Free Tool
Build vs Buy
8 weighted factors across 4 axes — uniqueness, speed, economics, and team capability. Get a scored recommendation with a visual build-vs-buy meter, axis breakdown, and a sanity-check on when the recommendation would be wrong.
0 of 8 answered
- 01
How unique is the problem?
How unique is this workflow to your business?
- 02
How unique is the problem?
Does this workflow create competitive advantage?
- 03
How unique is the problem?
How sensitive is the data involved?
- 04
How fast do you need it?
How soon do you need this running?
- 05
How fast do you need it?
How often will you need to change what it does?
- 06
What does the money look like?
What does the long-term cost picture look like?
- 07
What does the money look like?
What's the volume this system needs to handle?
- 08
What's your team set up to do?
Does someone own AI/engineering work internally?
8 factors left.
How the scoring works
Each of the 8 factors has 3 options scored -1, 0, or +1 — where -1 tilts the recommendation toward buy and +1 tilts toward build. The 8 factors roll up to a total score between -8 and +8, bucketed into 4 recommendations: Buy / Mostly Buy / Mostly Build / Build.
The factors are weighted equally — no magic multipliers. If a factor doesn't apply to your situation, pick the neutral middle option and it contributes zero to the score.
Why we show “when this is wrong”. Every decision tool that just hands you a verdict without caveats is lying about how complicated these choices actually are. The “when not” section on each result names the specific situation where the recommendation breaks down — so you can check your inputs against reality before acting on it.