Process complexity
How many roles, steps, exceptions and approvals the software has to model. Messy processes cost more to build — and are exactly where off-the-shelf tools fail.
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Software cost guide
How much does
custom software cost?
Custom software is priced by scope, integrations and risk — not by a list. Here is how to estimate it, how to compare it against a SaaS subscription over three years, and what our own fixed prices look like.
What drives the price
The cost drivers,
in order
Integrations
Accounting, ERP, CRM, e-commerce, email. Good APIs make integrations predictable; legacy systems without them make them expensive.
Data migration
Moving years of spreadsheets or an old system's data, cleaned and checked. Often underestimated.
Users and devices
Office only, or field staff on phones, offline, in several languages.
Security and compliance
Roles, audit logs, encryption, HIPAA-conscious hosting where health data is involved.
Who builds it
Rates differ greatly between onshore agencies, offshore teams and European studios like ours.
Buy vs build
The three-year
math
Compare total cost over three years, not the first invoice. A SaaS tool at a per-seat price, multiplied by users and years, plus the hours your team loses working around the parts that do not fit, is the real number.
If a SaaS product fits ninety percent of your process, buy it — and integrate it. If it fits sixty percent, the missing forty is where the hours go, and custom software built in stages usually pays back within the first year or two.
The middle path is common and often best: keep the platform, build the missing module, interface or integration around it.
Our prices
What it costs
with us
Custom business software starts from €1,500 for a focused first stage. A typical internal tool or portal lands in the low five figures in euros across its stages; a large ERP-style system more.
Every stage has a fixed price in writing and delivers something usable on its own. You can stop after any stage and keep everything built so far.
Web apps start at €50 a month or €750 one-off for ready-made solutions. There is no per-seat license: the code is yours.
FAQ
Quick answers.
How much does custom software cost for a small business?
A focused tool starts from €1,500 with us; most small-business systems land in the low five figures in euros, built in stages.
Is custom software cheaper than SaaS?
Over three years it often is when per-seat fees are high or the SaaS fits poorly. When a SaaS fits well, buying is cheaper.
How long does custom software take?
The first usable stage typically goes live in four to eight weeks.
What are the ongoing costs?
Hosting under your account and optional maintenance. No license fees to us.
Want a real number for your project?
Thirty minutes on a call: we look at what you need and give you a fixed price in writing, with no obligation.
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