Omni Calculator logo

Build vs. Buy Calculator

Created by Bogna Szyk
Reviewed by Małgorzata Koperska, MD and Adena Benn
Last updated: Jun 05, 2023


Does it make sense to build your own internal software tool if someone else already did it and wants you to buy it? You can figure it out with this build vs. buy calculator. In just a few clicks, you will determine what allows you to save more in the long-term perspective: having your developers focus on creating a new piece of software, or paying the license fee.

Be sure also to check the software contract value calculator to find the total contract value based on various input parameters.

Costs when buying

If you decide to get access to an already existing platform that operates in the SaaS (Software as a Service) model, you have to pay a monthly or annual fee. Typically, this is the only cost if you settle for an external service.

We have created two handy tools about the SaaS model with extensive descriptions. Our SaaS metrics calculator considers all important parameters of this topic, and SaaS lifetime value calculator focuses precisely on the lifetime value (LTV).

Costs when building

The situation is a bit more complicated if you decide to build your own software. First of all, you need to estimate the one-time cost to build. You can calculate it according to the following formula:

cost to build = N * T * CE

where:

  • N is the number of developers on the team;
  • T is the time that team needs to build this software;
  • CE is the cost per employee. It is usually calculated as

CE = SE * (1 + OV)

where

  • SE is the monthly gross salary per employee, and
  • OV are the overhead costs (e.g., insurances), expressed as a percentage of the gross salary.

If you only know the hourly salary of your employee, you can use this hourly to salary calculator.

Apart from the one-time cost, any software that is built internally requires some maintenance. Every once in a while, one (or more) of your employees will devote their time and effort towards the product they've built. You can find the annual costs of maintenance according to the formula below:

maintenance costs = D * CE * 12 / 5

where

  • D is the number of days per month that one of your employees will spend on maintenance,
  • CE is the cost per employee,
  • 12 stands for the number of months in a year, and
  • 5 is the number of working days in a week.

Should I build or buy?

Building your own software is a form of investment. Instead of having a recurring cost of a license, you have to invest a large sum at the beginning. It means that if you only planned to use the software once, it wouldn't make any sense to build it. The benefits only appear with time - the longer you use your own product, the less you pay in total.

At some point, you will reach break-even. It means that the total costs of building and maintaining your own software are lower than the total costs of a license. You can find the break-even point with the equation below:

break even = cost to build / (license fee - maintenance cost)

If you're going to reach the break-even amount in under three years, it's profitable to build the software tool, as it will most probably turn out to be a good investment in the long run. The later the break-even occurs, the higher the probability that you will switch to some other product or maybe not need it anymore.

You can find more details about the break-even point in the break-even calculator.

Bogna Szyk
Buying an external service
Cost
$/
yr
Building your own tool
Employees required
Time to build
wks
Employee salary (gross)
$/
mo
Overhead
%
Employee cost
$/
mo
Days of maintentance
/
mo
Build or buy?
Cost to build
$
Annual maintenance
$/
yr
Annual savings
$
Years to profit
yrs
Check out 15 similar startup calculators
Discounted cash flowWebsite ad revenueBusiness budget… 12 more
People also viewed…

Bi-weekly mortgage payment

Use the bi-weekly mortgage payment calculator to see what would be your bi-weekly payment and how much interest you could save by making bi-weekly mortgage payments.

Christmas tree

Welcome to the Christmas tree calculator, where you will find out how to decorate your Christmas tree in the best way. Take a look at the perfect Christmas tree formula prepared by math professors and improved by physicists. Plan in advance how many lights and decorations you'll need!

Credit card payoff

The credit card payoff calculator determines how long it will take until you are completely debt-free.

Plastic footprint

Find out how much plastic you use throughout the year with this plastic footprint calculator. Rethink your habits, reduce your plastic waste, and make your life a little greener.
Copyright by Omni Calculator sp. z o.o.
Privacy, Cookies & Terms of Service