Custom vs off-the-shelf
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How much does bespoke software cost in the UK?
Straight answer, real numbers, and the factors that move the price - so you can budget with confidence.
Updated June 2026
In the UK, bespoke software typically starts with a £500-£2,000 discovery sprint, then a first build runs £3,000-£30,000+ depending on complexity. A simple internal tool replacing one spreadsheet sits at the lower end; a multi-user platform with logins, integrations and reporting sits higher. The biggest cost drivers are the number of user types, third-party integrations, data migration and how clearly the process is defined before build - which is exactly why a paid discovery step saves money overall.
What you get at each budget
Roughly: £3k-£8k buys a focused internal tool or digital-record system; £8k-£18k buys a customer portal or operational system with logins and reporting; £18k-£30k+ buys a multi-user or subscription platform with integrations. These are starting guides - discovery produces your exact figure.
What drives the price up or down?
Cost rises with the number of distinct user roles, the number of integrations to other systems, the volume and messiness of data to migrate, and bespoke design needs. It drops when the process is well understood and the first release is kept tight. Scope creep is the main enemy - a clear discovery brief is the cure.
Why discovery is charged separately
A £500-£2,000 discovery sprint produces a costed plan you own. It's cheaper to discover that a project is bigger than expected on paper than halfway through a build.
What about ongoing costs?
Running costs on a modern serverless stack are typically a few pounds to tens of pounds a month. An optional support retainer (£99-£499/month) covers hosting, maintenance, security and improvements. See full pricing.
UK bespoke software cost guide (2026)
Indicative ranges - your discovery sprint pins down the exact figure.
| Stage | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Discovery sprint | £500-£2,000 (fixed) |
| Focused internal tool | £3,000-£8,000 |
| Customer portal / ops system | £8,000-£18,000 |
| Multi-user / industry platform | £18,000-£30,000+ |
| Support retainer | £99-£499 / month (optional) |
FAQs
What's the cheapest way to start?
A discovery sprint from £500. It gives you a costed plan you own, so you can decide whether to proceed with full eyes open.
Why can't you quote a fixed price immediately?
Because an accurate price needs a clear scope. Discovery produces that scope, after which we quote a fixed price for the build.
Are there ongoing costs?
Hosting on a serverless stack is typically a few pounds a month. An optional support retainer covers maintenance and improvements from £99/month.
Thinking about custom software?
Start with a low-risk discovery sprint. Tell us the problem and we'll map the solution.