The short answer: a custom web application costs from about $5,000 for a focused first version to well over $100,000 for a large portal. In a GoodFirms survey of web development companies, a simple MVP came in at $5,000–$10,000 and a complex one at $20,000–$35,000, while web portals ranged from $10,000–$30,000 for simple ones to $60,000–$100,000 for complex ones. On Clutch, most custom software projects reviewed by clients fall between $10,000 and $49,999. Our web applications start at €4,500, delivered in stages.
What makes a web application cost more
A website mostly shows information. A web application lets people do work: log in, enter data, approve, pay, report. Each of these adds screens, rules and tests. These are the main cost drivers:
- User roles and permissions: a single admin is simple; customers, staff, managers and partners who each see different data are not.
- Workflows: how many distinct processes the app supports, such as ordering, approval or invoicing, and how many steps each one has.
- Integrations: accounting, ERP, payment providers, email and SMS, maps or other APIs. Every outside system brings its own documentation, limits and edge cases.
- Data: importing records from spreadsheets or an old system, and the reports people need from that data.
- Real-time features: live updates and notifications need more infrastructure and testing than pages that refresh on request.
- Security and privacy: personal data under GDPR, audit logs, backups and access control.
- Quality: automated tests, documentation and a staging environment cost time up front and save far more later.
Price ranges by type of application
| Type | Typical scope | Published range | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple MVP | One core workflow, user logins, a basic admin | $5,000–$10,000 | 3–12 weeks for about 93% of agencies |
| Complex MVP | Several roles, payments, first integrations | $20,000–$35,000 | 3–12 weeks for about 93% of agencies |
| Simple portal | A client or partner portal with documents, requests and status | $10,000–$30,000 | 8–30 weeks for 64.3% of agencies |
| Internal employee portal | Tools and data for staff, connected to company systems | $50,000–$75,000 | 8–30 weeks, longer for some |
| Complex or public-facing portal | Many roles, heavy integrations, high traffic | $60,000–$150,000 | Up to 30–52 weeks |
| Enterprise portal | Large organizations with many systems and markets | $150,000–$500,000 | Up to 30–52 weeks |
US dollars, from the GoodFirms website cost survey (2024) as reported by Digital Information World. Clutch's custom software guide (updated September 2026) puts most reviewed projects at $10,000–$49,999, with an average duration of about 13 months.
The averages are less useful than the ranges. Clutch reports an average custom software project of about $132,000, but that figure is pulled up by a few very large engagements; most of the projects it reviewed cost far less. For a small or mid-sized business, the realistic question is how much of the first version can be cut without losing the point.
What a web application costs to run
Running costs depend on traffic and architecture, but a business application rarely needs expensive infrastructure at the start. Published prices for common building blocks:
- Hosting: Vercel's Pro plan is $20 per developer seat a month, including $20 of usage; its free Hobby plan is for personal, non-commercial use only. A cloud server at Hetzner starts at €5.99 a month excluding VAT.
- Database: managed PostgreSQL on Supabase starts at $25 a month on the Pro plan, with compute billed separately per project.
- Email, SMS, maps and similar services: usually billed by usage, so ask for an estimate at your expected volume.
- Maintenance: the GoodFirms survey puts maintenance of a custom web application at $2,000–$20,000+ a year, covering updates, fixes and security.
- New features: most applications keep growing after launch. Budget for that separately from maintenance.
Our managed hosting starts at €50 a year and includes tested backups, security updates and 24/7 monitoring.
Fixed price, hourly or a dedicated team
| Model | How it works | Works best when | Risk sits with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed price | Scope agreed in writing, one price per stage | The first version can be described clearly | The developer, for anything inside the scope |
| Hourly (time and materials) | You pay for hours worked, usually against an estimate | Requirements are still moving | You, unless there is a cap |
| Dedicated team | A team works on your product for an agreed period | The product will grow for months or years | Shared: you set priorities, the team delivers |
For a first version, a fixed price per stage is usually the safest choice: you know the cost before work starts, and each stage ends with something you can use. Clutch notes that fixed pricing suits shorter projects of a few weeks to a couple of months, which is why larger applications are split into stages. For longer work, see our dedicated team model.
How to keep the cost under control
- Start with an MVP: the one workflow that proves the idea, with everything else on a list for later. See MVP and SaaS development.
- Buy before you build: payments, sign-in, email delivery and maps already exist as services. Building them yourself rarely pays off.
- Use a proven admin framework where it fits. We use Laravel with Filament when an application needs a large back office.
- Write acceptance criteria: for each feature, what “done” means. It shortens testing and prevents arguments.
- Insist on staging: a test copy of the app where you see progress before anything goes live.
How to read a web application quote
- Does it list features and user roles, or only a total? The list is what you are buying.
- What is explicitly out of scope?
- How is the work split into stages, and what can you use at the end of each one?
- How are changes priced once work has started?
- Who owns the code, and will you have access to the repository from day one?
- Are automated tests and documentation included?
- Where will it be hosted, under whose account, and what will that cost per year?
- What support is included after launch?
What we charge for a web application
Our web applications start at €4,500. After a short call you receive a written scope and a fixed price; it is final and nothing is added on top. A first version usually takes 6–12 weeks and is delivered in stages, 30 days of care after launch are included, and the code, domain and accounts belong to you. We build with Next.js, React, Node.js and PostgreSQL, and Laravel with Filament where a large back office is needed. See web application development or all prices.
Two examples. For Day Gallery we built a platform where cafés and restaurants take orders straight from the table, in the guest's own language, and each order reaches the bar the moment it is placed. Our own platform, TechPlay, runs a catalog of more than 200,000 games with an editorial back office and 356 automated tests on every change.
Our price
Web application · from €4,500
Sources
Written by
Adi Zeljković — Founder, Luminor Solutions
Part of the Luminor team — working across strategy, design, engineering and growth on the projects we write about.