Custom software development for businesses

Arteco Consulting is a Spanish custom software development company, based in Mallorca, with more than 200 projects delivered since 2012. We build in-house management systems, integrations between applications that don't talk to each other, and modernisation of software that has fallen behind. We work for companies all over Spain, with our own engineering team.

What people usually ask us for: replacing an ERP or a SaaS they've outgrown, automating the process that a spreadsheet holds together today, or connecting systems that make someone enter the same data twice. Tell us about your case and we'll tell you what we'd do, within 24 hours.

If what you need first is to understand the decision, we've covered it separately, in Spanish for now: what custom software is and when it pays off against a SaaS and how much it costs to build, with real price ranges.

What shapes custom development takes

"Custom development" is an umbrella term. In practice, the projects that reach us fall into four distinct shapes, with very different budgets and timelines. It's worth knowing which one you're asking for before you ask for a price.

Custom software for businesses. A complete system that replaces an ERP or a SaaS you've outgrown: internal management, your own business rules, integration with what you already have. It's the big project, several months long, and the one that shows most on the bottom line when the process it automates is the one that pays the bills.

Custom programming on top of what already exists. You don't start from scratch: a system that works but has fallen behind gets extended, integrated or rescued. This is where legacy code modernisation comes in, along with integrations between systems that don't talk to each other.

Custom application development (web and mobile). A specific application for a specific use: a customer portal, an internal operations tool, an app for the field team. Tightly scoped, delivered in weeks or a few months.

Tailored software built on an existing base. Sometimes you don't need to build everything: you start from a platform or a product you already have and adapt it. It's cheaper and faster, and it's the honest option when the problem doesn't justify a full build.

If you're not sure which one your case fits, that's exactly the first conversation: in the discovery phase we pin it down before anyone signs anything. And if the answer is that you don't need custom development, we'll tell you. That works out better for us than selling it to you.

When custom software pays off and when it doesn't

It pays off when the process you want to automate is the one that pays the bills, and no product on the market does it the way you do. Also when you already have a system that works and what's missing is one specific piece. Or when two programs you use every day don't talk to each other and someone ends up entering the same data twice.

It doesn't pay off when a standard product with some configuration solves what you need. The honest thing then is to say so, and we do. Before anything else, we scope the case with you in a technology consulting phase; if the data is what needs understanding first, we start with data analysis.

How a custom project runs

First, we scope it. Without that conversation the quote is a lottery, so the discovery phase comes first and goes down in writing: which processes are in, which are out, and which systems we need to talk to.

Then we deliver in parts. Every two weeks there's something you can open and try, not a progress report. That's what stops a change of mind halfway through the project from becoming a drama.

And we test while we build. Tests are written alongside the code (TDD) and integration tests run against real databases in containers (Testcontainers), which is what prevents the classic "it works on my machine".

What's yours when it's done

The code is yours, all of it, and it's handed over with its documentation and the means to deploy it. No per-user licence, and no need for us to be involved to change it.

That includes being able to take it to another supplier or bring the team in-house whenever it suits you. That's the difference from a SaaS: here the asset stays with you.

Custom software on a system you already have

A good part of what we do doesn't start from a blank page: it's rescuing the business logic trapped in an old program. Getting the code out of Oracle Forms, or out of a system nobody maintains any more, is done in stages: functions are replaced one by one while the business keeps working. It's the Strangler pattern, and it avoids the blackout of changing everything in one go. An example of how that ends up: a migration to Spring Cloud and PostgreSQL.

The same applies when what changes is the regulation. If your point-of-sale or invoicing software is your own, we explain what adapting it to VERI*FACTU involves and when it pays off compared with replacing it.

And sometimes the client isn't a company but a community. If you run a large residential estate that has outgrown email and Excel, we explain when a private portal for the owners' association pays off.

What we build it with

It matters less than it seems, but we'll tell you in case someone asks you internally.

The backend in Java and Spring Boot, which is what holds up a management system with years ahead of it. The frontend in React or Astro, depending on whether it's an application or a website, and WebAssembly when there's heavy computation in the browser. The data in PostgreSQL and, if the case calls for it, with a cache or a search engine alongside. When the system has to react instantly (prices, availability, real-time business rules or logistics with patchy coverage), it's built on events rather than queries.

Deployment is automated, from git through to containers with Docker and Kubernetes, on AWS, Azure or Google Cloud. Security is there from day one, not bolted on at the end as a layer: identity with OAuth2 and OpenID Connect, encryption in transit and at rest, and review against the OWASP Top 10. The secure development methodology we apply is published. And we keep an eye on what it costs to keep it all running, which is the part nobody looks at until the bill arrives (FinOps).

Tourism, nautical and retail: local specialisation

As a leading software developer in Mallorca, we've adapted our methodologies to the sectors that drive our economy:

• Tourism: high-transaction booking engines (the renovation of a hotel booking engine) and the integration of Artificial Intelligence for hotels.
• Nautical: B2B process automation for the charter sector and fleet management.
• Retail and textile: scalable APIs for selling products worldwide (building APIs for textile product sales).

Why outsource custom software development to Arteco?

Having a technology partner in 2026 isn't just about technical capacity. It's about trust and strategic alignment. When you work with us, you get:

1. Access to specialist talent: forget the struggle of hiring and keeping senior Java or React profiles. You save costs by outsourcing to professionals with real experience on critical projects.
2. Intellectual property: the code we build is 100% owned by the client, which removes supplier dependency (vendor lock-in).
3. Maintenance and evolution: we offer maintenance and ongoing development services so your software never turns into legacy.
4. Genuinely agile methodologies: we apply Scrum and Scrumban to guarantee deliveries every two weeks and full transparency.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about custom development

How do you make sure the software isn't obsolete in two years? We use Clean Architecture and technology stacks with long-term support (LTS). And because we build a culture of agile technical practices, the code is easy to refactor and to evolve as technology changes.

Is custom development more expensive than off-the-shelf software? The initial investment can be higher, but the total cost of ownership (TCO) over the long run is usually lower. You won't pay per-user licences, the software adapts to you (not the other way round) and you can build unique competitive advantages that standard software doesn't allow. On top of that, with FinOps strategies we optimise operating costs from day one.

What happens if my business changes during development? That's what agile methodologies are for. Our deliveries are incremental, every two weeks. That lets the client validate the product and ask for a change of direction without it becoming a technical or financial drama. Flexibility is the biggest advantage of tailored software.

At Arteco Consulting SL, "Custom Development" is the heart of our technology offering. We firmly believe that tailored software is the definitive tool for driving innovation and keeping our clients competitive in a global market. With a team of dedicated experts and a passion for quality engineering, we're ready to turn your technical vision into something real. Get in touch and we'll design the architecture of your success together.