New research: The State of SaaS: Build vs. Buy, October 2026.The State of SaaS, October 2026. Read the report
Build vs. Buy
Real builds from teams that replaced software, and when to keep paying.
The Short Answer · Updated November 4, 2026
Build when you pay a lot for a tool and use a small part of it, or your process doesn't fit it. Buy when your needs are standard and the price is fair. Before deciding, count hosting, upkeep and who fixes it when it breaks, and compare with teams that already built their own.
Replaced By AI
20
public build posts across 17 tools, most built with Claude
Estimate Your Build
A labeled estimate for your tool.
Step 2See Replaced By AI
Which tools teams rebuilt, and with which AI.
Step 3Read Build Stories
What teams built and what it saves.
Sometimes. Building wins when you pay a lot for a tool and use a small part of it. Buying wins when your needs are standard and the tool is cheap per seat. Count hosting, upkeep and who fixes it when it breaks.
Hosting, small updates, security fixes and the time of whoever owns it. Teams that report their builds on HissingKitty list these next to what they saved.
It depends on scope. Teams in our stories report anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for a focused replacement. Bigger systems take longer.
When the tool is core, regulated or used by most of the company, and the price is fair for what you use. Slack, Vanta and Drata are common examples.
Thirty seconds, anonymous. Every rating and price helps the next buyer decide whether to keep paying.