Should I build an internal tool or buy existing software?

Question

VX-N · Accepted Answer

Buy when the process is common and a mature product exists. Build when the process is how you actually compete, when no product fits without painful workarounds, or when per-seat pricing across a growing team exceeds what a focused build would cost. The question to ask is not 'can we build it' but 'do we want to own it forever'. Every internal tool is a permanent maintenance commitment. A middle path works surprisingly often: buy the platform, build the thin custom layer that makes it fit. You get the vendor's maintenance and your own workflow.