Custom web app development for when off-the-shelf software doesn't fit
If your team copies data out of three programs into a spreadsheet just to keep a process running, a web app of your own is worth a look. This page covers when building one pays off, when it doesn't, and what drives the effort.
You talk directly to Thilo Krause, who designs and builds the app himself. There is no handover between sales, project management and development.
Custom web app or off-the-shelf software?
Build your own when
- your process is the reason customers come to you, and every standard tool forces it into someone else's template.
- your team keeps the same data in several programs and reconciles it by hand.
- you pay per-seat licences for features hardly anyone uses, while the one feature you need is missing.
- you want to offer a digital product of your own, such as a portal or a tool for your customers.
Use off-the-shelf software when
- the process is standard for your industry, such as accounting, payroll or newsletters. Mature software already exists for it.
- an existing tool covers almost everything and the rest is habit.
- you need the solution within days.
- nobody has planned for hosting, updates and further development.
Often the answer is a mix. Accounting and email stay in standard software, and a lean web app handles the part that makes your business different. Integrations connect the two.
If what you need is a public site and not an internal tool, a plain website is enough. The page on website development explains how that works.
How a project runs
01
You describe the problem
A short email is enough: which process, who works with it, what goes wrong today. There is no booking funnel, and the reply comes from the person who will build it.
02
Structure first
Workflows, roles and the data model are settled before the first screen. The right structure saves more later than any quick patch.
03
In the browser early
You try early versions as a working interface in the browser, not as static mock-ups. Gaps show up while changes are still small.
04
Built without handovers
Concept, UX, design and development stay with one person. Specialist partners join when a task needs them, and responsibility stays clear.
05
Finish cleanly
Documentation, performance and maintainability are part of the delivery. The app should still be easy to change two years from now.
What drives the effort
Five questions decide how big a web app gets. The clearer the answers before the start, the more accurately the scope can be estimated.
Scope
How many workflows and screens does the first version need? An app that handles one process well ships sooner than one that tries to do everything at once.
User roles
Does everyone work with the same permissions, or do customers, staff and admins each see something different? Every role needs its own views and permissions.
Integrations
Every connection to another system takes time, whether that's Stripe for payments, a booking tool or your ERP. Poorly documented APIs take longer.
Data
Do you start empty, or does existing data move over from spreadsheets and old programs? A migration needs time for checking and cleaning.
Hosting and maintenance
Hosting, updates, backups and new features continue after launch. Plan for them from day one.
Four projects to look at
Each case study covers the brief, the approach and what was built.
taktforge
A bilingual website for a process consultancy, with booking, an onboarding form and Stripe payments.
calc-hub.net
A web app with more than 200 calculators in four categories, free of sign-ups and ads.
webfactory
An internal system with one fixed Next.js stack and one base template that produces every site in this portfolio.
deckfactory
An internal presentation system that renders each deck from one JSON file to HTML, PDF and PPTX.
To see who is behind Dionics, read about Thilo Krause's studio.
Common questions
How much does a custom web app cost?
It depends on the five points above, mostly scope and integrations. A reliable figure only exists once the process is described, which is why this page quotes no price.
Web app or native app?
A web app runs in the browser on desktop, tablet and phone, with no app store and no install. A native app makes sense when you need deep access to device features, which internal workflows rarely do.
What technology does Dionics use?
Next.js, TypeScript and Tailwind, widely used open-source tools for building web applications. Every site in this portfolio runs on this fixed stack.