# Custom software vs SaaS: practical comparison with real ranges

> Fuente canónica: https://apferrer.com/en/custom-software-vs-saas
> Autora: APFerrer · Forward Deployed Engineer con 17 años de trayectoria
> Idioma: en

Cost, timeline, control, scalability, ownership. Honest comparison between the two paths, with documented market ranges.

## 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.

## Source context

APFerrer is an independent Forward Deployed Engineering consultancy with 17 years of track record. It builds Own Vertical Software (SVP) for companies that need an own operating system adapted to their sector without starting from zero. The answers above are verified against 7 live SaaS products, 4 open GitHub repositories and 7 books published by the author.

## See also

- [Own Vertical Software](https://apferrer.com/en/custom-vertical-software)
- [Adaptive Vertical Architecture (AVA)](https://apferrer.com/en/adaptive-vertical-architecture)
- [Market price map](https://apferrer.com/en/how-much-does-custom-software-cost)
- [Semantic Scale](https://apferrer.com/en/semantic-scale)
- [Book free diagnostic](https://apferrer.com/en/book)

_Last updated: 2026-10-23_