Guide · 2026 prices · Quebec SMBs
How much does custom software cost in Quebec?
In short
With me, a first fixed-scope sprint costs from $4,500 and is delivered in 2 to 3 weeks. A complete management system is then built in phases of about $6,000; most end up at $12,000 to $30,000 in total. The price depends mainly on the number of screens and business rules, the data to bring over (Excel, Access) and the software to connect. Also plan for maintenance after delivery.
How much does custom software cost for an SMB?
The price of custom software depends less on the technology than on the scope: how many screens, how many business rules, how much data to bring over and how many systems to connect. Here are my prices, published as is so you can compare the quotes you receive.
| Scope | Concrete example | Price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| One task eliminated | Import supplier price lists, produce quotes from a template | from $4,500 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| One phase of a system | Work orders and timesheets connected to payroll | about $6,000 | a few weeks |
| Complete management system | Quotes, projects, hours, inventory and invoicing in one place | $12,000 to $30,000 (most) | in successive phases |
| Large integrated platform | Multiple sites, client portal, many integrations | can exceed $100,000 | insist on a step-by-step breakdown |
The first row matters most: you start with the task that costs you the most today, at a fixed scope and price. If it doesn’t pay off, you haven’t committed $30,000 to find out. That’s how the grocery store case worth $56,000 a year started.
What do you get for $5,000, $15,000 or $30,000?
| Budget | What you get | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
| About $5,000 | One manual task eliminated, connected to your existing tools | Supplier price lists imported and compared automatically |
| About $15,000 | A small management system: two or three modules that talk to each other | Quotes + work orders + hours, with export to your accounting software |
| About $30,000 | The company’s management software, built in roughly five phases | Quotes, projects, inventory, hours, invoicing and a dashboard |
These are typical examples to help you place a budget, not packages: the actual price is set after the assessment, phase by phase, at a fixed scope.
What makes the price go up or down?
- The number of screens and business rules. A simple data entry form costs little; a quote calculation with discounts, taxes and client-specific exceptions costs more.
- The data to bring over. Clean Excel files import quickly. Years of history with duplicates, inconsistent formats and hidden formulas need cleanup — that’s often where projects go off the rails.
- The software to connect. QuickBooks, Acomba, Sage, an ERP or an API: each integration adds work, and some software only offers file imports.
- Who uses it, and where. Three people at the office, or twenty employees in the field with a phone and different access rights.
- Personal information. If the system holds client or employee data, Quebec’s Law 25 requires security measures and an incident register (Quebec’s privacy regulator). Plan for it from the start.
Fixed price or hourly rate: how to read a quote
An hourly rate puts the risk on the client: if the project goes off the rails, the bill follows. A fixed price with a fixed scope puts the risk on the developer, as long as the scope is clearly written. I work at a fixed price, in phases.
A good quote should include, at a minimum:
- the list of screens, calculations and reports delivered — what’s included and what isn’t;
- the data brought over (which files, how many years of history) and the software connected;
- the schedule for each stage and what you’ll be able to use at the end of each one;
- ownership: handover of the source code, the documentation and all access;
- after delivery: hosting, backups, fixes and what they cost.
How long does it take to develop custom software?
Count on 2 to 3 weeks for a first task eliminated and running on your real data. A complete management system is built in several phases, each one delivered and used before the next.
“All at once” projects lasting six to eighteen months are the ones that go off the rails most often: the need changes while it’s being built, and nobody uses anything until the end. Working in phases gives you something useful from the first month.
Is custom software worth the investment?
Do the math before asking for a quote: hours per week × number of people × loaded hourly rate × 50 weeks. One person spending 10 hours a week re-keying data at $35 an hour costs $17,500 a year.
If the targeted task costs less than the project over 12 months, custom software probably isn’t the right choice for it. And if off-the-shelf software does 80% of the job, buy it: custom software makes sense when the way you work is a competitive advantage, or when you’re paying for several subscriptions that don’t talk to each other.
Custom software or off-the-shelf software: what’s the difference?
Off-the-shelf software is sold to many businesses, and you configure it. Custom software is built around your process, and you own it.
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf software | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low: subscription or licence | From $4,500 for a first task |
| Recurring cost | Per-user licences, every month | Hosting and maintenance |
| Fit | You adapt your process to the software | The software adapts to your process |
| Ownership | The vendor keeps the software and its rules | You receive the code, the data and the access |
| Timeline | Fast if the need is standard | In phases, the first in 2 to 3 weeks |
What grants are available for a software project in Quebec?
The Investissement Québec ESSOR program (Component 1) is the main option, and it ends on March 31, 2027. Component 1B covers 50% of a digital assessment and plan, up to $20,000; Component 1C covers 50% of implementing that plan, up to $50,000, for a project of 12 months or less. Both target businesses with 250 employees or fewer and annual revenue of at least $2.5M, and 1C requires a plan completed under 1B within the last 24 months.
The trap to avoid: the program guides exclude expenses incurred before the application is filed, including contractual commitments. Don’t sign anything before you’ve applied. The 1C guide doesn’t say whether custom development is eligible: get Investissement Québec to confirm it. As for Revenu Québec’s C3i tax credit, it covers acquired assets (hardware, management software packages), not custom development.
What costs should you plan for after delivery?
Software is a living thing: hosting, backups, security updates, small fixes and improvements. With me, the system is handed over documented with all its access, and support is agreed on together — per phase or under a monthly agreement. Always ask who will maintain the system three years from now; that’s the question that separates a good price from a low one.