How Much Does Custom Software Cost?

Honest pricing breakdown. No fluff, no hidden fees, no “it depends.”

Quick Answer

Most custom software projects cost $10,000 to $50,000 and take 2-8 weeks when built by a lean technical team. Enterprise projects with multiple integrations can go higher.

What Drives Cost

Software pricing is not random. These six factors determine where your project falls on the cost spectrum.

Complexity

A simple internal tool costs less than a multi-role platform with complex business logic. Simple CRUD apps start around $10K. Full platforms with workflows, permissions, and integrations push toward $30K-$50K.

Integrations

Payment processing, third-party APIs, CRM syncs, email automation — each integration adds development time. Budget $2K-$5K per major integration depending on the API.

Users & Roles

A single-user tool is straightforward. Multi-role portals with admin, client, and contractor access require permissions, dashboards, and separate views — adding $5K-$10K to the build.

Data & Reporting

Basic data entry and storage is standard. Analytics dashboards, custom reports, data exports, and real-time monitoring add complexity and cost — typically $3K-$8K depending on depth.

AI / Automation

Adding AI capabilities — document processing, intelligent routing, automated analysis, chatbots — adds $5K-$15K depending on scope and model complexity.

Design Requirements

Standard, clean UI using proven component patterns is included in base pricing. Fully custom branded experiences with animations and unique layouts add $3K-$8K.

Cost Comparison

How the three most common options stack up for the same project.

FreelancerAgencyWolrix
Cost$5K-$20K$75K-$300K$10K-$50K
Timeline4-12 weeks3-6 months2-8 weeks
Quality RiskHigh — varies wildlyLow — but overbuiltLow — production-ready
CommunicationDirect but inconsistentLayers of overheadOne technical lead
SupportUsually noneExpensive retainerBug fix period included

Real Pricing Examples

Based on actual projects we have delivered. All under NDA — details generalized.

Client portal with auth and dashboards

$15K|3 weeks

Multi-role login, client dashboard, admin panel, reporting. PostgreSQL database, deployed on Vercel.

Operations platform with ticketing and AI

$35K|6 weeks

Full operations hub with ticketing, work orders, AI-powered analysis, contractor management, and client portal.

AI screening tool with API integration

$12K|2 weeks

Automated candidate/document screening using Claude API. Upload, process, score, and export results.

Custom CRM with pipeline management

$20K|4 weeks

Contact management, deal pipeline, activity logging, email integration, and reporting dashboard.

What's Included

Full-stack development (frontend + backend + database)
Database design and schema
Authentication and user management
Deployment to production (Vercel or AWS)
30-60 day bug fix period after launch
NDA signed before any work begins

Get Your Free Quote

Tell us what you need. Fixed price, fixed timeline. No surprises. Every project under NDA.

Start a Conversation