Build vs buy.

Custom or off-the-shelf? An honest framework.

When does it make sense to build something custom, and when should you just rent the SaaS? We weigh up cost, time-to-value, ownership, and lock-in across CRMs, websites, e-commerce, AI tools and internal platforms.

1 article·Latest: 12 Apr 2026

Two business people shaking hands across a desk covered in laptops and paperwork — the moment a sales pipeline closes, which is what every CRM is meant to support.

Custom CRM vs HubSpot in 2026: an honest decision framework

HubSpot's pricing has crept past £400/seat/month for the tiers most growing businesses end up on. At what point does a custom CRM beat it? Here's the honest framework — covering scope, time-to-value, ownership, and the migration cost everyone forgets.

Lewis Parker·12 Apr 2026·4 min read

Read article

More streams

Pivot to a different flavour.

Cost guides

What things actually cost in 2026.

1 article →✱

AI playbooks

Practical AI for real businesses.

1 article →◐

Behind the build

Day-by-day case-study deep-dives.

1 article →◇

Industry guides

The software stack by sector.

1 article →