KEVOS® WORKOS · Business
Build or Buy Software
Should you build custom software or buy an existing product?
Compares total cost of ownership of custom software and a package, with fit and uniqueness ratings.
Open the calculatorRuns in your browser. No account needed.
How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Custom build cost | $ | Quoted custom build cost |
| Custom annual support | $ | Annual support, hosting and maintenance of custom software |
| Package setup cost | $ | Package implementation and set-up cost |
| Package monthly cost | $ | Package subscription per month |
| Comparison period | years | Comparison period |
| Off-the-shelf fit | 1–5 score | Rating of how well the package fits your process (tested with real scenarios) |
| Uniqueness of requirement | 1–5 score | Rating of how unique your requirement is |
| Need for control | 1–5 score | Rating of how much control you need over the system |
Method and formulas
- Custom TCO = build + annual support × years
- Package TCO = set-up + monthly × 12 × years
- BUILD if need ≥ 4, fit ≤ 3 and custom TCO ≤ 1.5 × package; BUY if fit ≥ 4
Limitations
- Undiscounted; delivery risk of custom builds is not priced
Typical uses
- System selection
- Custom development proposals
Who it is for
- Owners and managers
- IT and operations leads
What you get
- BUILD, BUY or COMPARE IN DETAIL
- TCO of each option
Interpreting the result
- A fit-gap analysis is needed whenever the result is COMPARE IN DETAIL
WORKOS tools are screening and decision-support utilities. Verify important financial, engineering, safety, legal or operational decisions using appropriate professional standards and your organisation’s approved data.
