One of the most common questions businesses ask before starting a digital project is: "How much will this cost?" Software development pricing can feel opaque and variable, making it difficult to budget confidently. This guide demystifies software development costs, explains what drives pricing, and gives you realistic ranges so you can plan your investment effectively.
Why Software Development Costs Vary So Widely
Two businesses can ask for "a website" and receive quotes ranging from KES 15,000 to KES 500,000+. The difference isn't random — it reflects fundamental differences in scope, quality, and deliverables. Understanding what drives cost puts you in control of the conversation.
The primary cost drivers in software development are:
- Project Complexity — A brochure website is fundamentally different from an ecommerce platform with inventory management, payment processing, and customer accounts.
- Custom Design vs Templates — Fully custom UI/UX design costs significantly more than template-based solutions but delivers superior results.
- Number of Features — Every additional feature — search filters, booking systems, dashboards, integrations — adds development hours.
- Third-Party Integrations — Connecting payment gateways, CRM systems, SMS APIs, WhatsApp, or M-Pesa adds both development time and API costs.
- Developer Experience — Junior developers are cheaper but senior, specialized developers produce better, more maintainable code.
- Timeline — Rush projects require more resources and often cost 20–40% more than standard timelines.
Website Development Cost Guide
Template-based WordPress or static website, 5–8 pages, basic contact form, mobile responsive.
- ✓ 5–8 pages
- ✓ Template design
- ✓ Basic SEO setup
- ✓ Contact form
- ✗ Custom functionality
Custom-designed business website, up to 15 pages, advanced SEO, lead generation features.
- ✓ Custom design
- ✓ 10–20 pages
- ✓ Advanced SEO
- ✓ Lead capture forms
- ✓ CMS integration
Complex ecommerce, booking platforms, membership sites, custom integrations.
- ✓ Full custom development
- ✓ Database architecture
- ✓ Payment integration
- ✓ Admin dashboard
- ✓ API integrations
Software Systems Cost Guide
Business software systems (CRM, POS, ERP, LMS) have different pricing dynamics than websites, as they involve complex database architecture, user authentication, real-time data processing, and custom workflows.
CRM System (Customer Relationship Management)
A basic CRM for managing contacts, sales pipeline, and follow-up reminders starts around KES 80,000 – 150,000. A comprehensive real estate or law firm CRM with modules for deals, contracts, billing, and reporting ranges KES 200,000 – 500,000+.
Compare this to Salesforce at $25–$300 per user per month — a 10-person company pays $3,000–$36,000 annually forever. A one-time custom CRM investment pays for itself within 1–2 years. Learn more about our CRM system development.
POS System (Point of Sale)
A custom POS system for retail or restaurants ranges from KES 60,000 for basic to KES 250,000+ for multi-branch enterprise POS with advanced inventory, analytics, and M-Pesa integration. Explore our POS system development.
ERP System (Enterprise Resource Planning)
ERP systems are the most complex and expensive software investments. Custom ERP development ranges from KES 300,000 for SMB-focused systems to several million for enterprise-scale implementations covering HR, Finance, Inventory, Procurement, and Production modules. Compare to SAP or Oracle licensing at $1,000–$5,000+ per user annually. Read more about ERP system development.
LMS (Learning Management System)
Custom LMS platforms range from KES 80,000 for basic course delivery to KES 300,000+ for advanced systems with gamification, live classes, certificate generation, and multi-tenancy support.
The True Cost of NOT Investing in Software
Many businesses resist software investment due to upfront costs, overlooking the hidden cost of inefficiency:
- Manual data entry errors — Average cost: 5–10% of revenue lost to mistakes
- Lost customer opportunities — Without CRM, 80% of leads are never followed up after 3 contact attempts
- Inventory shrinkage — Businesses without POS systems lose an average of 3–5% of inventory annually
- Staff productivity loss — Manual processes consume 30–40% of employee time that automation could reclaim
How to Budget for Your Software Project
- Start with an MVP — Build core functionality first. Add features as the business grows. This reduces upfront investment and validates your solution quickly.
- Get detailed specifications — The more precisely you define requirements, the more accurate your quote will be. Vague briefs produce vague (and often inaccurate) pricing.
- Include ongoing costs — Budget for hosting (KES 500–5,000/month), maintenance, updates, and support in your total cost of ownership.
- Compare quotes carefully — The cheapest quote is rarely the best value. Assess deliverables, timelines, support, and developer experience.
- Think 3-year ROI — Evaluate software investment over a 3-year horizon: cost savings, productivity gains, and revenue increase vs. total investment.
Get an Accurate Quote from Zurihub Technology
At Zurihub Technology, we believe in transparent, fixed-price contracts. We don't do hourly billing surprises. We provide detailed proposals with clear deliverables, timelines, and pricing before any project begins. Our free quotation process takes 10 minutes and gives you a precise budget to work with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Zurihub Technology Team
Software development experts providing transparent, fixed-price custom development solutions for businesses across Africa and beyond.