The most common answer to "how much does custom software cost?" is "it depends." That's technically true but practically useless. Here are real numbers from real project types, so you can budget with confidence.
Typical Project Costs
| Project Type | Typical Cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Internal tool (single app) | $15,000 - $35,000 | 4-8 weeks |
| Internal tool suite (3-5 apps) | $40,000 - $80,000 | 8-16 weeks |
| Bubble/no-code MVP rebuild | $25,000 - $60,000 | 6-12 weeks |
| Custom CRM replacement | $40,000 - $100,000 | 10-20 weeks |
| Automation system (Zapier replacement) | $20,000 - $50,000 | 4-10 weeks |
| Custom backend (Airtable replacement) | $15,000 - $40,000 | 4-8 weeks |
What Drives Cost Up (and Down)
Increases Cost
- - Multiple third-party integrations
- - Complex user roles and permissions
- - Real-time data requirements
- - Compliance requirements (SOC 2, HIPAA)
- - Data migration from legacy systems
- - Custom design (vs. using component libraries)
Decreases Cost
- - Clear, well-defined requirements
- - Using proven UI component libraries
- - Single database / simple data model
- - Internal-only tool (lower polish needs)
- - Existing APIs to connect to
- - Phased rollout (build the core first)
The TCO Comparison That Matters
Don't compare the upfront cost of custom vs. one month of SaaS. Compare the 3-year total cost of ownership:
Example: 40-person team replacing Retool
Retool (3-year TCO)
- Licensing: $72,000 ($2K/mo)
- Workaround dev time: ~$30,000
- Total: ~$102,000
Custom Build (3-year TCO)
- Development: $30,000
- Hosting (3 years): $3,600
- Maintenance: $9,000
- Total: ~$42,600
Ongoing Costs
Custom software isn't free to maintain, but costs are predictable and dramatically lower than SaaS licensing:
- - Hosting: $50-200/month for most internal tools (cloud infrastructure)
- - Maintenance: ~10% of initial build cost per year (security patches, minor updates)
- - Feature development: Billed at project rates as needed
How We Price Projects
We use fixed-price projects with clearly defined scope. You know the cost before we write a line of code. If scope changes during the project, we discuss the impact on cost and timeline transparently — no surprise invoices.
Every project starts with a free discovery call where we understand your needs and provide a detailed estimate. No obligation, no pressure.