Blog
Plain answers about custom software.
What it costs, when to build it and stories from ten years of maintaining production systems. Written for the people who sign off on these decisions.
Ten years, one codebase: what maintaining Kapa since 2015 taught me about software that lasts
In 2015 I took on a client platform as a mid-level developer, with an honest promise and a lot to learn. A decade, one rewrite-free evolution and 26 services later, this is what building software that lasts actually looks like.
How to hire a freelance software engineer without getting burned
A field guide from the other side of the table: what to check before the first call, the questions that expose a weak engineer in ten minutes, the red flags hiding in proposals, and how to structure the engagement so a bad outcome stays cheap.
7 signs you've outgrown your spreadsheets (and 3 reasons to keep them)
Spreadsheets run more businesses than any software category on earth, right up until they quietly start costing you hours, errors and clients. These are the signs I look for, what the breakage actually costs, and what replacing one really involves.
Custom software vs off-the-shelf: an honest framework from someone who builds custom
I make my living building custom software, and most businesses that ask me for it should buy off-the-shelf instead. This is the framework I use to tell which one you are, with the three-year math for both paths.
How much does custom web software cost in 2026? Honest ranges from a senior engineer
Real price ranges for automations, dashboards, portals and full platforms, from the engineer who quotes them. What drives the number up, what maintenance costs after launch, and how to budget without getting burned.