01
Count decisions and dependencies, not screens
A simple-looking interface may hide complex permissions, calculations and integration failure modes. These drive more effort than visual page count.
Software procurement answer
How much does bespoke software cost?
There is no credible fixed price for 'bespoke software' without defining scope. Cost is driven by workflow complexity, user roles, integrations, data migration, assurance, deployment and support. A focused demonstrator costs far less than a multi-domain enterprise platform; staged specifications create the clearest estimate.
02
Use staged commercial evidence
Discovery or a demonstrator can reduce uncertainty before the full commitment. Milestones should correspond to working, verifiable capability.
03
Budget for ownership
Hosting, monitoring, security updates, support and continued product development belong in the whole-life cost comparison with SaaS.
Start with the operation