Custom software for SMBs.
At an unbeatable price.
We rebuild your expensive software tool for 20% of the price.
Haven't cut your software-tool spending by 80% yet? Then we should talk.
We build custom software applications for your needs.
Bespoke solutions tailored exactly to your processes — no compromises.
We build your modern web presence.
Professional websites that build trust and win customers — fast and efficient.
Software in 2026
The trend is moving away from expensive, standardized SaaS tools
And toward affordable, custom-built software.
Before
Typical SaaS subscription
per month
After
With Polaris
per month
80% cheaper
20% of the original price — subscription or purchase
Privacy-compliant
Hosting in your region, full data sovereignty
Flexible
Subscription with full service or a one-time purchase
Two models — you decide
Subscription model
Monthly fee = 20% of your previous SaaS costs. Including hosting, maintenance, updates, and support.
- •Worry-free — we take care of everything
- •No upfront development costs
- •Buy out at the purchase price at any time
Purchase model
One-time purchase price, negotiable. Hosting and maintenance optional as a retainer or on demand.
- •Your code, your repo — no vendor lock-in
- •No ongoing license fees
- •Maintenance available flexibly
Tools
What we can (re)build - and what we can't
Transparency matters to us.
The criteria we look for
- Clearly scoped tool (CRM, ATS, ticketing, wiki, …)
- 5–50 active users
- More than €5,000 in SaaS costs per year
- At most 3 mandatory API integrations
- No special regulation (financial, medical, payroll, e-signature compliance)
For special cases (compliance, ERP, payroll) we deliberately don't build — details below.
This is what we (re)build
CRM
up to €800/mo savedReplaces e.g. Pipedrive, HubSpot, Close
Typical: €25–€330/user/mo
Project management
up to €500/mo savedReplaces e.g. Asana, Monday, ClickUp, Trello
Typical: €10–€25/user/mo
Helpdesk & ticketing
up to €600/mo savedReplaces e.g. Zendesk, Freshdesk, Help Scout
Typical: €55–€169/agent/mo
Time tracking
up to €500/mo savedReplaces e.g. Toggl, Harvest, Clockodo
Typical: €10–€20/user/mo
Recruiting
up to €400/mo savedReplaces e.g. Personio Recruiting, Recruitee, Workable, Greenhouse
Typical: €99–€399/mo
Booking systems
up to €400/mo savedReplaces e.g. Calendly, SimplyBook, Acuity
Typical: €12–€20/seat/mo
Forms & surveys
up to €400/mo savedReplaces e.g. Typeform, SurveyMonkey, Jotform
Typical: €25–€99/mo
Inventory & warehouse
up to €300/mo savedReplaces e.g. inFlow, Sortly, Inventory Cloud
Typical: €50–€200/mo flat
Knowledge & wiki
up to €250/mo savedReplaces e.g. Confluence, Slab, Tettra
Typical: €5–€10/user/mo
Leave & absence
up to €150/mo savedReplaces e.g. Vacationtracker, Absence.io, Timetastic
Typical: €2–€5/user/mo
Contracts & renewals
up to €300/mo savedReplaces e.g. ContractHero, Linksquares Light, Fabasoft
Typical: €150–€500/mo flat
More tools
on requestReplaces e.g. Field service, membership management, fleet, training tracker, room booking, master-data records, admin panels
Typical: custom
This is what we don't (re)build
Accounting & tax
Regulatory depth (tax filing, certifications, local compliance)
ERP suites
Massive integration depth (SAP, Oracle, hundreds of processes)
Video conferencing
Infrastructural complexity (WebRTC, global latency)
Email providers
Deliverability, IP reputation, anti-spam infrastructure
Endpoint security & SIEM
Real-time security requirements, network monitoring
Market-data terminals
Proprietary data sources, exclusive datasets
How it works
From the first conversation to go-live
in 4–8 weeks
Four steps to your software.
Discovery
1–2 weeksWe analyze your workflows, existing integrations, and interfaces — and define together which features are needed and which aren't.
Development
2–3 weeksWe build your solution with a modern stack and open-source building blocks. Weekly demos ensure nothing misses the mark.
Parallel operation
2–3 weeksBoth systems run in parallel. Your team tests in everyday use without risk — the old system stays active as a fallback.
Go-live
2–4 weeksSeamless migration with data transfer. Your old SaaS tool is retired. We stay on for support.
Why Polaris
What sets us apart
Data sovereignty🇩🇪
Hosting in your region of choice. Your data stays within your jurisdiction — full control, no foreign-access risk.
99.9% uptime
Automatic backups, monitoring, and a clean migration process. Your operations keep running reliably.
4–8 week delivery
Fast development thanks to a standardized tech stack and AI-assisted development.
Open-source foundation
Built on proven open-source technologies. No proprietary code.
80% cheaper
20% of the original price — as a subscription or one-time purchase. Hosting from €5/month instead of €500–€5,000 for SaaS.
No vendor lock-in
With the purchase model the code is yours — your own repo, full control. With the subscription model, buy out at the purchase price anytime.
Example calculation
Calculate your savings
Enter your current SaaS costs and see how much you can save with Polaris.
Current annual cost
€45,000
With Polaris (estimated)
€9,000
Your annual savings
€36,000
80% lessTech stack
Modern standard stack
We rely on proven, future-proof technologies — no proprietary code that only we can maintain.
Any developer can maintain and extend this stack. Standard technologies, no proprietary code.
About Polaris
Who's behind it?
Tim Siegelkow
Founder, Polaris Studios
I founded Polaris Studios because I saw how SMBs spend thousands of euros every month on software tools they only use a fraction of. At the same time, AI has fundamentally changed software development — what used to take months, we now do in weeks.
Our approach: we don't build generic apps. We sit down with your team, understand the real workflows, and deliver exactly the software you need. No more, no less.
You talk directly with me — no sales team, no account manager. From the first call to go-live.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ
Ready?
Let's talk
Book a no-obligation intro call — we'll work out together how much you can save and clear up any open questions.
Or send us an email
Have questions or want to discuss a specific tool? Get in touch — we'll reply within 24 hours.
tim@polarisstudios.de