Custom software development · San Diego
Orcatec offers custom software development in San Diego for companies that have outgrown spreadsheets and off-the-shelf tools. We build web applications, SaaS products and internal systems, and we run our own SaaS platform, so we know what it takes to keep software reliable after launch.
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We start from your process and your users, not from a template. Every project is scoped around the problem it has to solve.
Browser-based applications with user accounts, roles, dashboards and workflows: customer portals, booking systems, order management and more. They work on desktop and mobile without an install.
Multi-tenant platforms with subscriptions, billing, onboarding and an admin panel. We know the details because we build and operate our own SaaS product.
Replace a patchwork of spreadsheets, emails and manual steps with one system for quoting, scheduling, inventory, approvals or reporting.
Connect your software with CRM, ERP, accounting and payment systems such as Salesforce, HubSpot, NetSuite, QuickBooks and Stripe, so data is entered once.
Not ready to build yet? We review your current systems, help you decide between buying and building, and write a scope and estimate you can use with any vendor.
Move a legacy desktop or on-premise system to the cloud step by step, without stopping the business while it happens.
Most companies come to us when the tools that got them started begin to slow them down. If several of these sound familiar, a custom system is worth a conversation.
Critical data lives in files that only one or two people understand, and a wrong formula can cost real money.
Orders, customers or hours are copied by hand from one system to another, and errors show up in invoices and reports.
Your team uses three products plus email to do one job because no single tool covers the whole process.
Per-user subscriptions for several tools now cost more each year than owning a system built for you.
Clients want to log in, check status, pay and download documents, and your current tools cannot offer that.
You see a gap in your market and want to turn your know-how into a web application or SaaS product.
Orcatec is our own field service management SaaS: a web app and mobile apps for estimates, scheduling, dispatch, invoicing, payments and QuickBooks sync. We designed it, built it and support it every day.
We designed, built and still run Orcatec, a field service management platform used by home services companies to sell, schedule, dispatch, invoice and get paid, in the office and in the field.
Read the case study →Off-the-shelf software is often the right answer, and we will tell you when it is. Custom makes sense when your process is a competitive advantage or no product fits it well.
| Criteria | Off-the-shelf software | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Time to start | Days | Weeks to months |
| Upfront cost | Low, monthly subscription | Higher, a one-time build |
| Fit with your process | You adapt your process to the product | The software follows your process |
| Cost as you grow | Per-user fees grow with your team | No per-user licenses; hosting and support only |
| Integrations | Limited to what the vendor supports | Any system with an API or a data export |
| Ownership | The vendor owns the product and roadmap | You own the code and the data |
| Updates and support | Released on the vendor’s schedule, including changes you did not ask for | Planned with you, by your team or ours, when your business needs them |
Interviews with the people who will use the system, a map of the current workflow and a list of must-have features. You get a scope, timeline and budget range.
Wireframes and a clickable prototype your team can try before development starts.
Two-week sprints with a working version on a test server at the end of each one, so you can give feedback early.
Automated and manual testing, data migration from your old tools and a staged rollout with training for your team.
Monitoring, backups, security updates and a roadmap of improvements based on how people use the system.
A few lines about the process or product is enough. We’ll reply within one business day with questions and a rough estimate.
Custom software does not have to be a big-bang project. We usually recommend a focused first version that solves the most painful problem, then add features based on real use.
from $8,000
160+ hours · 2–4 weeks
A working prototype that proves the riskiest part of the idea or integration.
from $32,000
640+ hours · 1–2 months
A first release that solves the most painful process for real users.
from $96,000
1,920+ hours · 4–8 months
A complete system with roles, reporting, integrations and an admin panel.
from $192,000
3,840+ hours · 8+ months
Large platforms that replace or connect several business systems.
Hourly rate: $50–70 per hour. Package prices start at the minimum hours × $50. You get a fixed quote after a free discovery call.
We are a San Diego County software company that builds and sells its own product. That means we think about software the way an owner does: cost to run, ease of support and what happens two years after launch, not only the first release.
You work with one accountable team in your time zone, and we can meet in person for workshops and demos. You own the code, the infrastructure accounts and the documentation.
We also keep scope honest. If part of your problem is solved well by an existing product, we will suggest integrating it instead of rebuilding it, so your budget goes into the parts that make your business different.
How much does custom software development cost in San Diego?
How long does it take to build a web application?
Who owns the source code?
What happens after launch? Do you provide maintenance?
Can you integrate with our existing CRM, ERP or accounting software?
Should we build custom software or buy an existing product?
Is custom software secure?
Do you work with startups or only established companies in San Diego?
Front-end, back-end and full-stack web development: customer portals, CMS-backed platforms and fast, reliable sites with real logic.
Learn more →Multi-tenant SaaS products with subscriptions, roles, integrations and mobile apps, built by a team that runs its own SaaS.
Learn more →A focused first version of your product, built to test with real users and grow into production software.
Learn more →Custom CRM systems and HubSpot or Salesforce customization, built around your sales, service and field operations.
Learn more →Workflow automation, integrations, document processing and AI automation that remove manual work from daily operations.
Learn more →Tell us what you want to build. We’ll reply within one business day with questions and next steps.