Custom Software Vs. Commercial of the Shelf Software

Software with standardized, universal features is commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software. A COTS software is made for commercial purposes; business owners can purchase and use the software. Updating and maintaining the application is the responsibility of the developer. This is often a very convenient and affordable option for business owners.

On the other hand, custom software is a carefully planned and designed application that serves the needs of any given business. It often only includes limited yet useful features. Business owners must allocate an annual budget to maintain and update the software. Accordingly, such applications are often heavier on the pocket than commercial of-the-shelf software.

Advantages of Custom Software Development:

Though developing a customized app may cost more than purchasing any COTS, it might be the right choice for your business and, thus, a good investment. Here is a list of advantages of custom software development:

1.      Innovative and unique:

Customization provides you with a lot of room to be creative and innovative. You can come up with mind-blowing ideas to make your app stand out. You can communicate your ideas to a custom software development service provider, and they will incorporate those ideas, making your app unique.

2.      Allows Scalability and Optimization:

You can introduce new features or improve the existing features on your customizable app. As the owner of a custom app, you don’t have to rely on anyone else for any sort of updates. Whenever you feel the need to introduce a new feature or improve any aspect of your app, you can reach out to your custom software development service provider and ask them to make the changes.

3.      More Personalized:

Customization of software makes it more personalized. Through customization of your application, you can make it more interactive. This would enable users to get a more enhanced and personal experience. As a result, customer satisfaction will improve.

4.      Smooth Integration:

Integrating a COTS can be a nightmare; you might be required to purchase extensions to make the software compatible with your other applications. When you get a custom app developed, it can be easily integrated with other software.

5.      Better Security:

The nature of certain businesses requires more security than others. For example, a digital banking application would require high security; otherwise, the users won’t trust and, thus, use the app. Through customization, you can choose the data security protocols you would follow to ensure the data is secure and customers’ trust is maintained.

On the other hand, COTS are not as secure because they have an open source code that can easily be hacked. Thus, the confidential information on COTS is not secure.

6.      Enhanced Performance:

When you build an application from scratch, you have the leverage of including only the necessary features and not including the useless features. Consequently, your application only includes the features that add value. So, your software may be stable and efficient.

7.      Ownership of the Software

When you get a customized app made, you own the rights to the app. This prevents you from depending on the COTS developer for any updates and modifications and allows you to incorporate the most advanced tools and features to make your app stand out. You can use the app however you like, and you can build and re-build your app as per your needs. All you need to do is communicate your plans, needs, and wishes to the custom software development service that builds your app for you.

When should you choose custom software development?

How do you decide if you need to avail these benefits? Here is a list of conditions in which you should choose custom software development instead of COTS. You should opt for it when:

• Your business model requires a personalized application.
• You have enough capital to invest in the development process.
• The app needs to be compatible with existing software that is being used by your business.
• The service your application aims to provide entails high-security threats, and you need extremely secure software.
• You plan to scale up your business in the future.

Conclusion:

Custom software development has a lot of advantages. It is mostly better than COTS. However, building an entire app may cost you a lot. But, there is no denying that custom app development offers a better return on investment. When the customer experience is better, and the app efficiently performs, your business will grow more; thus, you’ll soon get your return on investment. In addition, you can also modify the cost by:

• Coming up with a detailed list of requirements: Only include the necessary features. Avoid adding any unnecessary features.
• Keep the app design simple: There is no need to make the app too complex. It will just increase the cost of app development.
• Communicate your expectations with the custom software development service to make sure they understand what you need, reducing the time and effort of the developers. Consequently, this would also reduce the cost of app development. Effective communication allows you to interact with your developer team to determine the most cost-effective development strategy.

Accordingly, developing a customized application for your business might just be your best investment!