Almost every growing business hits the same wall: the spreadsheet that used to run everything starts causing more problems than it solves.
Someone overwrites a cell. Two people edit different copies. One wrong formula quietly costs you real money.
👉 Full honest breakdown here
Your 3 real options
Option 1: Keep the spreadsheet — $0
Fine if only 1–2 people touch it and process is simple. The real cost is hours lost and risk of costly errors — not money.
Option 2: No-code tool — $20–100+/month
Glide, Softr, Airtable — turn a spreadsheet into a simple app without a developer. Great starting point for simple needs.
Honest catch: you're renting, not owning. You hit a ceiling fast when you need custom logic or specific integrations.
Option 3: Custom web app — $3,000–15,000+
Built exactly for your workflow. No per-user fees, no ceiling, you own it permanently.
For one focused workflow — logins, clean interface, proper data — realistic range is $3,000–8,000.
What drives the price up
- Number of workflows being replaced
- User roles and permissions — role-based access costs more
- Third-party integrations — email, payments, accounting
- Automation and live dashboards
How to spend the least
Don't rebuild everything at once. Pick the single workflow that causes the most pain and turn just that into an app first.
Cheaper upfront, you see value fast, and it tells you whether digitizing the rest is worth it.
Full comparison with FAQ on no-code vs custom, pricing breakdown,
and when to make the switch:
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