Custom software or SaaS: which one should you choose?
A practical comparison between off-the-shelf SaaS and custom software for small-business workflows.
Use existing software when it fits
If a reliable SaaS product covers most of the need at a reasonable cost, using it is often the best decision. Custom development is not a badge of seriousness.
When custom software becomes relevant
Custom software makes sense when your workflow is genuinely specific, several systems must be connected, manual work is growing, or adapting the business to generic software creates more cost than the software saves.
Do not compare only subscription versus build price
Include migration, training, integrations, recurring licences, maintenance and the cost of manual work that remains around the tool.
A hybrid approach is common
A custom layer can connect existing SaaS products instead of replacing everything. Often the best system is a small amount of custom code around tools that already work well.
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