When to Build a Custom Web App vs Buy Software
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As a company that builds custom software, we still tell prospective clients not to build about a third of the time. Here's the framework that decides which side of that line a project falls on.
Is this process actually your differentiator?
If the workflow you're trying to build software for is genuinely how you compete - logistics, scheduling logic, proprietary processes - custom software usually pays for itself. If it's a commodity process like basic invoicing, it rarely does.
What off-the-shelf options actually cost
Buying software isn't free - subscription costs compound over years, and the workarounds required to fit a generic tool to your process carry a real, if hidden, cost in staff time.
- Total 3-year subscription cost, not just monthly price
- Cost of workarounds needed to fit your actual workflow
- Switching cost if the vendor changes pricing or shuts down
The hybrid option most teams miss
Buying a core platform and building targeted integrations or automation around it often captures most of the benefit of custom software at a fraction of the cost of a full build.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quantify the current cost of the workaround - hours spent, errors made, opportunities missed - and compare it against a realistic build and maintenance estimate over 3 years.
Scope creep from trying to replicate every feature of an off-the-shelf tool instead of focusing on the specific workflow that justified building in the first place.
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Read articleComments
Glad it was useful, Jamie - happy to go deeper on that if you want to book a call.
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Really useful breakdown - the point about is this process actually your differentiator? matches exactly what we ran into last quarter.