Everyone asks the same question before they start building: how much is this going to cost? The honest answer is frustrating but true — it depends. But that doesn't mean we can't give you a real framework for thinking about it.
I've built enough products to know that the range is wide for good reason. A simple marketing website might cost $500–$3,000. A custom web application with authentication, a database, and real business logic runs $5,000–$15,000. A native mobile app with backend infrastructure can be $15,000–$60,000 or more.
The variance isn't because agencies are making numbers up. It's because software development costs are driven by a handful of real factors that compound quickly.
What drives the cost
Scope and complexity. This is the biggest factor. A single-page app with three screens is fundamentally different from a platform with user roles, permissions, integrations, and real-time data. More features means more code, more testing, and more edge cases.
Custom vs. off-the-shelf. Every component you build from scratch costs more than using an existing solution. Need authentication? Implementing Auth0 or Clerk takes a day. Building a custom auth system takes a week or more. The question isn't whether to build custom — it's knowing where custom actually matters.
Design requirements. A functional, clean interface is standard. But a heavily branded, animation-rich, pixel-perfect design with custom illustrations adds significant time and cost. Be honest about what you actually need vs. what looks good on Dribbble.
Integrations. Every third-party API you connect to adds complexity. Payment processing, email providers, analytics, CRMs, shipping APIs — each one needs to be researched, implemented, tested, and maintained.
Platform choices. A web app that works across browsers is cheaper than building separate iOS and Android apps. Cross-platform frameworks like React Native can reduce that gap, but native apps still cost more than web.
Realistic price ranges
Here's what I typically see for common project types:
- Simple website (marketing, portfolio, small business): $500–$3,000
- Starter web app (custom functionality, basic auth, database): $3,000–$8,000
- Custom web platform (multi-user, complex logic, integrations): $8,000–$15,000+
- Mobile app (cross-platform): $8,000–$20,000
- Native mobile app (iOS + Android): $20,000–$60,000
- AI integration into existing product: $5,000–$15,000
These ranges assume a small, senior team working efficiently. Agencies with large teams, heavy process overhead, and offices in expensive cities will charge more for the same work.
Where money gets wasted
The biggest source of wasted budget isn't bad engineering — it's building the wrong thing. I've seen teams spend $50,000 on features that nobody used because they skipped validation. We've seen $30,000 rewrites that could have been avoided with better architecture decisions upfront.
The best way to control costs is to start small, validate with real users, and expand based on what actually works. An MVP that costs $8,000 and proves your market is worth infinitely more than a $50,000 product that sits unused.
How to think about budget
If you're early-stage, start with the minimum viable version of your product. Not the minimum embarrassing version — the minimum version that tests your core assumption. You can always add features later.
If you have budget flexibility, invest in architecture and code quality upfront. Cutting corners on the foundation creates technical debt that costs 3–5x more to fix later than it would have cost to do right the first time.
If you're not sure what your project should cost, talk to me. I'll give you an honest assessment — including whether I think you should build it at all yet.
The bottom line
Custom software costs what it costs because skilled engineering time is valuable and good architecture takes thought. The range is wide because projects are genuinely different. Anyone who gives you a fixed quote without understanding your requirements is either padding the number or planning to cut corners.
I publish my pricing ranges transparently because I think you deserve to know what you're getting into before you commit. Check my pricing page for current ranges, or reach out and I'll scope your project for free.