Typical price ranges
| Project | Typical range | Typical timeline from approved scope |
|---|---|---|
| Internal tool or admin system Replaces spreadsheets and manual steps with one tool your team logs into. | $15,000 to $30,000 | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Customer or partner portal Accounts, documents, requests, and status updates in one secure place. | $25,000 to $50,000 | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Operations platform Orders, scheduling, inventory, billing, and reporting built around your process. | $40,000 to $80,000 | 2 to 3 months |
| SaaS product A subscription product with plans, billing, onboarding, and an admin console. | $50,000 to $100,000 | 2 to 3 months |
| Enterprise system or modernization Large or legacy systems rebuilt in stages while the business keeps running. | $100,000+ | 3 to 4 months |
The timeline starts once the scope is approved and we have what we need from you.
What moves the price
- Number of user roles and screens
- Integrations and data migration
- Reporting and dashboards
- Security and compliance needs
How to Get an Accurate Software Quote (and What to Prepare)
Quotes go wrong when the information going in is thin. This guide shows how to prepare, what to ask for and how to compare what comes back.
Why quotes are often wrong
Software is not a product you pick from a shelf. Two projects that sound the same can differ in cost by a factor of five, because details change everything: how many user roles, which integrations, what security level, how many screens.
Most bad quotes come from one of three causes:
You can avoid all three with preparation.
Key points
- Missing information. The agency fills the gaps with assumptions, and assumptions are wrong about half the time.
- Hidden exclusions. The low price leaves out testing, design, hosting or support.
- Pressure to win. Some agencies quote low to win the job and recover the difference through change requests.
Step 1: Write a one-page brief
You don't need a technical document. A clear page is enough. Include:
The problem. What is broken or missing today? Who suffers from it?
The users. Who will use the software? Customers, staff, partners, admins? Roughly how many?
The goal. What should be true when it works? Use a measurable target if you can: "reduce booking time from 10 minutes to 2" or "let customers pay online."
The must-have features. The five to ten things the product must do on day one.
The nice-to-have features. Things you'd like later. Mark them clearly, so they don't inflate the first quote.
Systems it must connect to. Payment providers, accounting tools, CRMs, existing databases, other apps.
Platforms. Web, iOS, Android, or a combination.
Constraints. Deadlines, legal rules, data location requirements, brand guidelines.
Budget range. Yes, share it. See below.
Step 2: Share your budget range
Many people hide their budget, hoping for a lower quote. It usually backfires. Without a range, the agency can't tell whether you are thinking $10,000 or $200,000, so the quote is either padded or off target.
Share a range instead. "We have $30,000 to $45,000" lets the agency design the best first version for that money and tell you honestly if the goal doesn't fit the budget.
Step 3: Gather what you already have
Anything that helps the agency see your project reduces the guessing:
Even rough material beats a long email.
Key points
- Sketches, wireframes or screenshots of apps you like
- Existing documents, spreadsheets or forms that show your current process
- Access to the current system, if you are replacing one
- A list of competitors or similar products
- Any designs or brand assets you already own
Step 4: Ask for a structured quote
A good quote has clear parts. Ask for:
A single number on a single page is not a quote. It is a guess with a logo.
Key points
- Scope of work, listed in plain language, and an explicit list of what is not included
- Assumptions, such as "client provides all content" or "two rounds of design revisions"
- Team and roles, with time commitments
- Timeline with milestones
- Price breakdown by phase or feature area
- Payment schedule tied to milestones
- Change process, how new requests are priced and approved
- Post-launch support and warranty
- Ownership terms for code, design and accounts
Step 5: Consider a paid discovery phase
If your project is bigger or less defined, ask for a paid discovery or scoping phase. Typically it takes one to four weeks and covers:
Discovery costs money, but it often lowers the total cost, because it removes surprises before the expensive part begins. It also gives you a plan you can take to other agencies if you decide to compare.
Key points
- User and stakeholder interviews
- Defining and prioritizing features
- Technical planning and architecture
- Clickable designs of the main screens
- A detailed estimate and roadmap
Step 6: Compare quotes fairly
Put each quote into the same table.
When one quote is much lower, find out why. Usually something is missing: testing, a backend, an admin panel, project management or support. Ask the agency to confirm in writing what the lower price assumes.
| Check | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Features included | |||
| Explicit exclusions | |||
| Team size and seniority | |||
| Testing included | |||
| Timeline | |||
| Total price | |||
| Support after launch | |||
| You own the code |
Questions to ask about any quote
Honest answers to these matter more than the number.
Key points
- What are the three biggest risks to this estimate?
- Which parts are you least sure about?
- What would make the price go up?
- What could we cut to lower the price without hurting the core?
- How often do your projects go over the original estimate, and why?
- Who will work on it, and for how many hours a week?
Ranges are honest
Early on, you should expect a range, such as "$40,000 to $60,000," along with what moves the price within it. As scope firms up, the range narrows. A fixed price should come after enough definition to make it fair for both sides.
Warning signs
A precise price with no discovery or questions. No written list of exclusions. No testing or project management in the price. Pressure to sign quickly. Refusal to explain how the number was built. Vague answers about who owns the code. A price far below every other quote
How we quote at DECHY
We quote in two steps, so you never sign a fixed price built on guesses. First, you get a range based on a short conversation and your brief. Then, once the scope is clear enough, we turn that range into a fixed price or a capped budget.
For a sense of scale, most custom software projects with us cost $25,000 to $80,000. An internal tool or admin system costs $15,000 to $30,000. A customer or partner portal costs $25,000 to $50,000. A SaaS (software sold as an online subscription) product costs $50,000 to $100,000. Hourly work is priced at $35 to $55 an hour.
Every quote lists what is included, what is not and the assumptions behind the number. If an assumption changes, we show you the effect on cost and timeline before any work starts.
You can get a first range in a few minutes with the cost estimator. Or share your brief, and we will send a written range with the assumptions spelled out.
Next step
Send us your one-page brief, even if it is rough. We'll reply with questions, an honest range and the assumptions behind it. Talk to DECHY.