What actually drives the price
Two integrations that sound identical on paper can cost very differently. A 'connect our app to Stripe' job with a few endpoints and webhook handling is a different animal than a two-way inventory sync against an ERP with no modern API. The work scales with complexity, not with the logo of the tool you're connecting to.
Most of the cost is engineering time plus testing. The biggest swings come from how well the other side is documented, whether the sync runs one direction or two, and how ugly the edge cases get when data conflicts.
- Number of endpoints and objects you actually need (one lookup vs. dozens of synced records)
- One-way push vs. two-way sync — two-way roughly doubles the edge-case and conflict work
- Quality of the target API: modern REST/GraphQL with good docs vs. SOAP, CSV drops, or no API at all
- Authentication complexity: a static API key vs. OAuth with token refresh and per-user scopes
- Data volume and rate limits — batching, pagination, and throttling add real hours
- Error handling, retries, and monitoring so a silent failure doesn't corrupt your data
How integrations are usually priced
We scope integrations as a fixed project after a short discovery, or hourly for open-ended and exploratory work. Discovery is where we read the other system's docs, confirm the endpoints actually exist and behave as advertised, and find the surprises before they become change orders.
Ongoing costs are separate and worth planning for: third-party API usage fees, hosting for any middleware, and maintenance when a vendor changes their API.
- Fixed-price for well-defined scopes after discovery
- Hourly for research-heavy integrations where the endpoints aren't yet proven
- Separate line items for third-party API/usage fees you pay the vendor directly
- Ongoing maintenance for API version changes, expired credentials, and deprecations
- One-time build vs. retainer when the integration is business-critical and needs monitoring
How to scope realistically before you ask for a quote
The fastest way to a real number is a clear list of what data moves, in which direction, and how often. Bring the names of the systems, links to their API docs, and one concrete example of the workflow you want automated.
- List every system involved and whether you have admin/API access to each
- Write the trigger and the result in one sentence: 'when X happens in A, do Y in B'
- Note direction and frequency: real-time, every few minutes, or nightly batch
- Flag any data that must never be lost or duplicated
- Gather API docs and credentials up front so discovery isn't guessing
More on apis & integrations
Frequently asked questions
Can you give me a ballpark before we talk?
Honestly, not a useful one. A simple one-way integration and a two-way sync against a poorly documented system can differ by an order of magnitude. A short call where you describe the systems and the workflow gets you a real range instead of a number we'd have to walk back.
Why is connecting to a big, well-known API sometimes cheaper than a small one?
Popular APIs like Stripe or HubSpot are well documented, stable, and predictable, so we spend less time guessing. A small or in-house system with thin docs and odd behavior often costs more even though it feels simpler, because we have to reverse-engineer how it really works.
What ongoing costs should I budget for?
Three things: usage fees you pay the API vendor directly, hosting if the integration runs as its own service, and occasional maintenance when a vendor changes or retires an API. We'll flag which of these apply to your specific build.