The decision to build or buy software is one of the most critical choices an organisation can make. It affects how fast a company can move, how well a system aligns with business processes, and how much control is retained over future innovation. Traditionally, this has been a clear trade-off: build for customisation and control, buy for speed and simplicity. But with the rise of powerful No-Code platforms like redSling, that equation is starting to shift.
This article explores the pros and cons of both approaches and explains why building with redSling offers a third path, combining the flexibility of custom development with the speed and clarity of an off-the-shelf solution.
The Case for Building Software
Organisations often choose to build custom software when they need a solution that fits their business like a glove. Building allows for complete customisation, from the user interface to the backend logic and integration points. Businesses retain full ownership of their intellectual property and are free to scale or pivot the system as their needs evolve.
Custom software can also enable the integration of emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning in ways that support unique business models and create competitive differentiation, something that commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions rarely provide.
However, the traditional path of custom software development is not without its challenges. It requires a team of skilled developers, careful planning, and significant investment in time and resources. Development timelines can stretch into months or even years. Extended testing cycles especially for large or highly regulated environments can further delay deployment. There’s also the risk of scope creep, of misaligned requirements, or of costly delays.
In short, building offers power and flexibility, but it demands patience, expertise, and a long-term commitment.
The Case for Buying Software
Buying COTS software is typically the fastest way to get up and running. Many platforms come pre-packaged with best practices, workflows, and industry-specific features. For businesses with generic needs, or for teams looking to quickly automate a standard process, buying can be the obvious choice.
The trade-off is flexibility. Customising off-the-shelf platforms is often difficult, expensive, or flat-out impossible. Businesses must adapt their processes to the tool, rather than the other way around. When it comes to advanced technologies such as AI, most COTS software cannot be configured to address specific severely limiting the ability to gain competitive advantage through innovation.
There’s also the ongoing issue of licensing complexity: many vendors charge per user, per module, per deployment environment, or for each external stakeholder added, making cost tracking difficult and scaling painful.
In essence, buying software gets you started quickly, but it can hold you back when your needs grow or change.
The Third Option: Building with redSling
The rise of No-Code and next-generation development platforms has introduced a new way forward. With redSling, organisations no longer have to choose between building slowly or buying inflexibly.
redSling is a No-Code Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) designed for teams that need to build scalable, enterprise-grade applications quickly and without compromise. Unlike traditional BPM or low-code platforms, redSling enables full-stack capabilities including UI design, business logic, data models, API integrations, and deployment on any infrastructure including private cloud or on-prem.
Applications built on redSling can support everything from internal operational tools to fully-fledged multi-tenant core applications. Here’s why redSling is emerging as the better choice for modern software teams:
- Speed without sacrifice: With redSling, applications can be developed at a fraction of the time compared to traditional coding, without losing flexibility or power.
- Custom logic and design: Teams can design UIs with complete creative freedom and implement complex logic using redSling’s LogicBuilder, which mirrors the control of traditional programming.
- Integration with emerging tech: redSling supports integration with the latest technologies such as AI/ML services, IoT sensors, robotic control systems, inbuilt 3D visualisation tools, all allowing use-case-specific innovation to be built directly into the application.
- Simple licensing: One of redSling’s most distinctive advantages is its licensing model. Instead of charging based on users, usage tiers, or infrastructure, redSling licenses are based on the number of applications built. This clarity eliminates hidden costs and makes scaling predictable.
- Platformless deployment: Applications built with redSling are packaged as Docker images and can be deployed anywhere – on-premise, in the cloud, or across hybrid environments without depending on a runtime engine or vendor lock-in.
- Faster upskilling: redSling was designed with accessibility in mind. Teams can onboard and become productive in weeks, not months, thanks to its intuitive interface and logic design.
Build at the Speed of Buy
In a world that demands speed, adaptability, and efficiency, the traditional build vs buy debate is no longer enough. Both paths come with clear strengths—but also serious compromises.
redSling presents a compelling third option: the ability to build at the speed of buying, while maintaining the flexibility, ownership, and scalability that custom solutions offer. For businesses that want the best of both worlds, redSling is not just an alternative, it’s a new standard.
