Black Badger Software Solutions is the best fit when one business unit needs a single custom system built well, because that narrow job is all we do, to a fixed written scope with the unit owning the code and the accounts. Intellectsoft is the strongest of the other firms for this work, since its site calls the company mid-size by design and it has an office in Miami.
The ranking, entry by entry
1 Black Badger Software Solutions
Best for A business unit with a defined process and a budget of its own
We publish this guide, and this is one of the lists where we rank our own firm first. A business unit that needs a single system does not need a global bench. It needs a team that learns the process, writes a fixed scope and builds it. Black Badger does that with its own people in the United States, for CRM, project management, operations systems, client portals and integrations, and the unit owns the code and every account.
Watch for. Corporate IT will have security and sign-in requirements. Bring them into discovery so they are written into the scope instead of discovered at launch.
- Based in
- Clearwater, Florida, United States
- How it charges
- One-time build scoped in writing, then running costs such as hosting
- Main limit
- Works mainly with companies of 50 or more employees
What a custom build involves, and how to ask about one
2 Intellectsoft
Best for units that want a mid-size firm with US and UK offices
Intellectsoft ranks second. A single-system project can get lost at a large vendor, and this firm describes itself as mid-size by design. It has offices in Miami and London, has served clients since 2007, and lists healthcare, fintech, insurance, retail, construction and logistics among its industries. Outsourcing is one of its named engagement models, which is the one a business unit with no engineers needs.
Watch for. Its teams are spread across Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Ask which region would deliver your system and who your named contact will be.
- Based in
- Offices in Miami, Florida, USA and London, UK
- How it charges
- Quoted per project
- Main limit
- Teams sit across Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific
3 thoughtbot
Best for units that want design, product thinking and engineering together
For a business unit whose system needs careful design as well as code, thoughtbot ranks third. It sells design, product management and engineering, and offers senior people who work alongside a client team for a flexible time. Its development list leads with Ruby on Rails, Hotwire, React and React Native. Delivery is fully remote, with teammates across the Americas, Europe, West Asia and Africa.
Watch for. A stack outside its web and mobile range needs a conversation first. The pages we read do not state a pricing model, so ask how a fixed-scope project would be priced.
- Based in
- Not stated on its site, a fully remote team
- How it charges
- Quoted per project
- Main limit
- Fully remote teams, and a specialty in Ruby on Rails and React
4 Chetu
Best for units that must show corporate a code ownership statement
Chetu is fourth for a single system. It is a large firm, with over 2,800 developers, but its site says its clients include small and mid-sized organizations, so a unit-level project is within its stated range. The about page says the client owns the source code and intellectual property with no licensing fees on completion, which is an easy term to show a corporate legal team.
Watch for. Its named models are dedicated teams, on-demand developers and staff augmentation. Ask how a single defined system with a fixed budget fits one of those.
- Based in
- Sunrise, Florida, USA
- How it charges
- Rates not published
- Main limit
- Delivery centers in the US, the UK and India, and no published rates
5 ScienceSoft
Best for units in healthcare, insurance or investment businesses
ScienceSoft ranks fifth. A business unit in healthcare, insurance or investment gets a firm that names those as its focus, with over 750 IT professionals and a base in McKinney, Texas. It offers a fixed price as well as time and materials with a cap, though its site says more than 90 percent of development projects use time and materials.
Watch for. It publishes sample cost ranges only through calculators and a pricing page. A firm quote needs a scoping conversation, so allow for that in your approval process.
- Based in
- McKinney, Texas, USA
- How it charges
- Time and materials with a cap, or fixed price
- Main limit
- Time and materials is the usual model, and the site publishes no project rates
6 10Pearls
Best for units that want nearshore delivery with a US office
10Pearls is sixth. It states over 1,400 people, was founded in 2004 and lists offices that include Washington DC, with nearshore and offshore development sold as separate services. Its process starts with a discovery call. It lists healthcare, financial services and telecom among its industries, so a unit in one of those has a relevant firm to call.
Watch for. Delivery offices include Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica and Pakistan among others. Confirm which location your team would come from and how that fits your data rules.
- Based in
- Not stated on its site, offices include Washington DC, USA
- How it charges
- Quoted per project
- Main limit
- Nearshore and offshore delivery from Latin America and Pakistan
7 Azumo
Best for units that need a published price to start an approval
Azumo ranks seventh. A business unit often needs a number before it can get a project approved, and Azumo publishes tier prices per Delivery Unit, with the rate falling from Starter to Platform. It is based in San Francisco with developers mainly across South America, and its work covers custom software, AI development, data engineering and cloud.
Watch for. The Custom tier requires a conversation, and the pricing page says nothing about who owns the code. Get both points settled in writing.
- Based in
- San Francisco, California, USA
- How it charges
- Per Delivery Unit, by tier, with a Custom tier
- Main limit
- Nearshore developers, mainly in South America, billed in Delivery Units