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Custom Software Development

Your SaaS subscriptions cost more than building the tool yourself

The break-even point hits around year three. After that, you're paying rent on someone else's roadmap. We're a small Berlin team that builds custom software your company owns outright.

Book a free scoping call

Is this you?

Four patterns we see every month. If two or more apply, custom software pays for itself.

Your SaaS stack keeps growing

SaaS pricing rose 11.4% on average last year. Some vendors raised rates over 300% after acquisitions. You're paying per-seat for features you don't use and missing the ones you need.

Your team runs on workarounds

Copy-paste between three systems. A spreadsheet that "only Maria understands." Manual steps that eat 6+ hours a week because the off-the-shelf tool doesn't match your actual process.

You can't get the data you need

Revenue numbers live in the ERP. Customer data sits in the CRM. Project status is in Jira. Nobody has a single view. Decisions wait for someone to pull a report manually.

A vendor controls your core workflow

Your operations depend on software you didn't build and can't change. When they deprecate a feature or raise prices, you scramble. That's a business risk, not a convenience.

Deliverables

What you get

Production software, not prototypes. Every deliverable ships with documentation and your team's name on the repo.

Core platform with admin console

Your business logic in one system. Manage users, configure workflows, and control permissions from a single interface your ops team can run without developer help.

API layer connecting your systems

ERP, CRM, accounting, warehouse. We connect SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, DATEV, and the in-house database nobody documented. Documented, versioned APIs. No more manual data transfers between systems.

Access controls and audit trails

Who did what, when. Role-based permissions that match your org chart. Full activity logs that satisfy compliance reviews without extra work.

Dashboards built for decisions

Not vanity metrics. The three to five numbers your leadership team actually checks every morning. Auto-updated, filterable, exportable.

Workflow automation

The repetitive tasks your team does manually today become one-click or zero-click. Approval chains, notifications, status updates. We measured one client saving 23 hours per week.

Full handover package

Source code. Architecture docs. Runbooks. Video walkthroughs. Your developers (or your next agency) can maintain and extend everything without calling us.

Process

How we build it

Four phases. You see working software before week four.

1
1-2 weeks

Discovery

We shadow your team, map the actual workflow (not what the org chart says), and identify the three biggest bottlenecks. You get a written scope document with architecture decisions explained in plain language.

2
1-2 weeks

Architecture

System design, data models, integration plan. We pick the stack that fits the problem, not our resume. You review and approve everything before a line of code gets written.

3
6-12 weeks

Build

Two-week sprints. Every sprint ends with a working demo you can click through. Automated tests on every commit. You approve each milestone before we move to the next.

4
Ongoing

Launch and support

Production deployment with monitoring from day one. Team training with your actual data. 90 days of priority support included. We stay until your team runs it confidently.

What to expect

Timeline

8-16 weeks

Kickoff to production. Smaller tools ship in 8 weeks. Complex platforms with integrations take 12-16.

Investment

€50K-200K

Fixed after discovery. No surprise invoices. 78% of software TCO comes after launch, so we build for low maintenance costs from the start.

Your involvement

4-6 hrs/week

Weekly demo reviews, quick decisions on priorities, and access to your subject matter experts. We handle everything else.

Technology

Built with boring technology

Proven frameworks your team can hire for and maintain. No hype stacks. No lock-in. Everything runs on EU infrastructure (Hetzner, IONOS, AWS Frankfurt) with a signed data processing agreement, so GDPR is built in, not bolted on.

Ruby on Rails
Laravel
Django
React
Next.js
Node.js
NestJS
PostgreSQL

Common questions

What is custom software development?

Custom software development means building an application around your exact processes instead of bending a standard tool to fit. Rather than paying per seat for features that only half-match, you get a system that mirrors your workflows, connects to the tools you already run, and belongs to you. It pays off when off-the-shelf software bottlenecks a core process, or when monthly SaaS costs for a poorly-fitting workflow run past €2,000 to €3,000. With us: fixed price after discovery, weekly demos, and the code sits in your repository from day one.

How do we get started?

A 30-minute call. We'll ask what's broken, what you've tried, and what success looks like. If there's a fit, we propose a paid discovery phase (usually one to two weeks) to scope the project properly.

Can you work with our existing systems and APIs?

Yes. Most of our projects connect to legacy ERPs, third-party APIs, or databases that've been running for 10+ years. SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, DATEV, the in-house tool nobody documented. We assess integration complexity during discovery so nothing catches you off guard. Here's why we design every integration API-first: API-first architecture

What if requirements change mid-project?

They will. That's why we work in two-week sprints with demos. Small changes get absorbed. Larger scope shifts get a transparent trade-off conversation: add this, push that. No hidden costs.

Who owns the code?

You do. 100%. Source code, documentation, deployment scripts, CI/CD pipelines. Everything lives in your repository from day one. No lock-in. No hostage situations.

Custom software or another SaaS subscription: how do we decide?

Sometimes the SaaS tool is the right call, and we'll say so. But when your monthly SaaS bill tops €2,000-3,000 for a workflow that doesn't quite fit, custom software typically breaks even within three years and costs less every year after. We laid out the full decision here: when to choose custom software

What does custom software development cost?

Most projects land between €50K and €200K, fixed after discovery. The range tracks scope, not hourly guesswork, so the invoice matches the estimate. Around 78% of total cost arrives after launch, so we build for low maintenance from day one. We broke down what actually drives the number here: what custom software costs

Is the software GDPR-compliant, and where is it hosted?

Yes, and it's not a checkbox we add at the end. We design for data minimization, build audit trails and deletion concepts in from the start, and host on EU infrastructure (Hetzner, IONOS, AWS Frankfurt) with a signed data processing agreement. If NIS2 or sector rules apply to you, we scope those requirements during discovery so nothing surfaces at launch. Where we store data and why: EU data residency guide

What stack do you use, and can we hire for it later?

Rails, Laravel, Django, React, Next.js, NestJS, and PostgreSQL. We pick the stack that fits your problem and your hiring market, never an obscure framework you'll struggle to staff. Every one has a large talent pool in Berlin and across Germany. New to commissioning bespoke software? Our complete guide walks through the whole process: complete guide to custom software development

Tell us what's slowing your team down

No pitch decks. Describe the workflow that frustrates you most and we'll share an honest take on whether custom software is the right fix or a waste of money.

Book a free scoping call See how we work