Buy vs. Build in the Modern Era
Engineers love to build. It is their default state. However, building non-core infrastructure is a massive distraction for a startup. We help leadership make objective Buy vs. Build decisions.
As a rule of thumb: If a SaaS product solves 80% of your problem for less than the cost of one engineer's monthly salary, you should buy it.
Evaluation Criteria
- Data Portability: How easily can we export our data if the vendor raises prices by 300%?
- API Quality: Is the product API-first, or is the API an afterthought to the UI?
- SSO Tax: Do they charge an extortionate premium just to enable SAML/SSO? (We actively advocate against vendors who do this).
| Domain | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Authentication | Always Buy (Auth0, Clerk, WorkOS). Never roll your own crypto. |
| Core Business Logic | Always Build. This is your competitive advantage. |