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Custom Software Pricing

What custom software costs with Digital Royalty -- project-based pricing, scoping process, and the factors that drive the final figure.

How Pricing Works

Custom software is priced on a project basis, scoped from your specific requirements. There are no fixed packages because custom software is, by definition, built to your needs. The price reflects what you need built, how complex it is, and how many systems it connects to.

Every project begins with a scoping phase that produces a detailed estimate with line-item breakdowns. You approve the scope and cost before development begins. If requirements change during the project, scope adjustments are discussed and agreed before additional work is done.

What Is Included

A typical custom software engagement includes:

  • Requirements analysis — understanding what you need, why you need it, and what success looks like
  • Architecture design — data models, API structure, and technology decisions documented before code is written
  • Full-stack development — backend, frontend, database, and infrastructure
  • Testing — automated tests, manual QA, and user acceptance testing
  • Deployment — production environment setup, CI/CD pipeline, and launch support
  • Documentation — architecture documentation, API specifications, and operational procedures
  • Client Dashboard access — project tracking, sprint management, and communication through the Client Dashboard
  • Post-launch support — a defined support period after go-live for bug fixes and adjustments

What Affects the Price

  • Functional scope — more features, more screens, more workflows = more development time
  • Integration complexity — each third-party system the software connects to adds development and testing effort
  • Data complexity — complex data relationships, reporting requirements, and multi-tenant architectures increase backend work
  • User roles and permissions — role-based access control with granular permissions is more complex than simple authentication
  • Platform targets — web-only is simpler than web + mobile + desktop
  • Compliance requirements — industries with regulatory requirements (healthcare, finance, legal) add compliance work
  • Migration requirements — if existing data needs to be migrated from legacy systems, that is a significant workstream
  • Timeline — compressed timelines may require additional resources running in parallel

What Is Not Included

  • Content creation — application copy, help documentation, and user guides unless separately scoped
  • Ongoing hosting costs — hosting is arranged and managed but billed separately
  • Third-party licences and fees — API subscriptions, platform fees, and similar costs from third parties
  • Ongoing development — post-launch feature development is available through a support retainer or follow-on project engagement

Next Steps

Start with a conversation about what you need. You do not need a formal specification — a clear description of the problem you are solving and who will use the software is enough to begin scoping. Get in touch to start.

Get a Custom Software Estimate

Get in touch to discuss your requirements and receive a detailed project estimate.

Ready to Turn This into Action?

We build the systems, integrations, and automation that replace manual work and disconnected tools. If something here resonated, we should talk.