Short answer: a custom web application built by a Polish software house costs from about $6,000 for a simple MVP, $12,000-25,000 for a mid-complexity app, and $25,000-40,000+ for a large system with many roles and integrations. Ongoing maintenance typically adds $120-600 per month. Below we break down what drives the price, how long each type takes, and how we build a quote step by step.
Web application cost in 2026: pricing table
| Type of application | Typical scope | Price (net) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | 1 user role, core features, simple admin panel | $6,000-12,000 | 6-10 weeks |
| Mid-complexity app | Several roles, admin panel, 1-3 integrations (payments, CRM, email) | $12,000-25,000 | 10-16 weeks |
| Large system | Many roles and permissions, complex business logic, multiple integrations | $25,000-40,000+ | 4-6+ months |
| Maintenance and development | Hosting, updates, monitoring, small improvements | $120-600 / month | ongoing |
These are typical ranges for Polish software houses, not a fixed price list. A precise number always comes from the scope of your project. For comparison, the same scope built by agencies in the US or Western Europe usually costs 2-3 times more, which is why many companies outsource web app development to Poland.
What you get at each price level
MVP ($6,000-12,000)
An MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is the smallest version of your product that real users can use. Typical examples: a booking system for a single business, an internal tool replacing spreadsheets, a simple SaaS with one type of user and a subscription. The goal is to validate the idea in the market before investing in advanced features.
Mid-complexity application ($12,000-25,000)
This is the most common range for businesses. It covers apps with several user roles (for example admin, staff and customer), a proper admin panel, online payments and integrations with tools you already use. Example: our CheckMateHub chess school management app with separate dashboards for owners, coaches, parents and students.
Large system ($25,000-40,000+)
Platforms with complex business logic, many permission levels, integrations with ERP or accounting systems, advanced reporting or AI features. Here the architecture has to be designed for growth from day one, because rebuilding it later costs far more.
What raises the cost of a web application the most?
- Number of user roles and permissions - every additional role means new screens, scenarios and tests.
- Integrations with external systems - ERP, CRM, payment gateways, accounting. Each integration is another point that needs building and maintaining.
- Business logic in the admin panel - custom workflows, approvals, calculations.
- AI features - integrating language models (like in Swaplate, our AI meal planner) adds prompt design, testing and API costs.
- Scalability and security - architecture ready for growth and requirements of regulated industries.
- Custom UX/UI design - a unique interface costs more than a ready-made component library, but pays off in usability.
How we price a web application, step by step
1. Discovery and analysis
We learn about your business, your users and the goal the application needs to achieve. This is the most important stage: mistakes made here are the most expensive to fix later.
2. Functional specification
We break the project into concrete features, user roles and flows, and decide what is essential for launch and what can wait for phase two. The more precise the specification, the more accurate the quote.
3. Quote and timeline
You get a fixed price broken down by phase and a realistic timeline, with no hidden costs added mid-project.
4. UX/UI design and development
Only once the scope is approved do we move into design and coding. We work in short cycles, so you see progress every week or two instead of waiting months.
MVP or the full product from day one?
In most cases we recommend starting with an MVP. It costs a fraction of the full version, reaches users within weeks, and shows which features people actually use. The budget saved goes into developing what brings results, not into features nobody needed.
Hidden costs to plan for
- Hosting and infrastructure (usually $20-200 per month for small and mid-size apps).
- Third-party services: payment fees, email sending, maps, AI APIs.
- Maintenance: security updates, monitoring and bug fixes after launch.
- Further development: new features based on user feedback.
Why build a custom application with us
As a software house building custom web applications, we design the architecture so it can grow without being rewritten every time a new feature is added. You keep 100% ownership of the source code, with no vendor lock-in.
Tell us about your idea and we will come back within 24 hours with a concrete quote based on your actual scope.
