Systems audit
We map what you run today — the software, the spreadsheets, the manual steps — and cost the workarounds. Often the fix is smaller than expected, and we will say so.
Custom software development
Software that earns its keep
Custom software development for quoting, bookings, customer portals and the work between your systems. We build missing functionality, finish useful AI-built tools and connect your existing software. Melbourne-based, working remotely with Sydney and Australian businesses. You own the source.
What you get
Everything handled, nothing hidden
Custom business software
Quoting, scheduling, inventory, job tracking, approvals, reporting: the system your process actually needs, rather than the closest subscription you could find.
Integrations & APIs
Xero, MYOB, HubSpot, Salesforce and Stripe connections, subject to available APIs and account access. We define which system owns each record, prevent duplicate operations and make failed synchronisation visible to staff.
Customer accounts & permissions
Customer portals, organisation roles, quote approvals and private documents. Access is checked against the actual record; a login screen and hidden buttons are not enough.
Bookings & payment workflows
Availability, deposits, cancellations, verified payment events and the staff tools needed to resolve exceptions. We define what confirmed means before wiring a payment button into the interface.
Legacy replacement & migration
Staged replacement of ageing systems with the data brought across intact. The business keeps trading while the platform underneath it changes.
Process automation
The repetitive path between systems — reconciliations, reminders, reports, hand-offs — automated so the hours go back to work that earns.
Support & handover
Documentation, training, and an agreed support arrangement. Some clients take it fully in-house; others keep us on a care plan. Both are fine by design.
Fit
Who this is for
Businesses running on spreadsheets and goodwill
The workbook that started as a quick fix now runs quoting, scheduling, and invoicing — and only one person understands it. Custom software turns that knowledge into a system your whole team can use.
Teams paying for software that almost fits
You are on your third subscription, three integrations deep, still exporting to CSV to get a straight answer. Bespoke software built around your actual process usually costs less than the workarounds do.
Owners stuck with a legacy build
An old system nobody wants to touch, written by a developer you can no longer reach. We audit what is there, keep what works, and replace the rest in stages instead of a risky big-bang rewrite.
AI-built tools with an unfinished workflow
You have a working preview from Codex, Cursor, Lovable or another tool, but quoting, customer access or deployment still breaks. We assess the existing build, keep usable work and scope the missing functionality.
Not a fit for staff augmentation
If you want bodies billed hourly against someone else’s backlog, we are the wrong studio. We take responsibility for an outcome, scoped and priced before work starts.
Industries
Where we show up most
Trades and field operations
Job scheduling, quoting, compliance records, and crew apps for operators who have outgrown the whiteboard.
Wholesale, logistics and manufacturing
Stock, orders, dispatch, and supplier data in one system instead of four, with the reporting your accountant keeps asking for.
Professional services
Matter and case management, client portals, and approval workflows that match how your firm actually works — not how a generic platform assumes it does.
Clinics and member organisations
Bookings, records, billing, and communications, built to Australian privacy expectations from the first line of code.
Outcomes
What you walk away with
You own the source code
Code, data, and infrastructure are yours, in your repositories and your accounts. No lock-in, no ransom at renewal time, no hostage negotiation to move on.
Fixed stages, not open-ended hours
Audit, blueprint, build, handover — each priced before it starts. You see working software every fortnight rather than an invoice every month.
Built to be maintained
Documented, tested, and handed over so the next developer is not starting from archaeology. Security is designed in, not bolted on after the audit.
Published booking and commerce work
Clean Fridays documents booking, cleaner matching, Stripe payments and operational administration. The Makeup Co documents Pro Membership and staff content tools. Explore the linked studies for the implemented workflows.
How it works
A process without black boxes
Audit
A free Discovery Session across your current systems, manual steps, and the cost of the workarounds you have stopped noticing.
Blueprint
Data model, workflows, integrations, and a staged plan — priced per stage — that you approve before any build begins.
Build
Working software every fortnight, tested against real cases from your business rather than a demo dataset.
Handover & support
Migration, training, documentation, and the keys to your own repositories. Ongoing care is optional, never assumed.
Scope the workflow that is holding you up
Bring one example: a quote staff retype, a booking customers cannot finish or an AI-built feature that keeps failing. We will identify the useful next stage and the evidence needed to accept it.
Request a Discovery SessionProof
Work that backs the pitch
Real builds, not stock screenshots. See how the craft lands for clients like you.
Case study
Autopac Systems Catalogue
Case study: Autopac Systems, a Melbourne catalogue for weighing, packaging and inspection equipment.
View project
Case study
Clean Fridays Marketplace
Case study: Clean Fridays, an Australian cleaning marketplace.
View project
Case study
The Makeup Co Ecommerce
Case study: The Makeup Co, a custom Australian beauty ecommerce platform.
View projectQuestions
Straight answers
How much does custom software development cost in Melbourne?
Focused internal systems and integration work typically start in the low five figures; multi-department platforms run higher. We scope precisely in a free Discovery Session and quote fixed stages, so you approve a number before each stage rather than watching an hourly meter.
Is custom software actually cheaper than off-the-shelf?
Sometimes, and we will tell you when it is not. If a subscription genuinely fits your process, buy it. Custom pays off when the workarounds, per-seat fees, and duplicated data entry already cost more each year than the build would. We wrote a full decision framework comparing the two.
Do we own the software you build?
Yes. Source code, data, and infrastructure sit in your accounts and your repositories, and ownership transfers on final payment. You can take the codebase to another developer at any time — that option is the point.
What is the difference between software development and app development?
They overlap, and the labels matter less than the brief. We use this page for business systems: software that runs quoting, scheduling, stock, or reporting inside your organisation. Our app development page covers product work — customer-facing web and mobile apps, MVPs, and app store launches.
Can you integrate with Xero, MYOB, or our CRM?
We assess the available APIs, account permissions and workflow first. The scope defines the records to move, which system owns them, duplicate prevention and recovery when an update fails. If a supported connector fits, we can recommend that instead of a custom integration.
Can you finish software we started building with AI?
Yes, when we can inspect the source and required infrastructure. We assess what works, what needs repair and whether a specific feature can be added safely. The separate Standard Vibe Coding Audit is $200 + GST for one eligible app across all seven published surfaces; repairs and feature development are quoted separately.
Can you add one custom feature without rebuilding everything?
Often, but we verify the current architecture and integration points first. A customer portal, quoting step or accounting connection may be a focused stage. The quote specifies what is included, what existing behaviour must be preserved and the checks required before release.
Can you replace our legacy system without downtime?
That is the normal brief. We replace in stages, running old and new side by side while data is migrated and verified, then cut over once the new path is proven. Big-bang rewrites are where these projects go wrong.
Can we claim the R&D Tax Incentive on custom software?
Often, yes, where the work involves genuine technical uncertainty. We structure and document eligible builds so your accountant has what they need to assess and support a claim. We are developers, not tax agents — your accountant makes the call.
Do you work outside Melbourne?
Yes. We are Melbourne-based and deliver Australia-wide and internationally. Same process, same packages, remote by default. We meet in person across Melbourne when it helps.
Go deeper
Guides worth your time
Data IntelligenceWhen AI Builds Need a ProfessionalVibe-Coded MVP Production HardeningFinish an AI-Built Website or AppConnect Your Website, CRM and XeroCustomer Portal Development: What to ScopeWebsite Booking Systems: A Buyer’s BriefVibe Coding AuditWhy Vibe-Coded Apps Are Not Production ReadyCustom Software vs Off-the-Shelf: A Decision Framework for Business ManagersHow Much Does App Development Cost in Australia? 2026 Pricing GuideWeb App vs Mobile App: Which Does Your Business Actually Need?Autopac Systems: Weighing, packaging and inspection catalogueLuxora Hair: Luxury ecommerce, Flutter iOS and AndroidClean Fridays: Online Booking Platform for Cleaning NeedsOne Line Loop: Email journaling that actually sticksAutoSizer: Product photos sized for every marketplaceWhat Is Firebase? A Business Manager's Guide to Using Google Firebase Well7 Powerful Things You Can Do with Stripe (Beyond Taking Payments)Three Postgres Hacks for 2026Quantum Maths for Performance
Next step
Make the next step in your business work.
Request a Discovery Session with the workflow, your current systems and the outcome you need. We will scope a focused feature, an integration or a staged build, with clear acceptance criteria.