Custom business application vs off-the-shelf software: which to choose?

In almost every sector there is an "off-the-shelf" software package promising to do everything. So why invest in a custom business application? It is a fair question — and the right answer is not always "custom". Here are the criteria for making an honest decision.

What standard software does very well

Standard software is quick to get running, has a moderate entry cost (often a per-user subscription), and updates are handled by the vendor. It also comes with documentation and a community of users. For a common need — accounting, a basic CRM, project management — it is often the right choice: there is no point reinventing what already exists.

When standard software reaches its limits

A few signs show that an off-the-shelf tool no longer keeps up:

• you adapt the way you work to the software, rather than the other way round;
• you juggle several tools and Excel exports to make them talk to each other, with re-keying as a result;
• you pay per-user licences for features nobody uses, and the bill grows with every hire;
• your process is exactly what sets you apart (scheduling, specific invoicing, business rules) and no vendor covers it;
• your data lives with the vendor, who alone decides its roadmap and pricing.

What a custom application brings

A custom application is designed around your process: screens, rules, access rights and generated documents match the way you work. It connects to your existing tools (email, invoicing, Microsoft 365), you stay in control of your data and it grows with your business. Gigaweb, for instance, built Shuttle Plan (management and scheduling of shuttle services) and Activ'dog (volunteer activity management and invoicing): two needs very specific to a trade.

Compare the real cost, not the starting price

Standard software looks cheaper in the first month, but you have to add up per-user licences over several years, paid modules, configuration and time lost on workarounds. Custom development requires a larger initial investment, followed by maintenance and evolution costs. The right reflex: compare over 3 to 5 years, not over the first month.

A third way: standard + a custom building block

It is not a binary choice. Often the best solution is to keep standard software for what is standard (accounting, for example) and to build custom only the piece that makes you different, connected to the rest. You limit the investment while removing the re-keying.

Five questions to decide

• Is your process common, or specific to your trade?
• How many users today, and in three years?
• How many tools and manual re-entries today?
• What happens if the vendor changes its pricing or discontinues its product?
• Can you easily retrieve and export your data?

If you are unsure, we analyse your process with you and tell you honestly whether existing software is enough. Also discover our projects and our business application management service.