Bespoke software development
for UK businesses
Magora is a London bespoke software development company. Since 2010 we have built custom software around how UK businesses actually work: senior in-house engineers, a free working prototype before you commit, and code and IP that belong to you.
What is bespoke
software development?
Bespoke software development is designing and building software for one organisation's own processes, data and users, instead of adapting a product built for everyone. You own the result: the code, the roadmap and the data model.
Your process is the advantage
Pricing logic, scheduling, compliance checks or workflows that off-the-shelf tools force you to bend. Bespoke software turns that know-how into a system your team uses every day.
Spreadsheets have hit their limit
Several tools stitched together with exports, copy-paste and manual checks. One system with one source of truth removes the rework and the errors that come with it.
Licences cost more than ownership
Per-seat SaaS fees that grow with every hire, or features you pay for and never use. A system you own has running costs you control.
Custom software development
for the way you work.
Custom business software for UK companies that need it to fit the business, not the other way round. Built for scale, audit and a long life.
Business platforms & portals
Customer portals, partner and supplier platforms, booking and ordering systems, with roles, permissions and an admin area your team runs itself. See customer portal development.
Internal & operations tools
Workflow apps, dashboards and back-office systems that replace spreadsheets and manual hand-offs between teams.
CRM & customer databases
A single customer record shaped around your sales and service process. See customer database software.
Finance & accounting systems
Billing, reconciliation, reporting and integrations with your accounting package. See bespoke accounting software.
Integrations & APIs
Connecting CRM, ERP, payments and third-party data so information moves without re-keying. See API integration services.
Legacy modernisation & AI
Rebuilding ageing systems in stages without stopping the business, and adding AI features where they remove real work. See AI agent development.
Build or buy?
An honest comparison.
Off-the-shelf software is often the right answer. Bespoke makes sense when the way you work is what sets you apart, or when the workarounds cost more than building it properly.
| Bespoke software | Off-the-shelf software | |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Built around your process, data and users | You adapt your process to the product |
| Upfront cost | Higher: a first release typically from £10,000 | Low: subscription from day one |
| Running cost | Hosting plus optional support you control | Per-seat licences that grow with the team |
| Time to start | A working prototype in 5–10 days, a first release in weeks | Immediate |
| Ownership | You own the code, IP and data model | The vendor owns the product and its roadmap |
| Integrations | Built for your exact systems | Limited to the connectors on offer |
| Best for | Core processes that set you apart | Standard needs: email, payroll, generic CRM |
Many clients end up with both: off-the-shelf for the standard parts of the business, a bespoke system for the part that makes them different, and integrations between the two.
Bespoke software prices
in the UK (2026).
Published prices, so you can budget before you call. Our rates start from £49/hour per developer, and £65–£70/hour for a full team with QA and product ownership. Every engagement starts with a free working prototype.
A clickable, coded prototype of your core idea in 5–10 working days, before any paid work.
Two weeks with a senior Product Owner and Solution Architect: scope, architecture, a fixed estimate and a roadmap.
Most first releases land between £10,000 and £25,000: one or two core workflows in production.
Several roles, an admin area, reporting and integrations with the systems you already run.
Multi-role, audit-logged, integration-heavy platforms for regulated sectors.
Hosting and monitoring, SLAs, security updates and a steady roadmap of new features.
Want real numbers? We published what 12 of our 2026 project estimates actually cost in Software development cost in the UK (2026), or try the cost calculator for a first rough figure.
How we build
bespoke software.
Same senior engineers from kickoff to handover, weekly demos, and a checkpoint at every stage so the budget never surprises you.
Working prototype
5–10 working days · freeSend us your brief and we build a clickable, coded prototype of the core workflow, with a senior Product Owner's written analysis. No commitment.
Discovery
2 weeks · from £3,000We map your process, users and data, agree the scope line by line and hand over an architecture, a fixed estimate and a delivery plan you can take to your board.
Design
1–3 weeksScreens and user journeys for each role, tested with the people who will use the system before production code is written.
Build
Two-week sprintsWorking software every sprint, a demo every week and a shared board, so you see progress and can change priorities as you learn.
Testing
Every sprint, plus UATQA engineers test each sprint, run regression before every release and support your team through user acceptance testing on real data.
Launch & support
OngoingDeployment to your cloud account, monitoring and backups, then a support retainer or a clean handover to your own team, whichever suits you.
Technologies
we build with.
Mainstream, well-supported technology, so any competent team can maintain the system after us. We are happy to work inside the stack you already run.
- React · Next.js
- Vue.js
- TypeScript
- Accessible UI
- Node.js · NestJS
- PHP · Laravel
- Python · FastAPI
- REST · GraphQL
- React Native
- Flutter
- Swift
- Kotlin
- PostgreSQL
- MySQL
- MongoDB
- Redis
- AWS
- Azure
- Google Cloud
- Docker · CI/CD
- Salesforce · HubSpot
- Stripe
- Xero · QuickBooks
- Microsoft 365
- OpenAI · Anthropic
- RAG pipelines
- AI agents
- Vector databases
- ISO 27001 practices
- SSO · OAuth
- Audit logging
- UK/EU data residency
Bespoke software
we've shipped.
Custom systems built for UK and global organisations. Each case study covers the problem, what we built and how it is used.
Grant Thornton
A self-service platform that automates EMI scheme documentation, from case creation to completion.
See case study → Healthcare · ReportingAstraZeneca
Customised financial reporting dashboards with automated charts and real-time updates.
See case study → Logistics · BespokeUFurniture Logistics
A logistics platform giving a UK furniture supplier control over delivery and assembly.
See case study → Media · OperationsCasual Films
Custom project management for video production: expenses, revenue and freelancer collaboration.
See case study → Enterprise · DataRollio
Pulls data from enterprise applications and presents it in plain language for faster decisions.
See case study → Energy · GovTechGrant eligibility platform
ECO4 and Warm Homes: Local Grant eligibility checks, council rules and applications for retrofit installers.
See case study →What clients
say.
Verified reviews from our Clutch profile — 4.9 out of 5 across 71 client reviews.
“Broader than just the code itself, the team strived to understand the entire project.”
“They're accessible, and it doesn't feel like I'm working with a faceless team.”
“We were very happy with the overall experience.”
Bespoke software
by sector.
Regulation, data and workflows differ by sector. These are the ones we build for most often.
Healthcare software
Clinical systems and patient platforms with DTAC and DCB0129 evidence built in.
Learn more → FinanceFinTech
Open banking, payments and FCA-aware integrations.
Learn more → PropertyProperty & real estate
Portals, listings and management systems for agents and landlords.
Learn more → LogisticsTransport & logistics
Dispatch, tracking and driver tools that fit your operation.
Learn more → EducationEducation
Learning platforms and administration systems for schools and providers.
Learn more → HospitalityHospitality
Booking, ordering and guest systems.
Learn more →A London software house
you can hold to account.
More about how we work on our London software house page.
Senior, in-house, UK-based
The same senior engineers from kickoff to handover. No offshore rotation and no hand-offs you did not agree to.
Your code, your IP
An NDA on day one and full transfer of source code, designs and IP on payment. The repository is yours from the first commit.
Rated 4.9 on Clutch, ISO certified
In business since 2010, ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certified, with verified client reviews on Clutch.
The honest
questions.
Choosing between suppliers? These are the twelve questions worth asking before you sign with anyone, including us.
Pick a slot below
and let's talk.
No commitment, no charge. We'll review your project, scope the next step, and tell you the realistic price + timeline. Free working prototype + senior PO analysis before any paid engagement.
Custom software
on the brief?
Send us your brief: a free working prototype of your core idea in 5–10 days, or a 30-minute call with a senior architect who tells you what the build really takes.