How TakeoverWork works

TakeoverWork is built around one kind of project: software that has already started and now needs someone to finish it. Owners post their project for free, developers and agencies who do rescue work get in touch, and the two sides agree everything else directly.

The four steps

1. Post (free, already started)

Describe your project in a short guided form: what it is built with, what works today, what is broken or blocked, and what still needs to be done. Add your repository status, a live link and screenshots if you have them. Budget and deadline are optional.

The one rule: the work must have already started. There must be existing code, a no-code build, a site or an app to take over.

2. Get interest (structured notes)

Developers and agencies who find your project send an interest note. It is structured, so every note answers the same questions: how they would start, relevant experience, availability, and a rough effort band, or "need to review the code first". Notes never include a price, and there is no bidding.

3. Talk (on-platform messages)

Reply to the notes that look promising, ask questions and message on the platform. Contact details typed into messages are hidden until one side requests them and the other approves. Passwords and keys are blocked if someone tries to send them.

4. Hand over (you agree terms and payment directly)

When you find the right person, agree the scope, milestones, price and payment method directly with them. TakeoverWork never touches project money. Give access through collaborator invites, not passwords, and mark the project as continued when the work starts.

For project owners

• Write a clear listing. Specific details get better replies. The guide on writing a takeover listing that gets responses shows what to include, and the AI Takeover Listing Writer can turn rough notes into a draft.
• Compare notes side by side. Your dashboard lists every interest note with its approach, experience, availability and effort band. Mark ones that are not relevant.
• Stay in control of contact. You decide whether to approve a contact request.
• Limit the flood. A listing pauses new interest after a set number of notes, and you can reopen it.
• Close the loop. When you close a listing, tell us whether you continued with someone you met here. You can then leave an interaction review.
• Before you hand anything over, read our safety advice and the handover guide.

Post your takeover — it is free and takes a few minutes.

For developers and agencies

• Find takeover work. Search open takeovers by category, tools used, completion estimate, budget, repository status, time zone and more.
• Get alerts. Save a search and get a daily digest or instant alerts when a matching project is posted.
• Send a structured note. Explain your approach and experience. There is no price field and no bidding, so the strongest note wins on substance.
• Build a clear profile. Show your rescue specialties, skills, portfolio and links. Connect GitHub for the GitHub connected badge.
• Free during launch. Sending interest is free while the marketplace is new.

More detail is on the for developers page.

What TakeoverWork does not do

• We do not employ, supply or supervise developers.
• We do not check anyone's skills, and we make no promise about the results of any project.
• We do not set prices, hold money, take commissions on projects or resolve payment disputes.
• We do not list projects that have not started, or anything on the prohibited list.