What custom software and AI development really cost.
Every agency answers "what does it cost" with "it depends". That is true, but useless without numbers. This guide gives you the real 2026 market ranges for apps, MVPs, webshops and AI systems in Europe, and the six drivers that decide where you land in each range.
The short answer
In 2026, a simple app or MVP costs EUR 15,000 to EUR 40,000 on the European market. A mid-complexity custom application runs EUR 40,000 to EUR 80,000, and a complex platform EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000 or more. A small business marketing website costs EUR 3,000 to EUR 15,000, a custom webshop EUR 10,000 to EUR 50,000, and an AI chatbot or assistant integration EUR 10,000 to EUR 60,000. Ongoing maintenance typically adds 15 to 20% of the build cost per year. These are market ranges across European agencies and development firms, not one vendor's price list.
Software development cost ranges per project type
What leading European cost guides and agency quotes converge on in 2026. Where you land inside a range depends on the drivers below.
Simple app / MVP
One core workflow, essential screens, a handful of integrations. Enough to launch, learn and prove the model. Most European agencies land in this band for a focused first version.
Mid-complexity custom app
Multiple user roles, several integrations, custom design and reporting. The typical band for a business application that replaces spreadsheets and manual work.
Complex platform
Multi-tenant platforms, marketplaces, heavy data or AI workloads, strict compliance. Price scales with the number of moving parts, not with ambition.
Small business marketing site
A custom-designed site with a CMS you can edit yourself. Below EUR 3,000 you are usually buying a template; above EUR 15,000 you are paying for custom features, not pages.
Custom webshop
A tailored e-commerce build: custom checkout flows, integrations with fulfilment and finance, and conversion-focused design instead of a stock theme.
AI chatbot / assistant integration
From a chatbot grounded in your documentation to an assistant wired into your CRM and inbox. Connectivity and safety requirements drive the price, not the model behind it.
AI receptionist SaaS: a subscription, not a build
Not every AI project needs a custom build. Off-the-shelf AI receptionists that answer calls and messages are priced as monthly subscriptions, at a small fraction of a custom build. If a standard product covers your workflows, it is the cheapest way into AI. See Reply for what an AI receptionist looks like in practice.
Maintenance: 15-20% of build cost per year
Software is not a one-time purchase. Security patches, dependency updates, hosting, monitoring and integration upkeep typically cost 15 to 20% of the original build per year across the market. Budget it upfront, or it comes back later as technical debt.
The 6 drivers behind every software development quote
Two quotes for "the same app" can differ 3x. These six factors explain almost all of it.
Scope
The number of screens, workflows and user roles is the biggest multiplier. A single-workflow MVP and a multi-role platform can look identical in a pitch deck and differ 5x in price.
Integrations
Every system your software talks to adds work: payment providers, ERPs, CRMs, legacy databases. Clean modern APIs are cheap to connect; undocumented legacy systems are not.
Design depth
Template-based UI keeps a project near the bottom of its range. Fully custom design, animation and accessibility work push it toward the top. Decide which screens deserve which.
AI complexity
A chatbot answering FAQs from ten documents is one thing. An assistant that acts inside your systems, with permissions and audit trails, is another. AI cost scales with autonomy, not hype.
Compliance
GDPR is the baseline in Europe. NIS2, the EU AI Act and industry-specific rules add real engineering: logging, access control, data residency, documentation. Budget for it early.
Team location
Offshore hourly rates are often less than half of Western European rates, but time zones, rework and coordination frequently eat the difference per finished feature. Hybrid setups price in between.
Why fixed scope beats hourly
Hourly billing puts the risk on you
The meter runs whether the project converges or not, and every misunderstanding is billable. A fixed-scope proposal forces the hard questions before the build starts, makes competing quotes comparable, and gives you a number you can actually budget.
How Ainomiq prices work
A free discovery call first, then a fixed-scope proposal, so you know exactly where you stand before you commit. This is how we price everything on this page: custom software, AI assistants over your company knowledge and security audits.
Free discovery call
You explain what you need. We ask the questions that decide where in the range you actually land.
Fixed-scope proposal
A written scope with one price. You know exactly where you stand before anything is committed.
Shippable milestones
The work is split into milestones you can use, so you see real value early instead of waiting for a big-bang launch.
Live in 3 to 8 weeks
Most projects go from kickoff to live system in 3 to 8 weeks, depending on scope. You own the code, models and data.
Frequently asked questions.
How much does it cost to build a custom app in 2026?
On the European market, a simple custom app or MVP costs EUR 15,000-40,000, a mid-complexity application EUR 40,000-80,000, and a complex platform EUR 80,000-250,000 or more. The spread comes from scope, integrations, design depth, AI complexity and compliance requirements, not from arbitrary agency margins.
How much does an MVP cost in Europe?
Most European agencies quote EUR 15,000-40,000 for an MVP: a focused first version with one core workflow, essential screens and a handful of integrations. Well below that range you are usually buying a template dressed up as custom work; well above it, you are no longer building a minimum product.
Why do agency quotes differ so much?
Because 'an app' is not a fixed product. Two quotes for the same idea can differ 3x depending on how each agency interprets the scope, which integrations they include, how custom the design is, and where their team sits. The fix is a written fixed scope: when every agency prices the same document, quotes suddenly become comparable.
Is offshore development cheaper in the end?
Sometimes, but the sticker price rarely tells the whole story. Offshore hourly rates are often less than half of Western European rates, yet time zones, communication overhead, rework and weak accountability frequently eat the difference. A hybrid model, with European ownership of scope and quality and international delivery capacity behind it, usually lands between the two on price without the rework risk.
How much does an AI chatbot for my business cost?
A custom AI chatbot or assistant integration typically costs EUR 10,000-60,000 to build, depending on how many systems it connects to and how much of your knowledge it must use safely. Off-the-shelf AI receptionist SaaS products are priced as monthly subscriptions instead, at a small fraction of a custom build. The right choice depends on whether a standard product actually fits your workflows.
What does software maintenance cost per year?
Plan for 15-20% of the original build cost per year. That covers security patches, dependency updates, hosting, monitoring, small fixes and keeping integrations alive as third-party APIs change. A EUR 50,000 build therefore costs roughly EUR 7,500-10,000 per year to keep healthy.
Get a number, not a shrug
Tell us what you want to build. You get a free discovery call and a fixed-scope proposal with one price, so you can hold it against every range on this page.