The advice from SIMPLY CODE SOLUTIONS always starts the same way: if a standard product covers your process, use the standard product. It is quicker to roll out and someone else maintains it. Custom software pays off where the standard does not fit and that regularly costs time or money. The best answer is often a combination of the two.
What the two terms mean
Off-the-shelf software is a finished product that many companies use at the same time, usually for a licence fee or subscription. The vendor decides which features come next. Custom software is built for the processes of one company. That can be a large system, but also a small automation or a single integration between two programs.
When off-the-shelf is the better choice
- The process is the same in many companies, such as accounting or payroll.
- You can adapt your process to the product without disadvantage.
- Licence costs stay affordable as you grow.
Accounting and payroll are the classic cases. Building your own rarely brings an advantage here, and the vendor maintains the product for every company at once. Before you buy, still check whether you can get your data back out, whether the product offers an integration and what it costs when more people use it.
When your own software pays off
- The process sets you apart from competitors.
- Staff work around the software, often with spreadsheets.
- Data has to be entered by hand more than once.
- Per-seat licence costs exceed development cost over the years.
A clear sign is the spreadsheet only one person understands. If that person is away, the process stops. You are still paying for the standard product, while the real work runs alongside it.
The third way: connect rather than replace
The best answer is often a combination. Standard products stay in place, and a small custom build connects them or closes the one gap that gets in the way every day. That costs far less than a rebuild and changes little for your team.
Here is a model case. Orders come in from the web shop, invoices are created in the accounting system, and someone copies the data across by hand. Both programs work well on their own. An integration takes over the step in between, and nobody has to relearn anything.
When it is better to introduce nothing new
If a process comes up only a few times a year or is about to change, neither buying nor building usually pays off. The spreadsheet then stays the sensible choice until the situation changes.
What custom software costs
For custom software development, the price depends mainly on size. An automation connecting two systems is CHF 3'000 – 4'500, a business application for one area CHF 30'000 – 45'000 and a legacy system replacement CHF 80'000 – 120'000. Concept, testing, security and operations drive the work there. Among the add-ons, the type of integration matters most:
- A simple integration, for example with accounting or shipping: CHF 1'500 – 2'300.
- An integration with ERP or industry software, for instance an older undocumented system: CHF 9'000 – 13'500.
All amounts are in our overview of custom software and web app prices. The article How much does custom software cost? works through three model cases. These are guide prices. The binding quote follows after we talk.
How to work it out
Compare the options over three years. That shows whether higher costs at the start pay off later. You need four items for the sum:
- Today's effort: hours per month times the hourly rate times 36 months. Include rework and errors.
- Off-the-shelf: licence or subscription per person over 36 months, plus roll-out and training.
- Custom software: development plus running costs over 36 months.
- Remaining effort: the share of manual work that stays with each option.
If a clear advantage remains, a conversation about custom software is worthwhile. If the gap is small, take the standard product, because it leaves you with less to look after.
What to watch for with your own software
Each path carries its own risk. With off-the-shelf software you depend on a vendor who can raise prices, drop features or discontinue the product. With your own software, responsibility for operations and further development rests with you. Four points keep that risk small.
- Plan for operations. Your own software needs updates, monitoring and bug fixes. Either your team handles that or you agree software operations and support.
- Ask for documentation. It keeps the software understandable even when your team changes.
- Start small. The article Scoping your first version shows how to set the scope.
- Replace old systems step by step where that makes sense. A single switch-over date is riskier.
The next step
Write down the process that costs you the most time today and the programs involved in it. That is enough to begin with. In the project assistant for custom software you see a first price range. In a conversation we then work through with you whether building your own, buying a standard product or combining the two pays off.