# Custom Software Development for SMEs

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

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.

## Features

- 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

## How We Work

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.

## Benefits

- **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.

## FAQ

**How long does development take?**
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.

**Can you integrate existing systems?**
Yes. We have experience with SAP, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Dynamics, BMD, and Salesforce. For other systems we analyze the existing landscape and build a solution that fits into your process. Legacy systems with SOAP or flat-file exports are routine for us, not a problem.

**What happens after go-live?**
That depends on your maintenance contract. With a contract, we handle hosting, updates, monitoring, support, and further development. Without a contract, we hand over cleanly: code walkthrough, runbook, contacts to connected services. You then operate yourself or with your IT partner.

**How are you different from classic agencies?**
We're an engineering lab, not a marketing agency. No ready-made template with your logo swapped in, but software built for your process. Hosting runs on our own Hetzner servers in Germany. You talk directly to the engineers who build your software, not to an account manager.

**Who owns the code in custom software?**
The code belongs to the client, not to Fragon Studios. You get all source files, the Git repository, and usage rights. That keeps you independent and lets you continue the software with a different team later. That's our default, not an option.

**What happens if we end the engagement?**
You keep the code, the documentation, and access to all systems. We hand over cleanly: code walkthrough, runbook, contacts to connected services, hosting credentials. There's no lock-in because there shouldn't be.