What custom software actually costs.

The ranges

A single-workflow tool is the smallest useful custom build. It might replace a fragile spreadsheet, coordinate one operational handoff, or give a team a focused internal interface. That range is typically $15,000 to $25,000 when the workflow, users, and first release are clear.

An operational platform becomes more involved when it has multiple roles, notifications, payments, mobile use, customer access, or integrations. Those builds typically run $35,000 to $60,000. A product intended to serve multiple companies as a multi-tenant SaaS product starts at $60,000 and up because it needs product-level account boundaries, onboarding, billing, and a more durable support model.

Paid discovery comes first

Atlas AG offers a two-week paid discovery for $3,500. It produces a written specification, wireframes, and a fixed quote for the build. The discovery fee is credited against the build, so it is not a second fee for the same work when a project moves forward.

Discovery is where the first release becomes specific. It separates a must-have workflow from a future wish list, identifies the people who need access, maps the important data, and makes a date possible. A fixed price is only useful when the boundaries behind it are visible.

What moves a project between ranges

The biggest cost drivers are usually not the number of pages. They are the number of workflows, roles, integrations, and decisions the product must support. A system that connects a field crew, manager, customer, payment provider, and external data source has more coordination to get right than a system used by one person.

• Number of distinct workflows in the first release.
• Roles, permissions, approvals, and customer-facing access.
• Payments, email, SMS, mapping, AI, or other third-party services.
• Data migration and the quality of the records being brought over.
• Mobile field use, offline constraints, reporting, and audit requirements.
• Whether the system is owned by one business or must support many tenants.

Marketing sites are a different engagement

Atlas AG also takes on marketing and brochure sites when capacity allows. Those projects are billed at $225 per hour with a not-to-exceed cap quoted up front, plus $50 per month for hosting. Once a site needs user accounts, a customer portal, or an admin dashboard, it becomes a platform build starting at $15,000.

That distinction protects both sides. A marketing site can be scoped as a bounded communication project. An operational product needs discovery, behavior, roles, data, and a release plan.

What it costs and how long it takes

A focused single-workflow tool typically runs $15,000 to $25,000. An operational platform with roles, notifications, payments, and mobile typically runs $35,000 to $60,000. A multi-tenant SaaS product intended for sale starts at $60,000 and up.

Atlas AG starts with paid discovery: $3,500 for two weeks, producing a spec, wireframes, and a fixed quote. That fee is credited against the build. Most builds go live in six to ten weeks once the first release is defined.

Ownership is part of the price

Clients own their code, database, and customer data outright. By default, finished software is deployed to infrastructure the client owns. Atlas AG Managed is available as a separate monthly service for hosting, monitoring, updates, and support when a client does not want to run those responsibilities internally.

Metered services such as AI, SMS, email, mapping, and payments are billed directly by the vendor to the client. That keeps usage visible and keeps third-party accounts under the client's control instead of hiding them inside an opaque software fee.

Continue

• See how long a custom build takes
• Compare building with buying for field operations
• Ask for a fixed quote

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