Rehost
Move the application to the cloud or new servers with minimal code changes. Fast and low-risk, but it keeps the old design, so it is often a first step rather than the goal.
Legacy modernization
Legacy Software Modernization Services
Your core system still runs the business, but it is slow to change, costly to host and hard to hire for. We modernize legacy applications in phases: audit first, then refactoring, re-architecture or cloud migration, one module at a time, with the old system live until the new part proves itself.
- No big-bang rewrite: modules move one at a time
- Data and integrations mapped before anything changes
- Fixed-price audit and pilot module to start
- 01 Audit and inventory
- 02 Approach per module
- 03 Pilot module in production
- 04 Phased migration
- 05 Decommission the old parts
Why legacy applications are hard to replace
A system that has run for ten years carries rules nobody wrote down: a nightly export a partner depends on, a pricing exception for one customer, a report finance reconciles every month. A rewrite that starts from the screens usually loses them, and they come back as incidents after go-live.
Legacy application modernization works when it starts from what the system really does. We read the code, the database and the logs, list every integration and scheduled job, and only then decide, module by module, what to keep, refactor, rebuild or replace.
Modernization approaches and how we choose
Most systems end up with a mix. The audit decides which approach fits each module, based on business value, risk and cost.
Refactor
Improve the code structure, upgrade frameworks and add tests without changing what the module does. Right for modules whose logic is sound but hard to change.
Re-architect
Split a monolith into services, introduce APIs or event-driven integration. Right when the architecture, not the code, blocks scaling or new features.
Rebuild
Rewrite a module on a modern stack while keeping its scope and data. Right for small, well-understood parts where refactoring costs more than starting over.
Replace
Swap a module for an off-the-shelf product or SaaS, then integrate it. Right for commodity functions such as billing, email or document storage.
What a modernization engagement covers
Each step produces something you can use, even if you stop there.
Legacy system audit
Code quality, architecture, infrastructure, security, data model and integrations, reviewed against how the business uses the system today. You get a risk report and a recommended approach for each module.
Code refactoring and upgrades
Framework and runtime upgrades, removal of dead code, automated tests around the parts that change, and legacy code refactoring that makes the next feature cheaper.
Re-architecture and cloud migration
APIs in front of the old core, services carved out of the monolith, and a move to AWS, Azure or Google Cloud with infrastructure as code and CI/CD.
Data migration
Schema mapping, data cleaning, repeatable migration scripts and reconciliation reports, so you can prove the new system holds the same numbers as the old one.
A phased plan with no big-bang rewrite
The old and new systems run side by side. Traffic moves to new modules gradually, and every step can be rolled back.
- 01
Audit and inventory
Code, database, infrastructure, scheduled jobs and integrations, plus interviews with the people who use and support the system.
Outcome A map of the system and a risk report
- 02
Target architecture and roadmap
An approach per module, the order of work, and an estimate for each phase.
Outcome A modernization roadmap you can budget for
- 03
Pilot module
One module modernized and put into production behind the existing interface, to prove the approach on real traffic.
Outcome The first modern module in production
- 04
Phased migration
Module by module, with tests, monitoring and data reconciliation at each step. Users keep working throughout.
Outcome Releases without downtime
- 05
Decommissioning and support
Old components switched off once nothing depends on them, then ongoing development on the new platform.
Outcome Lower running costs and a codebase your team can change
Modernization pricing
Fixed-price packages, or a team at $25–50 per hour depending on seniority and stack. Every estimate starts with a short call about your scope.
| Package | Audit | Pilot module | Phased modernization | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | From $1,200 | From $4,800 | From $19,200 | From $57,600 |
| Minimum effort | 80 h | 320 h | 1,280 h | 3,840 h |
| Typical timeline | 2–3 weeks | 1–3 months | 4–9 months | 9+ months |
| What you get | Code, architecture, infrastructure and data review, with a risk report and a modernization plan per module | One module refactored or rebuilt and running in production next to the old system | Module-by-module migration, data migration, CI/CD, tests and cloud infrastructure, with the system live throughout | Full re-architecture of a large system, several teams or integrations, compliance and long-term support |
Prices are a starting point for the minimum scope of each package. The final price depends on features, integrations and the state of any existing code.
Migration risks and how we handle them
Most modernization projects that fail do so on data, integrations or downtime, not on code.
| Risk | What usually goes wrong | What we do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Data | Records lost or changed during migration, found months later | Repeatable migration scripts, test runs on a copy of production data and reconciliation reports |
| Integrations | A partner feed or nightly job nobody knew about stops working | Every integration and scheduled job listed in the audit and covered by tests before cutover |
| Downtime | A weekend cutover that runs into Monday | Old and new modules side by side, traffic moved gradually, rollback ready at every step |
| Business rules | Undocumented logic lost in a rewrite | Current behavior captured in tests before the code changes |
| Budget | One large estimate that grows during the project | A fixed-price audit and pilot, then each phase approved on its own |
Technologies we modernize from and to
We work with the stack you have and move it to one your team can hire for.
- PHP 5/7, legacy Laravel and Symfony, CodeIgniter → modern PHP and Laravel
- .NET Framework, WebForms → .NET 8
- AngularJS, jQuery front ends → React, Vue or Angular
- Monoliths → modular services and REST or GraphQL APIs
- On-premise servers → AWS, Azure, Google Cloud with Docker and Kubernetes
- MySQL, MS SQL, Oracle → PostgreSQL or managed cloud databases
- Manual deployments → CI/CD with automated tests
- Desktop and Delphi applications → web applications
Frequently asked questions
How much does legacy software modernization cost?
An audit starts from $1,200 and a pilot module from $4,800. A phased modernization of a mid-size system starts from $19,200. The price depends on the size of the codebase, the number of integrations, the state of the data and how much of the system needs more than refactoring. Our team works at $25–50 per hour.
How long does a legacy modernization project take?
The audit takes 2–3 weeks and a pilot module 1–3 months. A full phased modernization usually runs 4–9 months, longer for large systems. Because the work ships module by module, you see results long before the end.
Can the old system keep running during modernization?
Yes, and it should. New modules run next to the old ones, traffic moves to them gradually, and every step can be rolled back. The old parts are switched off only when nothing depends on them.
Do we have to rewrite everything?
Rarely. Most systems are a mix: some modules only need refactoring or rehosting, some are rebuilt, and some are replaced with existing products. The audit shows which is which.
Do you use AI for legacy code analysis?
Yes. AI tools help us read large codebases faster: summarizing modules, tracing dependencies, drafting tests around existing behavior and suggesting refactorings. Engineers review every change, and no code leaves the environment you approve.
Do you offer legacy code refactoring services on their own?
Yes. If the architecture is sound and you only need the code cleaned up, upgraded and covered by tests, we can run refactoring as a separate engagement.