Should you buy off-the-shelf software or have something built?
Try off-the-shelf software first if it can do most of the job, because it is usually quicker to start and the vendor keeps it working. Consider having software built when your own process is what sets you apart, when you are bending your work around a tool, or when no product connects the pieces you rely on. A bought product can also show you what you actually need.
The honest case for buying first
Ready-made software has usually been used by many other businesses, so many of its problems have been found and fixed. The vendor updates it and answers questions. You can often start within days, and you can leave if it does not suit you.
A custom build needs someone to maintain it for as long as you use it. Many owners find that a bought product with the right settings covers nearly everything. The related answer on whether field service software is worth it shows how to judge one product category.
A decision test in owner terms
Read these in order. If the first answer is yes, buy. Yes to several of the others points toward having something built, or toward a bought product with a custom piece added.
- Can a product do the main job with settings alone? If yes, buy it.
- Are you changing how you work to suit the tool, and is it hurting you? If yes, a build may be worth discussing.
- Does the way you do this job set you apart in a way customers notice? If yes, a build may protect it.
- Does it have to connect things that products do not connect? If yes, a small build or an integration may be needed.
- Will you rely on it daily for years? A tool you depend on is worth owning or understanding properly.
Buying and building side by side
| Buy off-the-shelf | Have it built | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to start | Usually faster | Usually slower, since it has to be planned and made |
| Fit | Built for a typical business, so you adapt | Built around your process |
| Changes | The vendor decides what changes and when | You decide, if you own it |
| Upkeep | The vendor maintains it | Someone must maintain it, which is easy to overlook |
| Leaving | Check how you can export your data | Check who owns the code and the accounts |
A middle route, and what to settle first
Often the better answer is a bought product connected to your other tools, with a small custom piece only where the product falls short. Whichever route you choose, settle who owns the result and the accounts before work starts. The related answer on what to have ready before hiring a software developer is a checklist, and the related answer on who owns software built for your business covers ownership. Ascent Vision builds custom software and does not publish prices.
Related answers
- Is field service software like Jobber or Housecall Pro worth it for a small service business?
- What should you have ready before hiring a software developer?
- Who owns software that was built for your business?
Custom software and apps
Off-the-shelf tools get you most of the way. When the last stretch is where the time goes, we build the part that fits: the dashboard, the portal, the internal tool or the app.