clickpuls
4 slots Q2/26

CUSTOM SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

Web development
tailored to your business.

We build professional web applications with React, Next.js, Laravel and Python — from corporate websites to complex web apps and custom software. REST, GraphQL and seamless system integration are our core business.

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Mercedes-Benz
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MINI Deutschland
Red Bull
IKEA
Allianz
A1
Sky
Electronic Arts
OBI

What is modern web development?

Modern web development means designing, programming and operating custom web applications on top of current frameworks like React, Next.js, Laravel or Python. Unlike off-the-shelf builders, the result is a tailored system aligned exactly with the business processes, data structures and scaling goals of a company.

Professional web development covers:

  • Frontend (React, Next.js, Vue, Astro)
  • Backend (Node.js, Laravel, Python, .NET)
  • API interfaces (REST, GraphQL, webhooks)
  • Database architecture (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB)
  • Long-term operations (hosting, monitoring, updates, security patches)

That’s fundamentally different from simple "website building".

Why clickpuls for web development?

Technical excellence and strategic thinking — for web applications that actually move your business forward.

01

Modern tech stack

Next.js, React, Laravel, Python — picked per project for performance and scalability. No tool religion — clean decisions.

02

APIs & integrations

REST, GraphQL and custom interfaces to ERP, CRM, PIM and payment. We connect your systems seamlessly and keep data flows clean.

03

Custom software

No off-the-shelf: customer portals, configurators, internal tools and dashboards — tailored to your processes.

04

Scalable & maintainable

Clean architecture, clean code, documented handovers. Your app remains extensible and maintainable for years.

Web development in depth.

Frontend: performance, accessibility and conversion

A modern frontend decides whether visitors convert or bounce. At clickpuls we build frontends with React and Next.js — as server components for maximum initial-load performance, with streaming and partial pre-rendering for sub-second time-to-interactive.

We build accessible to WCAG 2.2 AA, responsive for every viewport from 320px to 4K, and with measurable Core Web Vitals targets.

Measurable performance targets:

  • LCP under 2.5s
  • INP under 200ms
  • CLS under 0.1

These values are not marketing promises but contractual: we measure them post launch with Real-User-Monitoring (RUM) and correct deviations.

The frontend is not the "pretty picture" — it is a technical asset that delivers conversion rate, SEO ranking, brand impact and accessibility simultaneously. In B2B contexts this often means shorter sales cycles, higher lead quality and lower acquisition cost — because speed and clarity build trust.

Backend: data model, business logic and scale

On the backend we combine the right language and data layer for the task — no one-size-fits-all.

Languages and frameworks:

  • Laravel (PHP 8.3+) for classic business logic with complex domain models
  • Node.js and TypeScript for API-centric workloads
  • Python for data-driven applications, scraping and AI integration

Databases and infrastructure:

  • PostgreSQL as standard
  • Redis for caching and queues
  • ElasticSearch for search

We think about scale from day one: horizontal scalability, stateless services, async job queues and database indices that don’t cause pain only at 100,000 records.

Integrations: ERP, CRM, payment, PIM, AI

Web apps rarely live in isolation. We integrate with the systems already running inside your company.

Typical integration targets:

  • ERP: SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics, Advarics ERP
  • CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive
  • Payment: Stripe, Mollie, Adyen
  • Marketing: Klaviyo, Mailchimp
  • PIM: Akeneo and leading PIM systems
  • AI: OpenAI, Anthropic Claude and local LLMs via Ollama for sensitive data

Interfaces are built idempotent, version-stable and with clear retry mechanisms — so a temporary ERP outage doesn’t take down the shop.

Security, GDPR and compliance

Security is not an add-on but an architectural decision from day one.

Security standards:

  • OWASP Top 10 as the baseline
  • Automated dependency scans (Snyk, Dependabot, GitHub Advanced Security)
  • HSTS preload, strict Content Security Policy, Subresource Integrity
  • Penetration tests before every major launch
  • Authentication via OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, optional MFA via TOTP or WebAuthn

GDPR-compliant operation (technical prerequisites):

  • Cookie layer without pre-consent tracking
  • EU hosting on Hetzner Frankfurt or Fly.io Frankfurt
  • Data processing agreements with all sub-processors
  • Building blocks for the record of processing activities (ROPA) on request

Important: we are not GDPR specialists — the legally binding assessment must be done by your lawyer or DPO; we are responsible for the technical implementation.

For regulated industries (finance, health, public sector) we additionally implement audit logging with tamper evidence, data residency guarantees, regular backup tests and restore drills. For Swiss clients we add data handling with FADP context; for German clients BSI-grundschutz-oriented configurations where required.

Hosting, deployment and observability

A web application is only as good as the operations behind it. We rely on container-based deployments with Docker and orchestrate as needed.

Hosting and orchestration options:

  • Fly.io — for global edge distribution
  • Hetzner Cloud with Coolify — for cost-optimized European setups
  • Kubernetes — for complex multi-service architectures
  • Cloudflare — for static frontends and edge functions

Every deployment runs through a CI/CD pipeline with automated tests (Vitest, Playwright), type checks and security scans — before code lands in production.

Observability is mandatory, not optional:

  • Sentry for error tracking
  • Better Stack or Grafana for logs and metrics
  • Uptime Robot for external monitoring
  • Slack channel with alerts for critical events

We know your application’s production state in realtime — and often respond before you even notice a problem. Backups run encrypted on separate infrastructure, restore tests quarterly.

What sets clickpuls apart from typical web agencies?

Classic web agencies typically sell a "website" as a finished product — discovery, design, build, handover, done. We think differently: a web application is a living system that must grow with the business.

That’s why we are not "designers plus frontend coders" but a team of senior specialists focused on long-term viability.

Concretely:

  • Same tech lead from discovery through post-launch (no handoff after phase 3)
  • Complete source code in your own Git repository — no vendor lock-in
  • Full-time employees in Vienna, no offshore subcontractors or junior hands
  • Honest recommendations — we actively recommend against solutions that make no economic sense, even if that runs counter to our short-term revenue interest
  • Courage to say no to projects where we cannot deliver real value

That’s more demanding than the typical agency model, but it explains why over 90% of our clients stay long-term.

WHEN DO YOU NEED THIS?

When does custom web development pay off?

Not every project needs custom code. These are the typical triggers where off-the-shelf solutions hit a wall.

01 / TRIGGER

Business processes don’t fit standard software

When your workflows are so specific that every SaaS solution must be bent through paid add-ons or workarounds — and you still only reach 70% coverage — custom development is economically superior.

02 / TRIGGER

Scale beyond 1 million records or 100k MAUs

Off-the-shelf platforms become slow and expensive at scale. A custom architecture with targeted caches, read replicas and CDN strategies scales predictably and cost-efficiently.

03 / TRIGGER

Complex integrations with legacy systems

When the internal ERP has no modern API, the CRM vendor sells a paid connector per endpoint and three data sources must stay in sync, custom middleware is often the only clean solution.

04 / TRIGGER

Own product or digital business model

SaaS platforms, marketplaces, customer portals, configurators — when the application is part of the product and not just a marketing vehicle, you need custom development with a long-term roadmap.

Case studies

Web development projects from our practice.

Preview image of the case study fynoAI — fynoAI website — marketing site with Puck page builder, newsletter and CRM on Laravel 13
fynoAISaaS marketing · multi-domain · first-party lead, newsletter and CRM pipeline

fynoAI website — marketing site with Puck page builder, newsletter and CRM on Laravel 13

The marketing site for our business platform fynoAI — and, at the same time, a full lead operating system. Laravel 13 as the backend, Filament v4 + Filament Shield as the admin, Puck (`@puckeditor/core`) as the visual page builder. Supabase (managed Postgres, eu-central-1) as the database — deliberately only Postgres, no Supabase auth/storage/realtime. Newsletter stack (subscribers · campaigns · feedback) via Resend, CRM in the backend (beta requests · appointments · notes · status pipeline), magic login for collaborators, first-party analytics with crawler detection, multilingual via Spatie Translatable, GDPR-compliant GA4 pipeline. Hosted on Fly.io in the EU.

View case study
More clients

Clients who have trusted us for years.

  • IKEA
  • Mercedes-Benz
  • bank99
  • Sky
All case studies

Sounds like your project?

30–45 minutes for a first call — free and non-binding. We assess your use-case, estimate effort and risks, and give an honest recommendation — even if it means this is better built elsewhere.

Request a free consultation

Custom web development vs. website builders

Where is the pain threshold beyond which a standard CMS like WordPress with plugins or a SaaS platform no longer carries you? This overview shows the typical decision points.

Kriterium / Criterion
Custom web development
Builder / SaaS
Initial investment
Fixed price after discovery, with transparent phases and exit gates
Low entry fee or free
Running costs
Hosting + maintenance as monthly fixed price
Platform subscription, often with cliff-pricing per plan tier
Time to market
4–16 weeks
1–4 weeks
Scalability
Practically unlimited, predictable cost
Plan-dependent, often cliff-pricing
Data sovereignty
Full control, own EU hosting
Vendor lock-in, often US data flows
Business logic
Arbitrarily complex
Limited to plugin availability
OUR PROCESS

From requirements to go-live in four phases.

Structured, transparent, measurable. Each phase has a clear goal, deliverables and an exit gate.

01

Discovery

We analyze processes, goals and requirements. Output: structured brief, tech recommendation, architecture sketch. Duration: 1–2 weeks.

02

Live prototype & architecture

Clickable prototype in the browser, system architecture and a detailed project plan with milestones. You test the app live before the production build starts. Duration: 2–4 weeks.

03

Development

Agile delivery in two-week sprints with sprint reviews. Frontend, backend, API integrations and database — all from one team. Duration: 4–12 weeks.

04

Launch & operations

Deployment, monitoring, performance tuning and ongoing maintenance. We stay aboard after go-live — with updates, support and SLA.

KEY FIGURES

Realistic numbers for your planning.

Concrete numbers from over 200 web projects in the past 15 years — no consultant fluff.

Typical project duration
8–16 weeks

From kickoff to go-live for a mid-sized web application with 2–3 integrations.

Pricing model
Fixed price after discovery

Web projects depend strongly on scope, languages, integrations and editor workflow — a blanket range wouldn’t hold up under real setup. After 2–6 weeks of discovery we deliver a fixed-price quote with transparent phases, clear effort per phase and agreed exit gates between phases.

Team setup
3–5 specialists

Tech lead, frontend, backend, UX/UI and project management — no junior outsourcing.

Maintenance retainer
monthly fixed price

Security updates, monitoring, bug fixes and minor evolution after go-live. Package and price depend on stack, SLA and your requirements — quote after a brief conversation.

Ready for a first call?

30–45 minutes by call, no commitment. Tell us briefly what you need — we get back within one business day with concrete next steps and a realistic effort estimate.

Request a free consultation
DACH CONTEXT

Web development in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

clickpuls has been based in Vienna since 2014 and serves clients throughout the DACH region — from Viennese mid-market to Munich B2B manufacturers, Linz industrial companies, Hamburg e-commerce brands and Zurich SaaS startups.

This geographic proximity offers concrete advantages an offshore provider structurally cannot match:

  • EU hosting on Hetzner and Fly.io in Frankfurt — technical prerequisite for GDPR-compliant operation without US data flows
  • Contract language German under Austrian, German or Swiss law
  • Standard response within 24 hours on business days in CET (faster SLAs as a contractual add-on)
  • On-site meetings in Vienna, Salzburg, Linz, Innsbruck, Graz, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Zurich, Bern or Basel

Country-specifics we bring:

  • Austria: experience with aws funding, FFG innovation vouchers and Austrian Economic Chamber digital funding — we know the application logic and deliver eligible concepts
  • Switzerland: FADP-compliant data handling with Swiss or EU hosting on request, plus proven integrations with QR-bill, ESR procedure and Twint payment
  • Germany: battle-tested integrations with DATEV, Lexware, SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics and the typical ERP stacks in German Mittelstand

For Vienna-specific projects we host preferentially on Hetzner and Fly.io (Frankfurt), for WordPress projects additionally on Raidboxes — proven stacks with clear GDPR compliance and predictable costs. We also support preparing and submitting funding applications via the Vienna Business Agency and cooperate directly in Germany with our clients’ tax advisors and data protection officers — without language barriers or timezone workarounds.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Frequently asked questions about web development.

Which technology is right for my project?

It depends on the requirements — we choose per project, not by preference.

  • React with Next.js — interactive frontends and SEO-critical sites with server-side rendering
  • Laravel — data-intensive backends with complex business logic and fast time-to-market
  • Python — data processing, automation and AI integration
  • Node.js with WebSockets — realtime applications like chats and dashboards

We recommend the optimal stack in a free initial call — based on your requirements, team skills and scaling goals.

How much does custom web development cost?

We don’t publish fixed-price ranges for custom web development — without scope, integrations and performance targets they would be pseudo-transparency.

After 2–6 weeks of discovery (its own paid phase with a fixed price upfront) we deliver a fixed-price quote with clearly separated phases:

  • Discovery
  • Design
  • Build
  • Integration
  • Launch

Between each phase there is an agreed exit gate — you decide after each phase whether to continue or cut scope.

How long does web development take?

Rule of thumb by project type:

  • Lean corporate sites: 4–8 weeks
  • Mid-sized web applications: 8–16 weeks
  • Complex platforms: 4–9 months

We work agile in two-week sprints with regular functional increments — you see a first runnable version from sprint 2 onwards, not only at the end. Acceleration via parallel frontend and backend work is usually possible, provided requirements are sufficiently elaborated.

Can you integrate existing systems?

Yes — integration is a core competency. We connect apps via REST, GraphQL, SOAP or custom connectors.

Typical systems we integrate:

  • ERP: SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics, BMD
  • CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive
  • Payment: Stripe, Mollie, Adyen, Klarna
  • Logistics: DHL, GLS, DPD, Austrian Post

Even legacy systems without a modern API can be connected via middleware or database replication. For every integration we focus on idempotency, retry strategies and error monitoring.

Do you offer maintenance after launch?

Yes — ongoing maintenance and evolution are a service block in their own right.

In scope:

  • Security updates of frameworks and dependencies
  • Performance monitoring via Sentry or Datadog
  • Bug fixes and continuous feature work

Models: management retainer with monthly hour quota in multiple package sizes, monthly retainer with individually agreed SLA, or on-demand.

By default we respond within 24 hours on business days for every request. Faster SLAs (e.g. 4h response in CET business hours or 24/7 on-call with under 30 minutes via SMS) are available as a contractually agreed add-on, not an automatic default.

Is the developed software GDPR-compliant?

We implement the technical prerequisites for GDPR-compliant operation cleanly — a blanket "GDPR-compliant" guarantee is a legal assessment we do not give as a development agency.

What we deliver technically:

  • Hosting exclusively on EU servers (Hetzner Frankfurt, Fly.io Frankfurt) without US data flows
  • No US tracking tools without explicit opt-in
  • Data processing agreements with all sub-processors
  • Cookie layers without pre-consent tracking
  • Consent Mode v2 cleanly wired
  • On request building blocks for the record of processing activities (ROPA) and data protection impact assessment (DPIA); for Swiss clients analogously with FADP context

Distinction — what we don’t deliver: we are not GDPR / data-protection specialists. The legally binding review of privacy policies, data-processing agreements, cookie-banner texts, third-country transfers and concrete risk assessments must be done separately by your lawyer or data protection officer. The same applies analogously to FADP (Switzerland) and GoBD (Germany).

What happens to the source code? Do we own it?

The source code belongs entirely to you after payment.

What you receive on handover:

  • Access to the Git repository (GitHub or GitLab as preferred)
  • Documentation
  • Deployment scripts
  • Architecture diagrams

No vendor lock-in: theoretically you could engage a different vendor after project end — we see this as a quality promise, not a risk. In practice, over 90% of our clients stay long-term.

Who develops — internal specialists or freelancers?

The core team consists of full-time specialists in Vienna — tech lead, frontend, backend, UX/UI and project management.

For specialized disciplines (e.g. machine learning models, native mobile development) we add a curated network of senior freelancers we have known for years. No outsourcing to junior hands or offshore sweatshops. The tech lead of your project stays the same from discovery through post-launch.

What does the collaboration look like in practice?

You have one central contact (tech lead or project manager) for strategic and operational topics.

Tools:

  • Jira or Linear for tickets
  • Slack or MS Teams for daily communication
  • Live prototype in the browser for design reviews on the running interface
  • Loom for async updates

Sprint reviews every two weeks with demo, retrospective internal. You have access to status at any time — no black box.

Do you have experience with AI integration?

Yes — AI integration has been a focus since 2023. We integrate OpenAI (GPT-4, GPT-5), Anthropic Claude and local LLMs via Ollama into existing workflows.

Typical applications:

  • Product description generation
  • Intelligent search
  • Customer service automation
  • Document analysis
  • Recommendation systems

For sensitive data we rely on on-premise models (Llama, Mistral). We have used AI productively since the first GPT generation and rank among the advanced practitioners of modern AI applications in the web context across the DACH region.

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