[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":301},["ShallowReactive",2],{"insight-\u002Finsights\u002Fhow-much-does-custom-software-cost-uk":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":288,"date":289,"description":290,"extension":291,"meta":292,"navigation":293,"path":294,"readingTime":295,"seo":296,"seoTitle":297,"stem":298,"updated":299,"__hash__":300},"insights\u002Finsights\u002Fhow-much-does-custom-software-cost-uk.md","How much does custom software cost in the UK? A plain-English guide",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":277},"minimark",[9,18,23,30,97,100,104,111,151,155,158,174,177,181,201,205,208,228,232,254,258],[10,11,12,13,17],"p",{},"“How much will it cost?” is the first question almost everyone asks, and the least satisfying answer is “it depends”. So let me explain ",[14,15,16],"strong",{},"what it depends on",", give you some rough ballparks, and show you how to keep the number sensible.",[19,20,22],"h2",{"id":21},"the-honest-ballpark","The honest ballpark",[10,24,25,26,29],{},"These are rough figures for the UK market, ",[14,27,28],{},"not a quote",". Every project differs, and agencies, freelancers and in-house teams all price differently.",[31,32,33,49],"table",{},[34,35,36],"thead",{},[37,38,39,43,46],"tr",{},[40,41,42],"th",{},"What you’re building",[40,44,45],{},"Typical shape",[40,47,48],{},"Rough range",[50,51,52,64,75,86],"tbody",{},[37,53,54,58,61],{},[55,56,57],"td",{},"A focused internal tool or simple portal",[55,59,60],{},"A handful of screens, one type of user",[55,62,63],{},"Roughly £5k–£15k",[37,65,66,69,72],{},[55,67,68],{},"A first version (MVP) of a startup product",[55,70,71],{},"Core features only, polished enough for real users",[55,73,74],{},"Roughly £15k–£60k",[37,76,77,80,83],{},[55,78,79],{},"A fuller business platform",[55,81,82],{},"Multiple user types, integrations, reporting, payments",[55,84,85],{},"Roughly £50k–£150k",[37,87,88,91,94],{},[55,89,90],{},"A complex or regulated platform",[55,92,93],{},"Heavy integrations, compliance, high scale",[55,95,96],{},"Six figures and up",[10,98,99],{},"If a quote is wildly outside the range for what you’re describing, in either direction, ask questions. Very cheap quotes often leave things out; very expensive ones sometimes include far more than you need.",[19,101,103],{"id":102},"what-actually-drives-the-price","What actually drives the price",[10,105,106,107,110],{},"Surprisingly, ",[14,108,109],{},"the technology matters least",". What moves the number is:",[112,113,114,121,127,133,139,145],"ol",{},[115,116,117,120],"li",{},[14,118,119],{},"Scope."," How many features, screens and rules? Every extra feature adds design, build, testing and maintenance.",[115,122,123,126],{},[14,124,125],{},"Complexity of the business logic."," “Calculate a price” is simple. “Calculate a price based on 14 rules that vary by customer, region and date” is not.",[115,128,129,132],{},[14,130,131],{},"Integrations."," Connecting to payments, accounting, CRMs or other systems takes time, especially if the other system is poorly documented.",[115,134,135,138],{},[14,136,137],{},"Who’s using it."," An app for 10 staff is easier than one for 100,000 customers.",[115,140,141,144],{},[14,142,143],{},"Quality bar."," Security, testing, accessibility and reliability take effort, and are the things you’ll regret skipping.",[115,146,147,150],{},[14,148,149],{},"Clarity."," Vague requirements cost more, because the unknowns turn into rework.",[19,152,154],{"id":153},"the-biggest-cost-saver-build-less-first","The biggest cost-saver: build less, first",[10,156,157],{},"The cheapest feature is the one you don’t build. A common mistake is trying to build the “complete” product before anyone has used it. Instead:",[159,160,161,168,171],"ul",{},[115,162,163,164,167],{},"Decide what the ",[14,165,166],{},"one thing"," is that the first version must do well.",[115,169,170],{},"Build that, put it in front of real users and learn.",[115,172,173],{},"Add features in order of value, not in order of excitement.",[10,175,176],{},"This approach usually gets you to market faster, spends less money before you have evidence, and avoids building things nobody wants.",[19,178,180],{"id":179},"fixed-price-or-day-rate","Fixed price or day rate?",[159,182,183,189,195],{},[115,184,185,188],{},[14,186,187],{},"Fixed price"," gives you cost certainty, but only works when the scope is well defined. Expect change requests if you learn something mid-project (and you will).",[115,190,191,194],{},[14,192,193],{},"Day rate \u002F time-and-materials"," is more flexible and often more honest about uncertainty, but needs trust and good visibility on progress.",[115,196,197,200],{},[14,198,199],{},"A hybrid",": fixed price for a clearly scoped first phase, then flexible blocks of time, is often the best of both.",[19,202,204],{"id":203},"dont-forget-the-running-costs","Don’t forget the running costs",[10,206,207],{},"The build isn’t the end. Budget for:",[159,209,210,216,222],{},[115,211,212,215],{},[14,213,214],{},"Hosting and services",": often modest for early-stage products, but worth tracking.",[115,217,218,221],{},[14,219,220],{},"Maintenance",": security updates, bug fixes and small improvements. A common rule of thumb is to expect to spend a meaningful percentage of the build cost each year keeping software healthy.",[115,223,224,227],{},[14,225,226],{},"Ongoing development",": if the product succeeds, you’ll want to keep improving it.",[19,229,231],{"id":230},"questions-to-ask-before-you-sign-anything","Questions to ask before you sign anything",[112,233,234,242,245,248,251],{},[115,235,236,237,241],{},"What exactly is included, and what’s explicitly ",[238,239,240],"em",{},"not","?",[115,243,244],{},"How will we handle changes if something turns out to be different from what we expected?",[115,246,247],{},"Who owns the code, the designs and the hosting accounts?",[115,249,250],{},"Will there be automated tests and documentation?",[115,252,253],{},"What happens after launch, and what does support cost?",[19,255,257],{"id":256},"want-a-realistic-number-for-your-idea","Want a realistic number for your idea?",[10,259,260,261,266,267,271,272,276],{},"I build custom web applications, MVPs and internal tools as a ",[262,263,265],"a",{"href":264},"\u002Flaravel-development","senior developer",", and I’m happy to give you a straight, jargon-free view of what yours might involve. If you already have a quote and want a second opinion, a ",[262,268,270],{"href":269},"\u002Fservices\u002Ftechnical-audit","technical audit"," is a quick, low-cost way to check it’s sensible. Or just ",[262,273,275],{"href":274},"\u002Fcontact?topic=laravel","get in touch"," and tell me what you’re planning.",{"title":278,"searchDepth":279,"depth":279,"links":280},"",2,[281,282,283,284,285,286,287],{"id":21,"depth":279,"text":22},{"id":102,"depth":279,"text":103},{"id":153,"depth":279,"text":154},{"id":179,"depth":279,"text":180},{"id":203,"depth":279,"text":204},{"id":230,"depth":279,"text":231},{"id":256,"depth":279,"text":257},"Software development","2026-10-22","What drives the price of a custom web app or software project, rough UK ballparks, and how to keep costs under control — written for non-technical founders.","md",{},true,"\u002Finsights\u002Fhow-much-does-custom-software-cost-uk",8,{"title":5,"description":290},"How Much Does Custom Software Cost in the UK? | Chris Mackie","insights\u002Fhow-much-does-custom-software-cost-uk",null,"Vz9ac84923F1j7XkQ6ckY84JIhLLjhBpnTwJG-in8RI",1793821334804]