❯ Question and answer
Custom AI software or off-the-shelf SaaS: which is better for my business?
Custom software pays off when your operation does not fit a SaaS and your team keeps copying data between spreadsheets, CRM, email and WhatsApp. Off-the-shelf SaaS is better when the process is standard and fits the tool. For AutoAgentes, custom software went live in 8 weeks and generated more than R$ 70k in revenue.
Updated on
What are the numbers, with sources?
- HubSpot advertises 1,900+ apps in its Marketplace: when the process is standard, an off-the-shelf SaaS usually has the connector you need. (Source: HubSpot App Marketplace)
- Zapier connects 9,000+ apps, which lets you link off-the-shelf SaaS tools together before building your own system. (Source: Zapier pricing)
- According to McKinsey (June 2023), about 75% of generative AI’s value falls in 4 areas: customer operations, marketing and sales, software engineering and R&D. (Source: McKinsey, The economic potential of generative AI)
What is the difference in practice?
| Off-the-shelf SaaS | Custom software | |
|---|---|---|
| Process | You adapt your process to the tool | The system is designed around your process |
| Integration | Limited to what the tool offers | Connects what the company already uses |
| AI | Whatever ships with the product | Built in where it removes manual work |
| When it makes sense | A standard process that fits the tool | An operation that no longer fits any box |
When does off-the-shelf SaaS stop working?
When the company has grown but the operation still depends on manual workarounds. The usual signs: the team loses time copying data between spreadsheets, CRM, email and WhatsApp; the company has tried ready-made SaaS and none fit the way it works; and the tools do not talk to each other, so there is nowhere for AI to plug in.
What does custom software replace?
Usually the CRM, the ERP, the spreadsheets and the scattered WhatsApp chats become one system. For Loss Prevention, Notkode integrated 4 tools so leads go from the website form to the CRM without anyone copying them.
What timeline and return has a custom project delivered?
AutoAgentes went from start to launch in 8 weeks, generated more than R$ 70k in revenue and a 30% operational gain. Notkode has delivered 50+ projects, with an average rating of 9.8.
Common mistakes
- Building custom software for a standard process a SaaS covers for a monthly fee.
- Staying on a SaaS that forces the team to keep parallel spreadsheets.
- Comparing only the subscription price and forgetting the hours spent on manual rework.
- Starting the system without mapping how the process works today.
Frequently asked questions
Is custom software always more expensive?
Up front, usually. The math changes when the SaaS demands hours of manual rework every week or several subscriptions that do not talk to each other.
Can I start with SaaS and migrate later?
Yes, and it is often the right path: the SaaS shows the process in practice, and your own system comes in when it no longer fits.
Does custom software talk to the SaaS I already use?
Yes, if the SaaS has an API. HubSpot, Pipedrive, RD Station and Airtable do.
How long does custom software take?
It depends on scope. AutoAgentes, a whole product, went from start to launch in 8 weeks.
Last verified on