Web application calculator
What will your web application cost?
Count the feature modules and integrations, choose the interface and security level, and see the build cost alongside hosting and monthly support.
- R850/hourOne rate for every service
- 40% depositto start the work
- Up to 12 monthsto pay larger projects
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Send us your details and we'll review this configuration, check anything that needs a closer look, and send a formal quotation with timelines and terms. The quote you've built here is attached automatically.
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Each one uses the same R850/hour rate and the same payment terms, so you can price a single service or combine several in the full agency calculator.
Website
A business website on WordPress or a custom CMS, from a few pages to a large content site.
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E-commerce
An online store on WooCommerce or Shopify, with payments, shipping and the integrations your operations depend on.
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Web apps and integrations
Customer portals, internal systems, dashboards, automation and API integrations, built in Laravel or PHP.
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Mobile app
Cross-platform iOS and Android apps, with the backend and admin tools behind them.
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Content and copywriting
Website copy, articles, product descriptions and case studies written to rank and convert.
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SEO
Technical, on-site and local SEO with content that earns rankings, reported monthly.
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Organic social
Planned, designed and published social content with community management and monthly reporting.
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Paid media
Google, Meta, LinkedIn and TikTok campaigns: tracking, ad creation and optimisation, with your ad spend shown separately.
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Hosting and care
Managed hosting, updates, backups, security and a support team for one website or a whole portfolio.
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How we size an application
We break applications into feature modules. A module is one self-contained capability: bookings, quotes, inventory, a messaging centre or an approval workflow. A typical module takes about 24 hours to design, build and test, including its screens, data and permissions.
Integrations are priced separately because the effort depends on the other system’s API. Twenty hours covers a typical connection to a CRM, accounting package, payment provider or courier, with error handling and logging.
Every application starts with discovery and architecture. We document the data model and how the modules work before writing code, so the build estimate in your formal quotation is based on a specification you’ve approved.
Integrations and automation on their own
If you only need two systems connected, or a manual process automated, set feature modules to one and add the integrations you need. That gives a realistic price for a focused automation project.
What every application includes
These items are in every quote, whatever you choose further down, because the work can’t be done properly without them. Together they come to 72 hours at R850 an hour.
- Technical discovery and architecture. Requirements workshop, data model and a written technical specification. (16 h)
- Project setup, CI and environments. Repository, automated builds, staging and production. (6 h)
- Authentication and user roles. Secure login, password reset, two roles and permissions. (12 h)
- Admin dashboard shell. Navigation, user management and settings. (10 h)
- Testing and quality assurance. Test plan, automated tests for core logic and UAT support. (12 h)
- Deployment and documentation. Go-live, runbook and technical handover. (6 h)
- Project management and liaison. Sprint planning, demos and progress reporting. (10 h)
Basic, Standard and Premium compared
Two choices are about quality rather than size: how much design goes into the interface, and how hardened the system needs to be. Hosting and support are monthly.
Interface design
| Level | What you get | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic: Component framework | A clean, consistent admin UI from a proven component library. Brand colours and logo; Standard tables, forms and charts; Responsive layouts. | 8 h | R6,800 |
| Standard: Custom UX for key flows | Designed journeys for the screens your users rely on most. Wireframes for core flows; Custom screen designs; Usability review. | 30 h | R25,500 |
| Premium: Full product design | Research-led product design with a reusable design system. User interviews; Clickable prototype; Design system; Usability testing round. | 60 h | R51,000 |
Security and reliability
| Level | What you get | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic: Secure by default | OWASP-aligned build practices and daily backups. Input validation and encryption; Role-based access; Dependency scanning. | 0 h | R0 |
| Standard: Hardened | Extra safeguards for systems that handle personal or financial data. Audit logging; Two-factor authentication; Error monitoring and alerting; POPIA data-handling review. | 20 h | R17,000 |
| Premium: Enterprise assurance | Ready for external security review and high load. Everything in Hardened; Load and performance testing; Penetration test preparation and fixes; Disaster recovery plan. | 50 h | R42,500 |
Application hosting
| Level | What you get | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic: Managed app server | One production server with a managed database. Production environment; Managed database; Daily backups. | — | R1,890/month |
| Standard: Production and staging | Separate staging, monitoring and automated deploys. Production and staging; Automated deployments; Error and uptime monitoring; Daily database snapshots. | — | R4,950/month |
| Premium: High availability | For business-critical systems that cannot go down. Load-balanced servers; Autoscaling; Point-in-time database recovery; 24/7 alerting. | — | R12,500/month |
Application support
| Level | What you get | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic: Maintenance | Dependency updates, security patches and bug fixes. Security and dependency updates; Bug fixes; Monthly health check. | 4 h | R3,400/month |
| Standard: Support and iteration | Maintenance plus a steady stream of small improvements. Everything in Maintenance; Small feature changes; Monthly planning call. | 10 h | R8,500/month |
| Premium: Continuous development | Ongoing development capacity with priority response. Everything in Support; Priority response; Roadmap delivery each month. | 24 h | R20,400/month |
How the work runs
- Discovery and specification. Workshops to map users, workflows and data, ending in a written specification and data model you approve.
- Design. Interface design for the core flows at your chosen level.
- Build in sprints. Modules are built in short cycles with a demo at the end of each, so you see progress and steer priorities.
- Testing and acceptance. Automated tests for core logic, then user acceptance testing with your team on staging.
- Launch and support. Data is migrated, the system goes live, and your support plan starts.
Ways to manage the budget
- Build the first release around the modules that save the most time. Add the rest in later phases.
- Use the component framework for internal tools. Staff-only systems rarely need custom UI.
- Integrate with what you have. Connecting to your existing CRM or accounting system is cheaper than rebuilding what it does.
- Match the security level to the data. Choose Hardened when you hold personal or financial data, and Enterprise when an external audit requires it.
Before you request a quote
Have these ready and the formal quotation will be faster and more accurate:
- Who will use the system, and what each type of user needs to do
- The spreadsheets, forms or tools the system will replace
- The systems it must connect to, with links to their API documentation if you have them
- Any reports your management team relies on
- Compliance requirements, such as POPIA, audit trails or data residency
- A target date for the first release, if you have one
Application pricing questions
A few useful answers before you decide.
What's included in every application?
Technical discovery and architecture, project setup with automated builds and staging, secure login with user roles, an admin dashboard, testing, deployment with documentation, and project management. That’s 72 hours before any feature modules.
What counts as a feature module?
One self-contained capability: bookings, quotes, inventory, a messaging centre or an approval workflow. A typical module takes about 24 hours to design, build and test, including its screens, data and permissions. If you’re unsure, describe the workflow in step two and we’ll count the modules for you.
How are integrations priced?
Twenty hours per integration covers a typical connection to a CRM, accounting package, payment provider or courier, with error handling and logging. Systems with poor documentation or unusual authentication can take longer, and we flag that in the formal quotation.
Who owns the code?
You do. On final payment, the code, documentation and infrastructure accounts are yours.
What does the security level change?
“Secure by default” follows OWASP practice and suits most internal tools. “Hardened” adds audit logs, two-factor authentication and monitoring for systems holding personal or financial data under POPIA. “Enterprise assurance” prepares the system for an external penetration test and high load.
Can we build in phases?
Yes, and we often recommend it. Price the first release here with the modules you need at launch, then add modules later at the same hourly rate.
Can you take over an existing system?
Yes. Describe it in step two. We usually start with a short technical review of the code and hosting before quoting changes, because the cost of a change depends on what’s already there.
Do I need to move the data from our current spreadsheets or system?
If you do, set “Data migration sources” to the number of sources. Each takes about six hours to map, clean and import, including a test run before go-live.
Why is there a discovery stage in every quote?
Discovery produces the data model and a written specification before any code is written. It’s the cheapest point to change your mind, and it means the build is quoted against something you’ve approved rather than against assumptions.
What happens after launch?
Choose an application support plan for a monthly bank of developer hours: 4 hours for maintenance, 10 for steady improvements or 24 for continuous development. Without one, fixes and changes are quoted as they come up.
What are the terms for hosting and support plans?
Monthly services are on a 12-month contract with a 3-month minimum, and the contract renews for another 12 months unless you give one calendar month’s notice before it ends. If you need to stop early, you pay 3 months’ fees after the month you give notice, starting with your one calendar month’s notice. For example, notice in month 3 means you’re billed for months 1 to 6. The commitment covers our fees, including campaign and boosting commission; ad and boost spend paid to the platforms isn’t included.
How long does an application take?
Every quote includes a timeline. Work starts after a 3-week lead time, then runs at about 30 hours a week, so a 90-hour project goes live roughly 6 weeks after you accept the quote: 3 weeks of lead time plus 3 weeks of work. The timeline doesn’t include time spent waiting for feedback, content, approvals or meetings, so quick turnarounds keep it on track. Your formal quotation confirms the dates.