Custom Software for Your Company

Danijel Balog
By Danijel Balog
Founder, Fragon Studios

Software that fits your company, not the other way around. Full code ownership, GDPR-ready, hosted at Hetzner in Germany.

Software That Pays Off

Custom software projects for SMEs in Austria and Germany typically cost between EUR 20,000 and 80,000 in 2026. Lean custom software projects start around EUR 15,000, complex enterprise applications reach six-figure budgets. It pays off when standard SaaS no longer fits: idiosyncratic processes, data-sensitive use cases, or the last twenty percent that no off-the-shelf solution covers. Under EUR 15,000, an Excel sheet or a no-code tool is usually the honest answer. Typical use cases are internal tools for teams stuck in Excel, customer portals for orders and service tickets, ERP add-ons, and process automations. For a mid-market client in Upper Austria, we built a customer portal on Next.js with a .NET backend where existing clients view quotes and submit maintenance requests. You get the source code, the Git repository, and the usage rights; no lock-in, fully transferable to another team. We optionally operate on our Hetzner servers in Germany, GDPR-compliant per Art. 28 - or you move the code to another host.

Code ownership with the client

You get the code, the Git repository, and usage rights. No vendor lock-in, no pressure for follow-up contracts.

Data stays in Europe

Fragon Cloud runs on Hetzner servers in Germany and Finland. No US CLOUD Act, GDPR-compliant under Art. 28.

Direct line to the engineer

You talk to the people who build your software. No call center, no project manager chain.

How We Work

Transparent, agile, and goal-oriented to success.

1

Brief Analysis

We discuss your project and look at what you need. No hour-long workshops, just a focused conversation.

2

Quote

You get a clear quote with scope, timeline, and costs. We only promise what we can deliver.

3

Implementation

We develop in weekly cycles and show progress in demos. You give feedback, we iterate.

4

Go-Live

We deploy on Fragon Cloud and train your team. Then you decide: maintenance contract or self-operation.

Technical Standards

Hosting on Fragon Cloud (Hetzner in Nuremberg, Falkenstein, Helsinki)
GDPR-compliant under Art. 28, no US data processing
Stack: .NET 10, Next.js 16, PostgreSQL, Docker
Full code ownership and Git access for the client
Short paths: direct line to the engineer

Typical Projects

Four scenarios we see again and again. Not a complete list, but a sense of what custom software can look like.

Customer Portal

Problem: Existing customers call or email to see quotes, orders, or invoices.

Solution: Portal with login, roles, quote approvals, order tracking. Next.js frontend, .NET backend, ERP integration via REST.

Internal Tool

Problem: A team is stuck in Excel: duplicate data entry, email ping-pong, no audit trail.

Solution: Web application with roles, audit log, Excel import/export. Much smaller than an ERP, much more fitting than a standard solution.

Process Automation

Problem: Invoices arrive as PDFs; someone retypes them into the accounting system.

Solution: OCR, structured extraction, approval workflow, API integration with BMD or similar systems. Usually amortizes within a year.

ERP Extension

Problem: The ERP covers 80 percent; the last 20 percent is done in Excel.

Solution: Dedicated application with ERP integration that covers the missing 20 percent. Data flows both ways, no double maintenance.

What Custom Software Costs

After the first conversation, you get a realistic estimate. The ranges below cover 90 percent of projects. What matters is not the number of screens, but how deep the integration with your existing systems goes.

Guideline prices for Austria and Germany 2026. Actual costs depend on scope, integrations, and operating model.
ScopePrice rangeDurationTypical use
Small5,000-20,000 €2-4 weeksSingle automation, dashboard, internal tool for one team
Medium20,000-80,000 €2-4 monthsLine-of-business app, customer portal, mid-size back-office system
Large80,000 €+6 months+ERP integration, multiple roles, complex processes

Frequently Asked Questions

A production-ready MVP is done in 4 to 12 weeks depending on scope. Small automations in 2 to 4 weeks, line-of-business apps in 2 to 4 months, complex systems from 6 months up. After the first conversation we give a more binding estimate with a sprint plan.