How much does custom software cost in Québec? 2026 prices

It's the first question almost every client asks me. And my real answer, the one I actually want to give, is: it depends. Not to dodge the question, but because it's the only honest answer.

It depends on whether it's a website, a web app, or a mobile app. It depends on the number of pages, the features, and especially the decisions you make at the start of the project. What I always propose is a live estimate on the first call, followed by a formal quote with the real price. For a first ballpark figure before that call, our price calculator is a good starting point.

This article is a summary of what I explain to every client. With real numbers, a client case that cost me money, and my opinion on the pitfalls to avoid.

At Oriana, part of our pricing is posted: a professional website at $1,500, a web application MVP at $5,000 and digital visibility from $750 a month. The rest we price with you.

Quick answer

At Oriana, a professional website costs $1,500 (7 days) and a web application MVP costs $5,000 (14 days), at a fixed price. A more complete website is $3,000 to $15,000, a complete web application $10,000 to $40,000 and a mobile application $15,000 to $60,000. Digital visibility starts with a $500 audit, then $750 a month.

Summary: the answers in 30 seconds

✓How much is a website? $1,500 at a fixed price, or $3,000 to $15,000 for a complete site.
✓A web application? MVP at $5,000 in 14 days, complete application between $10,000 and $40,000.
✓A mobile application? Between $15,000 and $60,000 for a complete mobile project. If you already have our web application, the native iOS and Android version is added for $5,000.
✓What drives the price up? Wanting everything at the start, integrations, the number of user types.
✓How to reduce the risk? Start with an MVP, then add based on real feedback.

Updated October 29, 2026

1In the Montreal market, displayed hourly rates range from $50 to $199/h and minimum projects from $1,000 to over $100,000 depending on the company (see our top 10 custom software companies). AI has lowered prices at some companies, and increased the amount delivered for the same price at others. At Oriana Solutions, our prices are often about five times lower than a traditional agency's, because we pass the savings from AI back to clients: website at $1,500, web application MVP at $5,000, visibility from $750 a month.

How much does each type of project cost?

Here are our posted prices and the ranges we use as a starting point, the same ones as on our pricing page. They aren't ceiling prices: this is where it starts.

Project type	Price or range	What it covers
Professional website (fixed price)	$1,500	Delivered in 7 days: 3 pages, hosting, basic SEO
Complete custom website	$3,000 to $15,000	Multi-page, animations, blog, multilingual, advanced SEO
Web application MVP (fixed price)	$5,000	Delivered in 14 days: core feature, dashboard, authentication
Complete web application	$10,000 to $40,000	Several modules and integrations
Complete CRM or client portal	CRM $10,000 to $40,000; portal $5,000 to $20,000	Pipeline, automations, documents, billing
Mobile application	$15,000 to $60,000	iOS and Android, user accounts, store publication
AI integration and agents	$5,000 to $40,000	Document automation, agents, AI APIs
Digital visibility (SEO, GEO, Google Ads)	Audit $500, then $750 a month	12-month commitment, paid monthly

The fixed prices and ranges cover development, integration, initial hosting and revisions. After a call, you receive a fixed price and a precise schedule.

What really drives the price up

The real variable isn't the number of pages. It's the level of perfection you're aiming for from the start, and the number of complex features you build in before you've even validated your idea.

Here's what I regularly see double a budget:

✕Wanting everything from day one instead of launching an MVP and iterating based on real feedback.
✕Building full authentication before launch when manual access can be enough for early users.
✕Setting up Stripe on day one when early customers can pay by e-transfer.
✕Demanding a perfect design before even knowing if the product will work in the market.

The MVP approach: start small to go further

My most frequent advice: start with an MVP. A minimum viable product is the simplest version of your idea that lets you test it with real users.

It costs less, ships faster, and gives you real data before you invest further. Our MVP offer starts at $5,000, delivered in 14 days. Several of our best projects started as an MVP, got tested and validated, and grew into $30,000+ platforms over the following months.

💡 The MVP rule

If you can make your first 5 sales without a feature, it's not part of the MVP. Add it later, once you know the market is responding.

A real case: the $10,000 grocery app

One of our early clients wanted a platform to compare grocery prices in real time and deliver the cheapest products, bundled into a single order. An ambitious project.

We delivered everything: secure authentication, full backend, hosting, complete visual redesign, Stripe payment integration. The price billed: $10,000. The real value of the project: between $25,000 and $30,000.

We didn't make much money on that contract. But it was one of our first projects, and we wanted to deliver something we'd be proud of. What let us hit the budget despite the complexity was AI, which let us move much faster than expected.

📦 What we learned

This project taught us to better assess the real value of a deliverable, not just the time spent. A platform with Stripe, auth, backend, and custom design isn't a $10,000 project. It's a $25,000 project. Today, our quotes reflect that reality.

AI changed everything, and it works in your favor

Two years ago, a 3-month project took 3 months. Today, the same project takes us about a month. AI lets us move three times faster without sacrificing quality.

And we pass that time savings directly on to the client. You pay less. We can take on more projects. Everyone wins.

It's one of the reasons the ranges I'm giving you today are more accessible than they were 24 months ago.

"I found someone in India for $3,000"

I hear it often. And here's my honest answer: offshore developers will do exactly what you tell them. What might seem like an advantage is often a trap.

They'll take on projects without knowing if they can actually pull them off. They'll deliver what's asked, not what's needed. Communication is hard: time zones, cultural barriers, feedback that gets lost. And as soon as they're paid, the project is over for them.

We don't just write code. We understand your business model. We act as a tech partner, not a subcontractor. If we think your idea has a problem, we tell you before writing the first line of code.

✕You can't verify whether the code is good quality or maintainable long-term.
✕Changes after delivery are often impossible or expensive to get.
✕Real-time communication is nearly nonexistent across time zones.
✕You won't have a partner who understands your business goals.

The story of the client who tried Lovable first

A client came to us after spending $1,000 in tokens on Lovable, a no-code/AI tool for generating apps. He'd managed to build about 80% of his app: the interface, the main pages, the basic structure.

But the last 20%, the complex features specific to his business, he could never get them working. Those features weren't supported by the tool. He ended up with a shell that looked good but was unusable for his needs.

We took over the project. And we delivered it.

⚠️ No-code tools have limits

Lovable, Bubble, and similar tools are great for quickly validating an idea. But as soon as you have specific needs (custom integrations, complex business logic, performance at scale), you hit the wall fast. And migrating off a no-code tool often costs more than building it right from the start.

How to know if you've found the right partner

I often say choosing a development firm is like choosing a life partner. You'll share frustrations, hard decisions, bad news as much as good news.

Make sure you have a shared vision, similar values, and above all honest communication. Work with people who genuinely care whether your project works, not people who just want to close the contract.

✓They ask about your users and your goals before talking about technology.
✓They suggest an MVP instead of building everything at once.
✓They tell you no when a decision isn't in your interest.
✓They can explain their technical choices in simple terms.
✓They have client references you can contact directly.

If you want to know what your specific project would cost, we offer a live estimate on a free 30-minute first call, or you can start with our price calculator for an initial benchmark. The fixed-price offers (website at $1,500, MVP at $5,000) are on our website and web application pages. No quote invented in five minutes: a real conversation to understand what you want to build, and give you an honest number.