Factor	Score 1 (Ready-Made)	Score 5 (Custom)	Your Score (1-5)
Process Uniqueness	Our workflow is standard/common.	Our workflow is unique to us.
Speed to Market	We need this live within 30 days.	We can wait 4-6 months for a build.
Competitive Edge	It's just a tool (e.g. Email/HR).	This tool is our advantage.
Budget Logic	Prefer low monthly OpEx.	Prefer high upfront CapEx for ROI.
System Complexity	Standard tools (Slack/GSuite).	Proprietary/Legacy systems.
Data/Security	Third-party cloud is fine.	We need absolute IP ownership.
Scaling Plans	Linear, predictable growth.	Rapid, exponential growth.

• Total Score 7–18 → Buy Off-the-Shelf. Your needs are standard. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Focus your capital on marketing or sales instead of custom dev.
• Total Score 19–27 → The Hybrid Zone. You might benefit from a ready-made solution that has a highly flexible API, or a "Low-Code" custom build.
• Total Score 28–35 → Build Custom. Your business is being held back by generic tools. The inefficiency of "making it work" is likely costing you more than a custom build would.