Question 1

Is it cheaper to build your own software than to keep paying for SaaS?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes - but rarely at the price the first spreadsheet shows. Practitioner consensus puts the true cost of owned software at a multiple of the naive build estimate once maintenance, dependency updates, and ownership staffing are priced over five years. AI-assisted development cut the cost of the first draft, not the cost of the years after it.

Question 2

What costs do build-vs-buy spreadsheets usually miss?

Accepted Answer

Years two through five: maintenance and refresh, dependency and security updates, the salary of the named owner, and the risk cost of that owner leaving. The build is usually the cheap part.

Question 3

Does the best-documented insourcing case show cost savings?

Accepted Answer

No - and that is the honest base rate. Norway's NAV brought 100+ systems in-house successfully, but peer-reviewed researchers could not find clear evidence of the projected savings. The benefits that materialized were ownership, speed, and quality.

Is it cheaper to build your own software than to keep paying for SaaS?

The short answer, with operator context.

Outcomes that inform this answer.

What to ask next.

What costs do build-vs-buy spreadsheets usually miss?

Does the best-documented insourcing case show cost savings?

Where to go next.

Turn the answer into an operating plan

What costs do build-vs-buy spreadsheets usually miss?

Does the best-documented insourcing case show cost savings?

Should my company build or buy software?

How do CFOs reduce SaaS spend without cutting tools teams rely on?

How do I negotiate a SaaS renewal price increase?

Turn the answer into an operating plan