Decision calculators
Custom system or SaaS subscription — a 3 and 5 year TCO calculator
A subscription looks cheap in year one, and that is usually enough for it to win the comparison. The catch is that it scales with your headcount and never ends. This calculator puts both options on the same timeline and shows the month where the two cost lines cross.
Free · no signup · runs in your browser
Subscription option (SaaS)
Configuration, data migration, training.
Defaults to 5%. Check your contract for how the vendor may change pricing.
Custom option
Exmoor pricing: a simple system from PLN 5,000, a system with integrations PLN 10,000-25,000, a web and mobile platform from PLN 25,000.
Hosting, updates, fixes and further development. With us PLN 200, 500 or 1,200/month, plus hosting from about PLN 30.
Comparison
SaaS after 3 years
PLN 57,475
Custom after 3 years
PLN 33,000
Break-even point
13 months
From this month the custom system is cheaper cumulatively.
SaaS after 5 years
PLN 98,483
Custom after 5 years
PLN 45,000
Difference after 5 years
PLN 53,483
That is what you save by going custom.
Find out which range your scope falls into
Get a ballpark instantly in our quote calculator. A human replies within 24 hours, and a firm quote follows a short call.
Estimate your project in 2 minHow it works
- 01
Describe the subscription option
Price per user per month, number of users, one-off onboarding cost and expected annual price increase.
- 02
Describe the custom option
Build budget and monthly running cost. If you do not know the budget, start from the ranges on our pricing page.
- 03
Compare TCO and break-even
You get total cost after 3 and 5 years for both options, plus the month where the custom system becomes cheaper.
Assumptions and limits
- The calculator compares costs only. It does not price functional differences, delivery risk, or the fact that an off-the-shelf tool is available tomorrow while a custom system has to be built.
- The annual subscription price increase defaults to 5%. That is an assumption, not a forecast - check your contract for how the vendor may change pricing.
- On the custom side, running costs matter: hosting, updates, fixes and further development. With us care costs PLN 200, 500 or 1,200/month. Leaving the field empty will overstate the custom option.
- If the result comes out close to even, the decision probably should not be made on cost, but on whether the off-the-shelf tool handles your process without bending the company around it.
Frequently asked questions
Is a custom system always cheaper in the long run? +
No. With a small team and a cheap subscription, off-the-shelf can win even over five years. The custom advantage grows with headcount and with how far your process sits from what the vendor assumes.
What does this calculator not cover? +
The cost of leaving. Off-the-shelf tools are hard to exit, because your data and integrations live on the vendor side and migration can cost more than several years of subscription. Assess that separately.
What budget should I enter if I have no quote? +
Start from our pricing ranges: automating a single process from PLN 1,500, a simple system from PLN 5,000, a system with integrations from PLN 10,000, a platform from PLN 25,000. You can get a ballpark for your scope instantly in our quote calculator.
Does the form data go anywhere? +
No. Everything is computed in your browser, nothing is sent to a server and no results are stored.
Turn the numbers into a project
Get a ballpark instantly, a reply from a human within 24 hours and a firm quote after a short call. No obligation.
Estimate your project in 2 min