Retail softwareProduct
RetailPOS
An offline-first, multi-industry POS desktop app with eight industry presets, double-entry accounting and 16+ exportable reports.
Remote · Worldwide
Custom Software DevelopmentCustom Software
Internal tools that fit how your team actually works.
SaaS platforms, CRMs, ERPs, and point-of-sale systems designed around real operational workflows — not retrofitted from off-the-shelf software that almost fits.
(01) The short answer
What is custom software?
Custom software development means building a system around how your team actually works, instead of reshaping the work to fit software that almost fits. Cortexley's custom software covers SaaS platforms, CRMs, ERP modules, and point-of-sale systems — including POS builds for a multi-branch lighting and décor retailer and a regional pharmacy chain.
(02) Cost & timeline
How much does custom software cost?
Custom software such as a POS, CRM or ERP module typically costs £6,000–£25,000 and takes 8–20 weeks, depending on the number of modules, branches and hardware integrations.
(03) What's included
Scope, without the fine print.
- 01SaaS platform architecture and multi-tenant design
- 02Custom CRM and pipeline management tools
- 03ERP modules for inventory, procurement, and finance
- 04Point-of-sale systems for retail and hospitality
- 05Role-based permissions and audit logging
- 06Third-party API and payment gateway integration
Built withLaravelPostgreSQLNode.jsReactRedisAWS
(04) How the engagement runs
From brief to launch.
Workflow mapping
We shadow the actual process the software needs to replace or support.
System design
Data model, permissions, and integration architecture reviewed before build.
Build in phases
Shippable increments so your team can test with real usage early.
Training & rollout
Documentation and hands-on training for the people who'll use it daily.
Support & scale
Ongoing maintenance as usage and requirements grow.
(05) Proof
Related work.
PharmacyProduct
Cortexley PharmaSuite
A pharmacy POS and ERP for retail and wholesale, with batch-level expiry, bonus quantities and narcotics tracking built in.
Optical retailProduct
OptiStore Manager
A Windows desktop app for optical shops — point of sale, prescription tracking and a 5,000+ product catalogue.
(06) From the blog
Further reading.
Software · 6 min read
When Custom Software Actually Beats Off-the-Shelf
Buying off-the-shelf software is usually the right call. Here are the specific conditions where building your own wins instead — and what that actually involves.
Read article →Case Studies · 7 min read
What Changes When You Build POS for Regulated Retail
Lessons from building point-of-sale systems for pharmacy and other regulated retail environments, where compliance is an architecture decision.
Read article →Software · 9 min read
How Much Does Custom Software Development Cost? A Realistic Breakdown
Custom software costs: internal tools $10k–$30k, CRMs $30k–$80k, POS systems $40k–$120k, SaaS platforms $80k+. What drives the number and how to scope before requesting quotes.
Read article →(07) Questions
Before you ask.
In most cases, yes. We start with a technical audit to assess whether extending the existing codebase or a targeted rebuild of specific modules makes more sense.
We can set up and manage cloud infrastructure (AWS, DigitalOcean) or work within your existing environment and internal IT constraints.
Ask who actually writes the code and whether they'll still be there after launch. We shadow the real workflow before designing anything, ship in phases you can test with live usage, and keep the same team on maintenance — the failure mode we see most often is a system delivered by people who never watched anyone use it.
When your inventory or compliance rules don't fit what off-the-shelf systems assume. We've built POS for variant-heavy retail — where finish, wattage, and size all matter — and for pharmacy, where batch-level expiry tracking and controlled-substance reporting have to be designed in from the schema up rather than bolted on.
(08) Start here
Tell us what you're building.
A founder reads every brief and replies within one business day with honest next steps and a fixed-price proposal.
sales@cortexley.com