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: what you need, why you need it, and what success looks like, documented before development begins
- Architecture design: data models, API structure, and technology decisions finalised before code is written
- Full-stack development covering 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 for 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, and more workflows mean 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 all 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, and desktop combined
- Compliance requirements add work in industries with regulatory obligations (healthcare, finance, legal) on top of the core build
- Migration requirements: migrating existing data from legacy systems is a significant workstream in its own right
- 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 a 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. For context on what we build and how we approach it, the custom software development service page covers the full picture. If you want to compare across engagement types, the pricing overview and software development pricing pages explain how our scope-based model works.
