How much does it cost to have software developed?

How much does software cost? The short version for decision-makers

Software is not sold off the shelf but developed in work steps. The price therefore reflects the effort for analysis, interface design, programming, testing, commissioning, and documentation. The more clearly it is established beforehand which tasks the software should handle and for whom, the more precisely it can be calculated – and the more likely a binding fixed price becomes possible.

An example: an internal tool that replaces a grown Excel spreadsheet for orders, with few roles and no integrations, is considerably leaner than a customer portal with login, document storage, payment functionality, and a connection to the ERP. Both are called “software,” but they differ fundamentally in effort. That is why reputable providers name prices only after they know your requirements.

Having custom software developed: what you pay for

If you have custom software developed, you pay for a result that fits your own processes exactly, instead of adapting your processes to a standard product. A project at Nano Concepts typically goes through several phases: requirements gathering in a workshop, a clickable prototype for alignment, development in verifiable stages, testing, commissioning, and training for your team.

Each phase reduces the risk of the next: a prototype is quickly adjusted, whereas a fully programmed feature can only be rebuilt with effort. That is why we invest time at the beginning in clarifying processes, roles, and data. This makes the subsequent calculation more reliable and protects you from expensive changes of course in the middle of the project, when a lot of code has already been written.

• Analysis and requirements workshop
• UX concept and clickable prototype
• Development of interface, logic, and database
• Integrations with existing systems
• Testing, security, and data protection
• Go-live, documentation, and training

How much does a web app cost compared with other software?

Many business solutions today are built as web apps: they run in the browser, work on desktop, tablet, and smartphone, and do not have to be installed on every computer. We roll out updates centrally, and all users work with the new version immediately. That often makes a web app more efficient to develop and operate than separate programs for different devices and operating systems.

If native apps for iOS and Android are also meant to go into the app stores, there is additional effort for app development, store guidelines, review processes, and device features such as the camera, push notifications, or offline use. A progressive web app can be a middle path: it can be installed on the home screen like an app without causing the full effort of two native apps.

MVP costs: starting with the smallest useful version

An MVP (minimum viable product) is the first working version that contains only the core features. Instead of implementing every wish right away, you test with real users whether the solution is accepted and which features are really missing. That lowers the initial budget and prevents money from flowing into features nobody uses later – a common reason for runaway software costs.

At Nano Concepts, lean MVPs can be implemented in the Starter package from €2,500, and MVPs with user accounts, a database, and payment functionality in the Professional package from €8,000. What matters is that the MVP is built technically in such a way that you can keep developing it. A throwaway prototype that later has to be completely reprogrammed ends up being the most expensive option.

Software license or custom development: what pays off?

Standard software is usually paid for through licenses, often per user per month. What a software license costs looks manageable at first, but it grows with every additional employee and every add-on module. On top come adaptations that standard software allows only to a limited extent, and workflows that have to adapt to the software rather than the other way around – a hidden everyday cost factor.

With custom development, you pay once for the development and on an ongoing basis for operation and maintenance, but no per-user license for the core of the application. Which option pays off becomes clear in a comparison over several years. Often a combination makes sense: standard software for accounting or email, custom software for the process that makes your company special.

How long does it take to develop software?

Duration and costs are closely linked, because both are determined by scope. A focused MVP is ready for use considerably faster than an extensive platform with many roles and integrations. In addition, coordination times on your side, the availability of data, and the release of interfaces by third-party providers influence the schedule – often more strongly than the pure programming time.

We work in stages with clear milestones: after each stage, you see working results and can adjust priorities. We set the specific schedule after the initial consultation and requirements gathering. That way you know early when which features will be usable, and you can plan training and rollout in your team in time instead of being surprised by go-live.

Ongoing costs after go-live

After launch, costs arise for hosting, monitoring, backups, and maintenance. Frameworks, programming languages, and libraries receive security updates regularly, which have to be installed and tested. If this is neglected, technical debt builds up: the software keeps running, but every later extension becomes more laborious, and security vulnerabilities stay open longer than necessary. Regular upkeep is therefore cheaper than rare, large repairs.

Also plan a budget for further development, because good software grows with the company: new features, additional user groups, extra integrations. For maintenance and support, Nano Concepts gives you an individual quote tailored to your requirements for availability and response times. That keeps ongoing software costs plannable and transparent – even when your team and your requirements grow.