If you've ever searched "how much does custom software cost," you've probably found a lot of articles that say the same thing: it depends.
That's not helpful. You're a business owner trying to work out whether custom software is even realistic for your budget. You need numbers, not waffle.
So here are real numbers. These are based on the kind of projects we actually build at JMS Dev Lab — tools for small and medium businesses in Ireland and the UK, not Silicon Valley startups raising millions.
Why Most Developers Won't Give You a Straight Answer
Most agencies and freelancers dodge the pricing question because they want to get you on a call first. Others genuinely can't give you a number because they charge by the hour and have no idea how long something will take.
Both of those should worry you.
Hourly billing means you carry all the risk. If the project takes longer than expected — and they almost always do — you pay more. The developer has no incentive to be efficient.
We work differently. We quote a fixed price before any work begins. You know the total cost upfront. If we underestimate, that's our problem, not yours.
Real Price Ranges for Small Business Software
Here's what custom software typically costs for the kind of projects small businesses actually need. All prices are in euro and include design, development, and deployment.
Spreadsheet Replacement: €3,000 – €6,000
You've got a spreadsheet that's grown into a monster. Multiple tabs, complex formulas, several people editing it, constant errors. You need it turned into a proper system with a clean interface, validation, and multi-user access.
This is the most common starting point. It's also the project with the fastest payback — if your team is losing even a few hours a week to spreadsheet headaches, a €4,000 tool pays for itself within months.
Client Portal or Dashboard: €6,000 – €12,000
Your customers or clients need to log in and see their information — order status, project progress, documents, invoices. Or your team needs an internal dashboard that pulls data from multiple sources into one clear view.
This costs more because it involves user authentication, roles and permissions, and usually some kind of integration with your existing systems.
Custom Business Application: €12,000 – €25,000
A full application built around your specific workflow. This might be a booking system, a job management tool, a commission tracker, a repair ticketing system — something that doesn't exist off the shelf because your business does things differently.
What Affects the Price
Those ranges are wide because not all projects are the same. Here's what pushes a project towards the higher end:
- Complexity of the logic. A simple data entry form is cheap. A system that calculates pricing based on 15 variables, applies business rules, and generates documents is not.
- Integrations. Connecting to Shopify, Xero, Google Workspace, or your existing tools adds time.
- Number of user roles. A tool for one admin is simpler than a system with customers, staff, and managers all seeing different things.
- Custom reporting. Charts, exports, automated emails, or scheduled reports add work.
- Mobile access. If your team needs to use the tool on phones and tablets, the interface needs additional design and testing.
The Hidden Costs People Forget
Hosting: €5 – €50/month
Your software needs to live somewhere. For most small business tools, cloud hosting costs between €5 and €50 a month depending on usage.
Maintenance: 10–15% of build cost per year
Software isn't "done" once it's deployed. Browsers update, security patches need applying, and you'll inevitably want changes. Budget roughly 10–15% of the original build cost per year.
Custom vs No-Code vs SaaS: The 3-Year Comparison
No-code platforms charge per user, per month. At 10 or more users, the maths changes dramatically:
- No-code platform (10 users): €200–500/month = €7,200–18,000 over 3 years. And you don't own it.
- Custom software (10 users): €8,000 build + €2,400 maintenance over 3 years = €10,400 total. You own it outright.
At 10+ users, custom software is typically cheaper over three years — and you end up with something that fits your business exactly.
Funding: The LEO Grow Digital Voucher
If your business is based in Ireland, the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Grow Digital Voucher covers 50% of the cost of digital projects, up to €5,000.
That means a €10,000 custom build could cost you €5,000 out of pocket. A €6,000 spreadsheet replacement could drop to €3,000.
When NOT to Go Custom
Custom software isn't always the right answer:
- Your needs are generic. If you need basic invoicing, use Xero. If you need a simple CRM, try HubSpot's free tier.
- You have fewer than 3 users. At very small scale, SaaS tools are usually cheaper.
- You're not sure what you need yet. Start with a spreadsheet, learn what works, and come back when you've outgrown it.
- You need it tomorrow. Custom software takes weeks, not days.
How to Get Started
If this sounds realistic for your situation:
- Free conversation. Tell us what problem you're trying to solve. No forms, no sales pitch.
- Fixed quote. Clear scope, fixed price. No hourly rates, no surprises.
- Build and deliver. We build it, you test it, you own the code outright.
Most projects go from first conversation to live software in 4–8 weeks.
Originally published at jmsdevlab.com
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