Key takeaways
- Buy a product when your workflow is common and its screens fit.
- Build when the process is how you win or deliver work.
- A focused custom tool starts from about ₹2.5 lakh.
Spreadsheets and three subscriptions can still leave someone copying data between screens. At that point you can configure a product or build software around the way you work. Both are valid, and they fail in different places.
When a ready-made product is enough
Accounting, a simple CRM, and email all have products worth buying. The fit is good when your team can work inside their screens, the reports answer what leadership asks, and you can export your data if you leave.
When custom software fits
Custom software earns its cost when the process is how you win or deliver work: a portal clients log into, a booking rule no product will bend to, or several systems that must behave as one. It also fits when you want the code and the data in your own accounts.
| Ready-made product | Custom software | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low, then a monthly fee | From about ₹2.5 lakh |
| Fits your process | You adapt to it | Built around it |
| Who owns the code | The vendor | You |
| Best for | Common workflows | Workflows that set you apart |
A quick test before you spend
- List the steps a job takes today, including the copy-paste.
- If a product covers them with light setup, buy the product.
- If the steps rely on workarounds and side sheets, price a custom slice of that path.