Custom Software Development — What Does It Really Cost? (2026)
The short answer
Getting custom software built costs between €2,000 and €150,000+ in 2026. That is an enormous range. The difference comes down to the complexity of what you are building, who builds it, and whether they use AI in the development process.
Most SMBs need software in the €2,000 to €10,000 range. Think of a webshop with supplier sync, a booking system, a client portal, or a management tool. Not a complete ERP system. Not a social media platform. Concrete tools that solve a specific problem.
| Project type | Price range | Timeline | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple tool or dashboard | €2,000 - €4,000 | 1-2 weeks | Client portal, reporting tool |
| Webshop with automation | €3,000 - €6,000 | 2-4 weeks | Supplier sync, order processing |
| Complete business system | €5,000 - €10,000 | 3-6 weeks | CRM, booking system, portfolio manager |
| Enterprise / complex platform | €15,000 - €150,000+ | 2-12 months | Marketplace, large SaaS platform |
Why prices vary so much
Ask five agencies for a quote for the same tool and you get five amounts that differ by a factor of two or more. That is because the price of software is determined by four things.
Complexity. A simple tool with five screens and one integration is fundamentally different from a platform with a hundred features, multiple user roles, and ten integrations. The more the system needs to do, the more it costs.
Technology. An agency building on WordPress with plugins has a different cost structure than one building with modern frameworks like Next.js. The second option sometimes costs more initially but saves on maintenance and scalability.
Who builds it. A freelancer with low overhead charges differently than an agency with ten employees and an office in the city center. That does not always say something about quality, but it explains a large part of the price difference.
AI in the process. This is the factor that turned the market upside down in 2026. Agencies that structurally use AI in their development process can build the same thing in half the time. That translates directly to lower prices. Not all agencies do this. Those that do are in a fundamentally different price class.
What does it cost at Nurani?
At Nurani, custom software costs €2,000 to €5,000, depending on the scope of the project. Monthly costs for hosting and maintenance are between €50 and €100.
That is significantly lower than the market average, and there is a reason for that. We use AI in every part of the process: from design to code to testing. That is not a marketing story. GitHub research shows AI tools make development work 55% faster. We pass that efficiency on in our pricing.
Additionally, we do not work with hourly billing. You get a fixed price upfront. No surprises afterwards. And you see the full concept before you pay.
A selection of what we have built in this price segment:
- A tile webshop with automated supplier sync for 5,000+ products (Albendo)
- An athlete management system with profiles, statistics, and a university network (Windmills Sports)
- An international platform with portfolio management, trip bookings, and automatic translation (Evelyne Fontaine)
These are not simple websites. This is custom software. Read more about how that is possible.
Compare: standard package vs no-code vs custom
There are three paths to automation. Each has its place, depending on your situation.
| Standard package (SaaS) | No-code / Zapier | Custom software | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | €20 - €500/month | €50 - €500/month | €2,000 - €10,000 one-time |
| Flexibility | Limited to what the package offers | Limited to what the tools can handle | Unlimited, built for your workflow |
| Scalability | Depends on the package | Breaks at complexity | Grows with your business |
| Ownership | You rent the software | You rent the connections | You own the code |
| Maintenance | Automatic (but you have no control) | Manual (connections break) | Fixed monthly fee, fully managed |
| Best for | Standard needs | Simple automation | Specific business processes |
Hidden costs nobody talks about
The price on the quote is rarely the full price. These are the costs most agencies do not mention.
Revision costs. Three revision rounds included sounds reasonable. Until you discover every change after that costs €75 to €150 per hour. At Nurani you see the result before you pay. No revision rounds afterwards.
Integration costs. Your software needs to communicate with your accounting system, your email tool, your payment provider. Every connection is extra work. Ask upfront which integrations are included.
Migration costs. Moving data from your old system to the new one is work that is often not in the quote. Ask about it.
Opportunity costs. This is the biggest hidden item. Every month you do manual work that could be automated, you lose hours. In a team of five people with three hours of manual work each per week, that is €27,000 per year in salary costs for work a machine does better.
The question is not whether you can afford custom software. The question is whether you can afford not to have it.
How to choose the right agency
The software market in the Netherlands is hard to navigate. Hundreds of agencies, each with a different story. Here is what to look for.
Ask for concrete examples. Not just screenshots, but live systems you can test. An agency that cannot show working software probably has not built any.
Ask for the price upfront. If an agency cannot give a fixed price before they start, the project will cost more than you think. Always.
Ask if they use AI. In 2026, this is the dividing line between agencies that charge €15,000+ and agencies that build the same thing for €2,000 to €5,000. It is not a matter of quality. It is a matter of methodology.
Ask what happens after delivery. Maintenance, updates, support. Who is responsible? What does it cost? Do you get a management environment?
Read our comprehensive guide on choosing a web design agency for the full checklist.
At Nurani we work with the Vision First Protocol. You see the full concept before you pay. If it is not what you expected, you pay nothing. Request a free strategy report and discover what custom software would cost for your business.
Veelgestelde vragen
What is the cheapest custom software?
At Nurani, projects start from €2,000. That is enough for a simple tool, dashboard, or client portal. The price depends on complexity: how many screens, which integrations, and how many user roles the system needs.
Why is custom software cheaper in 2026 than before?
AI has made the development process 55% faster. Projects that cost €60,000 in 2023 now cost €25,000 to €40,000 at larger agencies. At agencies that fully embrace AI, prices are even lower. The technology is not cheaper. The process is more efficient.
Is a fixed monthly fee normal for custom software?
Yes. Most agencies charge a monthly fee for hosting, maintenance, and support after delivery. At Nurani this is between €50 and €100 per month. This covers hosting, security updates, and technical support.
Can I start small and expand later?
Yes, and we recommend it. Start with the core of your problem. Build the tool that delivers the most value. Expand later when you see it works. Custom software is modular by definition: you build what you need, when you need it.
How do I know if I need custom or an off-the-shelf package?
If your current tools do what you need without frustration, use them. If you find yourself adapting your workflow to the tool instead of the other way around, or if you are connecting more than three tools to make your process work, custom is probably cheaper and more reliable long-term.
Want to know what this means for your business specifically? We put together a free strategy report showing exactly where your opportunities are.
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