What a custom internal tool actually costs
Avokodo builds custom internal tools for a fixed NZ$1,000–NZ$5,000, agreed in writing before any work starts, and hosts and maintains them for NZ$50–NZ$250 a month. Where a project lands in that range depends on scope, complexity and how many systems it has to connect. Most builds go live in 2–4 weeks.
What decides where you land in the range
Three things move the number, and Avokodo works all three out with you on the first call rather than after the invoice.
- Scope
- How many screens and workflows the app has to cover.
- Complexity
- Simple forms and views, or logic, permissions and AI in the loop.
- Integrations
- How many systems we connect, and how cooperative their APIs are.
A single dashboard reading one system sits near NZ$1,000. Several screens, real permissions, AI in the loop and three or four integrations sits near NZ$5,000.
What the monthly fee covers
The NZ$50–NZ$250 monthly is priced purely on traffic — how much the app is actually used. A quiet internal tool used by six people costs the least; something running all day for a whole department costs more. It is not priced per seat, so adding people to your team never changes the bill.
- Hosting, backups and monitoring included
- Security patches and dependency upkeep
- Bug fixes and small tweaks as you use it
- Move up or down a tier as usage changes
You can move up or down a tier as usage changes, and you can stop paying it and take the code with you.
Why this is a fraction of a typical agency quote
Published 2026 cost guides consistently put a custom internal tool at USD $8,000 to $50,000 — roughly NZ$13,000 to NZ$85,000 — with post-launch support running USD $2,000 to $8,000 a month. Avokodo charges NZ$1,000–NZ$5,000 to build and NZ$50–NZ$250 a month. That gap is real and it is worth explaining, because a price that looks too good is a reason to be suspicious rather than pleased.
The difference is not the quality of the software. It is what those quotes include that an Avokodo build does not: a sales team, account managers, project managers, a paid discovery phase before anyone writes code, and the overhead of an agency that has to fill a bench whether or not your project needs it.
Avokodo is deliberately narrow. It builds internal tools for small teams — not enterprise platforms, not regulated systems needing formal compliance audits, not anything that requires a project manager to sit between you and the person writing the code. Scope is fixed before work starts, so there is no change-order machinery to pay for. You talk to the person building it.
The honest trade-off: if your project genuinely needs a team of eight, a compliance programme and a two-year roadmap, Avokodo is the wrong shop and will say so on the first call.
What you're not charged for
- No hourly billing
- One number for the build, agreed before work starts. If it takes longer than expected, that is not your problem.
- No per-seat fees
- Add your whole team. The monthly is priced on traffic, not headcount.
- Nothing metered
- No per-task, per-run or per-record charges that grow quietly as you use the thing you paid for.
- No paid discovery
- The call or two that maps your process and produces a fixed quote costs nothing.
- No lock-in
- The code is yours. Stop the monthly whenever you like and take it with you.
How this compares to the alternatives
A custom build is not always the right answer. Here is the honest shape of each option, including the ones that mean you should not hire Avokodo.
| Option | Upfront | Ongoing | Who owns it | Where it breaks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-the-shelf SaaS | None | Per seat, forever | The vendor | When your process differs from the one the product assumes |
| Zapier / Make | None | Per task — rises with volume | The vendor | At high volume, or when logic outgrows a linear flow |
| Retool / low-code | Low | Per seat, forever | The vendor | When you need something the platform doesn't allow |
| Traditional agency | NZ$13,000–NZ$85,000 | NZ$3,400–NZ$13,600/mo | You, usually | On budget, for a small internal tool |
| Avokodo custom build | NZ$1,000–NZ$5,000 | NZ$50–NZ$250/mo | You | On scope past NZ$5,000, or work needing a full team |
If an off-the-shelf product already fits how you work, buy it — it will be cheaper than anything custom. If a Zapier flow handles it and the task volume is low, keep it. Custom is worth it when the process is specific to your business, the volume makes per-task pricing painful, or you have already hit a tool's ceiling.
What if the project is bigger than NZ$5,000?
Bigger builds are welcome. If the scope runs past NZ$5,000, Avokodo says so on the first call and quotes it properly rather than squeezing it into the range and cutting corners to fit. What does not happen is a quote inside the range followed by a larger invoice later.
Questions about price
How do you quote a fixed price without knowing everything up front?
Avokodo maps the process first — a call or two watching how the work actually happens today — and only then fixes the scope and the number. The quote covers what was agreed. If something genuinely new comes up mid-build, it gets discussed rather than silently invoiced.
When do I pay?
The build fee is paid across the project rather than in one lump at either end, and the monthly starts when the app goes live.
What happens if the build takes longer than planned?
The price is fixed, so an overrun is Avokodo's problem rather than yours. That is the point of quoting a number instead of an hourly rate — the incentive to be efficient sits with the person doing the work.
Can I stop paying the monthly?
Yes, any time. The code is yours and you can take it elsewhere or host it yourself. The monthly buys hosting, monitoring, security upkeep and small changes — it is not a licence for software you already paid to have built.
Is there a cheaper option than a custom build?
Often, yes, and Avokodo will tell you. If an off-the-shelf product fits your process, buying it beats building. If a low-volume Zapier flow covers it, keep it. A custom build earns its cost when the process is specific to your business, per-task pricing has started to hurt, or a no-code tool has hit a wall.
Do you work with businesses outside your country?
Yes. Avokodo works remotely with teams worldwide, and quotes and invoices in US dollars.
More general questions are answered on the home page FAQ.