Why People Still Struggle to Estimate Software Costs in 2025 — And How That Opens the Door for Misuse
We live in a time where AI plans your vacation, your car parks itself, and your fridge reorders milk before you realize you’re out. But ask someone, even a founder, “How much does it cost to build an app from scratch?” You’ll get answers ranging from $2,000 to $200,000 — and most are just wild guesses. Let’s dig into why this is still happening — and how some companies take full advantage of it.
Published
Apr 1, 2025
Topic
Tech Advice
🧱 The Problem: Software Isn’t Tangible
If you’re building a house, you see walls go up, floors get tiled, and you get a clear idea of progress.
Software? It’s just screens. Clean ones. Quick ones. But behind every button is a messy world of logic, bugs, and iteration.
That disconnect? It’s why most people underestimate it.
🤔 Why Estimates Are Usually Way Off
Here’s what I’ve noticed after seeing dozens of projects from both sides — client and developer:
1. “It looks simple” = “It must be cheap.”
A clean UI hides the complexity behind it. Just because it looks easy doesn’t mean it was.
2. Templates skew perception.
Buy a $49 theme, slap on a logo, and suddenly everyone thinks that’s what custom dev should cost.
3. Tech lingo creates confusion.
Microservices, CI/CD, DevOps, serverless — sounds cool, but most clients don’t know what’s relevant or not.
4. AI + no-code made building look easy.
These tools are powerful — but building real, scalable, secure products still takes time and talent.
😬 How Some Companies Take Advantage
And here’s where things start to get a little shady:
• They call it “custom” — but it’s just a template.
$99 UI kit + your logo = “bespoke solution”
• Small changes, big invoices.
Need to move a button? That’ll be $300. Even if it takes 5 minutes.
• Codebase? What codebase?
They keep it hidden so you stay locked in. You can’t leave, because no one else can pick it up easily.
• Vendor lock-in by design.
Every update has to go through them. You’re not a client, you’re a hostage.
✅ What You Should Know Before Starting
You don’t need to write code. But you do need to ask smart questions:
• “Will I own the source code?”
• “Is this built from scratch or are you using templates?”
• “Can any developer pick this up if needed?”
• “What tech stack are you using — and why?”
And remember: If it’s too cheap, it’s probably not real.
📊 2025 Software Development Cost Table
Type of Project | Estimated Cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
Simple Mobile App (1 platform) | $15,000 – $30,000 | 2–3 months |
Complex App (iOS + Android) | $40,000 – $100,000+ | 4–6 months |
Web App (custom backend + UI) | $30,000 – $80,000+ | 3–5 months |
E-commerce Site (custom) | $25,000 – $60,000 | 2–4 months |
SaaS Product (scalable MVP) | $60,000 – $150,000+ | 6–9 months |
MVP with No-Code Tools | $5,000 – $15,000 | 1–2 months |
These numbers vary depending on features, team location, tools, and whether you’re using full-time developers or a remote team.
💡 Final Thoughts
I’ve seen teams raise $100k and waste it on the wrong developers.
I’ve also seen smart founders spend $20k, get the core right, and grow fast.
It all comes down to understanding the real cost of building software — and being honest about what you’re getting.
Because great software isn’t about shiny UIs or buzzwords.
It’s about clarity, ownership, and making sure you’re building something real.
Not just wrapping a template and calling it “custom.”
🧱 The Problem: Software Isn’t Tangible
If you’re building a house, you see walls go up, floors get tiled, and you get a clear idea of progress.
Software? It’s just screens. Clean ones. Quick ones. But behind every button is a messy world of logic, bugs, and iteration.
That disconnect? It’s why most people underestimate it.
🤔 Why Estimates Are Usually Way Off
Here’s what I’ve noticed after seeing dozens of projects from both sides — client and developer:
1. “It looks simple” = “It must be cheap.”
A clean UI hides the complexity behind it. Just because it looks easy doesn’t mean it was.
2. Templates skew perception.
Buy a $49 theme, slap on a logo, and suddenly everyone thinks that’s what custom dev should cost.
3. Tech lingo creates confusion.
Microservices, CI/CD, DevOps, serverless — sounds cool, but most clients don’t know what’s relevant or not.
4. AI + no-code made building look easy.
These tools are powerful — but building real, scalable, secure products still takes time and talent.
😬 How Some Companies Take Advantage
And here’s where things start to get a little shady:
• They call it “custom” — but it’s just a template.
$99 UI kit + your logo = “bespoke solution”
• Small changes, big invoices.
Need to move a button? That’ll be $300. Even if it takes 5 minutes.
• Codebase? What codebase?
They keep it hidden so you stay locked in. You can’t leave, because no one else can pick it up easily.
• Vendor lock-in by design.
Every update has to go through them. You’re not a client, you’re a hostage.
✅ What You Should Know Before Starting
You don’t need to write code. But you do need to ask smart questions:
• “Will I own the source code?”
• “Is this built from scratch or are you using templates?”
• “Can any developer pick this up if needed?”
• “What tech stack are you using — and why?”
And remember: If it’s too cheap, it’s probably not real.
📊 2025 Software Development Cost Table
Type of Project | Estimated Cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
Simple Mobile App (1 platform) | $15,000 – $30,000 | 2–3 months |
Complex App (iOS + Android) | $40,000 – $100,000+ | 4–6 months |
Web App (custom backend + UI) | $30,000 – $80,000+ | 3–5 months |
E-commerce Site (custom) | $25,000 – $60,000 | 2–4 months |
SaaS Product (scalable MVP) | $60,000 – $150,000+ | 6–9 months |
MVP with No-Code Tools | $5,000 – $15,000 | 1–2 months |
These numbers vary depending on features, team location, tools, and whether you’re using full-time developers or a remote team.
💡 Final Thoughts
I’ve seen teams raise $100k and waste it on the wrong developers.
I’ve also seen smart founders spend $20k, get the core right, and grow fast.
It all comes down to understanding the real cost of building software — and being honest about what you’re getting.
Because great software isn’t about shiny UIs or buzzwords.
It’s about clarity, ownership, and making sure you’re building something real.
Not just wrapping a template and calling it “custom.”
Abdulaziz Aldhubaib
Abdulaziz Aldhubaib
