How Much Does Custom Software Development Cost in Vietnam? 2026 Price Guide

In 2026, custom software development in Vietnam starts from $10,000 for a lean MVP delivered in 6–10 weeks, runs $30,000–100,000 for mid-sized projects over 3–6 months, and reaches $100,000–350,000+ for large systems. FutureTech publishes its full price list, derived from a single source: the monthly rate per team member.

How much does custom software cost by project scale?

An MVP starts from $10,000, a mid-sized project runs $30,000–100,000, and a large production system costs $100,000–350,000 and up. Pricing is driven by business scope (the number of modules, platforms, and integration depth), not by lines of code.

Scale	Characteristics	Typical team	Price (USD)	Timeline
Small / MVP	1–3 core modules, single platform, simple flows	2–3 people	From $10,000	6–10 weeks
Mid-sized	Multiple modules, API/payment integrations, access control, reporting	4–6 people	$30,000 – 100,000	3–6 months
Large / Production	Many subsystems, multi-platform, high load, deep integration	6–12 people	$100,000 – 350,000+	6–12 months+

Custom ERP sits in its own bracket because it cuts across finance, inventory, sales, and operations at once:

ERP tier	Modules	Typical scope	Price (USD)	Timeline
Starter	3–5	Inventory, purchasing–sales, basic accounting	From $30,000	3–5 months
Standard	6–10	Plus HR, CRM, production/projects, BI	$50,000 – 120,000	5–9 months
Enterprise	10+	Multi-branch, multi-company, deeply customized workflows	$120,000 – 250,000+	9–15 months+

All prices are listed in USD and apply to both the Vietnam and Singapore markets (reference conversion: 1 USD ≈ 26,000 VND). If you are still weighing ready-made against bespoke, read our comparison of off-the-shelf vs custom-built ERP before committing.

What does the cost of software development include?

The cost of a software project is far more than programming hours. A proper quote covers the full set of line items:

• Business analysis (BA): clarifying real workflows, handling edge cases, and mapping approval flows, the stage that decides whether the software matches how you actually operate.
• Solution and architecture design: choosing the technology stack, designing the database, and ensuring scalability and security.
• UI/UX design: mapping user flows and designing interfaces staff can pick up quickly.
• Development: backend, frontend, and API integrations.
• Quality assurance (QA/QC): feature, security, and load testing before go-live.
• Deployment and training: cloud setup, legacy data migration, and user training sessions.
• Maintenance and support: monitoring, bug fixes, and regular updates.

Done properly, you own 100% of your data and source code, the system fits your processes exactly, and one partner is accountable for every line item. That is value that never shows up in the headline number but determines how long the software stays useful.

How do the different software pricing models differ?

Three pricing models dominate, and all three trace back to the same root: FutureTech's published monthly rate per team member, so every figure can be independently verified.

• Fixed Price: scope, cost, and delivery milestones are locked at contract signing. Best for well-defined projects such as MVPs or standalone modules; changes beyond scope require an addendum.
• Time & Material: $10–18/hour for long-term projects (over 6 months) and $12–22/hour for short-term work; a standard blended team averages around $14/hour. Best when requirements are still evolving: you pay for accepted hours with weekly reporting.
• Dedicated Team: $1,500–2,900 per person per month by role and seniority for long-term engagements; short-term projects (1–6 months) carry a 1.2× factor, or $1,800–3,480. Teams of 5–10 developers get a 5% discount, and teams above 10 get 10%. Best for companies that treat software as a strategic asset upgraded continuously across phases.

How long does custom software take to build?

An MVP ships in 6–10 weeks, a mid-sized project takes 3–6 months, and a large system runs 6–12 months or more. For ERP, the Starter tier takes 3–5 months while an Enterprise build stretches to 9–15 months+.

Progress depends not only on the development team but also on how quickly your business responds, approves design documents, and delivers clean legacy data. FutureTech's practical advice: start with a lean MVP that solves your single biggest operational pain, then expand based on real usage. This protects cash flow and cuts deployment risk.

How much is annual software maintenance?

Annual maintenance runs 15–20% of the original contract value. It is a mandatory line in any long-term budget, covering production bug fixes, security updates, library and platform upgrades, adjustments to process or regulatory changes, and user support.

When budgeting, calculate the three-year total cost of ownership rather than the build price alone. Software that is cheap to build but must be rewritten after a year costs far more than the number on the contract.

Is cheap software okay? Why does cheap turn out expensive?

Software that is suspiciously cheap usually is not, because whatever was cut comes back as hidden cost. When a quote is unusually low, something you cannot see has typically been removed:

• Technical debt: rushed code with no architecture or documentation. It works in the demo, but every new feature costs multiples more.
• Skipped testing and security: the easiest items to cut, and the most expensive ones when the system fails or leaks data in production.
• No real business analysis: the software never matches how you operate, triggering endless change requests or abandonment.
• Data and source-code lock-in: permanent dependency on a single vendor.
• No accountable partner when things break.

The reverse also holds: a low price does not mean low quality when it comes from a lean delivery model and transparent staff rates, which is exactly how FutureTech keeps its pricing among the lowest on the market at comparable quality. For Singapore clients specifically, FutureTech pairs those rates with an ISO 27001-certified security standard, English communication on Singapore business hours, and a committed timeline with full source-code and IP handover, so nothing that protects the project is cut to reach the price. If budget is tight, you can also start with free ERP software built for your business before investing in a full custom build.

Does software pricing differ by industry?

Yes. Under the same "management software" label, each industry's operational specifics set the scope and budget. For example, a warehouse management system (WMS) costs $12,000 for the Basic tier, $30,000 for Standard, and $72,000 for Advanced; spa management starts lower (from $10,000) while manufacturing/MES sits highest (from $24,000, up to $144,000 for the Advanced tier).

When estimating, benchmark against your own sector in our custom management software cost guide by industry instead of borrowing a generic figure.

Go deeper on this topic

Each cost question above has its own dedicated deep-dive:

• How long does custom software take to build?
• Why cheap software ends up costing more
• Fixed Price vs Time & Material vs Dedicated Team
• How much is annual software maintenance?
• Hourly dev team vs hiring in-house: real costs
• How to choose a trustworthy software company
• Sales management software: cost breakdown
• Warehouse management software: 3-tier pricing

FAQ

What is the cheapest a simple piece of software can cost? A small MVP handling 1–3 core modules starts from $10,000 and ships in 6–10 weeks with a team of 2–3 people. The exact figure depends on the number of screens and the integrations required.

Should I choose the fixed-price or the hourly model? If requirements are clearly defined upfront, choose Fixed Price to lock the budget. If the project is still evolving with the market, Time & Material at $10–18/hour (long-term) or $12–22/hour (short-term) gives you more flexibility.

Is maintenance mandatory? Yes, at 15–20% of the contract value per year. Skipping it leaves the software obsolete, slow, and increasingly exposed to security risk.

Why do quotes vary so widely between development firms? The gap lies in the actual scope of service: firms that build to standard include thorough business analysis, rigorous testing, full source-code handover, and post-delivery accountability. FutureTech differs in the opposite direction: full process, but staff rates of $1,500–2,900 per person per month that sit among the lowest on the market.

Do I own the source code and data? Yes. On FutureTech projects, the client owns 100% of the source code and database after acceptance, free to self-operate, upgrade, or switch infrastructure providers later.

Does the price include infrastructure? No. Development pricing excludes third-party infrastructure such as cloud hosting, domains, external licenses, and payment-gateway fees. You pay those providers directly, and each item is listed clearly in the quote.

Want to know exactly which price bracket your project falls into? Book a free scoping session with FutureTech and get a detailed quote matched to your actual scope.

Reference pricing — an exact quote follows a free scoping session.