Custom software costs between $25,000 and $75,000 for a small utility that does a few things well, $150,000 to $500,000 for a complete first release of a new application, $150,000 to $750,000 to modernize or take over a system you already run, and $750,000 to several million for a custom ERP or operations platform. Those are our real ranges, the same ones on our pricing page, and the rest of this post explains what puts a project at the low or high end of each.
Most cost guides give you a range so wide it is useless, then tell you to request a quote. We publish our numbers because a buyer who knows the ballpark before the first call has a better conversation, and because the ranges are honest: a project’s cost is mostly determined by what it has to do, and that is knowable early.
The ranges, by kind of project
| Kind of project | Typical schedule | Typical budget |
|---|---|---|
| Web or mobile utility (one workflow, one or two screens) | 4–8 weeks | $25,000–$75,000 |
| Prototype or demo software | 4–12 weeks | $25,000–$125,000 |
| AI assistant or automation across your systems | 6–12 weeks | $15,000–$150,000 |
| Mobile app that complements an existing web application | 12–26 weeks | $75,000–$250,000 |
| Integration and reporting layer | 8–20 weeks | $100,000–$350,000 |
| Basic new application, rewrite, or first phase of a complex system | 12–32 weeks | $150,000–$500,000 |
| Modernization or takeover of a system you already run | 12–40 weeks | $150,000–$750,000 |
| Customer-facing product or MVP | 17–39 weeks | $250,000–$750,000 |
| Security-conscious or compliance-heavy system | 24–52 weeks | $400,000–$1.5M+ |
| Complex, multi-phase application | 26–78 weeks | $500,000–$3M+ |
| Custom ERP or operations platform | 40–90 weeks | $750,000–$5M+ |
Two things to notice. The schedule and the budget move together, because the cost of software is mostly the cost of the people building it, month by month. And the low end of each range is a complete, working first release, not a stripped-down demo. A “basic” application at $150,000 is deployed, used every day, and built to be expanded.
What moves a project to the high end
Six things, in roughly the order they matter.
- Integrations. Every system the software has to talk to adds work. The older and less documented the system, the more. A tool that stands alone costs a fraction of one that has to read from your ERP, write to your CRM, and sync with a field system.
- User types and workflows. A tool for one team is simple. A platform that serves customers, staff, and partners, each with different screens and permissions, is several tools that have to agree with each other.
- Data quality. If the data is fragmented or wrong, fixing it is part of the project. This is where the real cost usually hides, and it is why we look at the data before we quote.
- Compliance and security. Audit trails, access controls, encryption, and the evidence an examiner asks for add scope on purpose. In a HIPAA, PCI, or SOC 2 system the controls and the testing are a real share of the budget.
- Speed. Moving faster takes more people or more experienced people, and both cost more per month. A deadline is a cost driver.
- How much is already decided. A validated plan shrinks the range. That is what the planning step is for.
Why hourly rates are the wrong number
US senior developers bill between $100 and $300 an hour depending on role, and ours are in that band. Offshore teams advertise a third of that. The rate is still the wrong number to compare, because the invoice is rate multiplied by hours, and the hours are where the difference lives. A senior engineer who has built the thing before, in your time zone, in the room with your operations people, takes fewer hours and makes fewer expensive mistakes. Judge the final invoice, not the hourly rate, and read what the lower offshore rate actually buys before you compare quotes.
How the money works on our projects
We work to a fixed budget with controlled scope. We match the scope to the capital you actually have and hold ourselves to that number. When we learn something mid-project, and we always do, the scope flexes to fit the budget. The budget does not flex to fit the scope. Every week you see the list of what is left and make the calls, and nothing gets cut without you knowing.
When the planning step has produced a scope we both believe in, we fix the price. Larger projects are broken into milestones, each with its own fixed fee. Ongoing development and advisory work is time and materials with a monthly cap. We recommend the model after the Deep Dive rather than asking you to pick one up front. The full explanation, including who carries the risk under each model, is in fixed budget vs. fixed price vs. hourly.
What it costs after launch
Software is never done. Budget for three things after the first release: hosting, support, and the next phase.
- Managed cloud hosting runs $250–$750 per month for lightweight tools, $750–$2,500 per month for business applications in production, and $2,500+ per month for high-activity or compliance-heavy systems, plus the cloud costs at pass-through.
- Maintenance and support is priced as reserved hours, sized to the system: around 100 hours a year for a stable system with occasional fixes, 200 for one that gets regular minor enhancements, 400 for one your business changes often.
- The next phase. The best first releases are built to be expanded, and most clients plan a second phase within the year. What happens after development covers the multi-year budget.
The cheapest way to find out what yours will cost
You do not have to commit to a build to get a real number. Two fixed-fee first steps produce one:
- A System Evaluation, from $3,500, for software you already run. One to four weeks. You get written findings, a prioritized plan, and a fixed proposal for the next step.
- A VDP Sprint (Validation, Design & Planning), from $9,500, for something new. Three to four weeks. You get click-through mockups of the key screens, requirements, a technology recommendation, and a roadmap with the investment for the first release.
Both end with a plan and a cost you can take anywhere, including to another firm. Many clients start there before committing to a build. If you would rather talk it through first, here is how an engagement begins, starting with a 30-minute conversation and no slide deck.