Custom Software Development

Custom Software Development

Or Off-the-Shelf Software


Making the right choice for your business.

Build or Buy?

Custom software development vs Off-the-shelf software

What is custom software development?

Custom software development is the process of designing, developing, and deploying software that caters to a specific set of users, processes, and business requirements. Also known as bespoke software, it is focused on defined requirements and helps to achieve a competitive edge for your unique business needs.

What is off-the-shelf software?

Off-the-shelf software is ready-made software that can be readily rolled out for immediate use by a mass audience. It comes with well-rounded solutions and features to streamline business operations at a faster pace, and acts like a one-size-fits-all solution to a broad spectrum of common problems.
Instant availability Business-specific features Quick implementation Scalable to business needs Seamless integration Support & maintenance Long term cost-efficiency Enhanced security Low upfront cost Competitive advantage
Custom Software
Off-the-shelf Software
Custom Software Off-the-shelf Software
Instant availability
Business-specific features
Quick implementation
Scalable to business needs
Seamless integration
Support & maintenance
Long term cost-efficiency
Enhanced security
Low upfront cost
Competitive advantage

Custom Software vs Off-the-Shelf

Custom Software

Pros

Cons

Off-the-Shelf

Pros

Cons

Making a decision

Choosing between custom software development & off-the-shelf software

Custom Software Development

Off-the-Shelf Software

No one-size fits all.

It’s always better to seek expert advice.

Estimating the spend

Cost of building the software

Making the decision between custom software development or off-the-shelf software can be a daunting task, but it’s important to consider the cost-effectiveness of each option.

Off-the-Shelf Software is a quick and affordable solution.

Custom Software Development is tailored, but cost-effective in the long run.

The cost-effectiveness of each option will depend on your specific business requirements and goals. However, investing in a custom software solution will provide you a unique competitive advantage that will unlock bigger opportunities.

Successful software cost estimation requires expertise and understanding of industrial factors.

Maintaining the continuity

Moving to Custom Software Development

Switching to custom software doesn’t have to mean breaking down your existing system and starting from scratch. This can be done through a phased implementation approach, where the new software is integrated incrementally into the existing system. This approach minimizes the risk of disruption and allows for a smooth transition to the new software.
Working with an experienced software development partner can also help ensure a smooth transition to custom software, as they can provide guidance on the best practices and tools for seamless integration.

Fingent’s approach

Custom Software Development Process

A well-defined software development process starts with consultation and analyzing the underlying business ecosystem. First, understanding the business needs and defining the project scope, goals, and timeline. Gather all the details about what the software must do and document it. Next, create a visual representation of the software and build a working prototype to see and feel the software before it’s fully built.
Followed by development, testing, and deploying the software. Once complete, the software must be administered with ongoing support, bug fixes, and upgrades to ensure the software continues to meet business needs. According to Fingent, following a structured and well-defined process enables to deliver high-quality software that meets the business requirements and provides long-term value.
Free consultations
Ideation
Strategy
Design
Development
Testing
Maintenance

Ensuring reliability

Software maintenance and support

However well designed, every software requires periodic maintenance and support services- from fixing the bugs and errors to improving its features and functionality. There are different types of software maintenance performed for various reasons and purposes- corrective, preventive, and adaptive maintenance and support. A software may have to undergo one or more types of maintenance throughout the software maintenance life cycle. A reliable software development partner ensures that the following activities are performed in a timely manner.
Application
Re-engineering
Bugs and Flaws
Tracking
Application
Migration
Performance
Monitoring

Making the process smoother

Finding the right software development expert

It is always better to know more about your software development partner before getting into business.

Insights

More Insights on Custom Software Development

Choosing the Right Custom Software For Your Business

Picking the best custom software for your business is the key to growing significantly and efficiently. But, curious about how to choose the right one? Click here to help you point in the right direction. continue reading

How Custom Software Helps to Reduce Your Development Costs

Custom software can considerably lower development costs without compromising quality. Here’s everything on how to manage your project budget and ensure to stay within your desired range. continue reading

Custom Software and Off-the-shelf Software

When your business needs new software, there are two options: Custom software or off-the-shelf software. Both have advantages and uses, but find out which is more beneficial for your business. continue reading

Custom Software Solutions: Maintenance & Support

Guarantee a high-quality user experience with custom software maintenance and support. Hiring the right company to design and develop custom software is highly crucial for your business’s success. continue reading

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Customized software saves your IT expenditure by offering subscription-based pricing and reduces your maintenance costs. Custom application development enhances your operational efficiency, saves your labor and training costs, and offers you the ability to scale with the market needs. A property management portal/application that allows field agents/ brokers to coordinate between buyers and sellers is an example of customized software in real estate.

An example of customized software in the healthcare sector will be an Appointment Management System that enables clinics or hospitals to track patient appointments.
A number of factors weigh into this decision including scalability, existing platforms, client’s existing infrastructure, data types, and so on. Primarily, the decision should be based on your specific business needs and set of features expected out of the application.

For instance, Microsoft .NET is a highly versatile framework that can be used for nearly every solution, while certain demands can be better executed using a PHP/MySQL stack or a specific similar technology. Fingent’s Development Team is well-versed in nearly all available development technologies and applies the appropriate technology to the appropriate solution.
It’s tough to estimate the exact development cost of custom software because every piece of software is tailor-made and unique. No two custom-built applications are the same. Hence, sharing an approximation of general costs without understanding the project’s specific requirements is difficult.

There are numerous aspects that contribute to the costs of custom software development which include the size of the software (the number of pages/ screens), the complexity of the software, design specifications, integration with other systems, migration of existing data, usage patterns, and so on.
In certain cases, it is possible to do so. Fingent’s software architects will guide you by analyzing the needs, scalability, and supportability of your older app and offer you the appropriate recommendations. Integrating your existing application to a newer application is also dependent upon the level of access that we have to your older app’s fundamental functions or if an API is made available by the app. (API or Application Programming Interface is a built-in feature that allows external connection to an app’s data).
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