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Software Development Cost: How We Price Projects

Laptops, notebooks and phones spread across a shared desk
How we price

Scoped to the job, not picked from a menu

Every build is scoped individually. An MVP put together to validate a single idea and a multi-system integration are not the same job, and a fixed price list would misprice both.

Below is what a quote depends on, how it can be structured, and where UK market rates sit — so you know what to expect before you speak to us. The first consultation is free.

What shapes a quote

Four things we ask about

Between them, these decide most of what a build costs. Bring rough answers to the first call and the conversation moves much faster.

  1. What it has to do at launch

    The smallest version that still proves the idea costs a great deal less than everything you eventually want. We help you work out where that line sits.

  2. What it connects to

    Integrating with systems you already run — payment providers, CRMs, internal tools — is usually the part that decides the timeline, and the variable that moves a quote furthest.

  3. Whether design starts from scratch

    An existing brand and a set of screens is a different starting point from a blank page. Both are fine; they cost differently.

  4. Who maintains it afterwards

    Whether your team takes it over or we keep supporting it changes what we document, how we hand over, and what the engagement looks like after launch.

The structure

A fixed price, or a rate

Two ways to structure the same work. We will say which one we think fits, and why.

Well-defined scope

Fixed project price

You know the cost before the work starts.

  • Agreed against the written scope you approve
  • You carry no risk on the estimate
  • Suits an MVP or a build with a clear launch list
Open-ended work

A rate

You pay for the time the work actually takes.

  • No padding to cover an unknown scope
  • Room to change direction as you learn
  • Suits exploratory or ongoing work
For context

Where the UK market sits in 2026

So you can sanity-check any quote, ours included.

£80–140/hr Typical UK agency rates
£300–1k/mo A small-business SEO retainer
£15k–80k A typical MVP build
£100–500/mo Hosting a live application

Across the UK market in 2026, from published agency cost guides. These are market ranges, not Codexlava's prices.

What you get

The whole process, not just the build

Every engagement runs through the same four stages, each with a sign-off that belongs to you, and ends with documentation you can hand to anyone — including your own team.

  • Discovery and a written scope you approve
  • Wireframes and a clickable prototype
  • Development in increments on a staging URL
  • Automated and manual testing
  • Deployment, after your acceptance
  • Software requirement specifications
  • API documentation
  • User manuals and guides
FAQ

Questions about cost

The fastest route to an actual number is a short call.

How much does a software project cost in the UK?
It depends on what is being built. Across the UK market in 2026, agency rates run roughly £80 to £140 an hour, depending on the agency and the region, MVPs commonly land between £15,000 and £80,000, and marketing retainers between £1,250 and £3,500 a month. We scope each project individually rather than publishing a fixed price list.
Why do you not publish fixed prices?
Because a fixed price list would misprice most projects. An MVP built to validate one idea and a multi-system integration are not the same job, and quoting both from the same table means one of them is wrong. We would rather scope properly than advertise a number we would have to walk back.
What does a quote depend on?
Four things, mostly: what the product has to do at launch, whether it integrates with systems you already run, whether design starts from scratch or from an existing brand, and who maintains it afterwards. Integration with existing systems is usually the variable that moves a quote furthest.
Do you charge a day rate or a fixed project price?
Either, depending on what suits the work. Well-defined scope tends to suit a fixed project price, because you carry no risk on the estimate. Open-ended or exploratory work tends to suit a rate, because a fixed price on an unknown scope just means padding. We will say which one we think fits.
What ongoing costs should we expect after launch?
Hosting is the main one. Across the UK market a live application typically needs £100 to £500 a month in cloud hosting, depending on traffic and data volume. Beyond that it depends on whether your team takes the product over or we keep supporting it, which is agreed during scoping.
Is the first consultation free?
Yes. The first consultation is free and carries no obligation. It is also the fastest route to a number: come with what you are building and who it is for, what it has to do at launch, anything it must connect to, and the timeline you are working to.

Tell us what you are building

One call, no obligation. We will tell you what the work involves, roughly what it costs, and whether we are the right people to do it.