"How much does a web app cost" doesn't have a single honest answer, an internal dashboard and a multi-tenant SaaS platform aren't the same project. What follows is a breakdown of the actual cost drivers, so you know which bracket your project falls into before you get a quote.
What Actually Moves the Price
- Number of user roles. A single-role internal tool is simpler than a system with admin, staff, and customer-facing portals each needing different permissions.
- Integrations. Connecting to ERPNext, Vtiger, payment gateways, or third-party APIs is real engineering work, not a plugin.
- Fresh build vs. legacy modernization. Migrating an aging system in phases usually costs more than greenfield development of equivalent scope.
- Design depth. A functional internal tool needs far less design work than a customer-facing product where the interface itself is part of the value.
Cost by Project Type
| Project Type | Typical Cost | Typical Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Internal tool / focused MVP | ₹3-6 lakh | 4-8 weeks |
| Customer/vendor portal with ERP/CRM integration | ₹6-12 lakh | 8-12 weeks |
| Multi-tenant SaaS product | ₹10-20 lakh | 10-16 weeks |
| Enterprise portal, several integrations | ₹15-30 lakh+ | 12-20 weeks |
Illustrative ranges based on typical Indian development rates and project scope. Get a scoped proposal for a number specific to your requirements.
Want a real number instead of a range? We scope every project with a detailed proposal before any work starts.
Get a Scoped ProposalThe Cost Driver Nobody Budgets For: ERP/CRM Integration
A web app that looks identical to a standalone one can cost significantly more once it needs to read and write live ERPNext or Vtiger CRM data correctly. Authentication, data mapping, handling sync conflicts, and testing against real business data all add real hours that a purely standalone app never needs. It's worth budgeting for this explicitly rather than discovering it mid-project.
Why "Cheap" Web Development Often Costs More Later
A low quote usually means less time spent on architecture, testing, and integration correctness. That shows up later as a system that breaks when your ERP data changes shape, or as a rebuild because the original codebase can't scale past its first few users. The cheapest quote and the cheapest total cost of ownership are frequently not the same number.
Web App vs Mobile App: Which Costs Less?
A responsive web app or progressive web app (PWA) is generally cheaper to build and maintain than separate native iOS and Android apps, one codebase instead of three. Native apps earn their extra cost when you specifically need app-store presence, push notifications, or offline capability a browser can't deliver.
Continue Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
A focused MVP or internal tool with a handful of screens and one integration typically starts around ₹3-6 lakh. Below that range, you're usually looking at a no-code tool or a template rather than genuinely custom software, which is a reasonable choice for some use cases, just not what this range covers.
Connecting a new web app to live ERPNext or Vtiger CRM data means building and testing real API integrations, handling authentication, and making sure data stays in sync in both directions. It's genuine engineering work, not a checkbox, which is why apps that need it cost more than a standalone app with no external dependencies.
A responsive web app or PWA (progressive web app) that works well on mobile browsers is usually cheaper than building and maintaining separate native iOS/Android apps. Native apps make sense when you need app-store presence, push notifications, or offline capability that a browser genuinely can't deliver.
No, the ranges here cover initial development. Ongoing maintenance, bug fixes, security patches, hosting, and new features, is a separate, typically much smaller monthly or annual cost depending on how actively the app evolves after launch.
Get a Real Number for Your Project
Share your requirements and get a detailed, itemised proposal, not a vague estimate.