01BUILD
- ControlFull
- Time to ship14–22h
- Maintenance2–4h / mo
- FitCustom workflow
Independent software decisions / transparent evidence
Should you code it —
or buy it?
Source-checked case reports, clearly labeled decision models, and explicit cost formulas for software decisions.
Illustrative model
Customer feedback board- Build estimate
- 14–22 hours
- Buy price
- $79 / month
- 3-year crossover
- Month 17
Build or buy comparison
02BUY
- Time to shipMinutes
- Subscription$79 / mo
- ReliabilityManaged
- Lock-inMedium
VerdictBuy now. Build when the workflow becomes core.
✓ Transparent method⌁ Editable cost model□ Example inputs
Models in development
View all01 / Operations
Scheduling software
Calendly versus building a focused scheduling flow with calendar and payment APIs.
Example · 18–26 hoursBUY
02 / SalesInternal CRM
A lightweight custom customer system versus another configurable per-seat CRM.
Example · 22–40 hoursHYBRID
03 / SupportAI support chatbot
Build a retrieval-based assistant with your own data, or buy managed reliability and helpdesk integrations.
Example · 12–18 hoursBUILD
Field reports
View reportsPublic-source case / Source checked
They built a CRM over a weekend. Then they chose Salesforce.
David Friedberg's team got an internal CRM running quickly with AI coding tools. The reversal came later, when operating it competed with software unique to the business.
Code or Buy verdictHYBRID→