What does custom software cost?
The honest answer is: it depends. Because that alone doesn't help you, we give real ranges from our projects here and show what drives the price.
You will be speaking with Ing. Thomas Grafenau, BSc MSc. He leads the intro call and builds your software.
14 years of software development for mid-sized companies
What it costs to have software built
All amounts net, for companies with 50+ employees.
| Scope | Typical example | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Analysis 1 to 2 weeks | Requirements based on real examples, a first prototype, a binding offer. The fee is fully credited. | €3,000 – 6,000 |
| Small business application one process, one department | Replacing an Excel list, an approval workflow, a planning board for one team | €10,000 – 30,000 |
| System for several departments roles, permissions, 1 to 3 integrations | Service tool with field staff, field service planning with a map, capacity planning with shifts, machines and reporting across all plants | €30,000 – 90,000 |
| Company-wide system several sites, ERP integration | Sales, planning, field service and training in one shared software | from €90,000 |
| Operations and maintenance monthly, optional | Hosting, updates, monitoring, dedicated contact. Further development as a fixed allowance. | from €300 / month |
We estimate where your project sits in the intro call, free and without obligation.
What drives the price
Number of processes
Every process the software covers needs logic, an interface and tests. One process costs less than five.
Roles and permissions
Who may see and change what? Several sites, partners or external users make the permissions concept more complex.
Integrations
Connecting ERP, accounting or machines is often the biggest uncertainty. That's why we check it during the analysis on the real system.
Data migration
Old data from Excel or legacy systems has to be cleaned up and migrated. It sounds small and rarely is.
Mobile use
Should the software also work on phones, in the field or offline?
Operational requirements
Availability, data protection, hosting on premises or in a data centre in Austria.
A worked example
A manufacturer with 120 employees wants to move its capacity planning out of Excel: five departments, one ERP integration. It is a single process, even though five departments use it. That is why the project stays just below the price of a system for several departments.
| Analysis with prototype | €4,000 |
| Stage 1: planning board with daily limits per department | €12,000 |
| Stage 2: import orders automatically from the ERP | €9,000 |
| Stage 3: reports for management | €6,000 |
| Analysis credited | −€4,000 |
| Total | €27,000 |
| Operations and maintenance | €350 / month |
Made-up example of a typical size, not an offer.
We clarify roughly what your project costs in the intro call.
Why a fixed price, and why only after the analysis
A fixed price before the analysis would have to price every open question as a risk premium. You'd pay for uncertainty that resolves itself within one to two weeks.
That's why we first go through the requirements using real examples from your daily work. Afterwards you get a fixed price per stage that we stick to.
And why is custom software cheaper today than a few years ago? We develop with AI. Parts that used to take days are now built in hours. The time saved goes into alignment, tests and review, exactly the parts that decide whether software holds up in operation.
Frequently asked questions
What does custom software cost for a mid-sized company?
A small business application for one process in one department usually costs 10,000 to 30,000 euros net, a system for several departments with roles, permissions and one to three integrations 30,000 to 90,000 euros. Company-wide systems with several sites and ERP integration start at around 90,000 euros. Operations and maintenance add from 300 euros per month. The price is driven mainly by the number of processes, the permissions concept and the integrations.
Why does the analysis before the project cost money?
Because a fixed price without an analysis would have to price every open question as a risk premium. The analysis takes one to two weeks, costs 3,000 to 6,000 euros net and delivers requirements based on real examples, a first prototype and a binding offer. The fee is fully credited when you commission the project; if there's no usable result, you get it back.
What does an ERP integration cost?
That depends mainly on the ERP: whether it has an API, whether database access is possible or only a regular file exchange. In the made-up worked example above, automatically taking over orders from the ERP costs €9,000. The figure becomes binding after we have checked the real system during the analysis.
What does maintaining custom software cost?
Operations and maintenance start at €300 per month. This includes hosting, updates, monitoring and a dedicated contact. You book further development as a fixed allowance on top.
Why don’t you bill by the hour?
Because with an hourly rate you carry the risk of how long something takes. After the analysis you get a fixed price per stage that we stick to.
Is custom software more expensive than standard software?
Not necessarily, but the calculation has to span several years: licences, customisation effort and vendor dependency versus development and operation. If good standard software covers your process almost completely, we recommend the standard software.
In depth: standard software or custom software?Who owns the source code?
You do. After payment you receive the complete source code including documentation in your own repository. Make sure any software partner confirms this in the contract.
What would your project cost?
In the initial call we estimate the order of magnitude, free and without obligation. You get a binding figure after the analysis.