What does software development cost?
Updated: 2026-09
Software development costs vary widely by scope, complexity and quality expectations — a focused application is not the same as an extensive system with many integrations. Where the scope can be clearly bounded, we work to a fixed price. Binding range after the first conversation.
Custom software has a poor reputation for cost surprises — and the reason is usually open-ended hourly billing without a clearly defined scope. In truth the price hangs on a few, quite tangible factors.
Once those factors are cleanly settled at the start, most of it can be offered at a fixed price — with the budget certainty software projects so often lack.
What drives the cost
Feature scope
Every feature costs time. A sharply bounded scope is the biggest cost lever.
Complexity
Simple, linear flows are cheaper than layered logic and many special cases.
Integrations
Every connection to a third-party system — payment, CRM, industry software — increases the effort.
Quality expectations
A robust, tested, maintainable system costs more than a prototype — and less over its lifetime.
Design and UX
A bespoke, fully designed interface demands more than a functional standard one.
How we price
- 01
Fixed price
Where the scope can be clearly bounded, we work to a binding fixed price. You know exactly what it costs before the project starts — no open-ended hourly billing, no surprises.
- 02
Time and materials against an estimate
Where the scope is not yet fully settled at the start, we work transparently against effort — with an estimate discussed in advance and regular cost control, so nothing runs away.
- 03
Engagement / retainer
For ongoing support — advisory, governance or continuous optimisation — we agree an engagement with a defined scope per month. Predictable cost, flexibly adjustable.
We deliberately publish no online prices: every case differs. After a short first conversation you receive a binding fixed price or clear frame.
Parent service: Custom Software Engineering
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Next.js web application at a fixed price
A bespoke web application on Next.js — fast, strong on SEO and maintainable, with a clearly bounded feature set and a binding fixed price. The result is a production-ready application without the usual cost surprises of open-ended hourly billing.
API & system integration
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Legacy modernisation
Legacy modernisation makes grown software maintainable and future-proof again — step by step rather than in a risky big bang. The result is a system that can evolve without halting operations or rebuilding everything at once.
FAQ
Why is there no specific price on the website?
Because a serious price depends on the actual scope, and a number online would almost always be wrong — too high deters, too low leads to unpleasant surprises. After a short first conversation we give you a binding fixed price or a clear range.
How do I get to a binding fixed price?
Through a short, free first conversation in which we clarify scope, goals and constraints. On that basis you receive a specific, binding price — with no hidden costs.
Why is a fixed price possible where others bill only by the hour?
Because we define the scope sharply at the start. On that basis a binding fixed price is possible — changes to the defined scope we handle transparently as a change request, not as a silent cost increase.