Custom CRM vs off-the-shelf: which is right for your business?

The short answer

Buy an off-the-shelf CRM if your sales process looks like most other companies' and your team is small. Build a custom CRM when your process is unusual, when per-user licence fees are adding up, or when your CRM needs to run operations as well as sales.

When off-the-shelf wins

• You need something working this week.
• A standard pipeline of lead, quote and won or lost fits how you sell.
• You have only a handful of users, so licence fees are modest.
• You want a large marketplace of ready-made add-ons.

When custom wins

• Your team works around the CRM with spreadsheets because it does not fit the job.
• You pay for a high tier to unlock one or two features.
• You need the CRM to handle things specific to your trade: jobs, bookings, compliance checks, stock or commissions.
• You want customers or partners to log in to their own portal.
• You want to own the software and the data outright.

Comparing the cost

Off-the-shelf CRMs charge per user, per month, usually with features gated by tier. That is cheap for three people and expensive for thirty. A custom CRM has a larger one-off build cost and a small monthly hosting and support cost that does not rise with headcount. Our custom CRMs start from £6,000. To compare fairly, add up three years of licences, add-ons and consultant time on one side and build plus support on the other.

A middle route

You do not have to choose one extreme. Many firms keep a standard CRM and have us build the missing piece around it, such as a quoting tool, a customer portal or an automation that connects it to their accounts package.

Quick answers