Build vs buy: a 2026 framework
AI just shifted the line. Here's the new decision framework, with real numbers.
50% on kickoff, 50% on delivery · 30 days of free revisions · you own the code
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Why we wrote this. We ship work like this ourselves — not as a reseller or a marketplace. The timelines, deliverables, and price bands below come from real engagements we've run end-to-end at Smartly Built Ventures Limited (trading as Vibed Ventures).
Who this is for
- CTOs and heads of product making yearly tool decisions
- Founders weighing SaaS subscriptions vs in-house builds
- Operators tired of paying per-seat for half-used tools
What you get
- Why the build-vs-buy line moved 30% in the last 18 months
- The 5-question test we run with every client
- The hidden costs of both (lock-in vs maintenance)
- When to build, when to buy, when to fork open source
- Real cost models for three common cases
Dig deeper
Frequently asked
Did AI really change the math?
Yes. Custom-built tools that cost $30k in 2023 cost $8k in 2026. Per-seat SaaS pricing hasn't fallen at the same rate. The breakeven moved.
What happens next
- Step 1Tell us the problem60 seconds in the /solve box. You don't need a brief.
- Step 2Get a tailored reportROI, build plan and a rough price band — emailed to you.
- Step 3Book a 25-min callWe talk it through honestly. If it's not for us, we'll say so.
Related in guides
- How much does it cost to build an app in 2026?Real numbers from real builds. No 'it depends' filler.
- The 2-week MVP checklistEverything you need decided before kickoff so the build actually fits in 14 days.
- What is AI SEO — and does it actually work?What 'AI SEO' actually means, what it can't do, and what we've seen across real client builds.
- How to hire a vibe-coder without getting burnedThe questions to ask, the red flags to spot, and the contract clauses that matter.