What nobody tells you about the real cost of software

When someone quotes software, the comparison almost always comes down to a single number: the initial development cost. That number is real, but it's only part of the story.

The total cost of software is better measured over 3-5 years, not at delivery. That's where variables that are rarely quoted upfront come in: monthly maintenance, the ability to scale as the business grows, and what the industry calls technical debt, decisions made quickly early on that get more expensive to fix the longer they go unresolved.

A cheaper build up front, done without those variables in mind, can end up costing more in total than one with a higher initial quote but built to last. The trap is comparing only the entry number.

With FEM HOMI, for example, the project didn't end at delivery: it's still under active monthly maintenance, evolving as the fund's needs change. That ongoing cost is a real part of the budget, not an unexpected extra, and understanding it from the start avoids surprises later.

Before deciding on the lowest number, it's worth asking what that number covers going forward, not just what it covers today.