Service
Custom AI app development for the work your SaaS stack can't handle: internal tools, client portals and AI features built around how your business actually runs.
What you get
Most companies run on a stack of SaaS tools plus a layer of spreadsheets, inboxes and copy-paste that holds them together. That works until it doesn't. The quoting spreadsheet has 14 tabs and one person who understands it. Customers email for order status because the portal you bought can't show what they need. Your team wants AI help with real work, but the generic chat tool doesn't know your products, your pricing or your customers.
That gap is where custom AI app development pays off. We build focused web applications that fit your process instead of forcing your process to fit a product: internal tools and dashboards, client and partner portals, AI features added to software you already have, first versions of new SaaS products, and the integrations that keep all of it in sync.
"AI-powered" here means something specific. We use large language models from providers like Anthropic (Claude) and OpenAI where they do a job well: reading unstructured documents, drafting replies, classifying requests, searching your own knowledge, summarizing long threads. Everything else is ordinary, well-tested software with a real database, permissions and audit logs. Many of the most useful apps we could build for you have only one or two AI features, and that's fine.
We also run production software of our own. Our Shopify apps and WordPress plugins handle licensing, billing, webhooks and support for live stores, so we know what it takes to keep an app working after launch, not just to demo it.
If what you really need is a conversational assistant for customers or staff, see our AI agents and chatbots service. If you need software that fits around your team, keep reading.
Each of these can be a project on its own, or one part of a larger system.
Admin panels, approval workflows, quoting tools and live dashboards built around your process, with permissions, audit logs and AI help where it saves real time.
ExploreWe build first versions of AI-powered SaaS products: a narrow, well-tested core feature, user accounts, subscriptions and the admin tools you need to run it.
ExploreWe add large language model features to existing web apps and platforms, with evaluation, guardrails, cost controls and a design that lets you swap models later.
ExploreWe build reliable integrations and data sync between business systems, with retries, monitoring and clear logs, plus AI for the messy data in between.
ExploreThe problem
Off-the-shelf software is the right default. It's cheaper to start, someone else maintains it, and for common jobs like email, payroll or a basic CRM it's hard to beat. The trouble starts when your business does something the tool wasn't designed for, and the workarounds pile up.
A few signs you've hit that point:
None of these automatically means "build custom software." Sometimes a better configured tool, a Zapier or n8n workflow, or our AI business automation service is the right fix. But when the workflow is central to how you make money and no product fits it well, a focused custom app is often the cheaper option over a few years.
What we build
Admin panels, approval queues, quoting tools and live dashboards that replace fragile spreadsheets. Built for the people who use them every day, with permissions and an audit trail.
Secure portals where customers, dealers or suppliers can check orders, download documents, submit requests and see account data pulled from your back-office systems.
Document extraction, smart search, draft replies, classification and summaries added to software you already run, with guardrails, logging and a human review step where it matters.
First versions of new software products with accounts, billing, onboarding and one core AI-assisted workflow done well, so you can get real users and real feedback.
Connections between your CRM, ERP, accounting, ecommerce and support tools, plus clean APIs for your own systems so data moves without anyone re-typing it.
Scheduled jobs that pull, clean and reconcile data from several sources into one Postgres database, ready for reporting, AI search or downstream apps.
Examples
Reps used a 14-tab spreadsheet to price custom orders. A web app pulls live costs from the ERP, applies customer-specific price rules, flags margin below a threshold for approval, and generates a branded PDF quote. An LLM drafts the cover email from the rep's notes.
Dealers emailed for stock levels, spec sheets and warranty status. A portal shows live inventory, order history and documents per dealer account, and lets them file warranty claims with photos that are routed to the right person.
New client requests arrived by email with attachments. An internal tool reads each request, extracts key fields, suggests a matter type and assignee, and puts it in a queue where a coordinator confirms before anything is created.
Sales from Shopify, stock from the warehouse system and costs from QuickBooks are pulled into one database each night. Managers see margin by product and location, with a short written summary of what changed this week.
Staff upload lease documents and the app extracts dates, rent terms and renewal clauses into structured records, highlights unusual clauses for a human to check, and sends reminders before key dates.
Technicians get a mobile-friendly web app with their jobs for the day, checklists and photo uploads. Voice notes are transcribed and turned into a job summary that syncs back to the CRM.
How we build
We pick technology you can hire for later. Our default stack is Next.js and TypeScript for the app, PostgreSQL (often through Supabase) for data, and Vercel or AWS for hosting. For AI features we call LLM APIs from Anthropic (Claude) or OpenAI, and pick the model per task based on quality, speed and cost. If your team already standardizes on something else, we'll talk about it.
A focused internal tool is often live in 6–10 weeks. Larger portals or MVPs take longer. Our delivery process page explains each step in more detail.
Build vs buy
We would rather tell you not to build than build something you'll regret. Here is how we think about it honestly.
Building is the visible cost. Running is the rest: hosting, LLM API usage, security updates, dependency upgrades and small changes as your business changes. Plan for ongoing maintenance from day one, whether that's us or an in-house developer. And a hybrid is often best: keep your CRM and accounting system, and build only the layer between them that's unique to you.
Ownership and security
Custom software should reduce your dependence on vendors, not create a new one. So we set projects up so you could walk away at any point.
After launch you can keep us on a support and improvement retainer, move it to your own team, or both. We've built and maintained our own Shopify apps and WordPress plugins, including licensing, payments and webhook handling, so we plan for the long tail of running software, not just the launch. You can see examples of how we approach this on our work page.
It depends on the number of user roles, screens, integrations and AI features. We give a fixed scope and estimate after discovery, so you know the cost before the main build starts. A focused internal tool costs far less than a multi-tenant SaaS product.
A focused internal tool or portal is often live in 6–10 weeks. An MVP for a new SaaS product typically takes 8–14 weeks. We ship to a staging site early so you see progress every week or two rather than waiting for a big reveal.
Not always. Many of the most useful apps are mostly forms, workflows, permissions and reports. We add AI where it removes real manual work, such as reading documents or drafting text, and leave it out where plain logic is more reliable.
We mainly use Claude from Anthropic and models from OpenAI, chosen per task. We design the code so the model can be swapped, and we test each AI feature against real examples before launch and whenever the model changes.
We use business API tiers where providers don't train on your data, and we send only what the feature needs. Sensitive fields can be masked before a request. Prompts and responses are logged in your own database so you can audit them.
Yes. Most of our projects connect to tools you already run, like HubSpot, Salesforce, NetSuite, QuickBooks, Xero, Shopify or Google Workspace. If a system has an API we can usually integrate it, and if it only exports files we can work with that too.
Your choice. We offer ongoing support and improvement, or we hand over to your developers with documentation and a walkthrough. Either way, the code and accounts are yours from day one.
Tell us what the process looks like today, which tools are involved and where it hurts. We'll tell you honestly whether to build, buy or automate, and what a first version could include.
We pick tools for your situation, not ours. These are the ones we reach for most on this kind of work.
We don't just build for clients. These are our own products, used by real stores. See all products.
The sales rep portal Shopify B2B is missing — reps order at contracted pricing, and commissions calculate themselves.
Product registration, serial numbers, and warranty claims — one app, fully automated on Shopify.
A practical framework for deciding whether to buy another SaaS product, configure a low-code tool, or build a custom internal tool, including the costs people forget on both sides.
An honest breakdown of what makes a custom AI app cost what it does, how long each phase usually takes, and the running costs that continue after launch.
Tell us how it works today. We'll tell you honestly what's worth automating, what it would take, and what it would cost.