Custom software development for the Mittelstand: replace Excel lists and legacy tools, digitize your processes

An MVP with one core process, login, and a first workflow costs between €8,000 and 20,000 with us — the typical DACH market entry point starts at €20,000 to 40,000. A complete B2B web app with roles, integrations, and reporting runs €20,000 to 60,000. The difference comes from AI-assisted development with senior accountability. We don't quote flat rates before requirements are clarified; complex platforms are priced as a fixed fee after discovery.

The 2026 rule of thumb: standard software for the interchangeable, custom development for processes that differentiate your business. If your team only keeps a SaaS tool running through workarounds, that's a clear signal. Also run the scaling math: SaaS costs often grow three- to fivefold through seats, storage, and API limits, and from 50 to 100 users, custom software frequently has the lower five-year TCO. We run that math openly with you — even when SaaS wins.

A website communicates: it informs, presents, and generates leads — no login. A web app acts: users sign in, enter data, and trigger processes; typical examples are internal admin tools, booking and approval systems, and SaaS products. It runs in the browser — no installation, no app store approval, updates deployable daily. A mobile app is built natively for iOS or Android and mainly pays off for offline use or hardware access. We build browser-based B2B web apps exclusively.

An MVP with one core process is in production within six to twelve weeks. A complete B2B web app with a roles model, integrations, and reporting takes three to six months — iteratively, with usable interim releases instead of a big-bang launch. What matters most isn't the technology but the clarity of the requirements; that's what the discovery workshop at the start is for. Scope changes are normal — we document their impact on time and budget before we build.

Because spreadsheets used as a database substitute are measurably error-prone: in Ray Panko's meta-analyses, 88 percent of audited spreadsheets contained errors, with a cell error rate of around five percent. Add missing roles and permissions, no change history, and uncontrolled file copies sent by email. For single-user lists without process logic, Excel remains fine — business-critical, shared processes belong in an application with validation, permissions, and an audit trail.

The source code belongs entirely to you — handed over in a structured way, documented, built on open-source technologies without proprietary abstraction layers. After launch, you choose the operating model freely: a retainer, on-demand engagements, or a takeover by an in-house team or another provider — we won't stand in the way. Just one recommendation, regardless of model: don't leave security-relevant updates to chance, especially when personal data is processed. Many clients stay anyway — as a free choice, not a lock-in.

For us, GDPR is an architecture decision, not an end-of-project checklist: EU hosting on Hetzner infrastructure without CLOUD Act risk, data minimization in the data model, and access rights enforced technically rather than merely documented. For identity and access we use Keycloak — multi-factor authentication, SSO, and granular roles come standard, alongside input validation, protection against SQL injection and XSS, and regular dependency updates. On request, we work with your data protection officer, supply documentation for your records of processing, and recommend external security audits for elevated requirements.

Yes — that's the norm; hardly any project starts from zero. We connect ERP, CRM, accounting, and existing databases via REST, GraphQL, webhooks, LDAP, and OAuth; existing data can be migrated or mirrored live. What we don't do: promise integrations before we've seen the other system's documentation. Some systems integrate well, others don't — we tell you that before the project, not halfway through.

If the process is a commodity — accounting, payroll, email marketing, standard CRM — a SaaS subscription is almost always the better choice: live faster, continuously improved, cheaper for small teams. For single-user lists without process logic, Excel is enough. Custom software pays off for processes that differentiate your business and that no standard tool covers. We draw that line honestly in the first conversation — even when it costs us the deal.

Yes. In Brandenburg, BIG-Digital funds digitization projects — from process digitization to implementation — with grants of up to €250,000; other German states offer comparable programs. Important: the application must be submitted before the project starts. We supply the technical project description and cost estimate for the application and structure the project so it remains eligible for funding.