There is no single right answer to "how much does custom software cost?", because the project itself sets the price. That is why most firms keep the number to themselves. We do the opposite: we set out openly which line items make up the cost, where the estimated ranges sit under 2026 conditions in Türkiye, and how the cost logic differs between an off-the-shelf package and custom software. The figures below are not a firm quote; they are estimated ranges to help you position your budget.
Custom software is not a product taken off the shelf; it is a solution designed around your process. The same heading, 'production tracking software', can mean three weeks of work in an eight-person workshop and six months in a 200-person factory. That is why a firm figure quoted over the phone in the first conversation is either heavily padded or a 'starting' price that grows later.
The common pricing basis in this industry is the day rate: the unit cost of one developer's working day, multiplied by the estimated number of days the project takes from analysis through to testing. This method is transparent for us and for you, because you see line by line what the price is made of.
Every figure on this page is an estimated range based on prevailing market pricing in Türkiye for 2026, and it shifts up or down with the variables. The real number only emerges once your scope is clear, through a short discovery exercise. Our aim is to prompt the right questions and help you position your budget in a realistic band.
Two projects may go by the same name, yet differences in the items below change the cost several times over. When you take quotes, ask whether each of these headings is inside the scope.
Are we talking about a single screen, or several modules such as stock, production, sales and reporting? As the module count rises, the analysis, development and testing effort grows faster than linearly, because modules have to talk to each other.
Connections to your existing accounting/ERP system, e-invoicing, banks, couriers, production machinery or third-party APIs. Every integration brings its own technical uncertainty and testing load; this is the most underestimated item of them all.
A standard CRUD screen, or calculations, approval flows, pricing rules and role-dependent screens specific to your business? The more distinctive the process, the fewer off-the-shelf components apply and the more development is needed.
The difference between 5 users and 200 users is not just licensing; it means authorisation, performance, concurrent use and data visibility rules. As the number of roles grows, so do the test scenarios.
If data has to be moved from Excel, an old program or scattered sources, cleaning, mapping and validation take serious effort. The sentence 'we'll migrate the data for you' is often a hidden cost item.
Writing the software and getting it used on the floor are two different jobs. Are user training, documentation, the pilot period and go-live support inside the scope, or invoiced afterwards?
Bug fixing after delivery, security updates, small enhancements and the support response time. This item is invisible in the first price but recurs every year; if you do not plan for it, it strains the budget later.
The figures below are NOT a firm quote; they are estimated ranges based on prevailing market pricing in Türkiye for 2026, exclusive of VAT, and they shift with the variables. Look at the sum of the items rather than any single row, and at which factor moves you into which band.
| Line item | Estimated range (excl. VAT) | Main factor behind the range |
|---|---|---|
| Simple web-based application (single purpose: tracking, appointments, admin panel) | Approx. 80,000 - 250,000 TL | Number of screens/modules and depth of customisation |
| Mid-scope enterprise application (multiple modules + a few integrations) | Approx. 250,000 - 600,000 TL | Number of integrations, role complexity, data migration |
| Custom ERP / production tracking (MES) project | Approx. 400,000 - 2,000,000+ TL | Module scope, number of users, shop-floor/machine integration |
| Off-the-shelf Turkish ERP annual licence (Logo/Mikro/Netsis etc., market pricing) | Approx. 20,000 - 200,000 TL/year | Number of users/modules and edition |
| International cloud ERP (SAP B1, Dynamics etc., market pricing) | Approx. 40 - 300 USD per user per month (by package and module) | Number of users and module package |
| Maintenance / support contract (recurs annually) | Approx. 2,500 - 8,000 TL per month, or 15-25% of the project value | SLA level, scope, response time |
| Day rate unit cost (the pricing basis) | Varies; depends on seniority and technology | Junior/senior mix and area of expertise |
This is not a debate about which is better; it is a question of which suits your situation. There are scenarios in which each of them is the right answer.
When an off-the-shelf package (ERP, ready-made SaaS) is right: when your processes are standard and close to sector norms, when you want to start quickly, when keeping the initial investment low is your priority, and when you are willing to adapt your process to the software rather than the software to your process. The initial cost is low here; but per-user monthly or annual licensing, limited customisation and the cost of 'it doesn't quite fit my business' build up over time.
When custom software is right: when your competitive advantage lies in the process itself, when packages force you into their mould, when you want to escape licence costs that repeat across a large user base, and when you expect the software to grow with you for years. The initial investment is higher here; but the software is yours, there is no licence rent, and every screen is designed around your business.
The Pan approach: we do not make the decision for you. During discovery we listen to your processes and, where an off-the-shelf package would be enough, we say so honestly; where custom development genuinely adds value, we show you with numbers what we are recommending and why. Very often the right answer is a hybrid: modules specific to your business on top of a ready-made backbone.
Total cost of ownership (TCO) is not just the delivery price. When you compare quotes, tick off the items below one by one to see whether they are included; the real difference is usually here.
We do not name a figure on the phone and inflate it later. The quote comes once the scope is clear, and you see line by line why each item costs what it costs.
1. Discovery call: we listen to your processes, your existing systems and your real need. At this stage we often say 'you could do this with an off-the-shelf solution too', because our aim is to help you make the right decision.
2. Scope and prioritisation: we separate the must-have modules from the items we can safely park for later. In most projects, keeping the first release small brings both the budget and the risk down significantly.
3. Estimated range: based on the draft scope we share an estimated range by line item, built on day rates. This is still not a firm quote; it is there to help you position your budget.
4. Firm quote and roadmap: once the scope is frozen, you receive a fixed line-item quote, a delivery schedule, the maintenance model and the ownership terms in writing. There are no surprise items; anything outside scope is priced separately and transparently.
The timeline depends entirely on scope, and it is right to think in ranges. A single-purpose web application usually takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months; a multi-module enterprise system or an ERP/production tracking project can run from a few months to a year. What affects the timeline most is the number of modules, the integrations and how quickly decisions are settled. Keeping the first release small and shipping in stages both speeds up delivery and lowers risk.
Seven main items: scope and number of modules, integration needs, depth of customisation, user and role complexity, data migration, training/go-live and maintenance/SLA. Two projects that go by the same name can be priced several times apart because of differences in these items. That is why a firm figure only comes out after a short discovery exercise, on a line-by-line basis.
It is not compulsory, but it is strongly recommended. A maintenance contract covers bug fixing, security updates, small enhancements and a defined support response time (SLA). In market pricing this item usually sits at a fixed fee starting from a few thousand TL a month, or in a band of roughly 15 to 25 per cent of the project value per year. Budgeting for it from the outset is the healthiest way to keep the software secure and up to date for years.
We usually break the project into stages (milestones) and set up a payment structure tied to the delivery of each stage. The typical arrangement is an advance at the start, stage payments at interim deliveries and the balance at go-live. This structure lowers your risk, because payment is tied to concrete deliveries, and it keeps both sides focused on the same goal. The exact payment plan is settled in the contract.
Both are right in different situations. If your processes are standard and your priority is to start quickly with a low initial investment, an off-the-shelf package makes sense; but per-user licensing and limited customisation accumulate cost over time. If your competitive advantage lies in the process itself, if packages force you into a mould and you want to escape a recurring licence burden, custom software makes more sense. Most of the time the best answer is a hybrid: modules specific to your business added on top of a ready-made backbone.
No. Every figure here is an estimated range based on prevailing market pricing in Türkiye for 2026, exclusive of VAT and shifting with the variables; it is there to help you position your budget. A firm quote only comes out once your scope is clear, through a short discovery exercise and on a line-by-line basis. Competitor licence fees are also given as approximate market pricing; for exact current prices you should verify with the provider concerned.
In a short discovery call we listen to your processes and share the estimated range transparently, line by line. Where an off-the-shelf solution would be enough, we say so honestly. No surprise items, no sales pressure.
