The global custom software development market size was valued at USD 24.46 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.3% from 2022 to 2030. Custom software development is a designing software application that meets the specific needs of an individual or a company. Various factors contribute to the market growth such as the growing requirement for industry applications for real-time data analysis, rising need for flexible workspace to enhance productivity, and the increasing adoption of the low code development platform (LCDP) for easier software development. Moreover, the adoption of analytics along with the emergence of a variety of technologies such as AI-driven Chatbots and robotics automation is helping boost the growth of the market. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of technology enabling remote work among enterprises and cost reduction, which led to the implementation of custom software for easy scalability.
The use of analytical tools in custom software development, such as business intelligence (BI), machine learning, and artificial intelligence, allows for cross-departmental communication, identifying market trends, and automating processes. Furthermore, embedding analytics into a company's custom software allows the company to better understand its customers and make strategic decisions based on the insight retrieved from the software. For instance, AEC Advisors, an investment banking and corporate finance advisory firm in New York, was able to transform its business by implementing Fingent Corporation's survey management system and analytics software.
One of the most important aspects of custom software development is cloud technology as it improves the agility and performance of developing custom software. In addition, cloud-based software development releases new, high-quality software more quickly and efficiently. For instance, in January 2021, Cognizant acquired Magenic Technologies, a software development company that builds custom applications for Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platforms. The merger expanded Cognizant's expertise spanning agile software and cloud development, DevOps, experience design, and advisory services. Magenic Technologies' software development and cloud modernization teams help Cognizant develop a global talent network and market expertise. Cloud systems allow custom software developers to have unlimited testing and staging servers. With cloud computing, companies can lower costs using pay-as-you-go software features, resulting in greater cost efficiency.
Traditional development of software, such as manual coding, can be challenging. Enterprises need a dedicated team to update the code each time, which usually takes 2 to 8 months. However, low-code application development enables custom software development teams to develop more applications in less time than traditional coding. The visual development environment makes it easy to design and develop low-code applications. These features allow developers to build sites customizable for multiple devices from a single platform. For instance, in October 2021, Tripplo, a platform that connects customers who need to ship cargo, collaborated with Retool, one of the leading low-code platform providers, to save engineering time. They saved at least 5 hours of engineering time per week. Retool helped in building a centralized custom app to expand upon its functionality. They benefited from increased visibility into driver availability, truck capacity, delivery status, and many more.
Open-source programs are becoming more popular among custom software developers to optimize application development and reduce custom software development expenses. However, it introduces significant risks, including a risk to intellectual property (IP) from restrictive and reciprocal licenses and a security risk from components with vulnerabilities. Open source development is more problematic for smaller companies that prefer to use it to save time and resources, but lack the appropriate security measures to ensure the components they implement are safe. Thus, companies should never open source anything that is core to their businesses.
The enterprise software accounted for the largest revenue share of over 55.0% in 2021. Factors such as a centralized system for multiple departments, improved scalability and integration, and higher security across many different software platforms are contributing to the segment growth. Moreover, enterprise software automates the business workflow, enhances the efficiency of the daily business process, controls data entry errors, minimizes costs, ensures growth, and integrates the strategies of all business areas for large organizations. Enterprise software comprises plenty of features, and organizations customize it according to their requirements. This software enables tracking and improving supply chains, managing resources, and communication with customers.
Web-based solutions are expected to observe substantial growth over the forecast period due to the ease of remote access, availability of real-time information, and elimination of hardware costs. Moreover, easy data sharing and collaboration due to a centralized software server, and adding a new user simply by setting up an access control system are driving the market. Additionally, web-based software can help enterprisers facilitate more simultaneous processes.
The cloud deployment segment accounted for the largest revenue share of over 55.0% in 2021. This segment is primarily driven by factors such as ease of access, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness for small and medium-sized businesses. A cloud custom software service has no upfront cost to enterprisers and it provides a highly flexible environment for managing their business applications. Additionally, cloud computing enables smartphones and other devices to access data from anywhere. The rising number of smartphone users and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) usage are also fueling growth.
The on-premise segment is expected to witness considerable growth over the forecast period. The on-premise software offers total ownership and control and is deemed to be more reliable in companies. On-premise application development services are preferred as they provide a high level of data security through physical security controls and security protocols. Employees can access the data with on-premise solutions without an internet connection. Moreover, the cost of annual maintenance and one-time license fees are lower than recurring expenses associated with cloud software. The system can also be accessed by multiple users simultaneously without affecting performance.
The large enterprises segment accounted for the largest share of over 50.0% in 2021. Many large corporations rely on custom software for competitive advantage. Custom software development ensures the creation of solutions tailored to meet the specific requirements of enterprises. There is a growing need for custom software in various large enterprises as it allows particular criteria to be fulfilled at a lower cost than purchasing. Additionally, custom solutions can easily be integrated with existing systems and can even be used to extend the functionalities of existing tools. Furthermore, custom software solutions developed from scratch are hard to infiltrate, and the software adds an extra layer of security by encrypting the data.
The SMEs segment is anticipated to grow significantly during the forecast period. Several factors correlate with the growth prospects of this segment, including the growth of small and medium businesses, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. Extra features can be added to the existing system when the business grows. It offers integration of the latest technologies and enhances business operations for SMEs. Custom software solutions are an easy way for businesses to implement business workflow. Businesses don't need to adapt to the software; apparently, it is developed based on what they do. These solutions can streamline repetitive tasks and help boost collaboration within companies.
The BFSI segment held the largest share of over 20.0% in 2021. In the BFSI industry, organizations leverage custom banking and finance software applications to deliver an authentic user experience. Furthermore, it is imperative to take advantage of new technology possibilities to generate real value for their customers. Billing, card insertion, and biometric scanning are made more accessible. Furthermore, the development of custom software assures the security requirements are adjusted to the company's needs and provides proper protection for customer data. Custom software enables customers to make real-time payments or transactions and encounters a bug instantly.
The IT and telecom segment accounted for the second-largest share in 2021. Custom software can incorporate all essential security apps and programs that comply with current trends and industry standards. IT solutions tailored to customer needs often provide more flexibility than their traditional software. Custom software enables more efficient operations, streamlined updates and reports, and lower maintenance and licensing costs. By using custom software, businesses can create clear and accessible reports. As a result, they are able to save time and concentrate on core tasks.
North America dominated the market in 2021 with a revenue share of over 35.0%. There are a variety of factors that contribute to the regional growth including the widespread use of advanced expertise, the surge in IT services, and the rise of SMEs. Moreover, with growing automation and digital transformation in the region, North America is becoming the preferred destination to provide custom software development services. The development of custom software is becoming more popular in this region due to an increasing number of high-skilled developers working in minimum time.
The Asia Pacific region is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period due to the advancement of technological implementation in the enterprises. Additionally, emergence of SMEs, the growing market for custom software, and the need to modernize legacy software development systems are driving the market. Large tech firms and an increasing number of custom software suppliers in advanced Asian economies such as Japan and South Korea are contributing to the market growth. In addition, governments of various developing countries such as India and China are working with local tech companies to advance goals in fields such as cloud-based systems and artificial intelligence.
Collaborations are taking place between companies to develop custom software and improve existing software. This can enable companies to meet time-to-market requirements. Additionally, collaborating with the software developers of other companies can provide insight into the expertise of each on a particular project. Moreover, custom software is implementing a variety of technological tools to improve efficiency, including cloud software, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
Artificial Intelligence-enabled custom software can help users predict future disease risks through predictive analysis. For instance, in May 2022, Brainvire Infotech Inc., one of the largest custom software providers, partnered with the Asia Pacific medical device company to develop a mobile health application. The medical center provided a one-stop shop for all medical needs through the use of high-performance and customized technology. It features a cloud-based, multi-platform database. This app feature is built on a scale-out architecture to store documents related to patients. It would be easy for developers to deploy auto-scale and load balancing and handle application scalability. It also enabled the health app to access a broad range of computing and storage resources.
The e-commerce sector is growing at a rapid pace, but capturing the attention of customers is difficult in a hypercompetitive environment. E-commerce companies invest in custom solutions to meet the increasing demand of their customers and ensure a flawless customer experience. For instance, in December 2021, Infosys Equinox collaborated with Packable, a leading e-commerce company, to help in increasing its direct-to-consumer e-commerce offerings. The strategic partnership strengthened Packable's ability to offer brands a direct-to-consumer platform that is innovative, engaging, and agile. Through this partnership, they engaged customers in a unique, personalized, and creative manner, which helped them win e-commerce shoppers. Some prominent players in the global custom software development market include:
Brainvire Infotech Inc.
Capgemini
Iflexion
Infopulse
Infosys Ltd.
Magora
MentorMate, Inc.
Tata Consultancy Services Limited
Trigent Software, Inc.
TRooTech Business Solutions
Report Attribute |
Details |
Market size value in 2022 |
USD 29.29 billion |
Revenue forecast in 2030 |
USD 146.18 billion |
Growth rate |
CAGR of 22.3% from 2022 to 2030 |
Base year for estimation |
2021 |
Historical data |
2017 - 2020 |
Forecast period |
2022 - 2030 |
Quantitative units |
Revenue in USD million/billion and CAGR from 2022 to 2030 |
Report coverage |
Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends |
Segments covered |
Solution, deployment, enterprise size, end-use, region |
Regional scope |
North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA |
Country scope |
U.S.; Canada; U.K.; Germany; China; India; Japan; Brazil |
Key companies profiled |
Brainvire Infotech Inc.; Capgemini; Iflexion; Infopulse; Infosys Ltd.; Magora; MentorMate Inc.; Tata Consultancy Services Limited; Trigent Software, Inc.; TRooTech Business Solutions |
Customization scope |
Free report customization (equivalent up to 8 analysts working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope. |
Pricing and purchase options |
Avail customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs. Explore purchase options |
This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global custom software development market report based on solution, deployment, enterprise size, end-use, and region:
Solution Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)
Web-based Solutions
Mobile App
Enterprise Software
Deployment Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)
Cloud
On-premise
Enterprise Size Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)
Large Enterprises
Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)
BFSI
Government
Healthcare
IT & Telecom
Manufacturing
Retail
Others
Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)
North America
U.S.
Canada
Europe
U.K.
Germany
Asia Pacific
China
India
Japan
Latin America
Brazil
MEA
b. The global custom software development market size was estimated at USD 24.46 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 29.29 billion in 2022.
b. The global custom software development market is expected to witness a compound annual growth rate of 22.3% from 2022 to 2030 to reach USD 146.18 billion by 2030.
b. North America held the largest share of over 35% in 2021. There are a variety of factors that contribute to the region's growth including the widespread use of advanced expertise, the surge in IT services, and the rise of SMEs.
b. Key industry players operating in the custom software development market include Brainvire Infotech Inc.; Capgemini; Iflexion; Infopulse; Infosys Ltd.;Magora; MentorMate Inc.; Tata Consultancy Services Limited; Trigent Software, Inc.; TRooTech Business Solutions.
b. Various factors contribute to the custom software development market growth, such as the growing requirement for industry applications for real-time data analysis, rising need for flexible workspace to enhance productivity, and the increasing adoption of the low code development platform (LCDP) for easier software development.
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