Bespoke Apps vs. Off The Shelf Apps: Which One Is The Best?

We've been in the app development field for over 12 years, and there's one question that business owners and leaders frequently ask:

Should I invest in a bespoke app or purchase off-the-shelf software?

And every time this query pops up, we have always maintained the same answer: it depends on your needs and budget.

Each solution has its own advantages and drawbacks, so it's important to assess these factors before making an informed choice.

If you're facing the same struggle, read on to find the differences between custom and off-the-shelf apps in this article!

What Are Bespoke Apps?

As a business owner or leader, have you ever found your team needing a specific set of functions that no software has?

If so, it's a telltale sign that you should invest in bespoke apps.

To put it simply, a bespoke application is custom-made software, built from scratch according to the specific requirements of your business or team.

Custom app development services are usually needed when a company wants to streamline their workflow.

For instance, you might want to create a software suite that includes a customer relationship management (CRM) app and an enterprise resource planning system.

Another common goal of custom software development is to create a stripped-down version of an existing app.

Most of the time, this is done so you and your team can have a decluttered digital workspace.

What Are Off The Shelf Apps?

Also called commercial apps, off the shelf apps are ready-made software. You may already know many of them, such as Asana, Zapier, and Odoo.

Unlike bespoke apps, commercial software is designed for mass production.

In other words, off the shelf apps may not fulfil all of your business's requirements. Or, they may have too many features that your team does not need.

But that is not the only difference between off the shelf vs custom software. Read on to know how the two compare.

Bespoke vs Off The Shelf Apps

While the advantages of mobile app development are clear, choosing the most suitable way to build one isn't always simple.

To help you decide, below are the aspects that make custom apps different from their commercial counterparts:

Time to Acquire

Getting off the shelf apps is very straightforward. Simply go to the developer's website or app store page and pay for the plan.

Bespoke apps, on the other hand, cannot be deployed right away. You must first discuss your team's needs with an app development agency.

In addition, custom software development involves multiple tweaks based on your feedback. So naturally, a longer process is inevitable.

However, this drawback is worth your time, as your business will get a personalised tool that boosts productivity.

Also Read: Avoid mistakes others make when building a mobile app with these app development tips

Scalability

Your digital workspace must be able to fulfil the ever-changing demands of business operations. For that reason, you need bespoke apps that scale well with time.

Off the shelf apps may answer your challenges for a few years.

But after a while, they probably lack features or integration with other services that can benefit your business' direction.

For example, your company is trying affiliate marketing and requires a system that allows you to manage all affiliates in one place.

While you can get another app for that purpose, it will cost you another yearly subscription.

In contrast, customised software offers much better flexibility in terms of features. Whenever you want to add a new function, you just have to discuss it with your development agency.

Also, developers are capable of integrating bespoke apps with third-party solutions with the help of custom API.

Security

Commercial apps are constant targets for cyberattacks due to their prominence. Hackers will always look for security loopholes that they can exploit in these pieces of software.

While companies behind off the shelf apps keep improving the safety level, not everyone wants the risk of compromised productivity.

Thankfully, custom apps are less likely to be targeted by cyberattacks since they are only used by one organisation.

On top of that, you can ask for additional layers of safeguards from your app development agency.

Plus, you have more control over your data security. With commercial apps, you can never be sure whether they share your information with third-party platforms.

Support

Most well-known commercial apps have a support team to guide you through technical issues.

The same also applies to app development agencies. But the only difference is, they are the ones who fix bugs and do all the maintenance, and not you.

If you're a busy entrepreneur or manager, this can be a huge time saver.

Both you and your team can focus on what matters most instead of technical complexities of running an app.

Cost

Off the shelf apps are affordable at first. However, the accumulated yearly subscription makes it expensive over time.

Apart from that, the limited scalability renders commercial software a less worthy investment.

On the other hand, bespoke apps come with higher upfront costs, including planning, design, and testing.

But in the long run, you end up with a personalised tool that helps your organisation scale faster.

Conclusion

Off the shelf apps are not necessarily bad. If you own a small startup, they are enough to support your business operations.

But as your company and its demands grow, you need a customised solution that can be adjusted over time. That is where bespoke software comes into play.

Designing a custom app for desktop or mobile systems calls for a reliable app development agency.

With over 12 years in the field, serving hundreds of clients worldwide, Intelivita is the right choice for that.

Contact us today and let's discuss your plan!