Best Custom Software Development Companies - BuildFire (2023)

Custom software development is the design, creation, deployment, and maintenance process of a system or application. Unlike off-the-shelf software, custom development is unique and fully customized based on the requirements of specific users.

Software development services are commonly used for mobile app development, web development, business process automation, and similar use cases.

But not all software development companies are created equally. Some specialize in certain areas of software development services, and others are undoubtedly better than the competition based on their reputation and the quality of software development offered.

If you’re seeking a custom solution for mobile app development, web app development, or another type of software development, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will help you find the best software development company for your unique situation.

Top 10 Best Software Development Companies

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of custom software development options on the market today. But after extensive research, testing, and combing through real user reviews, we narrowed down the ten best software development companies for most businesses.

1. BuildFire

When it comes to custom software development for mobile apps, BuildFire is at the top of its class. This industry leader in the mobile app development space has been trusted to create more than 10,000+ mobile apps for clients across every industry imaginable.

What makes BuildFire stand out from the crowd is its white-glove service. They’re more than just a custom software development company—BuildFire is a partner in your success.

BuildFire specializes in getting custom mobile apps to market fast and at an affordable price compared to other custom dev solutions.

The team at BuildFire works with you through each stage of the development process, including the pre-development planning through the post-launch maintenance and updates.

While other developers out there simply build your app and pass off the final product, BuildFire continues working with you to ensure the app can scale as your needs change over time.

Your journey with BuildFire starts with a free consultation to ensure the project is a mutual fit for both parties. Then the team takes your ideas and runs a competitive analysis to see how your app will stand up against industry leaders in your particular category.

BuildFire also handles all of your designs, prototyping, wireframing, system architecture, and everything you need for custom software development.

These custom software development services are trusted by mid-size organizations and enterprises in categories like ecommerce, education, fitness, events, internal communications, and so much more.

Whether you need an internal app for your business or a public app for Android and iOS users on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, BuildFire has you covered.

Schedule a free consultation to learn more.

2. Social Connection Marketing

Social Connection Marketing is a local digital marketing agency located in West Virginia. The firm is relatively new to the world of custom software development, but they’re already making a huge impact on its clients.

This agency got its start by offering traditional digital marketing services, specializing in videography for small businesses. With many of its clients requesting mobile apps, Social Connection Marketing eventually expanded its services, becoming a custom software development company in 2021.

Social Connection Marketing created a custom mobile app for a local county in West Virginia. The app showcases local businesses, schools, libraries, and other highlights of the area.

Since creating this app, they’ve been contacted by other counties in the area about developing a similar project.

They’ve also created mobile apps for local wedding planning companies to promote local vendors in this industry.

You can read more about the Social Connection Marketing story and how they expanded from a digital marketing agency to a custom software development company.

3. Altar.io

Altar.io is a European-based custom software development company.

With offices in Lisbon, London, and Milan, this company specializes in software solutions like UX/UI design, UX wireframes, UI mockups, clickable prototypes, and more.

They offer a seven-day project scope to help get your ideas organized and align your vision with your business goals.

Altar.io also offers a unique service to quickly build an MVP (minimum viable product), helping you get your bare-bones idea to market as fast as possible.

They’ve worked with organizations in financial technology, smart home technology, and other industry-specific niches.

4. Experion Technologies

Experion Technologies has been in the custom software development space for nearly 15 years.

They typically offer custom software development services to organizations across industries like healthcare, financial services, retail, and transportation.

Experion Technologies is a bit smaller compared to other players in this space. They only have about 300 clients, but those customers are located in 30+ countries.

One unique standout of this firm is its focus on product engineering services. This goes beyond traditional development and includes blockchain, AI, machine learning, cloud services, cognitive computing, and more.

The idea here is to focus on building forwarded-thinking software products to achieve business goals and provide innovation throughout the product life cycle.

In addition to product development, Experion Technologies provides UX/UI services, product testing services, technology modernization consulting, and more.

5. Brainhub

Brainhub is another custom software development company located in Europe.

This software engineering company specializes in custom software development, web development, and application development using .NET, Node.js, React Native, ReactJS, and TypeScript.

Brainhub’s core services include web development, mobile development, desktop development, UI/UX design, product development, staff augmentation, and more.

They also offer tech and agile consulting to help streamline your technology, strategic planning, and overall product delivery. You can even lean on Brainhub for MVP development and product scaling.

For organizations that have internal developers but don’t have the resources to create custom software, Brainhub can help. Your team can work with them to help create a custom tech stack for your software needs.

6. Netguru

Netguru is a custom software development company based in Poland.

This firm was founded back in 2008 and has over 630 software developers on the team.

In addition to providing custom software solutions, Netguru specializes in agile project management. They market themselves as an on-demand agile product team.

Their process includes a product design sprint, scoping session, UX review, and research before diving into custom software development.

Within these larger service offerings, they offer additional agency services like UI design, illustrations, branding, and more. So if you’re interested in getting software services paired with web development, design, and project management, check out Netguru to learn more.

7. Vates

Vates is a custom software development company based in South America.

They offer a wide range of software solutions, including application testing, big data, IoT, IT consulting, and more.

Vates also has custom software development services for Atlassian products, offering strategic consulting, installation, and training for these tools.

This organization has more than 30 years of experience developing custom software.

They offer functional testing, user acceptance testing, usability testing, compatibility testing, and other development tests. You can even use Vates for automated testing for desktop software, web software, and mobile software.

8. OTAKOYI

OTAKOYI is a custom software development company based in eastern Europe.

The company brands itself as having perfectionists and open-minded individuals on the team. They value radical honesty and use these qualities to offer consultancy with custom software development.

Some of their core services include:

• Web development
• Mobile development
• UI/UX design
• Chatbots
• Engagement platforms
• Research and development (R&D)
• DevOps
• Software product development

OTAKOYI prides itself on only using world-class technologies that have stood the test of time, ensuring they can support your business goals for the long run.

9. The NineHertz

The NineHertz is a US-based organization that launched back in 2008.

In addition to custom software development, they also offer IT consulting services and boast an impressive 92% client retention rate.

The NineHertz made our list because of its very unique service offerings.

This is a custom software development company that specializes in game development, which isn’t something that everyone offers. They create iOS games, Android games, 3D games, NFT games, AR games, video games, casino games, and more.

The NineHertz also creates custom software for blockchain, crypto exchange, NFT marketplaces, NFT development, IoT, and more.

If you’re seeking a solution in one of these niche categories, you can visit their website to learn more.

10. Develtio

Develtio is a full-service software and custom software development company located in Warszawa, Poland.

Founded in 2017, this firm is a relatively new player in the custom software development space. But they’re still delivering quality results to clients, earning them a spot on our list.

Develtio specializes in unique dev services like:

• Website maintenance (SLA)
• Web development
• Mobile development
• Software development
• WordPress development
• Chatbots

Their web services and online stores really make this company stand out from the crowd.

Develtio has a team of 50+ experts, including project managers, UX designers, UI designers, copywriters, and programmers.

Check them out if you need help with a custom web development project.

How to Find the Best Custom Software Development Company

Now that you’ve seen the top development companies on our list, it’s time to narrow down your options to find the best custom software development solution for your specific needs.

You can use the criteria below as a buying guide to help steer you in the right direction:

Mobile App Development

If you want to create a mobile app, you need to find a custom software development firm that specializes in these services. For mobile app development, it’s best to stick with development companies that offer app development as its core service.

You’ll see mobile app development listed as a service on many websites, but that doesn’t mean the company is a specialist in that field. Instead, go with a solution that lives and breathes mobile apps.

Web Development Services and Web Apps

Web and mobile developers are two different breeds. So if you have custom web development needs, you can’t always get that from a mobile app developer.

Try to find a web development company that offers a wide range of web development services under one roof. This goes beyond custom software development and includes web design, custom tech stacks, and more.

If you have a specific web application need, like a customer portal or internal solution, look for a company that has experience with those types of projects.

Small Business vs. Enterprise Software Development Company

Development companies come in all different shapes and sizes. Not all of them are equipped to handle the needs of just any business that contacts them.

Make sure the agency you’re considering has experience working with companies similar to yours. For example, if you’re a small business or a startup, some enterprise software development companies may not even consider working with you.

Conversely, if you’re in the mid-market or SME space, you probably shouldn’t be working with a small-town firm.

Location of Software Developers

Working with a global software development company can be attractive for many organizations, especially if you’re trying to save some money by outsourcing a project overseas.

While this may work fine for simple projects, this isn’t always the best route for custom software development.

You want to make sure that your custom software developer is easily accessible. If you’re in the US, working with a company in Europe or Asia can pose some challenges with time differences and language barriers. So just keep that in mind when you’re creating a shortlist of contenders.

Software Maintenance

Application creation is actually just one component of custom software development. You also need to consider how you’ll be assisted with software maintenance.

If the company you’re using is just going to hand off the project and run away, then it will be your responsibility to maintain everything. Most businesses don’t want that burden.

Look for a solution that offers post-launch maintenance and support. This includes things like content updates, tech updates, server maintenance, and everything you need to make sure your software continues running smoothly for its entire life cycle.

Experience of Software Developers

Custom software development takes a lot of practice. The success of your project is directly tied to the developers you’re working with.

In fairness, every custom software developer needs to start somewhere—but you shouldn’t volunteer to be their guinea pig or experiment.

Working with a reputable agency with an entire team of developers is your best bet. They’ll work collectively to ensure you’re getting exactly what you ask without cutting any corners.

That’s why it’s better to work with an app development company compared to freelancers.

Price of Custom Software Development

The cost of your project obviously needs to be taken into consideration. But it shouldn’t be the sole factor in your decision.

Cheaper isn’t always better, and the most expensive option doesn’t always translate to the highest quality.

Check out our guide on mobile app development costs to learn more about what to expect as you’re pricing out different options and getting quotes.

Final Thoughts on the Top Custom Software Development Services

Custom software development is the best way to get what you want without buying a cookie-cutter solution.

There are tons of great development companies out there offering services for mobile app development, web development, desktop app development, design, project management, game development, and so much more.

The top software development companies on our list each specialize in something unique, making it easier to find the best option for your specific needs.

For more information, refer to our complete learning hub for outsourcing app development. This page has tons of relevant guides that will help steer you in the right direction as you’re making such an important decision.