Guide · Civil Code and Copyright Law

How to choose a development company in Kazakhstan

Choose a studio by what you can check: shipped work, who builds your product, the price model, the rights to the code, the warranty and the process. There is no ranking here, since we are one of the companies you are comparing. Instead you get the contract points that follow from Kazakhstan’s Civil Code and Copyright Law.

Checked on adilet.zan.kz on 15.11.2026

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Updated 15 November 2026

Important

Pazl is one of the companies you are comparing

So this page does not rank or rate anyone, us included. Ask every studio the same list of questions, and ask us too.

Breakdown

Six criteria

In the order they usually decide a project.

Work you can checkLive products or case studies with what was built, not only screenshots.

Who builds itThe people on your project, where they work and which language you speak with them.

Price modelA fixed price per scope or an hourly rate, and what happens when the scope changes.

OwnershipCode in your repository, accounts in your company’s name, data in your systems.

After launchA written warranty and a support offer with response times.

ProcessInterim versions you can click through, a single contact person and decisions in writing.

What the law says

Rules worth knowing before you sign. Most apply unless the contract says otherwise.

A written contract
Business transactions are made in writing, on paper or electronically, and can be signed with a digital signature (Civil Code, General Part, art. 152 para. 1, 1-1 and 2).[1]
Dates and price
A contract for work states the start and end dates, optionally interim ones (art. 620 para. 1), and the price or how it is determined. Unless the contract says otherwise, the price is deemed firm (art. 621 para. 1 and 2).[2]
Acceptance
Defects found at acceptance must be noted in the acceptance certificate, or you cannot rely on them later. Hidden defects are reported within a reasonable time, and no later than one year from acceptance unless the law or the contract sets a longer warranty period (art. 630 para. 2-5).[2]
Warranty and defects
If the contract gives a warranty, the result must meet the requirements throughout the warranty period, which runs from acceptance (art. 633, 634). If there are defects, the client may demand that they are fixed free of charge within a reasonable time, or a lower price (art. 635 para. 1).[2]
Confidentiality
A party that receives information about the other side’s technical solutions or trade secrets may not pass it to third parties without consent (art. 638).[2]
Rights to the code
A computer program is protected by copyright (art. 7 para. 1). Rights not expressly transferred by the contract are deemed not transferred, and transferred rights are deemed non-exclusive unless the contract expressly says otherwise (art. 31 para. 4, art. 32 para. 4). The contract is made in writing (art. 32 para. 11).[3]
Code written by studio staff
Economic rights to code written as a work assignment belong to the employer unless the contract with the author says otherwise (art. 14 para. 2). So it is the studio that transfers the rights to you, under its contract with you.[3]
Invoices
A contractor that pays VAT issues an invoice when selling works and services, in electronic form (Tax Code, art. 491 para. 1, art. 492 para. 1). A sole proprietor on the simplified declaration is also on the list of those who issue one (art. 208 para. 1 subpara. 7).[4]
Data in Kazakhstan
Personal data is stored in a database or digital object located in Kazakhstan. The rule applies to the owner, the operator and third parties (Law No. 94-V, art. 12 para. 2).[5]

Checklist

What to put in the contract

Points that prevent most disputes. Have a lawyer check the contract text.

PartiesA local company, a sole proprietor or a foreign company; the BIN or IIN for Kazakhstan parties; who signs.
Scope of workScreens, features, integrations and what is out of scope. Easiest as an annex to the contract.
Price and paymentA firm price or how it is calculated, payment stages, an advance if there is one, and the paperwork: an acceptance certificate and an invoice if the contractor issues one.
DatesStart, end and interim stages, and how they can change.
AcceptanceWho accepts each stage, how and within what time, and how comments go into the certificate.
Rights to code and designTransfer of exclusive rights, ways of use, term and territory. The code and access are handed to you.
WarrantyIts term, when it starts, what it covers and how fast defects are fixed.
Data and serverWhere the database lives, whose name the server and domain are in, and how access is handed over if you part ways.

Step by step

How to choose in four steps

An order that saves time on both sides.

A short brief
What the product does, for whom, and which systems it links to: 1C, Kaspi, a CRM, the ESF system.
Two or three companies
The same brief and the same list of questions for each.
Written proposals
Scope, price, dates, warranty and code rights: compare the points, not just the total.
Contract and first stage
Sign the contract, accept the first stage with a certificate, then follow the plan.

Breakdown

Red flags

Reasons to ask questions before you sign.

No written scopeA price is named, but what it includes is not written down.

Code and server with the contractorThe repository, domain and hosting are in the contractor’s name, and the contract says nothing about transferring rights.

The full amount up frontFull prepayment with no stages and no acceptance of the result.

Contract laterWork starts over chat, and the contract and certificate are promised for later.

No warrantyDefects after launch are fixed only for an extra fee.

Data abroadYou are offered a foreign server for your customer database, although the law requires personal data to be stored in Kazakhstan.

Comparison

How Pazl answers the same questions

Our own answers, to check against the others.

How Pazl answers the same questions	What to ask for	Pazl
Price model	A fixed price per scope, in writing	The price is fixed in the contract
Ownership	Code, accounts and data in your name	We hand the code and access over to you
After launch	A written warranty	Six months on the delivered scope, then optional support
First release	A date in the contract	In a few weeks, with the date in the contract
Work you can check	Cases with what was built	Client projects with names and links
Who signs	Where the company is registered	The Pazl legal entity; details in the contract and on the contact page

Checked on 15 November 2026

This is not legal advice. Laws change: before launch, check the current version on adilet.zan.kz and talk to a lawyer or accountant.

Questions

Short and to the point.

Why is there no ranking of studios here?

Because we compete with them and have no checked data to rate them fairly. A ranking from a competitor would not be worth reading.

Is a big studio safer than a small one?

Not by default. A small team with a written scope, a fixed price and a warranty can carry less risk than a large one billing by the day.

Who owns the code if the contract says nothing about it?

Rights not expressly transferred by the contract are deemed not transferred (Copyright Law, art. 32 para. 4), and rights to code written by studio staff belong to the studio as the employer (art. 14 para. 2). That is why the transfer of rights is spelled out in the contract.

Can we sign with a foreign company?

Yes, but the paperwork and taxes on payment will differ from working with a Kazakhstan company or sole proprietor. Ask your accountant how to handle the payment.

What does development at Pazl cost?

We name the price after the brief and fix it in the contract. Starting prices for each type of work are on our service pages.

Add us to your shortlist

Send your brief, and we reply with scope, price and a date so you have something to compare.

Your selectionCustom developmentPrice after a brief

The team gets your request; we reply during business hours.Price fixed in the contract before you pay.No calls unless you ask.

Prefer chat? Use WhatsAppYour selection is already in the message Prefer email? Write to ushello@pazl.ai