PRICING · FIXED SCOPE · NO SURPRISES

What a custom build actually costs

Most vendors won't quote until you've signed an NDA and sat through four meetings. We think that's backwards. Here's what our projects look like at different price points — in scope terms, not marketing language — so you can figure out where your problem sits before we talk.

All prices are AUD, inclusive of GST. All engagements are fixed scope: you know the number before anything starts.

TIER 1 · INTEGRATION
$5k – $9k
fixed scope · 2–4 weeks

A clean connection between two systems. One clear data flow, defined field mappings, handled edge cases, tested and live.

  • Two systems connected (e.g. Shopify → Xero)
  • One primary data flow (orders, invoices, contacts, or stock)
  • GST handling correct from day one
  • Error handling and retry logic included
  • Webhook-triggered or scheduled poll
  • Hosted by us or deployed to your system
  • Full documentation + 30-day support
// example scope

Shopify orders flowing to Xero as invoices, with correct GST, account codes, and payment reconciliation. Goes live in 2–3 weeks. Replaces 45 minutes of daily data entry.

TIER 2 · COMPLEX INTEGRATION OR SIMPLE APP
$10k – $16k
fixed scope · 4–8 weeks

Multiple systems, custom routing logic, or a lightweight internal tool. Still fixed price — the scope is just wider.

  • Two to four systems connected
  • Custom business logic (routing rules, conditional flows)
  • Admin interface for managing rules without code deploys
  • Multi-location or multi-currency handling
  • OR: a focused internal web app replacing a spreadsheet process
  • Audit log of every sync event
  • Hosted by us or deployed to your system
  • Full documentation + 60-day support
// example scope

Shopify orders → Australia Post label creation → Xero invoice, with carrier selection by weight and destination zone, and a simple admin screen to manage the routing rules.

TIER 3 · CUSTOM APPLICATION
$17k – $25k
fixed scope · 8–16 weeks

A purpose-built internal application replacing a process that's grown too complex for any off-the-shelf tool to handle.

  • Full custom web application, production-grade
  • Role-based access (warehouse floor vs. management view)
  • Multiple system integrations in one coherent interface
  • Complex business logic your operation has accumulated over years
  • Reporting and reconciliation views
  • Mobile-usable on warehouse or field devices
  • Full codebase handover — it's yours
  • Documentation + 90-day support
// example scope

A custom fulfilment application for a Shopify merchant doing 200+ orders a week: pick-and-pack screens, automated label generation across three carriers, 3PL charge reconciliation, and live Shopify inventory sync.

What moves the number up or down

Fixed scope means the price doesn't change after we agree it. But the scope — and therefore the price — depends on a few specific things. Here's what we're assessing on the scoping call.

// PUSHES PRICE UP

More complexity

Multiple source systems. Business logic that's accumulated over years ("we always do it this way for this customer type"). Edge cases that aren't in any SaaS vendor's happy path. Integrating with older software that predates modern APIs.

// PUSHES PRICE DOWN

Clean, well-documented systems

Modern APIs with good documentation. One clear data flow with well-understood field mappings. No legacy database that someone built in 2009 and nobody understands. A business process that's actually consistent.

// PUSHES PRICE UP

Custom user interface

Integrations that run in the background are cheaper than tools that need a screen someone uses every day. A warehouse pick-and-pack UI is more work than a headless sync that runs on a schedule.

// PUSHES PRICE DOWN

Standard tools with known APIs

Shopify, Xero, ServiceM8, MYOB, Australia Post — we've built against these. We know the quirks. We don't bill you for the time it takes us to figure out how the API works.

// PUSHES PRICE UP

Strict compliance or security requirements

Healthcare integrations with specific data residency rules. Financial data that needs an audit trail meeting a specific standard. Pen-testing requirements before sign-off. All real — all adds scope.

// PUSHES PRICE DOWN

You know exactly what you want

A client who can describe the problem precisely — "order X needs to become invoice Y with these specific fields" — halves the scoping time. The more concrete the brief, the faster (and cheaper) the build.

The stuff no one puts on their pricing page

Sometimes the right answer is not a custom build. If Zapier will genuinely solve your problem for $50/month and you don't need anything bespoke, we'll tell you that on the scoping call. We'd rather lose a $5k project than watch you pay for something you didn't need.

There are projects we won't take. If the scope isn't fixable — if the requirements are genuinely unclear, if the business process itself is broken and software won't fix it, or if the timeline is unrealistic — we'll say so. A fixed-price engagement only works if we're confident we can deliver it.

We don't do time and materials. Every engagement is scoped and priced before we start. If the scope changes materially mid-build, we pause and agree a variation before continuing. No surprise invoices.

The code is yours. We don't build on proprietary platforms that create dependency on us. When we hand over, you own the codebase, the documentation, and the deployment. You can hire someone else to extend it. We make ourselves easy to replace — because that's the right way to work.

Not sure which tier you're in?

Book a 30-minute scoping call. Free, no obligation. We'll place your problem accurately and give you a written scope before anything moves.

Book a scoping call