What custom software actually costs
Real ranges, published up front. Most agencies make you sit through a discovery call before they will say a number — here it is before you talk to anyone.
Price bands by project type
One-time build cost on the Own model. The typical agency column is the same scope quoted elsewhere, from published 2026 market data.
Ranges are indicative, not a quote — scope decides where you land inside one. For reference, the verified market average for a custom software project in 2026 is $132k; we typically come in 40-60% below comparable agency pricing. Our minimum engagement is around $5k.
Three ways to pay for it
Same build, same team. The difference is who carries the cost and who owns the result.
Own it outright
You pay once and the software is yours.
- ✓Full source code delivered to you
- ✓No licensing, no per-seat fees, ever
- ✓Deploy anywhere — your servers or ours
- ✓Fixed quote agreed before work starts
Best when the idea is validated and you want the asset on your balance sheet.
Start with this →Subscribe and we host
Spread the build across a monthly subscription and we run it.
- ✓Hosting, updates, security and uptime included
- ✓Roughly the build cost spread over 24 months
- ✓No infrastructure for your team to manage
- ✓Cancel or move to Own at any point
Best when predictable monthly cost matters more than owning the asset up front.
Start with this →Revenue share
We build it for nothing up front and take a percentage of sales.
- ✓No build fee at all
- ✓Percentage agreed per project before we start
- ✓We only earn if the product earns
- ✓Buy-out terms written into the agreement
Best when you are still testing the idea and want a partner carrying real risk.
Start with this →Not sure which fits? Answer three questions →
Straight answers on cost
Why is there no fixed price list?
Because custom software is not a product with a shelf price. What moves the number is scope: how many user roles, how many third-party systems it has to talk to, and how fast you need it. The bands above are the honest ranges those variables produce. The calculator narrows it in about a minute, and the brief gets you an exact fixed quote within 48 hours.
Is the quote actually fixed?
Yes. Once scope is agreed the price is the price. If we get the estimate wrong that is our problem, not a change order. If you change scope mid-build we re-quote the delta and you approve it before anything is written.
What is the smallest project you take?
Around $5k. Below that a custom build is usually the wrong answer and we will tell you so — often an off-the-shelf tool or a small automation will do the job for a fraction of the cost.
Do I own the source code?
On the Own model, completely — full IP transfer, no strings. On Hosted, we retain the code while you subscribe, and there is a documented path to buy it out. On Revenue Share, ownership terms are set in the agreement before we start.
What about maintenance after launch?
Hosted includes it. On Own, you can take the code and maintain it yourself, or keep us on a support arrangement — quoted separately so you are never locked in by default.
Are there hidden costs?
Third-party services you consume — cloud hosting, payment processing, SMS, LLM API usage — are billed by those providers at their rates, not marked up by us. Everything we do is in the quote.
Get an exact number for your project
Describe what you need and we come back inside 48 hours with a scope, a timeline and a fixed quote. No account required, no sales call to unlock the price.
Tell us what you need →