3 min read
The difference in one table
| SaaS (off the shelf) | Custom software | |
|---|---|---|
| To get started | Immediate: sign up and use it | It has to be built |
| It adapts to… | You adapt to the tool | The tool adapts to your process |
| Cost | Subscription per user or usage | Build and maintenance |
| Your data | Lives on the provider’s platform | Lives in your accounts |
| Integrations | Whatever the provider offers | Whatever you need |
| If the provider changes or shuts down | You depend on their decisions | The system is still yours |
When SaaS fits
- The process is standard: accounting, email, payroll or a traditional CRM.
- You need the solution now and an existing tool solves it well.
- The way you work isn’t what sets you apart from competitors.
When custom software fits
- Your process is what sets you apart and no tool reflects it well.
- You live in spreadsheets that break, get duplicated or nobody understands.
- You need to connect systems that don’t talk to each other.
- You pay for several tools you only half use.
- You want your business data to live in your accounts.
Real examples
Franco Cerámicas tracked its sales and commissions in a spreadsheet. Its custom app computes, for every sale, the advisor’s commission and the profit left for the company, and connects to Alegra, the accounting software they already used. Ubi needed to manage purchase, pickup and shipping orders, with settlements for its drivers, and its own system let it do that its way. Loty needed to sell land lots in installments with a different dashboard for each role.
The middle ground: combine both
You don’t have to pick just one. The usual approach is SaaS for the standard parts (accounting, email, payments) and custom software only for the part that sets you apart, connected to those tools.
Questions to decide
- 01
Is there a tool that does 80% of what I need?
If there is and what’s missing isn’t important, start there.
- 02
Does my process set me apart from competitors?
If so, bending it to a generic tool can take that edge away.
- 03
What does not having it cost me today?
Hours in spreadsheets, errors, duplicated information or tools that don’t connect.
- 04
Who will maintain the software?
Software of your own needs someone to update and improve it over time.
With an AI agent team, building custom software is no longer only for big budgets: you pay a monthly subscription and the code lives in your GitHub from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Is custom software always more expensive than SaaS?
It usually costs more upfront, because it has to be built. But if today you pay for several tools that don’t connect or lose hours in spreadsheets, software of your own can be cheaper over time.
Can my custom software connect to the tools I already use?
Yes. It’s one of its main advantages: for example, the Franco Cerámicas app integrates with Alegra, its accounting software.
What if I want to switch providers later?
If the code and data live in your accounts, as with Korbex, the system is still yours and another team can carry it on.