How Much Does Custom Software Cost? Real Price Ranges for 2026

The question "how much does custom software cost" comes up in every first conversation with a client. And rightly so - the decision to build your own system is an expense in the range of a few thousand to tens of thousands of euros, so before anyone signs a contract, they should know the real price ranges, not a marketing "it depends". In this article we show the actual amounts we work with at KamikStudio in 2026 and explain exactly what drives the price of a custom system.

The short answer: from €2,875 net upwards - with no ceiling

Most custom systems for small and medium businesses that we build fall in the €2,875-14,000 net range. A simple system with a single user role and no integrations starts at around €2,875-3,500. An extensive platform with several roles, ERP integrations, and a mobile app exceeds €16,100. Everything in between depends on three factors, which we discuss below.

For reference: our hourly rate is €52 net per hour of work. A €8,050 system is about 150 hours - analysis, design, programming, testing, and deployment. That's an honest benchmark when comparing offers: if someone quotes a similar scope at €2,150, it means they plan to spend 40 hours on it. It's worth asking what they'll manage to get done in that time.

What determines the cost of business software

1. Functional scope - the number of screens and processes

The simplest measure of complexity is the number of screens (views) that need to be designed, programmed, and tested. A warehouse system with a product list, goods receipts, and issues is a dozen or so screens. The same system extended with stocktaking, warehouse locations, labels, and reports is already 30-40 screens. Each screen is on average 4-10 hours of work, so the price difference is direct and countable.

2. Integrations with other systems

Integration is the most commonly underestimated part of a quote. Connecting to a system with a good, documented API (e.g. Baselinker, Allegro, InPost) takes 10-20 hours. Integrating with an ERP that requires file exchange or working directly on the database (older versions of Subiekt, Optima, WAPRO) takes 30-60 hours - because you have to handle errors, data conflicts, and edge cases. Three integrations can cost as much as half of the rest of the system.

3. The number of user roles

Each role (warehouse worker, sales rep, manager, administrator) is a separate set of permissions, often separate views and separate logic. A system with one role is simple. A system where the warehouse worker sees only their own orders, the manager approves, and the accountant exports invoices requires a well-thought-out permissions architecture - and that raises the cost by 15-30%.

KamikStudio's real price ranges for 2026

The amounts below are the ranges we actually work with - the same ones you'll find on our product pages. All prices are net.

What the individual scopes mean, using the warehouse system as an example:

• Basic (€4,025-7,000): product catalog, goods receipts and issues, stock levels, operation history, 1-2 user roles, works on desktop and phone.
• Extended (€8,050-14,000): plus warehouse locations, barcodes and scanners, stocktaking, reservations, integration with one external system (e.g. online store or ERP), reports.
• Full (from €16,100): multiple warehouses, multiple integrations, automations (e.g. automatic purchase orders to suppliers), advanced permissions, a mobile app for warehouse staff.

The agricultural sector - concrete packages

For companies in the agricultural sector (distributors of plant protection products, fertilizers, seeds) we have ready-made, pre-priced packages, because we know this industry inside out:

• Online store with a plant protection module (buyer certification checks, compliance with plant protection product sales regulations) - up to €2,650,
• Store with a B2B panel (individual price lists, credit limits, wholesale orders) - up to €4,850,
• Complete distributor system (store + B2B + warehouse + order workflow) - up to €7,475.

Where is the upper price limit? There isn't one

The "from €16,100" range is the beginning of the top shelf, not its end. We have taken part in e-commerce projects worth over €264,500 - because at the right scale of requirements, the budget grows with practically no ceiling.

Software is like cars. With all due respect: an old Fiat 126p, a Seicento, and a Maybach or Rolls-Royce will all get you from point A to point B. The difference lies in what happens along the way - how many people and how much luggage you take, how fast and comfortably you travel, what happens in a fender bender, and how the car looks parked outside a client's office. In the same way, a simple order register and a platform handling thousands of transactions a day "do the same thing", but they are completely different machines.

That's why a system's price doesn't come from the vendor's whim, but from the requirements: the number of processes and users, integrations, the required reliability, and how critical the system is for the business. Our role is to match the class of vehicle to the route - and to say honestly when a Seicento is enough.

What pricing a custom system looks like - the process step by step

Range amounts turn into a concrete price only after analysis. Here's how it works with us:

1. Needs analysis (free). We talk about the processes in your company: what you do in Excel today, where information gets lost, who uses what. At this stage it often turns out that some "requirements" can be simplified or skipped entirely.
2. Documentation and a quote - before the decision. You receive a document describing the features, screens, integrations, and a concrete price. You know what you're paying for before you sign anything. The documentation stays with you regardless of whether you decide to work with us.
3. Building in stages. We divide the system into stages (usually 2-4 weeks each). After each stage you see a working piece of the system and can give feedback before we move on.
4. Payment on acceptance. You pay for a stage after accepting it. You don't finance upfront something you haven't seen yet.

If you want to estimate the cost of your project before a conversation, use our pricing calculator - in about fifteen minutes you'll walk through questions about the scope and get an indicative range.

What does this look like in practice? Sample scenarios from the documentation

Pre-implementation documentation is not vague generalities. Its heart is concrete scenarios of how the system behaves, which later become acceptance test scenarios - thanks to them, both sides know exactly what "done" means. A fragment of a sample table:

Full project documentation contains dozens of such scenarios (an e-commerce store audit is 80-150 items). We show an example from real test documentation on the project management page.

The hidden costs of off-the-shelf programs - what few people mention in comparisons

A common argument against custom software goes: "an off-the-shelf program costs €52 a month, and you want €8,050". That comparison is unfair for several reasons:

• Per-user licensing. €52 a month is the price for one seat. With 10 employees that becomes €520 a month, i.e. €6,225 a year - and €31,050 over 5 years. The company grows, and the cost grows with it.
• The subscription never ends. You buy a custom system once. Maintenance (hosting, minor fixes, security updates) is usually 10-15% of the project value per year - and you can pause it or move it to another contractor, because the code belongs to you.
• Surcharges for modules and limits. In off-the-shelf products, key features (API, reports, integrations, backups) are often in higher plans. The entry price from the price list is rarely the price you actually pay after a year.
• The cost of bending your process to fit the program. The hardest to quantify: when the program doesn't handle your process, your team bends the process to fit the program. Hours of clicking around, double data entry, and "helper Excel files" are a real, monthly cost.

This doesn't mean an off-the-shelf program is always the wrong choice - for standard processes and small teams it is often better. We compare both approaches in more depth in a separate article on choosing between a custom system and an off-the-shelf one.

Sample scopes and price ranges - a budgeting cheat sheet

How to prepare for a pricing conversation

The better you describe your process, the more accurate the quote you'll get. Before talking to any contractor, prepare answers to four questions:

1. What process should the system handle and who performs it today (how many people, in what roles)?
2. What programs does the company use now and which of them must the system "see" (ERP, online store, carriers, accounting)?
3. What is the absolute minimum for launch, and what can wait for a second stage?
4. Which problem costs you the most today - in hours or in money?

The last question is the most important. A good custom system should pay for itself within 1-3 years through time savings, fewer errors, or higher sales. If that return isn't visible on paper, an honest contractor should tell you before signing the contract, not after.

You'll find the full list of systems we build, along with scope descriptions, on the custom solutions page.

Custom business software realistically costs from €2,875-3,500 net for a simple system to over €16,100 for an extensive platform with integrations. Three things shape the price: the number of screens and processes, the number of integrations, and the number of user roles. Always compare quotes through the lens of work hours (our rate is €52 net/h) and demand documentation with a concrete price before the decision - not after it.

KamikStudio has been building custom systems for trading, manufacturing, and agricultural companies for over 15 years - if you want to know the range for your project, book a free consultation or start with the pricing calculator.