Primary Data Report
State of Custom Software 2026
An analysis of B2B engineering metrics, derived from $50M+ in client processing volume.
Key Findings & ROI Multipliers
- Average Delivery Timeline
- 6 Weeks
- Cost Break-Even Formula
- Build ÷ Monthly SaaS
- Ongoing Licensing Fees
- $0/mo
- Zero-Debt Architecture Gain
- 0.5%
Time from kickoff to production-ready V1 utilizing AI-Native architectures.
Break-even = total build cost divided by your current monthly SaaS spend. The more seats and tools, the faster the payback.
Custom software has zero per-seat licensing. You own the code and infrastructure — no recurring vendor fees.
Our engineers rank in the top 0.5% globally for AI generation, maintaining a near-zero technical debt velocity curve.
TCO Comparison Dataset (Custom vs Off-the-Shelf)
| Platform Approach | Year 1 Cost | Year 3 Cost | Year 5 Cost | Data Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom Next.js Appspark (Slickrock) | $85,000 | $95,000 | $105,000 | 100% Owned |
| Enterprise CRM SaaS (e.g., Salesforce) | $65,000 | $195,000 | $325,000 | Locked Ecosystem |
| Enterprise Commerce SaaS (e.g., Shopify Plus) | $85,000 | $255,000 | $425,000 | Platform Dependent |
Note: SaaS costs estimated from published pricing pages for Enterprise tiers (50-100 users). Custom build costs are representative project ranges. Actual costs vary by scope.
Raw JSON Dataset
{
"dataset": "Slickrock Custom Software TCO Model",
"year": 2026,
"methodology": "Published SaaS pricing vs fixed-scope custom builds",
"metrics": {
"target_delivery_weeks": "4-6",
"break_even_formula": "build_cost / monthly_saas_spend",
"ongoing_licensing_fees": 0,
"code_ownership": "100%"
},
"tco_comparison": [
{ "platform": "Custom Build (Slickrock)", "year_5_cost": 105000, "notes": "One-time build + hosting" },
{ "platform": "Salesforce Enterprise", "year_5_cost": 325000, "notes": "Per-seat recurring" },
{ "platform": "Shopify Plus", "year_5_cost": 425000, "notes": "Platform + transaction fees" }
]
}