What Development Really Costs: Analyzing 3 Real Cases with Numbers

What Development Really Costs: Analyzing 3 Real Cases with Numbers

One of the most frequent questions I get: "How much does it cost to create a website/application?" I answer using three real projects with complete budget and timeline breakdowns.

Case 1: Corporate website for an architecture firm (Marseille)
Task: Portfolio website with project gallery, blog, and content management system.
Work:

  • Structure and design development: 5 days

  • 5-page layout: 7 days

  • WordPress integration: 3 days

  • Content population: 2 days
    Total: 17 working days | €2,500

Case 2: Web application for small business expense tracking
Task: Personal account with ability to add transactions, categories, and view statistics.
Work:

  • Architecture design: 4 days

  • Interface development (React): 10 days

  • Backend (Node.js + PostgreSQL): 12 days

  • Testing and refinements: 4 days
    Total: 30 working days | €4,800

Case 3: Reporting automation for a coffee shop
Task: Migrating data from Excel to database + creating automatic reports.
Work:

  • Analysis of existing spreadsheets: 1 day

  • Database structure design: 2 days

  • Migration script writing: 3 days

  • Report API creation: 4 days
    Total: 10 working days | €1,600


What determines project cost:

  1. Feature complexity (40%)

    • Simple business card websites: from €1,200

    • Web applications: from €3,500

    • Integrations and automation: from €600

  2. Design and UX (25%)

    • Template adaptation: +€0

    • Custom design: +€500-1,000

  3. Timeline (20%)

    • Standard: base cost

    • Urgent: +30%

  4. Technical support (15%)

    • Warranty period: 1 month free

    • After: from €45/hour or subscription


How to save without quality loss:

  • 🎯 Clear specifications before starting

  • 📝 Using ready solutions where possible

  • 🗓️ Realistic timelines (not "needed yesterday")

  • 🔄 Phased development

*Want to know the exact cost of your project? Describe your task in 2-3 sentences—I'll calculate budget and timeline within 24 hours.*