SOFTWARE STRATEGY
Software strategy is deciding what to buy, what to configure and what to build, based on total cost of ownership and how much of your advantage sits in that process. These resources compare the options honestly.
The right answer is usually a mix: buy the commodity, build the part that is genuinely yours.
These comparisons include the case for not hiring anyone to build anything, because that is sometimes correct.
COMPARISONS
Choose a SaaS platform when your process is standard, you need it working this month and per-seat pricing stays affordable. Choose custom software when the process is your competitive advantage, subscription costs scale badly with headcount, or no tool fits without workarounds. Most growing businesses end up with a hybrid: SaaS for commodity functions, custom for the workflow that makes them money.
8 MIN READ
It costs more upfront and usually less over three or more years for a growing team, because custom cost is flat while subscription cost rises with headcount and usage.
A focused first version typically ships in four to ten weeks. Larger platforms run three to six months, delivered in usable stages rather than one launch.