# Guides

## [How much does custom software cost?](https://softfix.dev/guides/custom-software-cost)

Custom software costs what its scope costs: the number of features and user roles, the platforms it runs on, the systems it must integrate with, the depth of design and the support it needs after launch. The most reliable way to price it is a short discovery phase that turns your idea into a written scope — then a fixed quote against that scope, split into milestones.

## [Custom CRM vs off-the-shelf: how to decide](https://softfix.dev/guides/custom-crm-vs-off-the-shelf)

Choose an off-the-shelf CRM when your sales process is standard and you want to start this week. Choose a custom CRM when your process is what makes you different, when you pay for several tools stitched together, or when per-seat pricing and coarse permissions hold you back. Many businesses start off-the-shelf and move to custom once the workarounds cost more than the build.

## [Native vs cross-platform apps: which should you build?](https://softfix.dev/guides/native-vs-cross-platform-apps)

For most business apps, a cross-platform framework such as React Native or Flutter is the better choice: one codebase ships to iOS and Android, costs less to build and maintain, and performs well for forms, lists, maps, payments and notifications. Go fully native when the app depends on heavy graphics, advanced device hardware or the newest platform features on day one.

## [Fix or rebuild? What to do with legacy software](https://softfix.dev/guides/fix-or-rebuild-legacy-software)

Most legacy systems should be fixed, not rebuilt: an audit, a list of the riskiest problems and step-by-step improvements usually deliver value faster and with less risk than a rewrite. A rebuild makes sense when the technology is unsupported, the architecture can’t support where the business is going, or every change costs more than building it again.

## [Which business processes should you automate first?](https://softfix.dev/guides/business-process-automation)

Automate first the work that is frequent, rules-based and error-prone: copying data between systems, approvals and notifications, recurring reports and first-line customer questions. Map the workflow, estimate the hours it costs today, automate the step with the clearest payoff, then measure the time saved before moving to the next.

## [How to make a business website rank — and get cited by AI](https://softfix.dev/guides/website-seo-and-ai-visibility)

Search engines and AI assistants reward the same foundations: content that is in the HTML rather than only rendered by JavaScript, one clear topic per page, structured data that names your organisation and services, fast and stable pages on mobile, and content that answers real questions directly. SEO gets you ranked, answer engine optimisation (AEO) gets you quoted, and generative engine optimisation (GEO) gets you cited by AI assistants.

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