At iQyra, API integration work is priced at $90 per hour, or as a fixed price for a defined project or stage. The total depends on the systems, data flow, and operating requirements. Before comparing quotes, separate three costs: building the connection, running the services it depends on, and maintaining it after launch. A one-off development quote cannot be compared directly with an annual operating budget.
What determines the development price?
The number of connected systems is a starting point, but it does not describe the work on its own. Several factors shape the scope.
The first is whether you use an existing connector or custom code: a supported connector may cover the task, while custom behavior needs implementation and testing. Next come the records and fields, since contacts, orders, invoices, attachments and custom fields have different mapping needs. Direction and ownership matter too, because two-way updates need explicit rules for conflicting changes.
Initial data is a separate item: importing history adds data cleaning, matching and validation. Volume and freshness also shape the work, as a daily batch differs from processing frequent updates within a defined delay. Failure handling means recovery rules for duplicates, outages and failed writes. Access and security (authentication, permissions and sensitive data handling) affect the design. Finally, operations belong in the scope: monitoring, deployment, documentation and handover.
The table below summarizes the same factors.
| Scope decision | Why it affects the work |
|---|---|
| Existing connector or custom code | A supported connector may cover the task; custom behavior needs implementation and testing |
| Records and fields | Contacts, orders, invoices, attachments and custom fields have different mapping needs |
| Direction and ownership | Two-way updates need explicit rules for conflicting changes |
| Initial data | Importing history adds data cleaning, matching and validation |
| Volume and freshness | A daily batch differs from processing frequent updates within a defined delay |
| Failure handling | Duplicates, outages and failed writes need recovery rules |
| Access and security | Authentication, permissions and sensitive data handling affect the design |
| Operations | Monitoring, deployment, documentation and handover belong in the scope |
An endpoint count alone can be misleading. One endpoint may expose a complicated workflow; several endpoints may be needed for a simple business task.
If you need the terminology first, our API vs integration guide explains the distinction. For a concrete business system, see CRM integration.
Standard connection or custom integration?
First check whether the existing systems already support the required workflow. A native connector may be sufficient when its fields, update behavior and limits match your requirements. Its subscription and usage fees still belong in the budget.
Custom work becomes relevant when the existing connection cannot handle your mapping, rules, error recovery or access requirements. Sometimes the best option is a small custom component around an existing connector, rather than replacing it entirely.
Our website packages distinguish simple form-to-email connections, standard integrations and separately scoped custom workflows. These package boundaries are not a price list for standalone API work. Using a webhook does not, by itself, establish the size or cost of a project. See our pricing for package context.
A scope example you can use when requesting a quote
Consider sending an accepted website enquiry into a CRM. The following is a sample specification.
| Item | Example scope |
|---|---|
| Source and destination | One website form and one CRM account |
| Data | A named list of contact fields and an enquiry record |
| Direction | Website to CRM; CRM edits do not flow back |
| Matching | An explicit record-matching rule and treatment of ambiguous matches |
| Failures | Defined handling for duplicate submissions, unavailable CRM and invalid data |
| Access | Credentials with the required permissions, stored outside public page code |
| Delivery | Deployment, an acceptance test and handover instructions |
| Exclusions | Historical imports, ERP connection and two-way synchronization |
A developer can assess this much more reliably than “connect the website to the CRM.” The remaining questions are which CRM and plan you use, whether its API supports the required operations, the expected volume, and the available test access.
The estimate follows that assessment.
Hourly work and fixed-price work
For hourly work, our rate is $90 per hour. Before starting, we explain the expected scope and estimate so you can decide how to proceed.
For a fixed-price project or stage, we define the deliverables and acceptance criteria. An internal overrun on that fixed scope does not increase your bill. New requirements or a change to an approved direction are estimated separately before the additional work begins; our change-request rate is $90 per hour.
Included revisions and defects are different from new scope. Our standard terms include two revision rounds per stage within the agreed direction before launch, plus a 30-day defect warranty from handover/acceptance. The warranty covers behavior that fails the acceptance criteria, not additional functionality. For staged delivery, it starts at each stage's handover.
Budget for running costs separately
| Cost category | What to include | Avoid this confusion |
|---|---|---|
| Initial development | Implementation, agreed tests, deployment and handover | Comparing this alone with someone else's annual total |
| Platform access | CRM/API plans, connector subscriptions and usage charges | Assuming API access is free because documentation is public |
| Infrastructure | Hosting, queues, storage and monitoring where needed | Counting a service twice when it is already bundled |
| Maintenance | Version changes, changed fields, credentials and incident investigation | Assuming the defect warranty covers every future provider change |
| New functionality | Additional systems, fields or business rules | Treating expansion as routine maintenance |
Our optional ongoing support starts at $1,000 per month for a defined scope of labor. It is separate from the build and external service fees. It does not automatically include a 24/7 service or a response-time SLA. Individual tasks can instead be handled hourly.
There is no separate iQyra onboarding fee. Any provider subscription or infrastructure expense is identified separately from our labor.
A practical first-year budget is: initial build + external services for the year + selected maintenance + separately approved changes. Use the actual provider plans and expected usage rather than a generic percentage for maintenance or security.
What should you own after delivery?
For paid custom work, the project code and repository transfer to you after payment. Reusable iQyra tooling is licensed rather than sold, and third-party components remain subject to their own terms.
The handover should identify the mapping rules, deployment process, credentials under your control, dependencies and operational responsibilities. Owning the code does not remove vendor subscriptions or the need for someone to maintain it.
Compare quotes using the same questions
Which systems, records and operations are included?
Are historical data and two-way updates included or excluded?
What happens when a request fails or the same event arrives twice?
What proves the work is accepted, and who performs the tests?
Which expenses are one-off, monthly, annual or usage-based?
What code, access and documentation will you receive?
What do revisions, the warranty and ongoing support each cover?
A smaller quote may be the right choice if it covers a smaller task that meets your needs. The goal is to understand the difference, not to assume that the highest or lowest price is inherently better.