Bibek
.NET Developer
Having software developed as a startup: how to build smart solutions within your budget
Many startups find that their idea truly comes to life once the right software supports it. Having software built as a startup can feel like solving a complex puzzle: every piece, from functionality to scalability, needs to fit perfectly. With an experienced startup software partner, you can put the pieces together quickly and efficiently.
Software for startups
Your startup is bursting with ideas, but without the right software, they remain just dreams. The challenge is to build a digital foundation that works today and can grow alongside your success tomorrow. This is how you bring your idea to life and ensure it can continue to scale.
In this article, we explain how to choose the right partner for building software as a startup, how to ensure your software grows with your business, and what an approach tailored specifically to your needs looks like.
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Why software is important for startups
Software is at the heart of many startups. Whether you’re developing a platform, launching an app, or building a smart tool, how the software is built determines how quickly your ideas come to life and how easily they can grow with your business. An experienced startup software partner helps you make the right technology and design choices from the start, ensuring your software is practical, flexible, and future-proof.
A planning tool that saves your team time, an app that provides insights into user data patterns, or a dashboard that shows the key metrics at a glance: behind solutions like these is a team of software developers. They ensure the software meets the needs of founders and their startups (“founder-friendly software development”). They also understand that it’s not just about a single release; the software must be prepared for future growth. Modular construction, clear documentation, and deliberate choices: “early-stage software scaling” ensures your software remains scalable and flexible.
How to choose a development partner as a startup
How can a startup find a software partner who is not only technically strong but also understands your business and grows with you? Start by clearly defining your needs: which features, technical platforms, and growth possibilities are crucial for your project.
When choosing a partner, don’t focus solely on technical expertise, consider their interpersonal skills as well. Also, look into their experience building scalable and future-proof software. Review portfolios, past projects, and case studies where they’ve helped startups develop their software from the ground up. References from other startups often provide valuable insights into their working style and collaboration.
“A company that truly understands how software works, gives its developers the space to work creatively and efficiently. That’s what makes the difference.”
– Asmeeta, developer 3Bird
Costs of startup software development
The costs of developing software vary widely and depend on complexity, features, and the level of customization. Startups can choose between fixed project prices and hourly rates. Fixed prices are useful for projects with a clearly defined scope and provide a good overview of costs upfront. Hourly rates, on the other hand, offer flexibility for projects with changing workloads or an unclear scope.
Typical rates for junior developers range from €30–€50 per hour. Mid-level developers usually charge between €50–€100 per hour, while senior developers have rates around €100–€150 per hour.
At 3Bird, we offer startups transparent and affordable rates starting at €25–€30 per hour. These rates come with guidance based on our extensive practical experience, ensuring your software is built effectively and scalable from day one.
3Bird case studies
Some examples of projects 3Bird has carried out for startups include:
Rulebooks.ai
For Rulebooks.ai, 3Bird provided an experienced Angular developer who contributed for a year to the development of the Org Chart Creator. This tool helps legal departments easily map their organizational structure within the Legal Operations platform. The result of this collaboration was a user-friendly module that helps companies stay on top of complex laws and regulations.
Fanrating.tech
3Bird worked for over a year with a team of five on the technical and functional development of FanRating.tech, an innovative sports and Web3 platform. The platform allows fans to rate athletes and links this to rewards via both traditional and crypto payments. In addition to integrating a complex payment system, 3Bird also prepared the app and website for an upcoming launch.
Our approach
Introduction and exploration of needs
We always start with an introduction where we explore your goals, needs, and challenges. This helps us get a clear picture of what you require and how we can assist you.
Create a detailed step-by-step plan
Based on our initial meeting, we will create a detailed step-by-step plan. This plan will outline the key objectives and responsibilities of all parties involved.
Selection of the most suitable candidate
With our extensive network of developers, we can find the perfect match for your project. We select only the best candidates who meet your specific requirements and present them to you.
Kick-off and monitoring
Once the right developers are selected, we kick off the project and closely monitor its progress. Regular updates and feedback sessions with our Dutch CTOs are built into the process.
Developers
Our developers
Our team of developers is ready to take on your project.
This article was written by Oscar Bout, the founder of 3Bird. It was last updated on October 10, 2025. The following sources were consulted in creating this webpage: 3Bird. If you have any questions about this content, please contact us at +31 (0)75 799 3038 or email contact@3bird.nl.