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Software development cost calculator.

Answer five quick questions and get a realistic cost and timeline range for your MVP, CRM, ERP, SaaS, web or mobile project, based on what we actually charge, not industry averages. The bands the estimate is built from are set out on our pricing page.

Benchmarks

Software development cost benchmarks for 2026.

Typical cost and timeline range by project type
Project type	Typical range (USD)	Timeline	Details
Startup MVP	$6,500 – $20,000	6–10 weeks	MVP development
Custom business software	$10,000 – $36,000	9–14 weeks	Custom software
Custom CRM	$12,500 – $44,000	9–14 weeks	CRM development
Custom ERP (phase one)	$20,000 – $75,000	12–22 weeks	ERP development
SaaS product	$16,000 – $60,000	10–18 weeks	SaaS development
E-commerce platform	$8,500 – $32,000	7–12 weeks	E-commerce
Mobile app	$10,000 – $36,000	9–14 weeks	Mobile development

What affects software development cost most

Scope beats everything: the number of user roles, screens and workflows drives 60–70% of any quote. Integrations come second. Every external system adds design, build and testing time. Platform count and custom design round out the big four.

What keeps the number where it is

A senior team that scopes in writing before it prices, so the estimate is not padded against surprises, and AI-assisted tooling that cuts build time on boilerplate, tests and integrations by roughly 20%. Discovery, architecture and QA keep their human hours.

How to keep your budget under control

Phase the build. Launch a lean first release around the core journey, then extend with real user feedback. Fixed-scope phases with agreed budgets prevent the open-ended hourly drift that inflates most software budgets.

FAQs · software development cost

Software development cost: frequently asked questions

Accuracy, India rates, fixed vs hourly, what is included, and what happens after you request a reviewed estimate.

It is an indicative range based on QalbIT delivery data across 120+ engagements. Real quotes follow a short discovery call and depend on exact scope and integrations, but the range is honest, not a lead-bait lowball.

Scope, integrations and timeline, not where the team sits. We price a fixed-scope build the same way regardless of client location: senior engineers, a written scope before work starts, and no markup for pricing to the market we happen to be selling into.

Fixed-scope phases for a defined first release; a monthly dedicated team once the roadmap keeps going. We recommend one in the written scope and you decide.

Cut scope, not craft. Fewer roles, fewer screens, fewer integrations in phase one. Everything you defer is cheaper to build once real users have told you what matters.

Yes. UI design, QA and delivery management are inside the range. There is no separate line item that appears after you sign.

A senior engineer reviews your answers and comes back within 24–48 hours with a written scope, an architecture recommendation and a firmer range. NDA on request.

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Turn the range into a real number.

A written scope with the exclusions listed
An architecture recommendation, not a sales deck
The name of the engineer who would lead it
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We turn the range above into a written scope with the exclusions listed.

Next step

A number you can take to your board.

Send your answers and a senior engineer will come back with a written scope, timeline and firmer range, free, and yours either way.

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