Custom software vs SaaS: each path has a clear use case.
Criterion-by-criterion comparison with real Spanish market ranges. You will finish knowing which path fits your operation and your budget.
Six criteria you can actually verify before signing
| Criterion | SaaS | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | From €20-100 user/month. Zero setup if config is standard. | €15,000-€100,000 by scope, public market references. |
| 3-year cost | Scales with users and modules. Renegotiable at each renewal. | Stabilizes at maintenance (15-20% of initial cost per year). |
| Time to operational | Days or weeks for basic use. Months if there are integrations. | 6-10 months usual. 6-12 weeks if SVP fits your sector. |
| Control over the product | Vendor roadmap. You can vote, not decide. | Total. You decide features, priorities and pace. |
| Fit with your operation | Good if your process matches the vendor's assumption. Bad if you deviate. | Designed around how you actually operate. |
| Ownership and exit | Data exportable. Logic stays with the vendor. | Data and code negotiable. No lock-in exit if defined. |
Cost ranges and figures triangulated in /how-much-does-custom-software-cost with public Spanish market sources (Vertebra Gestión, Davisa, Cero Ideas, ASD Solutions, Pistacho Digital, Efiprox).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, custom software or SaaS?
Neither wins in the abstract. SaaS wins when the process is sector-standard. Custom wins when off-the-shelf does not fit or when the process is the differential. The free 30-minute session answers what fits each case.
Which costs less over 3 years?
Depends on volume. SaaS scales its invoice with users and modules. Custom software stabilizes at maintenance (15-20% of initial cost per year). With large or growing volumes, custom usually wins.
Which one goes live sooner?
SaaS: days or weeks for basic use, months if there are integrations. Custom software: 6 to 10 months usual (source: Vertebra Gestión). Own Vertical Software (SVP): 6 to 12 weeks when the vertical body already exists.
Can I migrate from SaaS to custom (or vice versa)?
Yes, if data is exportable. Migration is planned in the design phase with a closed budget before any code is touched. In SVP full export is always available frictionless.
Is there a middle path between SaaS and custom?
Own Vertical Software (SVP). Starts from a vertical body already built for the sector and adapts to the operation. Same market range as complex custom with the timeline cut to 6-12 weeks.
SaaS, custom or SVP? Depends on the concrete case
No path wins in the abstract. The free 30-minute session answers what fits your operation, volume, integrations and budget.