Software Development Pricing
By Obaid Tariq, Founder & Lead Engineer · Last updated
Indicative software development pricing ranges only, not a quote. They are the bands we already publish on our service pages and cost guides, gathered here so you can budget before the first call. The fixed figure for your project comes from a written scope agreed on a free 30-minute scoping call.
Published price bands
Everything else — web, mobile, AI, custom software and design — is scoped on your brief, because we do not publish a band for it. See all services on the services page.
Focused SaaS MVP
$25,000–$65,000
Timeline: 8–12 weeks
The published SaaS MVP band, for a first version with a defined scope.
MVP developmentRobust MVP (UK bands)
£25,000–£45,000
Timeline: Scoped on your brief
About $33,000–$60,000 at £1 = $1.3335 (ECB, 16 October 2026). Use the calculator for your product type.
MVP cost calculatorCustomer portal
£60,000–£120,000+
Timeline: 16–24 weeks
Security auditing, cross-browser and device testing, and CRM data sync are what push this band up.
Customer portal developmentInternal tools
£40,000–£80,000+
Timeline: Scoped on your brief
From about £40,000 for a single department to well over £80,000 for a company-wide system.
Internal tools developmentMaintenance after the warranty
15–25% of build cost per year
Timeline: Separately scoped retainer
Roughly 15–25% of the initial build per year, excluding hosting and third-party licences paid to their providers.
Website maintenance cost guide
What a build price includes — and what it does not
Included
- Design and build of the first version, to a written scope with fixed milestones.
- Full IP in the bespoke work, with code and accounts in your company's name.
- Documented handover, so your own developers or another team can take over.
- A 60–90 day warranty after launch, covering defects in what we delivered.
Separate
- Hosting and third-party licences, paid to their providers, ideally in accounts you own.
- Maintenance after the warranty, as a separately scoped retainer (see the band above).
- Work outside the agreed scope, such as data migration from legacy systems not in the brief.
Scoped project, not an open-ended hourly burn
The alternative most founders compare us with is hiring on hours — in-house, freelance, or a large agency — where the bill grows with the time spent rather than the version delivered. Our model is the opposite: agree the first version in writing, price that version, then build it. If the scope changes, the change is priced before the work starts, not discovered in the invoice.
How we work, who does the work, and which engagement model fits your project are set out on the how we work and engagement models pages. The fuller comparison of hiring routes is in the agency vs freelancer vs in-house guide.
Pricing questions, answered
How much does a SaaS MVP cost?
On our published bands, a focused SaaS MVP is $25,000–$65,000 and takes 8–12 weeks. A robust MVP in our UK bands is £25,000–£45,000 (about $33,000–$60,000 at £1 = $1.3335, ECB euro reference rates, 16 October 2026). Your fixed figure comes from the free scoping call, not from this page.
Why do customer portals and internal tools cost more than an MVP?
Our published bands put customer portals at £60,000–£120,000+ over 16–24 weeks, and internal tools at £40,000–£80,000+. Portals carry more security auditing, testing across browsers and devices, and data sync with your internal systems; internal-tool cost grows with the number of departments the software touches. Timelines for internal tools are scoped on your brief.
What is included in the build price, and what is not?
The build price covers design and build of the first version, with full IP in the bespoke work, code and accounts in your name, documented handover, and a 60–90 day warranty after launch covering defects in what we delivered. Hosting, third-party licences and maintenance after the warranty are separate: ongoing running costs are roughly 15–25% of the initial build per year, and a maintenance retainer is scoped separately.
How do I get a fixed quote instead of a range?
Book a free 30-minute scoping call, or run the MVP cost calculator first and bring its result. We agree a written scope and fixed milestones before any code is written, so the quote you receive is for a defined first version, not an open-ended hourly burn.
Do you work on an hourly rate?
No software development pricing on this page is an hourly rate. Our engagement models, process and how scope changes are handled are set out on the engagement models and how-we-work pages, and the scoping call agrees the model for your project before work starts.
Want a fixed figure?
Run the calculator for an indicative range, or book the free scoping call and bring your brief. Either way, you get a written scope and fixed milestones before any code is written.
Deeper cost detail: how much a website costs, SaaS development cost, and custom web application cost in the UK.