What custom software actually costs (and why the range is so wide)

The most common question we get from prospective clients is some version of: "What will this cost?"

The honest answer requires understanding what drives the number.

The three cost drivers

Complexity is the biggest factor. A simple automation that connects two tools costs a few thousand euros. A multi-tenant SaaS platform with custom billing and role-based access costs dramatically more. Complexity compounds.

Integrations add cost. Every third-party system you need to connect — your accounting software, your ERP, your existing database — adds time. Integrations are often the biggest unknown at the start of a project.

Maintenance expectations shape the build. Software built to run for two years with minimal changes is architected differently from software that will evolve continuously. The latter requires more investment upfront.

The ranges, roughly

Simple automations and workflows: €2,000–€8,000. These are single-purpose tools that solve one specific problem. Invoice automation, lead routing, data sync between two systems.

Internal tools and dashboards: €8,000–€25,000. Custom CRM, operations dashboard, employee management tools. More complex interfaces, more data sources.

Full custom platforms: €25,000–€150,000+. Multi-user systems, customer-facing products, platforms with complex business logic.

What to ask before you build

What's the cost of not building this? The ROI calculation matters. A €20,000 tool that saves €5,000/month in manual work pays off in four months.

Who will own this after we build it? Ongoing maintenance is a cost. Factor it in.

What's the minimum version that delivers value? Start smaller. Ship faster. Expand based on what you learn.

What Dakiy charges

We work across all three tiers above. Most of our clients start with a well-scoped smaller project, see the results, then commission the larger work. That's the sensible path — prove the model before scaling it.