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.
Ranges
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 across all departments | €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 |
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.
A worked example
A manufacturer with 120 employees wants to move its capacity planning out of Excel: five departments, one ERP integration.
| 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 |
| Total. The €4,000 for the analysis is credited, so already included. | €27,000 |
| Operations and maintenance | €350 / month |
Made-up example of a typical size, not an offer.
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 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.