Investment matched to what you're actually building.
Every business is different, so we don't sell fixed packages. Here's how an engagement is structured and priced, and what changes the number.
Business Blueprint
Free
A complete plan for your idea, generated in minutes.
- —Full 18-section business plan
- —Refine it in conversation
- —No commitment to build
Build Engagement
Scoped per project
Cobox plans, builds and launches the product or system with you.
- —Validation and detailed planning
- —Product, brand and engineering
- —A working first version, launched
Ongoing Partner
Scoped per engagement
Cobox stays on as your technology and growth partner after launch.
- —Iteration based on real usage
- —Technology, AI and automation
- —Growth and scaling support
What changes the price
Scope
What you're building: an MVP, a full platform, or an addition to an existing system.
Complexity
How much of the work is straightforward build versus new integrations, AI or regulated processes.
Timeline
A compressed timeline costs more than one that allows for a phased build.
Ongoing involvement
Whether Cobox is building once, or staying on as a long-term technology partner.
Start with a free Business Blueprint — it gives you an indicative investment range for your specific idea before any commitment, and a real number comes from a discovery conversation.
Why we scope before we price
Two products that sound similar can differ several times over in effort, because the cost sits in the details: how many user roles, which integrations, what rules and what scale. Quoting before those are understood means either padding the price or discovering the gaps mid-project. We would rather settle scope first.
That is why the Business Blueprint is free and why larger engagements begin with product discovery: the result is a written scope that any partner could price, and a number you can rely on.
What drives the cost of a software project
The same factors affect almost every project:
- Scope: the number of features, screens, user roles and workflows
- Integrations: each external system (accounting, payments, shipping, CRM) adds design and testing effort
- Complexity: custom rules, calculations, approvals, AI features or regulated data
- Quality and scale: security, performance and availability requirements
- Timeline: compressing a schedule usually costs more than a phased build
- Ongoing involvement: building once versus staying on as a technology partner
How to get an accurate estimate
The best estimates come from clear inputs. Describe your objective, list the user roles, sketch the main workflows and note any systems it must connect to. Our guide on preparing software requirements shows what to bring, and the MVP development cost guide explains how scope translates into cost.
Ways to keep the investment under control
Launch a focused first version and let real usage decide what comes next, as described in MVP development. Rank every requirement as essential, important or later. Prefer integrating proven services such as payments over building them. Plan for maintenance and support from the start so that launch costs are not followed by surprises.
What you own
Requirements, designs and documentation produced during discovery are yours to keep, whichever team builds the product. Ownership of code and data for build engagements is agreed in writing before work starts. See engagement models for how each type of engagement works.
Frequently asked questions
How much does custom software development cost?
It depends on scope, integrations, complexity and timeline, so we scope before quoting. A short discovery phase produces a written scope and a reliable estimate.
Is the Business Blueprint really free?
The AI-generated Business Blueprint is free to create. Optional extras such as a downloadable PDF are shown on the tool before you choose them.
Do you offer fixed-price or time-and-materials engagements?
Engagements are scoped per project. Once scope is agreed we propose the structure that suits it best, and we explain the trade-offs between the options.
Can we start small and expand?
Yes, and we recommend it. A focused first release lets you learn from real usage before committing to a larger build.