A quote you can't compare
Three firms, three scopes, three prices, and no way to tell which one understood the job. We spend a week on a blueprint that ends in a fixed number with the scope written down, so you can set it beside any other quote.
Custom software development company
Custom software development, built remotely and priced up front
Ojastra provides custom software development for businesses that have outgrown spreadsheets, shared inboxes and tools that don't talk to each other. We work with clients across Canada and the US, entirely online, and every project gets one price agreed in writing before the build starts.
Our home base is Toronto, but nothing about the work depends on being in the room. You get a working version to click every week, the code sits in your own GitHub account from day one, and a free written plan arrives within 48 hours of you describing the problem.
Fixed price. You own the code. A working demo every week.
What sends owners looking for a custom software development company
Software you can't see until the end
Hourly billing and monthly status reports ask you to trust progress you can't check. A click-through demo every week shows what exists, what's next and whether we're on schedule.
Five tools and a spreadsheet holding them together
Orders, customers and invoices live in different places and someone retypes between them. We connect the tools you keep and replace the ones that no longer fit.
A vendor you can't leave
Code on someone else's server, no repository access, a maintenance fee for the privilege. Our clients hold the repository and the hosting accounts from the first day.
What our custom software developers build
Internal tools and dashboards
Job trackers, inventory, scheduling, approvals and reporting that replace the spreadsheet your team lives in.
Customer portals and booking systems
Clients sign in to order, book, pay and check status, so your staff stop answering the same questions by phone.
Integrations and data sync
Accounting, CRM, e-commerce, payments and ERP connected, so a record is entered once and appears everywhere it should.
Workflow automation and AI jobs
Documents filed, quotes drafted from your price sheet and leads followed up in minutes, with a person approving what matters.
Web and mobile apps
Products your customers use directly, on the web, iPhone and Android, from one codebase where that costs less.
Software consulting before you commit
If you're not sure what to build, the blueprint maps your workflow and says whether custom software, a configured off-the-shelf tool or nothing at all is the right move.
How a remote software project runs
Nothing about the work needs you in the room. We keep Eastern-time hours, which overlap with most of North America's working day, and everything runs through a written plan, a weekly demo link and a video call whenever talking is quicker than typing.
The rhythm is the same on every project: a one-week blueprint, a build in weekly slices, and a demo at the end of each week that you can forward to anyone on your team. When the work is finished you already own everything, including the repository, the hosting accounts and the documentation, so there is no handover to wait for.
Canadian businesses may also be able to offset part of the cost. Genuinely new technical work may qualify for SR&ED tax credits or NRC IRAP support, and companies with $1M or more in revenue may be able to finance digital projects through BDC's LIFT program. Your accountant, NRC or BDC confirms eligibility, not us.
What it costs
Fixed prices in Canadian dollars. The blueprint fee is credited in full when you go ahead with the build.
| What you get | Price (CAD) | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| BlueprintWorkflow map, key screens, fixed quote and build schedule. 100% credited to the build. | $1,500 | About 1 week |
| One automation or integrationCalls answered and booked, quotes from your price sheet, orders keyed into your ERP, two tools synced. | $5K–$12K | 2–4 weeks |
| Internal tool that replaces spreadsheetsOps dashboard, job tracker, CRM, inventory or scheduling. | $12K–$40K | 4–10 weeks |
| Customer-facing web or mobile appBooking, ordering, client portal or marketplace. | $20K–$60K | 6–12 weeks |
| Care planHosting, monitoring, fixes and small changes. | From $500/month | Monthly |
Prices are in Canadian dollars. Once the blueprint is done the price is fixed, and a change in scope is agreed in writing, with its price, before we build it. See all prices.
How we work
1. Plan
A free written plan within 48 hours, then a one-week blueprint ($1,500, credited to the build) that ends in one fixed price and a schedule.
2. Build
A working link to click every week. Milestone payments, no hourly surprises. Scope changes are priced in writing before we build them.
3. Care
You own the code and accounts from day one. Optional care plan from $500 a month for hosting, fixes and small changes.
Software we built and run
pickup.kitchen
Our own live ordering and meal-plan platform for food businesses.
- Each kitchen gets its own storefront on a subdomain or custom domain
- Stripe payments and a Shopify POS integration
- Live order tracking, delivery routes and a driver app
Naina
An AI coaching app we took from idea to paid MVP.
- Upload screenshots, get a score and the top fixes
- Email one-time-code sign-in and a paid pass
- AI output checked by its own test suite
Questions owners ask us
How much does custom software development cost?
Most projects run between $5,000 and $60,000 CAD. Expect $5K–$12K for a single automation or integration, $12K–$40K for an internal tool that replaces spreadsheets, and $20K–$60K for a customer-facing web or mobile app. The $1,500 blueprint ends in one fixed price and is credited in full to the build.
How long does it take to build custom software?
One automation takes two to four weeks, an internal tool four to ten and a customer-facing app six to twelve. You see a working link within the first week or two, so you know early whether we're heading the right way.
What's the difference between a software development company and software consulting?
Consulting tells you what to build; a development company builds it. We do both in order: the blueprint is the consulting step, and its $1,500 fee is credited to the build if you carry on with us.
Who owns the code?
You do, from day one. It lives in your GitHub account and the software runs on hosting accounts in your name. If we ever part ways, nothing is held back and nothing has to be transferred.
Do you work with companies outside Canada?
Yes, and the work is done remotely. We run the same weekly demos by video for clients across Canada and the US, with a written plan up front and a working link every week.
Is custom software better than an off-the-shelf product?
Often it isn't. If a subscription covers nearly everything you need, we'll tell you to buy it. Custom software pays off when you're stacking several subscriptions, retyping data between them, or bending your process around a tool that doesn't fit.
Can you take over software another team started?
Yes. We audit the code, hosting and accounts first, then give you a fixed price to fix, finish or rebuild, and we say plainly when a rebuild is cheaper. A rescue typically runs $5K–$20K CAD over two to six weeks.
Related
Tell us the problem. Get a written plan in 48 hours.
No call needed. You get the approach, a price range and a timeline in writing, free.