10 free hours of engineering. · 1-hour scoping call up front — we'll start this week.Claim hours →
Short answer: SaaS is cheaper to start and more expensive to keep. A custom system costs more upfront but usually wins by years two to three — because subscriptions compound forever while an owned system only carries maintenance. With AI-accelerated delivery cutting build time 30–50%, a custom alternative you own is now realistic for mid-market teams, not just enterprises.
The total cost of renting

The sticker price is not the price

Once you add integrations, scaling, per-seat fees and annual renewals, the true cost runs well above the line item on the invoice.

2.5–4×
True SaaS cost vs. the base subscription, once hidden fees are counted
~$9,100
Average SaaS spend per employee per year by end of 2025 — up from $7,900 in 2023 (Vertice)
~12%
Average SaaS price increase in 2025 — roughly 5× general inflation (Vertice)
2–3 yrs
Typical break-even where an owned custom build overtakes SaaS

Sources: Vertice SaaS Inflation Index (per-employee spend and annual price rise) and Zylo SaaS Management Index. The 2.5–4× multiplier and 2–3 yr break-even are directional — we'll model your actual numbers with you in the first session.

Why ownership wins

Four things you get that a subscription never gives you

You own the code, not the runtime

Full source and IP handed over. No vendor can raise your price, change your features, or switch you off. Your data lives in your jurisdiction.

Cost stops scaling with headcount

Per-seat and per-technician pricing punishes growth — 100 technicians at $75/mo is $90k a year, climbing with every hire. Owned software decouples cost from team size.

Built around your workflow

No forcing your process into a generic tool's model. Software that fits drives adoption — less shadow IT, no per-module upsells to do the thing you actually need.

No lock-in, no exit tax

With SaaS, the cost of leaving is the cost of rebuilding. When you own the system, switching, extending, or integrating is your decision — not a vendor's pricing lever.

Rent vs. own

The same job, two very different deals

SaaS subscriptionCustom system you own
Upfront costLowHigher — front-loaded
Cost over 5 yearsCompounds every yearBuild once, then maintain
Price controlVendor sets itYou do
Cost of adding peopleScales per seatFlat
Fit to your workflowTheir modelYours
Source code & IPVendor'sYours
Cost of leavingRebuild from scratchNone — it's already yours
Why this is realistic now

Senior engineers, accelerated by AI coding agents

“Custom is too slow and too expensive” was true for a long time. It isn't anymore. We pair senior engineers with AI coding agents — Claude Code, Cursor and Codex — so you get the speed of a tool and the judgment of an expert.

01

We model your build-vs-buy math

In the first session we map your current SaaS spend, seats and integrations, and show you where the break-even lands.

02

We build a working module — fast

AI-accelerated delivery cuts build time 30–50%. You see real, running software in your first engagement, not slides.

03

You own it, we support it

Source code and IP are yours. We stay on for enhancements and fixes only as long as you want us.

Common questions

Build vs. buy, answered

Is custom software cheaper than SaaS?
Not in year one. Custom costs more upfront but typically wins by years two to three, because SaaS subscriptions compound every year while an owned system only carries maintenance. The more seats or technicians you add, the faster custom pays back.
What does it mean to “own the source code”?
You receive the full source code and intellectual property for what we build. There's no per-seat licensing, no vendor that can raise your price or shut you off, and your data stays in your jurisdiction.
Isn't building custom software slow?
It used to be. We pair senior engineers with AI coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex), which cut build time roughly 30–50% in 2026. That's why a custom alternative is now realistic for mid-market teams, not just enterprises.
What exactly are the 10 free hours?
Ten hours of real custom development — not a sales call — that produce a working proof-of-concept or your first module, so you can judge the work before committing. You keep whatever we build.