design**: Hand-built marketing sites on Next.js and React — fast, accessible, and owned outright by you, with no page-builder lock-in.
- **Web application development**: Client portals, dashboards, booking flows, and billing built on Postgres and Stripe, with real authentication and audit trails.
- **iOS and Apple Watch apps**: Native Swift apps taken from concept through App Store review, including on-device and peer-to-peer features that work offline.
- **Performance and SEO engineering**: Core Web Vitals work, structured data, and answer-engine optimization so both Google and AI assistants can read your site.
- **Ongoing support and hosting**: Monthly retainers covering updates, monitoring, content changes, and a client portal for files, invoices, and messages.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does High Sierra Technology do?

High Sierra Technology is a two-person-scale custom software studio that designs and builds websites, web applications, and iOS apps. You work directly with the developer writing your code — there is no account manager layer between you and the person shipping the work.

### How much does a custom website cost?

Every project is quoted per scope rather than sold from a fixed price list, because a five-page marketing site and a client portal with Stripe billing are very different builds. You get a written scope and a fixed quote before any work starts, so there are no hourly surprises.

### How long does a project take?

A focused marketing site typically runs three to six weeks from kickoff to launch. Web applications and iOS apps run longer because of database design, payment integration, and App Store review. You get a milestone schedule at the start and a staging link you can check at any point.

### Do I own the code and the domain?

Yes. You own your domain, your hosting account, your content, and the source code. Nothing is locked to a proprietary page builder, so you can move the project to another developer at any time without a rebuild.

### Why should I choose a custom site over Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress?

Templates win on speed and up-front cost, and for a simple brochure site they are a reasonable choice. Custom wins when you need something the template cannot do — a portal, a booking system, an unusual integration — or when page weight and Core Web Vitals matter to your search rankings.

### Do you work with clients outside California and Nevada?

Yes. Most of the work happens remotely over email, video calls, and a shared client portal, so location is rarely a constraint. Existing clients are concentrated in the Eastern Sierra and Northern Nevada simply because that is where the studio started.

### How do I start a project?

Send a note through the contact form describing what you need and roughly when you need it. You get a reply with clarifying questions, then a written scope and quote. Nothing is billed until you approve that scope.

## Blog

Practical articles for business owners and other developers about building, shipping, and operating web software.

- [Custom vs. Template Website: Which One is Right for Your Business?](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/blog/custom-vs-template-website): When a Squarespace template is the right call, when it isn't, and the hidden costs of each choice. A frank guide for small business owners deciding how to invest in their website.
- [How to Choose a Web Developer for Your Business](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-web-developer): A practical checklist for non-technical founders evaluating web developers — what to ask, what to ignore, and how to spot the difference between a portfolio and a process.

## Optional

- [RSS feed](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/feed.xml)
- [Machine-readable site summary](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/ai/summary.json)
- [Machine-readable FAQ](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/ai/faq.json)
- [ai.txt usage policy](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/.well-known/ai.txt)
- [XML sitemap](https://www.highsierratechnology.com/sitemap.xml)