risk
Auth leaks
Users can access data that does not belong to them.
AI app launch readiness
Your AI-built app is demo-ready. We make it launch-ready.
Charcoal Labs helps founders harden AI-built apps before launch - auth, database, payments, APIs, LLM costs, observability, deployment, and production risks.
Built for founders using Cursor, Lovable, Bolt, Replit, v0, Claude Code, Supabase, Firebase, Stripe, Razorpay, OpenAI, and modern AI coding tools.
launch-readiness.report
Production risk scorecard
Auth
Needs reviewPayments
Webhook riskDatabase
Missing indexesLLM cost controls
Not configuredObservability
Missing alertsLaunch score
62
/100
Next fixes
- 1. Add webhook idempotency and replay logging
- 2. Review tenant-level ownership checks
- 3. Cap LLM spend per account before launch
The launch gap
AI tools help you build fast. They do not guarantee production readiness.
AI coding tools are excellent at generating screens, flows, APIs, and prototypes. But production apps fail in boring places: permissions, webhooks, database rules, rate limits, background jobs, secrets, logs, retries, and cost controls.
risk
Payment bugs
Stripe or Razorpay webhooks fail silently or process twice.
risk
Database chaos
Missing indexes, weak migrations, unsafe schema decisions.
risk
LLM cost explosions
Every user action calls expensive models without limits.
risk
No observability
Errors happen, but nobody knows until customers complain.
risk
Fragile deployment
No staging, rollback plan, smoke tests, or incident process.
Built for founders shipping with AI coding tools.
This is for the moment after the demo works and before real customers, real payments, and real production incidents arrive.
Founder with an AI-built MVP
You used Cursor, Lovable, Bolt, Replit, v0, or Claude Code to build fast. Now you need to know what is unsafe before real users arrive.
Small SaaS team
Your product works, but launch risks are scattered across auth, payments, database, APIs, and AI usage.
Agency shipping AI MVPs
You build client apps quickly, but need a repeatable launch-readiness system before handoff.
Technical founder moving fast
You can build, but you want a second brain/checklist for production risks before launch.
The AI App Launch Guard System
A practical production-readiness system for AI-built apps.
Free
Free AI App Launch Checklist
A founder-friendly checklist covering the most common production risks in AI-built apps.
Download Free Checklist$49
Launch Checklist Pro
A 150-point launch-readiness checklist with scoring, priority matrix, and issue tracker.
Get Checklist Pro$199
VibeCode to Production Kit
Templates, code patterns, SOPs, and checklists for auth, payments, database, LLM cost controls, API safety, observability, and deployment.
View Production Kit$399
AI App Risk Report
Submit your stack and repo details. Get a production-readiness report with risk score, critical issues, and top fixes.
Run an AuditStarts at $3,000
AI App Rescue Sprint
Limited human-reviewed sprint for founders who need hands-on hardening before launch.
Apply for SprintWhat we check before you launch
The checklist is intentionally boring: the work real products need when demo traffic turns into production usage.
check
Auth & permissions
Ownership checks, admin routes, RBAC, tenant isolation, session handling, OAuth edge cases.
check
Database & migrations
Schema risks, indexes, migrations, backups, soft deletes, data consistency.
check
Payments
Stripe/Razorpay webhooks, idempotency, retries, failed payments, refunds, subscription state.
check
APIs
Validation, rate limits, pagination, CORS, file uploads, unsafe endpoints.
check
LLM usage
Per-user cost tracking, prompt versioning, fallback models, abuse limits, budget caps.
check
Observability
Error tracking, structured logs, alerts, slow queries, launch dashboards.
check
Deployment
Environment separation, secrets, rollback plan, smoke tests, release checklist.
check
Incident readiness
What happens when payments fail, AI calls timeout, jobs retry, or the database slows down.
Backend adult supervision for AI-built apps.
Charcoal Labs is built for one specific moment: when a founder has moved fast with AI and now needs production discipline before launch.
An IIT Alumni Initiative
- Backend and product engineering experience.
- Payment systems experience.
- API and database-heavy systems.
- AI/LLM workflow experience.
- Operational thinking, not just UI generation.
- Focus on reusable launch systems, not endless consulting.
From prototype to launch-ready in three steps
01
Score the app
Use the free checklist or submit your app for a production-readiness report.
02
Fix the critical risks
Follow the Production Kit or use the Rescue Sprint for hands-on help.
03
Launch with guardrails
Add observability, cost controls, rollback plans, and incident checklists before real users arrive.
Resources for launch risk checks
Start with the free checklist, then use stack-specific checks when the risk is real.
Start with a checklist. Upgrade when the risk is real.
The funnel starts without a call. Choose the level of evidence and help your launch needs.
Free Checklist
Free
Best for: Curious founders
- Basic launch-readiness checklist
- Auth, database, payments, API, LLM, deployment checks
Checklist Pro
$49
Best for: Solo builders
- 150-point checklist
- Scoring sheet
- Priority matrix
- Issue tracker
Production Kit
$199
Best for: Serious founders
- Templates
- Code patterns
- SOPs
- Fix recipes
- Launch scorecard
Risk Report
$399
Best for: Pre-launch teams
- App risk score
- Production-readiness report
- Critical issues
- Top fix roadmap
Rescue Sprint
From $3,000
Best for: Urgent launches
- Human-reviewed audit
- Hands-on hardening
- Launch support
Get the free AI App Launch Checklist
A practical checklist for founders building with AI coding tools. See what to check before launch across auth, database, payments, APIs, LLM costs, deployment, and monitoring.
FAQ
Clear answers before you share code, buy a kit, or request a report.
Is this only for AI apps?+
It is built mainly for AI-built apps and SaaS prototypes, especially products created quickly with AI coding tools. Many checks also apply to normal web apps.
Do you build the app from scratch?+
The main focus is launch readiness, hardening, and production systems. Custom builds are considered only when the scope is clear.
Do I need to share my code?+
For the checklist and Production Kit, no. For a Risk Report or Rescue Sprint, you may share repo access, a zip, architecture notes, or a structured onboarding form.
Can non-technical founders use this?+
Yes. The checklist and reports are written to be founder-friendly. The Production Kit includes technical templates for your developer or AI coding tool to apply.
Which stacks do you support?+
Common stacks include Next.js, Node.js, Python, Django, FastAPI, Supabase, Firebase, Postgres, MySQL, Stripe, Razorpay, OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, and similar systems.
Is this a security audit?+
It is a production-readiness audit, not a formal compliance/security certification. It focuses on practical launch risks: data access, payments, APIs, LLM costs, reliability, deployment, and observability.
How fast can I get a report?+
Reports are delivered within 48-72 hours.
What happens after the report?+
You get a prioritized fix roadmap. You can fix it yourself, use the Production Kit, or apply for a limited Rescue Sprint.
Launch fast. But do not launch blind.
Before real users touch your AI-built app, check the boring systems that decide whether it survives production.