Worldwide, industries are rapidly adapting to the practices influenced by IT. Nowadays, in nearly every business, whether it is a multinational company or a small retail business, the use of the software is seen everywhere. However, a trend that is seen across these businesses is that most of them use software that is tailored according to their own needs. For example, the software being used by a departmental store for its operations will certainly differ from the one being used by a fitness club. Here, a question may arise “how are businesses able to get software systems tailored according to their specific needs? And the answer to this question lies in custom software development.
By definition, custom software development is a process of designing, creating, deploying, and maintenance of software that is developed according to the specific needs of particular users or organizations.
The Difference Between Commercial Software and Custom Software
Commercial software, also otherwise known as Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) software, has a design to fulfill a broader range of requirements. A developer of COTS will develop it so that it can be packaged and marketed on a commercial scale.
Examples of COTS
Microsoft and Adobe are the two prominent examples of commercial software providing a vast range of services. The applications of these software programs can help every business and organization, regardless of its scope of operations.
Custom Software
A custom software program contains those features within itself that help an organization offer a specific set of services. For example:
A manufacturer deploying a field service equipment maintenance program, or Online banking applications designed to fulfill the requirements of the banks and their customers
How is Custom Software Development Done?
The process of custom software development is usually carried out by development teams or by a third party. Hire a custom software development team for specific client and project needs. These teams and third parties develop these custom programs via several steps, such as gathering and constructing code, testing, deploying, and applying various development methodologies. Some of these methodologies include:
- Agile
- DevOps, and
- Rapid Application Development, etc.
- Application Customization, Modernization, and Management
The effort of custom software development usually involves application customization, modernization, and management.
Application Customization
Application customization refers to the up-gradation or modification of the existing commercial software for supporting individual requirements.
Application Modernization
Application modernization allows a business to sustain the quality of its customized software so that it can comply with the changing demands of users and the market.
Application Management
The application management process makes software more effective because it augments different tasks, such as
- Installation
- Updating
- Performance
- Availability optimization, and
- Service disk functions, etc.
If you are looking for a one-stop solution that can provide your company with all of the services mentioned above, then you should definitely look forward to the services of bekey.io
Why Custom Software Development is Important?
Designing and developing custom software is important as it allows organizations and businesses to meet the unique requirements of their users and deliver them according to their needs. Use software product engineering services to convert your business idea into an established business.
How Much does Custom Software Development Cost?
The exact amount required to design and develop custom software cannot be predicted. This is because several factors are involved in its designing, development, and deployment. Some of these factors are:
- Complexity of the Project
- Size of the software
- Team size
- Team Expertise
- Complexity of the project
Creative designs in custom software can be considered as decoration of the house. The more options one selects, the more expensive the decoration will be and vice versa. A custom software product having different features makes it easier for the users to navigate through it. Thus, software having many options will make it more expensive than one with very few options.
Size of the Software
Software size means the number of pages created and/or the number of screens added in the software. If an organization wants a custom software product having a lot of pages, then the workers will have to invest more of their time and energy, and as a result, the cost of the software product will increase.
Following are the examples of different software sizes:
- A small-sized software product has 10-15 screens
- A medium-sized software product contains 25-40 screens
- A large-sized software product contains either 40 screens or more
Team Size
Team size is a critical factor in determining the price of the software product. A business planning to acquire custom software should remember that more developers it hires, the more quickly it will be able to get the product. However, having more developers on the board does not resonate with the high quality product. Therefore, organizations need to establish equilibrium between the number of developers and the quality of work they can deliver.
Team Expertise
Team expertise is yet another vital factor in deciding the price range of the software product. Mostly, one can find the developers of North America and Western Europe with a very high expertise in development. Hence, they charge their clients accordingly. For example, software developers from these regions may charge their clients within the range of $60 to $200 for every hour. In contrast, software developers from South Asia may charge within the range of $10 to $160 per every hour. Because of this price range, the developers’ services may not be of the top quality.
Keeping these factors in mind, one can expect the price range of a custom software product to be within $50,000 to $250,000. With a team of developers having mediocre expertise, the price tag can go up to $100,000.
Why do I Need Custom Software Development Product?
For a company or a business owner, the following factors might be the reason to acquire a custom software product:
It is Efficient
A custom-software product is designed such that there is no need for making adjustment with the existing COTS applications and programs.
It is Scalable
Custom software products can be modified according to the changing needs of organizations customers and users. This way, there is no need of buying new licenses and subscriptions again and again.
They have very Low Integration Costs
A company buying commercial software may require investing in it and in its environment so that the commercial software can be integrated smoothly. However, a custom software product easily gets integrated within the existing structure and environment of the company.
Custom Software Products are Profitable
Depending upon the terms and conditions, software developers can make a profit out of their custom software product. By licensing their product or selling to other organizations, the software developer can earn money easily.
How to Choose Custom Software Development?
Choosing the right custom software product might be a bit tricky. However, the following tips can help in this regard:
Getting Referrals: By consulting other organizations and people in the network, a business can determine the optimum custom software product for itself.
Discussing Coding with the Developers: While negotiating with their desired custom software developers, organizations should not forget to discuss the coding process. In this regard, their preference should be to have a code that is not buggy or resource-hungry.
Looking at the Developer’s Portfolio: Looking at some of the past projects delivered by the company can be helpful. Those custom software companies that have worked on a lot of projects almost have the required expertise. Contrary to it, software developers that have just started working may not be able to deliver up to the expectations as they lack the required expertise.
Focusing on Delivery Time: The primary preference of a business while looking for a software development product should be those that deliver on time. This is essential as the business’s employees can become familiar with the software product if they receive it on time.
We Provide You with the Right Custom Software Solutions
We, at BEKEY, provide our clients with the custom software solutions specific to their needs and requirements. Our dedicated teams possess the right expertise in developing and deploying the custom software solutions to various businesses and startups worldwide. Before we deliver our products to our clients, we ensure their quality by making them go through a rigorous cycle of scrutiny. This is why all of our clients who have worked with us are quite satisfied with the services we offer.