How Much Does Custom Software Actually Cost? A Straight Answer

If you've ever searched "how much does custom software cost," you've probably found a lot of articles that say the same thing: it depends . That's not helpful. You're a business owner trying to work out whether custom software is even realistic for your budget. You need numbers, not waffle. So here are real numbers. These are based on the kind of projects we actually build at JMS Dev Lab — tools for small and medium businesses in Ireland and the UK, not Silicon Valley startups raising millions. Why Most Developers Won't Give You a Straight Answer Most agencies and freelancers dodge the pricing question because they want to get you on a call first. Others genuinely can't give you a number because they charge by the hour and have no idea how long something will take. Both of those should worry you. Hourly billing means you carry all the risk. If the project takes longer than expected — and they almost always do — you pay more. The developer has no incentive to be efficient. We work diffe