Software that carries your business. Built by people who run SaaS themselves.

What 404MEDIA delivers in software development

404MEDIA is a software agency based in Germany. We plan and build web-based software for companies in Berlin, Brandenburg, across Germany and across Europe. What sets us apart from many agencies: we have run our own SaaS products for years. CATAMA, a cloud solution for car dealers and workshops, runs in our customers’ daily business. This experience goes into every project: we know what software has to withstand when hundreds of users work with it every day.

Software development and artificial intelligence are our core business. The two are intertwined: modern applications need interfaces to language models, and AI projects need stable software to run in.

SaaS products

You have a product idea or an internal solution that other companies need too? We turn it into a SaaS product: multi-tenancy, user and permission management, subscription billing, APIs, monitoring, scaling. From MVP to a platform that carries thousands of users.

Custom software and web applications

When standard software does not fit: administration and billing solutions, customer portals, configurators, booking and ordering systems, internal tools, dashboards. Tailored to your processes, not the other way round.

APIs and integrations

Inventory management, ERP, CRM, shop system, payment providers, marketplaces, newsletters, accounting, AI services. We connect systems reliably and transparently, with logging, error handling and retries on failure. Many of our projects start with an interface nobody else wanted to build.

AI in existing software

Embedding language models in your application: drafting texts, evaluating documents, classifying enquiries, enriching data, improving search. With review steps and an interchangeable model. More under artificial intelligence.

Modernisation

Replacing or step by step renewing old applications: data migration, new interface, clean APIs, current technology, without downtime. A gradual renewal is often cheaper and safer than a rebuild.

How your software is built

1. Concept. Goal, users, processes, data model. Result: a functional specification everyone understands and an effort estimate with a fixed scope for the first stage.
2. Architecture. Technology, data protection, operation and cost are decided before the first line of code. No surprises in year two.
3. Development in stages. A usable build on the test system every two to three weeks. You review, we adjust. The scope of each stage is fixed.
4. Tests and acceptance. Automated tests, load tests, security review. Acceptance against the specification.
5. Operation and evolution. Hosting, monitoring, backups, updates. Further development as needed, with a clear budget.

Our standards

• The source code is yours. Git repository, documentation, credentials: all in your hands.
• Privacy built in. Hosting in Germany or the EU, encryption, roles and permissions, deletion concepts, data processing agreements.
• Maintainable. Readable code, automated tests, version control, documentation. Another team can take over.
• Fast. Response times in the millisecond range are the goal, not the exception. We measure it.
• Secure. Security review before every go-live, regular updates, monitoring, backups with tested restore.
• Honest. If standard software or a no-code tool is enough, we say so.

Technology

Running in the cloud is everyday business for us, not an add-on: our own SaaS products run live every day.

We work with PHP and Node.js with TypeScript on the server, MySQL and MariaDB as databases, REST APIs and modern web front ends. For search and large data volumes we use Elasticsearch or OpenSearch, for background tasks queues, for monitoring and logs established tools. We connect language models through the APIs of Anthropic, OpenAI and Mistral or run open models on our own infrastructure.

We choose technology by task, team and running costs, not by fashion. An application that can still be maintained in five years matters more than the newest library.

Our own product

Product	For whom	What it does
CATAMA	Car dealers, workshops, industry-neutral business edition	Inventory, invoicing, dunning, CRM, vehicle management, workshop planner, listings on online marketplaces

CATAMA has run in our customers’ daily business for years. It is the proof that we do not only build software but operate it: with updates, support, billing and scaling.

Typical projects

• SaaS platform for an industry, from MVP to subscription billing with several hundred tenants.
• Customer portal connected to ERP and inventory management: orders, invoices, documents, support.
• Configurator with real-time pricing and an interface to production.
• Replacement of an Access or Excel solution with a web application with permissions, history and reports.
• Interface between shop, inventory management and three marketplaces with automatic stock and order synchronisation.
• AI features in an existing industry software: summaries, text suggestions, classification.

Who this is for

Small and medium-sized businesses that want to digitise processes. Founders with a SaaS idea. Software vendors that need development capacity or AI expertise. Retailers whose inventory system and shop do not talk to each other. Companies in Potsdam, Berlin and Brandenburg that want a partner nearby, and companies across Germany and Europe that work remotely.

Why 404MEDIA

We run SaaS ourselves. We know billing, support, scaling and outages at three in the morning from our own experience. We combine software with AI, SEO and e-commerce so the result does not only run but also gets found and sells. And you talk to the people who write the code.

Our ambition: to be among the best agencies for software and SaaS development for small and medium-sized businesses in Germany. Not through size, but through software that carries in daily use.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between SaaS and custom software?

Custom software is built for one company and runs only there. Software as a service (SaaS) is a product that many customers use over the internet, usually on a subscription. We build both. Often a project starts as a custom solution and is later opened up as SaaS for other companies.

How long does it take to build a SaaS application?

A first usable product (MVP) with a clearly defined scope usually takes two to four months. After that we continue in short stages, with your approval after each one. Scope and duration are fixed in advance.

Which technology does 404MEDIA use?

PHP and Node.js with TypeScript on the server, MySQL and MariaDB as databases, REST APIs, modern web front ends. Where useful, integration of language models (Anthropic, OpenAI, Mistral). We choose technology by task, team and running costs, not by fashion.

Who owns the source code?

You do. You receive the complete source code, documentation and all credentials. No lock-in. You can continue with any other provider at any time.

Does 404MEDIA also run the software?

Yes. Hosting, monitoring, backups, updates and further development are available as ongoing care. Alternatively we hand over to your team or your hosting provider, with documentation and training.

What does custom software cost?

It depends on the scope. We start with a functional specification and an effort estimate and name a fixed price for the first stage. Extensions are offered as separate stages. You stay in control of the budget.

Can we work with you in English?

Yes. Specifications, code, documentation and meetings can be in English. We work remotely with clients across Europe and on site in Potsdam and Berlin.