Custom Software Development in Austin, TX

Austin-Based Custom Software Development

M41 Strategies builds custom software for Austin businesses — internal tools, automations, integrations, SaaS replacements, and AI-powered applications. Founded by Mike Michaels, a 25-year Austin resident and software engineer with 15+ years of experience building real products.

No offshore teams. No project managers playing telephone. You work with the founder directly, and when extra hands are needed, we bring in trusted local collaborators. What we agree on is what gets built.

Mike has run his own businesses for about as long as he's been writing software. That mix matters: we're not just engineers shipping features — we understand the business reality of building something that needs to pay back the investment and not turn into a maintenance nightmare.

Most engagements start with a free 30-minute call to talk through what you're trying to build, why, and whether custom software is even the right path. Sometimes it's not — sometimes the right answer is configuring a tool you already have. We'll tell you.

What We Build for Austin Businesses

Internal tools and dashboards. Admin panels, operations dashboards, workflow systems, custom CRMs. The things your team uses every day that off-the-shelf software doesn't quite get right. Built to fit your actual process, not generic best practices.

Automations and integrations. Connecting systems, automating data flows, eliminating manual copy-paste between tools. If your team spends hours each week moving data between systems, that's the work that automation pays back fastest.

SaaS replacements. Replacing expensive subscriptions with focused tools you own. A lot of small Austin businesses are paying $200–$2,000/month per seat for SaaS that does 20% more than they need and 50% less of what they actually want. Custom replacements often pay back in 12–18 months and you own the software forever.

AI-powered applications. Document processing, content generation, intelligent search across your own data, custom-trained assistants. We build these with the right model for the job (Claude, GPT, open-source) instead of locking you into one vendor.

Web applications and customer-facing tools. Booking systems, customer portals, online ordering, custom calculators — the stuff that customers interact with. Performance and reliability matter; we build accordingly.

Scrapers and data pipelines. Pulling data from public sources into structured, usable formats. Quarterly or monthly refresh cycles. Often the foundation for a competitive intelligence or reporting product.

Recent Work

Custom pricing-data scraper for a Texas homebuilder consultancy. The client needed quarterly competitive pricing data across multiple TX metros — base prices, floor plan specs, community-level details — and was doing it manually in spreadsheets. We built a scraper that pulls the data automatically, normalizes it, and ships it as structured data on a quarterly cadence. Weeks of manual research per quarter became zero.

Custom booking system replacing third-party SaaS for a local entertainment business. The client was paying recurring fees for a third-party booking SaaS that didn't quite fit their workflow — awkward flow for customers, limited reporting, no access to their own customer data. We built a custom booking system tailored to their actual process. Same functionality and more, no recurring software fees, full ownership of customer data.

Custom accounting workflow replacing QuickBooks for a small business. The client's bookkeeping process didn't map cleanly to QuickBooks — they were paying for the software and a bookkeeper to translate between their reality and QuickBooks' assumptions. We built a focused accounting tool that matches how they actually run their business. They cancelled the QuickBooks subscription and the workflow finally fits.

Website rebuild with AI for a local Austin small business. The client wanted to escape a $1,000+/year hosting + maintenance bill on a CMS-based website she didn't enjoy updating. In a hands-on workshop, we migrated her site to a Claude-built version, deployed it to free hosting, and trained her to update content in plain English. Lower cost, faster updates, no more "I need to call the developer."

AI-Powered or Traditional — We Build Both

Some projects benefit from AI: document processing, intelligent search, content generation, custom assistants trained on your business. Others just need solid, well-built traditional software. We'll recommend what makes sense for your specific situation and tell you when AI is the wrong fit. Honest about both.

How It Works

Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute call. We talk about what you're trying to build, why, and whether custom software is the right answer. By the end of the call, you'll have a clear sense of next steps.

From there:

Scope and quote. A short written scope document with deliverables, timeline, and a fixed-fee or hourly estimate. No surprises.
Build in iterations. We ship something useful early — usually in week 2 or 3 — so you can see real progress and steer along the way. No 6-month black-box builds.
Deliver and document. Working software, clear documentation, and a handoff that doesn't leave you stranded.
Ongoing support if you want it. Optional retainer for maintenance, improvements, and new features. Or we just hand it over and you take it from there.

Why Work With a Local Austin Software Developer?

Meet in person to discuss your project — whiteboards beat Zoom for scoping
Direct communication with the person actually doing the work
Ongoing support from someone who's not disappearing to another time zone
Understanding of Austin business context — from small local shops to enterprise downtown
Accountability — our reputation is local and we plan to keep it

Have a Project in Mind?

Book a free 30-minute call to discuss what you're trying to build — or whether you should build it at all.

Book a Call or Email Me

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does custom software development cost in Austin?

Depends entirely on scope. Most of our build projects land in the $5,000–$25,000 range. Small focused tools and integrations can be done at the lower end. Full applications with multiple users, real data models, and integrations land in the middle-to-upper end. Larger or more complex builds run higher.

The first conversation is free, and we won't quote a number until we understand what you actually need. A written scope with a fixed fee (or capped estimate) comes before any build work starts.

What kinds of projects do you build?

Internal tools and dashboards, workflow automations, system integrations, web applications, SaaS replacements, AI-powered tools, scrapers and data pipelines, and customer-facing apps like booking systems and portals.

We're a fit when the problem is well-defined and the solution needs to actually work for your specific business. We're not a fit for "build me a marketplace that competes with Amazon" or other moonshot startup ideas — those need a different kind of team.

How long does a typical custom software project take?

Most build projects land in the 4–12 week range. Small focused tools and integrations can ship in 2–4 weeks. Larger applications with multiple modules take longer. We work in short iterations and ship something usable early, so you see real progress in weeks 2–3, not month 6.

Do you build with AI or traditional code?

Both. Some projects benefit from AI — document processing, intelligent search, content generation, custom assistants. Others just need solid, well-built traditional software. We'll recommend what makes sense for your situation and tell you when AI is the wrong fit. We're not running around looking for excuses to add AI to everything.

Can you replace our existing SaaS tools?

Often, yes. A lot of small Austin businesses are paying $200–$2,000/month per seat for SaaS that does 20% more than they need and 50% less of what they actually want. Custom replacements typically pay back in 12–18 months and you own the software forever.

That said, we'll be honest if a SaaS replacement doesn't pencil out. Sometimes the right answer is configuring what you already have, not building something new.

What happens after the software is built — do you maintain it?

That's your call. Some clients want an ongoing retainer for maintenance, improvements, and new features — typically $1,500–$6,000/month depending on scope. Others want us to deliver, document, and hand off so they can take it from there.

Either way, you own the code. No vendor lock-in, no "we keep your data hostage" situation.

Do you take on small projects or just big ones?

Both, with one caveat: very small projects (under a few thousand dollars) usually aren't worth the discovery, scoping, and onboarding overhead. For those, we often recommend a workshop or an off-the-shelf tool instead. If you have a small specific task, just ask — if it's not a fit for us, we'll point you toward what is.

Custom Software Development in Austin