Software development in the Netherlands
From an idea or an overgrown spreadsheet to software that works. A first version within four to eight weeks, for a fixed price per phase. The code and the data are yours.
Software development for your own way of working
Software development at Altena means that a Dutch software company builds an application that does exactly what your organisation needs: a web application, a customer portal, an integration between systems or a complete platform. You are not buying a package. You are having something built around the way you work.
You work directly with the developer. You tell us where the work gets stuck today. We build a first version you actually use, and from there the software grows in short rounds.
You do not have to start big. Most projects begin with one process that takes too much manual work: a spreadsheet that has outgrown itself, a planning spread across three tools, or customers phoning for information you already have.
Want to see everything we build first? Have a look at the overview of all our software services.
What can we develop for you?
Software for your own process
Business software that follows your workflow, with users, roles and reporting. For when your standard package no longer fits.
02A web application
Software in the browser, on laptop, tablet and phone. From an internal dashboard to a planning system.
03A customer portal
Customers see their own invoices, status and history. That saves a stream of phone calls and emails.
04Integrations between systems
Webshop, accounting, ERP and CRM that talk to each other. No retyping and no weekly export round.
05A replacement for Excel
From a spreadsheet nobody dares to touch to an application with permissions, validation and history.
06Your own software product
An idea for an online product? We build a first version with accounts, subscriptions and payments.
Custom development or an off-the-shelf package?
Let us be honest: not everything needs to be custom. For accounting, payroll or a simple webshop there is perfectly good software. In those cases we simply recommend it.
Software development becomes interesting the moment a package starts working against you. Three signals:
- You have outgrown your package. It covers eighty per cent, and the last twenty per cent costs you the most time every month.
- Your process is your advantage. You do something smarter than the rest, and standard software forces you to flatten it.
- You are paying for air. Licences per user for a package of which you use a quarter.
Not sure? We compare both routes on functionality, cost, maintenance and future. Read more on custom software.
How a software development project runs
- 01
Free conversation
Half an hour, no strings attached. You tell us what you are running into. We tell you honestly whether software solves it and roughly what it costs. Sometimes the answer is: do not build.
- 02
First understand, then build
We sharpen the question: what should it solve, for whom, and which data and systems are involved? That takes a few days to two weeks. After that you receive a proposal with a fixed price. Read more about our approach.
- 03
First version in four to eight weeks
No waiting for half a year. Within four to eight weeks there is something you actually use. From that moment you talk about what you see, not about a document.
- 04
Extend and maintain
The software grows in rounds of one to three weeks. We take care of hosting, backups, updates and monitoring. Maintenance can be cancelled monthly.
We also develop our own software.
AdComPro
Project management, hour registration, budget monitoring, CRM and billing in one platform, linking to Microsoft 365.
adcompro. appCasaMio
One calendar about all your vacation rentals, synchronized with Airbnb and Booking.com. Plus guests, cleaning and rates.
casamio.appSmart Boekhouden
Online accounting for freelancers and small businesses. Take a photo of a receipt, and AI reads it and prepares the accounting entry. Includes a bank connection.
smart-boekhouden.nlAltena Rijschoolsoftware
Lecture planning, student administration and invoicing for driving schools. Lesson planning, balance booking, invoice out: automatic.
Driving School Software. OnlineWhat does software development cost?
That depends on what you have built, but you always know in advance: we work with a fixed price per phase, not with open-ended hourly billing. A few indicative budgets to work with:
- Replacing one spreadsheet with a small application: indicatively €2,500 to €5,000 excluding VAT. See replace Excel with an application.
- A compact website with custom features and administration: €3,500 to €7,500 excluding VAT. See Laravel website development.
- A customer portal, several integrations or a complete platform: gets its own budget, split into phases.
These are starting points, not prices for a complete business platform. What mainly determines the price:
- the number of screens and features;
- users, roles and permissions;
- integrations with other systems;
- existing data that needs to move along.
The quote states what we deliver, what you provide, the planning and the price. Hosting, maintenance and third-party licences are listed separately. Explore three example projects and how a quote is built up.
What to look for in a software development company
Who owns the code?
Put in writing that code and data are yours, including documentation another party can continue with. With us that is the default.
Fixed price or open end?
Ask for a fixed price per phase. You know in advance what you get and what it costs, and you decide per step whether to continue.
How soon do you see something?
A first working version within weeks tells you more than a thick plan. You steer on what you see.
Who do you talk to?
Direct contact with the developer prevents noise. At Altena you have one fixed point of contact, from the first conversation to maintenance.
What happens after delivery?
Software needs maintenance: updates, backups and monitoring. Agree who does that and what it costs.
Can you start small?
Start with one process and extend later. You set the pace, and you do not pay for features you do not need yet.
Frequently asked questions
How much does software development cost?
A small application that replaces one spreadsheet costs indicatively €2,500 to €5,000 excluding VAT. A customer portal or platform gets its own budget. You always receive a fixed price per phase, so you know where you stand in advance.
How long does software development take?
A first version you can actually use is usually ready within four to eight weeks. After that the application grows in rounds of a few weeks. You do not wait months for a delivery.
Who owns the software when it is finished?
You do. Code and data are entirely your property, including documentation another party can continue with. We do not work with arrangements you cannot get out of later.
What do I need to provide to get started?
A few sentences about where you are stuck today. A detailed briefing is not needed. Based on that you receive a first assessment within one working day.
Can I start small and extend later?
Yes, and we recommend it. Most clients start with one process and extend step by step. You set the pace.
Can you take over existing software?
Yes. We regularly take over existing applications, modernise them or extend them. We usually start with a technical review, so it is clear what can stay and what needs replacing.
Which technology do you use for software development?
We build with Laravel, PostgreSQL and React. These are proven technologies many developers work with, so you are never tied to a single supplier.
Who develops the software?
Altena, a Dutch software company founded by Marcel Altena. You have direct contact with the developer who builds your software. Alongside client work we run four software products of our own.
Where does your work get stuck today?
Send a few sentences about your situation. Within one working day you receive an honest first assessment: what fits, roughly what it costs, and whether software development is the best solution at all.