Purple Crane

What Purple Crane does

Purple Crane Limited is a London-based bespoke software development agency founded in 2007 and operated by co-founders Andy Rix and Chris Bond from Finsbury Business Centre in central London. The firm builds custom web applications, workflow management systems, data integration platforms, CRM solutions, and visitor management software for UK SMEs, public sector organisations, and targeted verticals including transport/rail operators, grants administration, and live entertainment. Its portfolio spans three named client-deployed product systems — Intuitive Grant Applications (UK-wide council and claimant workflow), GDPR-Compliant Visitor Management Software (deployed across 1,000+ commercial premises including iconic London landmarks, shopping malls, and sporting venues), and Case Management Systems for train operators — alongside outsourced IT services and business technology consulting engagements.

The firm's technology stack is anchored in the Microsoft ecosystem (C#, .NET, MVC, NHibernate, SQL Server, Azure) supplemented by MySQL, JavaScript, TypeScript, and AWS. Purple Crane holds Microsoft Partner status and ISO 9001 quality certification, and the team has completed 80+ projects since inception. Revenue mechanics combine fixed-fee bespoke development projects, multi-year outsourced IT contracts (notably with Inchcape for 10+ years, where it acts as an extended development team), and SaaS-style product deployments delivered on behalf of clients. Pricing is quote-based with multi-year billing cadences.

Purple Crane operates a consultancy-led, sales-driven go-to-market with discovery calls as the primary conversion channel, supplemented by blog content marketing, LinkedIn presence, and email newsletters. The firm differentiates through a structured five-phase development pathway (Listen/Capture, Prototype/Prove, Craft/Develop, Release/Review, Support/Maintain) and high-touch client collaboration from scoping through ongoing support. The business is small (1–10 employees), founder-owned with no disclosed external investment, and serves clients exclusively in the United Kingdom.

Name

Purple Crane

Legal name

Purple Crane Limited

Website

https://purplecrane.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Purple Crane is a London-based bespoke software development agency that builds custom web applications, workflow systems, data integration platforms, and SaaS-style products for UK SMEs, public sector bodies, and vertical-specific clients in transport, entertainment, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Software Development: Bespoke software development projects where solutions are built specifically for individual client needs. Projects range from small systems to major enhancements of existing platforms.
2. Outsourced IT Services: Ongoing outsourced IT department services providing expertise on demand, scaling resources up or down based on client needs. Includes maintenance, support, and continuous development.
3. SaaS Product Development: Building software products that clients offer as a service to their end customers. At least half of their work is for companies selling the software they build as a SaaS product.
4. Power BI and Data Solutions: Configuration and implementation of Microsoft Power BI for data analytics and reporting, plus bespoke data integration platforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Purple Crane is a London-based bespoke software development agency that designs, builds, and continuously evolves custom software solutions — including CRM systems, workflow automation platforms, operations dashboards, customer portals, data integration platforms, and Power BI business intelligence — for SMEs, public sector organisations, and transport operators. In addition to its custom development services, the company offers standalone products such as GrantFinder, GDPR-compliant Visitor Management Software, and Case Management Systems.

Product overview

Purple Crane is a bespoke software development agency offering custom-built solutions rather than a single unified product. The core portfolio includes three named client products (Intuitive Grant Applications, GDPR Compliance Visitor Management Software, and Case Management Systems for Train Operators) delivered as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions. Supporting service offerings include Outsourced IT Services and Business Technology Consulting. Add-on capabilities and modules include Power BI Solutions, Custom CRM Systems, Workflow Automation Platforms, Operations Dashboards, Customer Portals, and Data Integration Platforms. The company's development pathway encompasses listen/capture, prototype/prove, craft/develop, release/review, and support/maintain phases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bespoke Software Development End-to-end custom software design, build, and continuous improvement service covering CRM systems, workflow automation platforms, operations dashboards, customer portals, and data integration platforms, delivered to UK SMEs, public sector bodies, and transport/rail operators.
• Business Technology Consulting Strategic advisory service helping SMEs and public sector organisations shape their technology direction, typically delivered through short Discovery Sprint and Definition Sprint engagements prior to build.
• Outsourced IT Services Long-term, retainer-based outsourced IT and development function for SMEs that lack internal software capability, including ongoing support via the Purple Crane Client Portal and dedicated development teams.
• Power BI Solutions Specialist consulting, development, and integration service for Microsoft Power BI, enabling clients to surface operational insights from their bespoke systems and external data sources.
• GrantFinder (Intuitive Grant Applications) Standalone grant search and application platform that helps organisations identify and apply for relevant grants, available as a product separate from Purple Crane's bespoke development services.
• Visitor Management Software (VMS) Standalone GDPR-compliant visitor sign-in and sign-out software designed for offices and public sector sites, capturing visitor data in line with UK data protection obligations.
• Case Management Systems (CMS) Standalone case management software for public sector and regulated organisations, supporting structured case handling workflows and audit trails.

Quantifiable outcome

• Data input error rates can be reduced from 3-5% (manual input) to near-zero with automated bespoke systems
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified Microsoft Partner demonstrating proficiency with Microsoft technology stack including Azure, .NET, C#, and related tools. The partnership enables delivery of Microsoft-based solutions and access to enterprise-grade cloud infrastructure.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Itransition: Custom software development company delivering bespoke web, mobile and data integration solutions across multiple verticals. Comparable on the professional-services development model, data integration focus, and multi-vertical SME/enterprise customer mix.
• ThoughtWorks: Global bespoke software and digital transformation consultancy with a strong UK presence, focused on custom application development and platform engineering for enterprise clients. Highly comparable on bespoke software delivery model, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• AND Digital: UK-headquartered digital consultancy delivering bespoke software, cloud and data engineering to mid-market and enterprise clients across the UK and Europe. Highly comparable on geography, customer segment (UK SMEs and corporates), and custom-development delivery model.
• Netguru: Custom software development agency building web and mobile applications, integrations and SaaS products for SMEs and enterprise clients. Comparable on bespoke development service mix and SaaS product engineering for clients to commercialise.
• BJSS: UK-based IT and engineering consultancy building bespoke software, data platforms and digital services for enterprise and public-sector clients. Comparable on UK-only focus, Microsoft-heavy delivery stack, and emphasis on long-term embedded delivery engagements.

Regional players

• Waracle: UK-based digital product consultancy specialising in custom mobile and web applications, with strong regulated-industry and Microsoft stack credentials. Comparable on bespoke product engineering but focused on mobility and IoT verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Kainos: Larger UK-listed digital services company with a strong public-sector and regulated-industry custom software practice, including case management and workflow platforms. Comparable on customer profile (UK government, regulated industries) but significantly larger and broader in scope.
• Capgemini: Global IT services and digital transformation giant with substantial UK public-sector and enterprise custom software practice. Overlaps on bespoke development and Microsoft-stack delivery but operates as a broad incumbent across much larger programs.
• Mastek: Digital engineering and cloud transformation provider serving UK and EMEA public sector and regulated industries with bespoke application development. Comparable on UK public-sector delivery and Microsoft-stack focus, though at significantly larger scale.
• Cognizant: Global IT services firm with a UK presence delivering custom application development, system integration and digital transformation to enterprise and public-sector clients. Comparable on bespoke software and system integration offerings but operates at vastly larger scale and breadth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/purple-crane-software
• Xx.com/purplecrane

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Purple Crane