Everyone wants a number. Here's the honest answer: custom software projects typically range from $30,000 to $300,000+, with most landing between $50,000 and $150,000.
That's a wide range. Here's what determines where you land.
What affects the price
Complexity of the problem
A simple CRUD app with user accounts is different from a real-time platform processing thousands of concurrent connections. More moving parts = more time = more money.
Quality of the inputs
If you know exactly what you want and can make decisions quickly, we move faster. If every feature needs three rounds of discussion, that time gets billed.
Timeline pressure
Rush jobs cost more. Not because we're gouging—because parallel work is less efficient than sequential work, and urgency means other projects get delayed.
Ongoing vs. one-time
A project you'll actively develop for years justifies more upfront architecture work. A one-time tool that just needs to work can be simpler.
Ballpark ranges
These are rough estimates for working with a quality shop:
- **Simple MVP (4-8 weeks):** $40,000 - $80,000
- **Web application with admin tools:** $60,000 - $120,000
- **Complex platform with integrations:** $100,000 - $200,000
- **Enterprise systems:** $150,000+
What you're paying for
You're not paying for lines of code. You're paying for:
- Problems anticipated before they happen
- Architecture that scales without rewrites
- Code that the next developer can understand
- Testing that catches bugs before users do
- Documentation that exists
Cheap development is expensive in the long run. We've rebuilt enough "we went with the cheapest option" projects to know.
How to budget
If you're early stage, budget for an MVP that validates your idea—not your entire roadmap. Get users first, then invest in scaling.
If you're established, think about the cost of not building. Two employees doing manual work at $60k each is $120k/year. Software that automates that work pays for itself.
Get a real quote
Every project is different. If you want an actual number, tell us what you're building. We'll give you a range and explain what drives it.