Off-the-shelf software
Ready-made tools are quick to start and cheaper at the beginning. They suit standard needs such as accounting or email, but you adapt your work to the product.
Custom software
Custom software is built around how your company works, so it can remove manual steps, connect your systems and grow with you. It costs more at the start and needs a good partner.
- Your process is a competitive advantage
- Several tools must work together
- Per-user fees keep growing
- Your sector has specific rules, such as local invoicing or reporting
How to decide
List what you need, price both routes over three years including licences and time lost to workarounds, and start with a small first version of the custom option to limit risk.