Does HopperCat publish a software price?

No. Software cost depends on scope, so we quote it in writing after we understand what you need to build. You can start with our free diagnostic if you want us to review your site first.

What costs come after the software is delivered?

The same guide lists maintenance of $3,000 to $15,000 MXN a month, hosting from about $300 MXN a month, and third-party licenses billed monthly or per use. Google Play charges a one-time registration fee of $25 USD.

Is a fixed price or an hourly model better?

Neither is bad on its own. A fixed price suits clear requirements and uses written change orders. Time and materials suits products that are still being discovered, but needs weekly tracking of progress and spend.

Who owns the code when the project ends?

Do not assume. Article 103 of Mexico's Federal Copyright Law sets a rule for programs created by employees. With an outside vendor, the contract should state who holds the rights and what you receive. This is not legal advice.

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SOFTWAREOctober 23, 20265 min read

How much does custom software cost in Mexico: ranges, what moves the price and what to ask

Q: How much does custom software cost in Mexico?

We found no independent public survey. One Monterrey agency's March 2026 guide gives $15,000 to $60,000 MXN for a landing page or corporate site, $80,000 to $400,000 MXN for an internal system and $300,000 to over $1,000,000 MXN for a complex SaaS product. It is a commercial source, so use it to compare quotes.

Ranges one Monterrey agency published for each project type, what moves a quote, the costs after launch and the contract questions to settle before you sign.

By Diego Caballero

Custom software in Mexico costs from tens of thousands of pesos for a simple site or tool to several hundred thousand or more for a complex product. We found no independent public survey. What exists are guides published by agencies, which we use here as a reference and not as an official rate card.

How much does a software project cost in Mexico?

The most detailed reference we found is a guide from FENCODE, a Monterrey agency, published on March 1, 2026. It is a commercial source, so treat it as a starting point for comparing quotes. Its ranges, in Mexican pesos for professional agencies with well-defined requirements, are:

Landing page or corporate site: $15,000 to $60,000 MXN, in 2 to 6 weeks.
Online store: $40,000 to $180,000 MXN, in 4 to 12 weeks.
Internal system, ERP, CRM or custom tool: $80,000 to $400,000 MXN, in 8 to 24 weeks.
Mobile app: $80,000 to $350,000 MXN, in 10 to 20 weeks.
SaaS or complex digital product: $300,000 to over $1,000,000 MXN, in 6 to 18 months.

These ranges are wide on purpose. Two projects with the same name can land at opposite ends depending on what they include.

What moves a quote up or down?

Price follows the work, not the project's name. According to the same guide, these factors weigh most:

Features: every new feature adds design, development and testing.
Integrations: SAT electronic invoicing, payment gateways, CRMs or the WhatsApp Business API add time and certification steps.
Data migration: in internal systems it can be 15% to 30% of the total cost, per that guide.
Type of team: a freelancer usually charges less than an agency, but offers less capacity, quality process and formal backup.
Platform: building one cross-platform app can cost up to 30% less than two native apps, per the guide.

Always ask what is in scope and what is billed separately.

What about hourly rates or a dedicated team?

We found no independent hourly rate for Mexico, and we would rather not make one up. There is salary data: a 1840 & Co guide, last updated in July 2026, cites CodersLink's 2026 Mexico tech salaries report, based on 10,254 verified salaries, which gives a median of $3,140 USD net per month across tech roles.

A salary is not an agency rate. The same source estimates the total cost to an employer at 35% to 65% above net salary, because of benefits and mandatory charges. An agency adds management, tooling and margin on top.

What costs show up after delivery?

Software does not end on launch day. FENCODE's guide lists these recurring costs:

Maintenance: $3,000 to $15,000 MXN a month, depending on complexity.
Hosting: from about $300 MXN a month for small projects to $5,000 MXN or more with heavy traffic.
Third-party licenses: maps, SMS, payment gateways or libraries, billed monthly or per use.
App stores: Google charges a one-time $25 USD registration fee to publish on Google Play. Check Apple's current fee too before you budget.

Ask for a quote that separates the cost to build from the cost to run.

How is it billed: fixed price or hours?

There are two common ways, and neither is bad on its own.

Fixed price for a defined scope: you know the total up front. It works when requirements are clear. If they change, expect a written change order.
Time and materials or a dedicated team: you pay for time worked. It gives flexibility when the product is discovered along the way, but you need weekly tracking of progress and spend.

A good quote says which model it uses, how changes are handled and when you can cancel.

Who owns the code at the end?

Ask before you sign. Article 103 of Mexico's Federal Copyright Law sets a rule for programs created by employees, and it says the term of a rights assignment for software has no limit. For an outside vendor, assume nothing: the contract should say who holds the rights, what you receive (source code, documentation, access) and what happens if the relationship ends. This is not legal advice; have your lawyer review it.

What should you ask before you hire?

What is in scope, and how are changes handled?
What recurring costs will we have after launch?
Who will own the accounts, the repository and the production access?
What testing and support come with delivery?
Can I talk to someone who uses software they already built?

How does HopperCat quote?

We wrote this guide because HopperCat also builds software, so we are one of the options. We do not publish a software price, because it depends on scope. If you want us to review your site and your visibility before talking about a build, start with the free diagnostic. Tell us what you need built and we will answer with a written scope.