“It worked in the demo. The first real user broke it in 20 minutes.”
We find the auth gaps, rate-limit holes, and session weaknesses before the second user arrives.
Vibe Rescue · Production hardening · 14 days
You got it working.We get it production-ready.
Send the repo. We come back in writing within 48 hours, exactly what breaks, exactly what it costs to fix. Free, either way.
01What we find
Every vibe-coded app breaks in the same places. This is what we found in a recent intake.
INTAKE #4127SAMPLE TICKET · LAST MON 09:42
WHAT WE FOUNDHOW BADFIX TIME
✗Logins are too easy to break intobcrypt r=4 · no session expiry · no rate limitmust fix2d
✗Your data setup isn't tracked anywheredrift local↔prod · no migrations foldermust fix2d
✗Your OpenAI key is exposed in your codeOPENAI_KEY committed · ref 8a4cf9must fix1d
⚠AI costs have no ceiling, one bad day equals $500no rate limit on /api/chat · $84 spike 04/29should fix1d
⚠Errors only surface when users complainconsole.log only · no Sentry · no alertsshould fix2d
✓Look and feel, we keep itTailwind + shadcn · clean component treefine—
✓How users move around the app, fine as-isrouting + data fetching cleanfine—
14 days · we fix what's flimsy · ship it to your domain · hand back the keys3 must-fix · 2 should-fix · design & flow kept · you own everything
$4,800flat · all-in
02Where founders land
If any of these sound familiar, send the repo.
“I asked for one more feature and everything else stopped working.”
We stabilize the foundation so you can keep building without the whole thing moving under you.
“My OpenAI bill spiked $400 overnight. There was no ceiling on it.”
We put the ceiling on. You get an alert the next time anything unusual happens, before the bill does.
“A developer told me I'd have to start over. I don't believe them.”
You are probably right not to. We have rescued apps that looked terminal. Your screens almost always survive.
Recognize one of these? Send the repo. We come back before you follow up.
03How it works
How it works. No calls, no theater, no waiting.
No discovery calls. No statement of work theater. Send the repo, get a written intake and a flat number within two business days. If the quote works, we start the day you say go. If it does not, you keep the audit.
01
Send the repoTwo business days · free
Share a GitHub link or zip the project and email it. We review the seven surfaces that break vibe-coded apps and come back with a written intake and a flat number, inside two business days. No call required. You keep the audit whether you move forward or not.
02
We harden a copy8-10 days
A senior team works on a copy of your project. Your live app stays untouched the entire time. We fix what breaks, harden what holds, and leave the rest alone. Daily updates over whatever channel you prefer, Slack, Discord, email, or a shared workspace.
03
Ship it for real2-3 days
Your domain, SSL, backups, rollback, spend ceilings, alerts, and the full Cardinal operating stack wired in. We do a screen-share walkthrough at handoff so you know where every setting lives and what it does. Nothing handed over and explained later.
04
Hand back the keysDay 14
You own everything: the code, the deploy, the data, the bill. We hand over a written runbook and 30 days of free fixes for anything that surfaces. After day 30, most clients move into a Cardinal retainer. Some take the keys and run entirely. Both are fine. We built it to last either way.
04Pricing
One offer. $4,800 flat. All-in.
Vibe Rescue · $4,800 · flat · all-in · 14 days
Free written audit before you commit. If we look at the app and it does not need a rescue, you keep the audit at no cost. We have turned projects away whose code was cleaner than the fix would justify.
If you move forward: hardened production deploy on your own domain, the full Cardinal operating stack wired up, 30 days of free fixes after handoff, and a written runbook so you can run it without us.
No hourly billing. No scope creep. One flat number, agreed in writing before we touch a line of code.
14 days, not 30. Senior engineering, not a junior queue.
Not sure if your app needs a full Vibe Rescue?
If you built a smaller personal or SMB app and just need bugs fixed, hosting sorted, or help getting it live, Ship Check might be the right fit first.
Ship Check · From $497 · Flat fee · Built for hobby and SMB vibe-coders
See Ship Check05Questions
The questions rescue buyers actually ask.
Will you rewrite my whole app on a Vibe Rescue?
No. Vibe Rescue touches what is broken and leaves what is working. The fixes are in the parts users do not see: logins, data layers, secret management, cost ceilings, error monitoring, deployment pipeline. Your screens almost always survive intact.
What if my app turns out to be fine?
You get a written audit at no cost and a clear picture of where your app stands. We have turned away projects whose code was cleaner than the fix would justify. The audit is free regardless of which direction it points.
Can I keep editing in Lovable, Bolt, Cursor, or Claude Code after a Vibe Rescue?
Yes. We work on a copy of your project and merge our changes back. Your editor keeps working. We do not introduce anything that locks you out.
More questions about how Cardinal works? See the full FAQ
Send the repo
Free audit back in 48 hours. No call required.
Or email hello@cardinalstacks.com directly. We read every intake ourselves.