Before you ask vendors for a quote, estimate your system's complexity yourself.
The budget of an internal system is not decided by "number of screens" but by 5 cost variables. Answer 5 plain-language questions to learn the real complexity and draft your quote request.
In short
- The problem: Quotes for the same requirement differ 3–5× with no basis for comparison.
- What it does: Estimates by 5 cost variables — business flows & exceptions, integration, data, permissions, operations.
- What you get: Quotes on the same reference frame, detection of cheap quotes missing line items, and a ready-made quote request.
Who is this tool for?
Business owner / CEO
Needs to approve a software budget without vendors over-quoting or hiding line items.
Ops / internal IT lead
Needs a tight enough spec so vendors quote the right scope and avoid mid-project surprises.
Founder / PM gathering quotes
Needs one reference frame to compare quotes that differ 3–5× on the same ruler.
The 5 cost-variable framework
These are what actually create cost — not the number of screens.
Business flows & exceptions
The biggest variable. "Occasional" exceptions usually account for 30–50% of real workload.
Integration level
Integrating a legacy system with no API can cost more than the core feature itself.
Data situation
Migrating unstandardized Excel/legacy data is the most frequently forgotten line item.
Permissions & approvals
Every approval layer is a layer of logic and a layer of tests.
Operational commitment
Drives infrastructure, monitoring, SLA — what cheap quotes usually ignore.
How to use the tool
Takes about a minute, no technical knowledge needed.
Answer 5 questions
Each describes one cost variable in plain business language — pick the level closest to your system.
See the complexity profile
The tool returns a relative band (Lean / Moderate / Complex / Very complex) with a 5-axis radar and things to watch.
Get the quote request
Copy the summary as an appendix to your quote request — so every vendor quotes on the same scope.
What a cost estimate will not tell you
An estimate is only a starting point. I read it as a System Architect with 14 years leading delivery (PMP), to show which line items usually get missed and inflate the cost later.
- Business exceptions and data migration — the two items cheap quotes leave out.
- Experience across Japan and Vietnam, with 40+ large systems designed and delivered.
- Right-sized architecture: no over-engineering, no patchwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this tool give a specific price?
No. It deliberately avoids pricing by "number of screens" or an absolute figure — that is the wrong way to estimate. Instead it gives you a relative complexity band and a tight requirement description so vendors quote on the same scope.
Why do software quotes differ 3–5× for the same requirement?
Because each vendor is pricing a different scope from the same vague description. The cheapest usually counts only the main flow and skips exceptions, integration, data migration, and operations. With all 5 variables described, the spread shrinks notably.
How can a company with no IT staff estimate this?
The 5-variable framework is designed to be answered in business language, no programming knowledge needed. You only describe the workflow, exceptions, and where the data lives. Translating that into technical complexity is the vendor's job.
How much of internal software is operating cost?
From real project experience, total operations, maintenance and changes in the first 3–4 years often equal the initial build cost. So the right budget is the lifecycle Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
How much budget should go to contingency?
With data migration or live-system integration, a reasonable reserve is 15–25% on top of build cost. More important than the number is the rule: contingency funds only late-discovered exceptions, not new features thought up midway.