Custom App Development Vs. Off-The-Shelf Solutions (Business Edition)

I’ve studied all the alternatives to custom apps and that’s what I’ve learned.

Every second person on earth has a smartphone. According to rough estimates, there are already about 4 billion smartphone users worldwide. Hundreds of billions of dollars are spent annually on mobile applications. And there is a reason for that. People are just comfortable using smartphones and on top of that, they like to use mobile applications.

Well, we see eye to eye on this issue. A smartphone is always close at hand, all day long I can have an ingenious and multifunctional device at my disposal, and most importantly, virtually all the necessary services are available at the tap of a finger.

Oh, I wish it were like this! Alas, things are a little different.

More than 2 million applications are available for download in the App Store, and almost 3 million in the Google Play Store. The numbers are growing every day, and this fact is totally cool. But this option is not suitable for everyone.

First of all, the problem arises when it comes to business

Therefore, I decided to figure out whether it is worth investing in the development of a custom application, or whether a modern business can find an alternative.

Before moving on to mobile applications, let’s take a look at how things are with web services. This option undoubtedly has the right to exist, however, such solutions are often sold to companies on a subscription basis, and with the expiration of its validity, you could lose some information and previously established workflow might be gone as well. In addition, the use of web services requires an Internet connection, which in some situations is not always possible or convenient. It is also worth mentioning that this solution may be suitable only for those tasks that were originally foreseen by the developers. Therefore, for specific tasks, a cloud-based web service is not the best choice.

Another option is to install a paid or free app from the store. Such solutions are already much more functional than web applications, since they can usually work offline and have more functionality due to their native nature. However, they are not free from shortcomings, just like web services. You are still dependent on the company that provides you with services. You cannot be sure for certain about the safety of your data. And while the features of the application may be great, you still would not get an ultimate app because it is designed to suit the most average user.

And sooner or later it all boils down to the fact that seemingly ideal alternatives are far from ideal almost in each and every aspect.

Here are the main disadvantages: a rare account of the specifics of the business, no fine-tuning for each individual client, lack of scalability. However, it is foolish to deny that they have some advantages. As a compelling argument in favor of off-the-shelf solutions, I want to point out the following: low cost, do not require time to be developed, are updated by the service provider which also delivers all the technical support.

What are the bright sides of custom mobile apps for business?

The most important and indisputable advantage of custom mobile apps is the specialness and fine-tuning of absolutely every aspect of the application. Choosing custom development, you make it in favor of a unique product that is created only for you and directly with your participation. You get a tool that belongs only to you and will help optimize a whole bunch of business processes in your company. You also get complete freedom in terms of design and functionality of the final product. Custom apps are truly scalable — you can get any upgrade you want as soon as the need arises. In addition, a custom application is able to provide you with 100% security of your internal data.

However, there are aspects of this option that you should be aware of: cost and development time. Undoubtedly, any mobile application is an important step and a serious investment for any business. Since software engineering is a complex process, a large number of specialists are involved in it. Planning, development, and testing can take months, but the result is a flawless performance. An accurate project estimate will help you stay on budget and still get everything you were craving for. In addition, every dollar invested in a project is a dollar invested exclusively in your business.

Drawing Conclusion

Summing up, I want to note that both developing a custom mobile app and using off-the-shelf solutions are two options that have the right to exist.

Off-the-shelf solutions are ideal for small businesses that are not ready to invest in development. The market of such solutions is full of programs that allow you to solve a raft of generic tasks for free or at a low price and can help to establish basic business processes. However, you should not expect more from them.

A custom mobile application is a choice for those businesses that are ready to move to another stage. By investing in custom development, you get a perfectly tailored application that is also a powerful tool in the hands of the company. If you feel like you’re hitting the ceiling, then a custom mobile app can help you break through it. For sure, this is the thing that will not help you tumble over yourself, but will open up completely new possibilities for optimization of your workflow.

In my opinion, the whole picture is perfectly described by the phrase “you get what you pay for”. The off-the-shelf app is not a bad option, but, as usual, the devil is in the details. If you need a perfectly balanced and neat solution, then a custom mobile app is your way.

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