Spreadsheets, group chats and paper forms can run a business for a surprisingly long time. Then one day they can't. Information gets lost, the same data is typed into three places, mistakes slip through and your team spends hours on work a system could do in seconds.
That's usually the moment a custom web application pays for itself.
I'm Aldrian, an independent developer in the Philippines. I build custom web apps for businesses and founders: internal tools, client portals, dashboards, booking systems, real-time apps and software products.
An app I built and launched
Ghostly is a private, end-to-end encrypted chat app I designed and built. Rooms vanish the moment everyone leaves. There are no accounts and no email: you share a link or a QR code and talk.
Under the hood:
- Messages and photos are encrypted in the browser with AES-256-GCM, and the key lives in the part of the link browsers never send to a server, so the backend only stores ciphertext
- Each live room is a Cloudflare Durable Object with WebSockets for messages, typing indicators and presence
- Rooms self-destruct with alarms, with a scheduled backstop
- It's an installable PWA with light and dark mode
- When I measured it, it scored 99 for performance in Lighthouse
It's live and free to use. It shows the kind of fast, secure, modern app I build.
What I build
Internal tools
Replace spreadsheets and manual processes with systems built around how your team works: inventory, job tracking, approvals, scheduling, reporting. More on admin dashboards.
Client portals
Give clients a secure place to see their projects, documents, invoices and updates. More on client portals.
Booking and request systems
Appointments, reservations, service requests and quotations with rules that match your business.
Real-time apps
Live dashboards, chat, notifications, collaborative tools and tracking.
SaaS and software products
From first version to paying customers, with sign-up, subscriptions and admin tools. More on micro-SaaS.
Progressive web apps
Apps that install on phones from the browser, work well on slow connections and don't need app store approval.
My stack
- TypeScript for safer, more maintainable code
- React for interfaces, with modern frameworks like React Router
- Tailwind CSS for consistent design
- Cloudflare Workers, D1, R2 and Durable Objects for fast, low-cost serverless hosting
- Supabase or Postgres where they fit better. See Supabase development.
- Automated tests for critical features
I choose tools based on your needs, budget and who will maintain the app later, not trends.
Built properly from day one
Security
Sign-in, roles and permissions checked on the server for every action. Input validated, secrets kept out of code, data encrypted in transit and at rest where appropriate.
Speed
Fast on phones and slow connections, because many users won't be on office Wi-Fi.
Low running costs
Serverless hosting means you pay mostly for what's used. Many small business apps run very cheaply.
Maintainable
Clean, typed code with clear structure and documentation, so you're never locked in.
Data you own
Your database, your accounts and your code. Export your data anytime.
How I keep projects on track
Start with a clear first version
We agree the users, the must-have features and what success looks like, then define a fixed first version. Extras go on a list for later.
Prototype early
You click through the core flow early, so changes are cheap and nothing is a surprise.
Build in small steps
I share a live preview link as features land, so you see real progress every week.
Test with real users
Your team or customers try it before launch.
Launch and support
I deploy, monitor and stay close while the first users arrive.
Common mistakes in custom app projects
Building everything at once. Big first versions run late. Start small and grow.
No clear owner. Someone on your side needs to make decisions quickly.
Skipping the boring parts. Password resets, permissions, backups and error handling matter as much as features.
Choosing tools nobody else can maintain. I use mainstream, well-supported technology.
No plan for after launch. Apps need updates, monitoring and small improvements.
Working with a developer in your time zone
Custom software involves a lot of small decisions. Being in the same time zone as Philippine clients means questions get answered the same day and progress doesn't stall overnight. For clients abroad, I overlap well with Australian business hours and with US mornings or evenings.
What it usually costs
It depends on the features, users and integrations. After a short call, I'll propose a first version with a fixed price, so you know the cost before any work starts. Bigger products are planned in stages, each with its own fixed quote.
How we'd work
- We talk about the problem, the users and the goal.
- I write a short scope for the first version.
- You get a quote with timeline and fixed price.
- I prototype, then build in steps with preview links.
- We test with real users.
- We launch, and I support you after.
Let's build the tool your business needs
Tell me about the problem you want to solve. I'll reply with questions or a plan and a fixed quote.
