Custom software cost estimator
Custom software cost depends mostly on scope: what you are building, how many types of users it serves, how many systems it connects to, and which features it needs. Answer seven questions to get a planning range for cost and timeline, and see which choices drive the number.
Estimated cost$60k to $145k
See detailsHow the estimate works.
Each answer adds a range of build hours covering design, development, testing, and project management. Regulated data and a compressed timeline add a percentage on top of that subtotal.
Cost multiplies those hours by a blended team rate of $125 to $175 per hour (the low end of the hours at the low rate, the high end at the high rate), then rounds to the nearest $5,000. Timeline divides the same hours by what the team delivers in a week (40 to 100 hours, depending on how soon you need it) and rounds to the nearest week.
The low end assumes clear requirements and few surprises. The high end allows for open questions, messy data, and extra review rounds. Your actual project will usually land somewhere inside the range once the scope is written down.
What drives the cost of custom software.
- What you are building
- An internal tool for your own team is usually the smallest build. A customer-facing app needs more polish, onboarding, and support. A mobile app adds device testing and app store releases, and building web and mobile means two front ends on one back end.
- Types of users
- Each type of user, such as customers, staff, and administrators, needs its own permissions, screens, and test cases. More roles means more combinations to build and check.
- Integrations
- Connecting to other systems often takes longer than expected. Each one needs data mapping, error handling, and testing against an API your team does not control.
- Features
- Payments, AI features, and offline sync are the most involved features in this estimator. Sign-in, file uploads, and notifications are smaller but still need security review and testing.
- Data sensitivity
- Regulated data such as health records adds access controls, audit logging, and review time. This estimator adds 20 to 35 percent for it.
- Timeline
- A faster timeline needs a larger team, and a larger team spends more time coordinating. It shortens the calendar but raises the cost.
Common questions.
It depends on scope. With this estimator, a small internal tool with one type of user and no integrations comes to about $25k to $55k. A web and mobile product with several user types, integrations, payments, and regulated data comes to about $155k to $445k. A written scope turns either range into a firm number.
Timeline follows scope. A focused internal tool takes about 4 to 5 weeks with this estimator, while a larger web and mobile product takes about 20 to 43 weeks. A fixed deadline can be met by narrowing the first release or adding people, and adding people raises the cost.
No. It is a planning range based on typical effort for each choice. A quote requires reviewing your workflow, data, integrations, and constraints. Correll Technologies provides a written scope and estimate before any work begins.
Start with a first release that solves one workflow well. Use your existing brand instead of a new design, connect only the systems that matter most at first, and check whether an existing product or a focused integration covers part of the need.
If an existing product meets your important requirements, buying is usually cheaper and faster. Custom software makes sense when your workflow sets you apart or when off-the-shelf tools force costly workarounds. Our build or buy guide walks through the comparison.