As a builder of custom software we ought to recommend custom every time. We do not, for a practical reason: a project the client regrets afterwards costs us more than it earns.
How unusual is your process really?
Bookkeeping, payroll and email are the same everywhere. There, off-the-shelf software is almost always the better choice. But the process that sets you apart from your competitor — how you plan, quote or serve your customers — is by definition not standard. That is exactly where custom pays off.
What does customising the package cost?
A package that fits seventy percent is often patched up with custom modules. Add those costs to the licence and only then compare. We regularly see the customised standard solution come out more expensive over five years than a purpose-built application — and harder to update as well.
Who maintains it in three years?
This is the question most often skipped. Custom software needs a party that keeps maintaining it. That is why we always deliver with tests, documentation and the code in your own repository, so you are not locked in to us. If you cannot organise that continuity, choose off-the-shelf.
- Off-the-shelf for generic processes: accounting, HR, email, office automation
- Custom for your distinguishing process, or where integrations are the core
- A combination is often best: standard packages with your own layer in between
- Always calculate over five years, not just the first one