MVP / Internal Tool
From$2,190
A focused first release or internal system built around one high-value workflow.
- Custom scoping
- Core workflow
- Secure access
- Deployment support
Web Applications & Business Software
Custom web applications and business software
Software built around the way your business works. Portals, CRMs, dashboards, booking systems and automation designed for your process — not the other way round.
In short
What is custom web application development?
Custom web application development is building browser-based software around the way your business already works — your data, your workflow, your customers — instead of bending your operation to fit a generic product. Scion develops custom business software in South Africa for local and international clients, with projects from $2,190.
We build customer and employee portals, CRM and lead management systems, dashboards, booking platforms and workflow automation, and connect them to the tools you already use. Projects start with discovery and are delivered in phases, so you see working software early.
Custom vs off-the-shelf
Why custom software instead of off-the-shelf?
Off-the-shelf software is the right answer surprisingly often — and when it is, we’ll tell you. Custom software earns its cost when:
Your process is your advantage
If the way you quote, deliver or serve customers is what sets you apart, forcing it into a generic tool erodes that advantage. Custom software encodes your process exactly.
Your tools don’t talk to each other
When staff re-type data between spreadsheets, email and several subscriptions, errors and delays follow. A custom application connects the pieces into one flow.
Per-seat costs keep climbing
Subscription costs that grow with every user can overtake the cost of software you own. A custom build can be a better long-term investment for growing teams.
You need to own the roadmap
With custom software, you decide what gets built next. You’re not waiting on a vendor’s roadmap or working around features you don’t need.
What’s included
What we build
Examples of the business applications Scion designs and develops.
Customer portals
Give customers a secure place to view orders, documents, invoices or project status and to request support — reducing emails and calls while improving their experience. Customer portal development is often the first step towards self-service.
Employee portals
Centralise the forms, approvals, documents and information your team uses every day, with the right access for each role.
CRM development
A CRM built around your sales stages, data and reporting — not a generic pipeline you have to work around. Ideal when an off-the-shelf CRM doesn’t fit how you sell, or when your pipeline lives in spreadsheets. Pairs naturally with our managed outbound sales teams.
Managed outbound salesLead management systems
Capture leads from your website, campaigns and calls in one place, route them to the right person, and track every follow-up until the lead is won or closed.
Booking platforms
Online booking for appointments, resources or services, with availability rules, confirmations and reminders built around how you actually schedule work.
Dashboards and reporting systems
Bring figures from your systems into clear dashboards and scheduled reports, so decisions are based on current information rather than manual spreadsheets. Dashboard development starts with the questions you need answered.
Workflow automation
Automate repetitive steps — approvals, notifications, document generation, data entry — so your team spends time on work that needs judgement.
Payment systems
Invoicing, payment links and subscription billing connected to a payment provider, with payment status flowing back into your records.
API integrations
Connect your application to accounting, CRM, email, messaging and other platforms through their APIs, so data moves between systems without re-typing.
AI-powered business tools
Practical AI features where they save real time — for example summarising documents, classifying enquiries or drafting responses — designed with data privacy in mind and a person in the loop where it matters.
How it works
How we develop your application
A phased process that puts working software in your hands early.
- 01
Discover & scope
We map your process, users, data and systems, and agree scope, priorities and a proposal.
- 02
Design
We design the key screens and data structure, and validate them with the people who will use the system.
- 03
Build in phases
We develop the highest-value workflow first and share progress regularly.
- 04
Test
We test against the agreed scope, including access control and integrations, before release.
- 05
Launch
We deploy the application, migrate agreed data and help your team get started.
- 06
Support & improve
We fix issues and plan the next phase based on how the system is used.
Packages
Web Applications & Business Software packages and pricing
All prices are in US dollars (USD). Applicable taxes are additional. Final scope and commercial terms are confirmed in your proposal.
Business Application
Recommended
From$3,890
A production application connecting teams, customers, information and operations.
- Multiple workflows
- Role-based access
- Integrations
- Reporting and dashboards
Custom Business Platform
From$7,190
A substantial, custom-scoped platform for complex or multi-department operations.
- Platform architecture
- Advanced integrations
- Automation
- Phased delivery
Complex software requires discovery and custom scoping. “From” pricing indicates an entry point, not a fixed quote.
Compare every division on the pricing page or request a custom proposal.
Scoping
How application projects are scoped
Software pricing depends on what the system needs to do, so we scope before we quote.
Why “from” pricing
Our tiers show where projects typically start. The final price depends on the number of workflows, user roles, integrations and the complexity of your data — confirmed in a written proposal.
Discovery first
We map your current process, users and systems, then agree the scope, priorities and what success looks like before development begins.
Phased delivery
Larger systems are delivered in phases, starting with the workflow that creates the most value. You use working software sooner and shape later phases with real feedback.
Changes are managed, not avoided
Requirements evolve. Changes outside the agreed scope go through a simple change request with clear cost and timing, so there are no surprises.
Who it’s for
Who custom software is for
Businesses whose growth is being held back by manual work or tools that don’t fit.
Businesses outgrowing spreadsheets
When the spreadsheet that runs your operation has become fragile, slow or impossible to share safely.
Operations-heavy businesses
Logistics, field services and professional firms with processes that generic tools don’t model well.
Founders validating an idea
Start-ups and new ventures that need an MVP to test with real users before investing further.
Teams with disconnected tools
Businesses paying for several systems that don’t share data and need them connected.
Businesses serving clients online
Companies that want to offer customers a portal, booking or self-service experience.
Why Scion
Why choose Scion for custom software
We understand sales and operations
Scion runs outbound sales teams and builds websites too, so we design software around how businesses actually win and serve customers.
Working software early
Phased delivery means you see and use the most important part of your system first.
Transparent scoping
Published entry prices in US dollars, a written scope and a clear change-request process.
South African cost base, international standards
Local and international clients get a capable development partner at a competitive cost.
FAQ
Questions buyers ask us
Why build custom software instead of using an off-the-shelf product?
Custom software makes sense when your process is a competitive advantage, when your tools don’t connect, or when per-user subscription costs keep growing. If an existing product already fits most of your needs, we’ll recommend it instead — custom development isn’t always the right answer.
How is pricing scoped?
Our tiers start from $2,190 for an MVP or internal tool. The final price depends on workflows, user roles, integrations and data complexity, which we define in discovery and confirm in a written proposal before development begins.
Do I own the code?
Yes. Ownership of the final custom deliverables transfers to you once the project is paid in full. Scion’s pre-existing tools and know-how, and third-party components, remain subject to their own terms.
What does an MVP include?
An MVP (minimum viable product) focuses on one high-value workflow, built well enough for real users to use and give feedback. The exact scope is agreed in discovery so the first release is useful without trying to do everything.
Can you integrate with our existing systems and APIs?
Yes, where the systems provide an API or another reliable way to exchange data. We assess each integration during discovery and include it in the scope.
Do you offer ongoing support?
Yes. Support, maintenance and further development can be agreed after launch, so your application keeps working as your business and the tools around it change.
Can you build AI-powered features?
Yes — for example document summarisation, enquiry classification or drafting assistance. We recommend AI features only where they save real time, and we design them with data privacy and human review in mind.
Explore
Related services
- Managed outbound salesPut your new CRM or lead management system to work with a dedicated outbound team.
- Website design & developmentA conversion-focused website that feeds leads into your application.
- SEO & digital growthBuild organic visibility for the product or service your software supports.
- PricingCompare starting prices for every Scion service in one place.
Have a process that software could fix?
Tell us how your business works today and where it hurts. We’ll outline what a custom application could look like.
- Sales and proposals
- sales@sciongrowthsolutions.com
- International
- +1 509 215 9263
- South Africa
- +27 67 607 9506