"Custom software is too expensive." That's what everyone says — until someone shows them the math.
The Honest Range
A serious custom AI platform for a mid-size business: $150K-$500K depending on complexity. That includes design, development, AI integration, testing, deployment, and training.
Sounds like a lot. Let's compare it to what you're already spending.
The SaaS Alternative (3-Year View)
- Project management: $12K/year
- Document management: $18K/year
- CRM: $24K/year
- Custom workflows/automation: $15K/year
- AI add-ons: $20K/year
- Implementation & integration: $50K (one-time)
That's $89K/year recurring + $50K upfront = $317K over 3 years. And you own nothing.
The Custom Alternative
- Build: $250K (one-time)
- Hosting & maintenance: $15K/year
- AI model costs: $10K/year
$280K over 3 years. Same budget. But you own the code, the data, and the roadmap.
Where Custom Wins
Custom software wins when:
- You're using 3+ tools to do one job
- Your workflows are unique (most are)
- You care about data ownership
- You want AI baked in, not bolted on as an upsell
The Real Question
It's not "can we afford custom software?" It's "can we afford to keep renting tools that don't quite fit, forever?"