Custom Software for Small Businesses
Most of our clients are small Irish businesses. We build simple systems that fix the problem in front of you, at a size and price that suits.
Software that fits a small business
Most of the businesses we work with have somewhere between one and fifty people. They've usually outgrown paper and spreadsheets in one part of the business, and the off the shelf software they've tried either doesn't fit or does far more than they need.
We start with the problem that costs you the most time, build a first version in a few weeks and add to it as your business needs. You deal with one person from start to finish, and you own what we build.
Small businesses we've worked with
Tom O'Grady Heating and Plumbing wins back about 10 to 15 hours a week of evening admin with an iPhone app for quotes, invoices and job records.
Cork Office Machines and Supplies, a Cork family business, automated over 90% of its monthly billing and won back over 35 hours a week of admin.
Big H The Plumber moved their paper surveys onto tablets, saving about 15% of the hours that went into surveys and office admin.
A home improvement company runs its whole business on one system we built, from surveys and quotations to supplier orders, installation bookings, invoices and payments.
A catering company advertises shifts to its casual staff, plans staffing for each event and produces payroll files from QR code clock ins, all through an app we built.
The Motorhome Man replaced paper service forms with digital checklists and PDF reports emailed to customers.
TillageTrack grew from one farmer's idea into a live app on the App Store and Google Play.
Software by industry
Trades and field services
Job sheets, quotes, invoices and timesheets for plumbers, heating engineers and service businesses.
Construction
GA1 and GA2 forms, certificates, site sign in and Toolbox Talks.
Food safety
Digital HACCP, traceability, temperature monitoring and training.
Food producers and manufacturers
Batches, stock, stocktakes and job costing.
Accounting and payroll
Supplier invoices, statement checks, rosters and payroll exports.
Financial services and insurance
Fact finds, bank statement analysis and client documents.
Not sure where to start? Read how we work, see our guide to what software costs, or look at business automation and AI solutions.
Case Studies
Tom O'Grady Heating and Plumbing
An iPhone app for quotes, invoices, supplier orders and job records, winning back 10 to 15 hours a week of evening admin.
Read moreCork Office Machines and Supplies
A web app that reads printer usage reports from email and automates over 90% of monthly billing.
Read moreBig H The Plumber
Paper surveys moved onto tablets, saving 15% of the hours that went into surveys and office admin.
Read moreFrequently asked questions
Is custom software worth it for a small business?
It is when it fixes a problem that costs you real time every week. Tom O'Grady wins back about 10 to 15 hours a week, and Cork Office Machines won back over 35 hours a week of admin. If an off the shelf product already does the job well, we'll tell you.
How much does custom software cost for a small business?
A first version or MVP usually costs €3,000 to €8,000, a mid-sized system €8,000 to €12,000, and larger builds start at €15,000. Many small businesses start small and add to the system over time.
How long does it take?
A first version usually takes 4 to 8 weeks. You'll see it working early and can give feedback as we go.
Where do we start?
With a conversation about the part of your business that causes the most trouble. We'll suggest the smallest useful first version, give you a price and build from there.
Who will we be dealing with?
You deal with one person from start to finish, from the first conversation to support after the system is live, with no account manager in between.
Do we own the software?
Yes. You own the code and the data. Everything is held on Google Cloud in an EU region with nightly off-site backups.
Can you help with AI for a small business?
Yes, where it saves time. We've used AI to read supplier invoices and statements, bank statements and delivery labels, always with a person checking the result.
Do you work with small businesses outside Dublin?
Yes. We're based in County Kildare and work with businesses all over Ireland and Northern Ireland, mostly by video call, with visits where they help.
What's slowing your business down?
Tell us about the job that takes up too much of your week and we'll give you an honest view of whether software can fix it, and what it would cost.