Build vs. Buy: SaaS Integration Strategy

SaaS integrations have become the lifeblood of customer experience and product competitiveness. As product leaders, the critical question isn’t whether to integrate, but how to approach integration development: should you build from scratch or leverage existing integration platforms? Let’s explore a pragmatic approach to your SaaS integration strategy.

The Integration Crossroads

Every SaaS company reaches a pivotal moment when expanding platform connectivity becomes a strategic imperative. The decision to build or buy integrations is more nuanced than a simple cost comparison—it’s about aligning technical capabilities, resource constraints, and long-term product vision.

When Building Makes Sense

Custom-built integrations offer unparalleled flexibility and can provide a truly unique user experience. Consider building when:

Your integration requirements are highly specialized
You have significant in-house technical expertise
The integration involves proprietary or complex data workflows
Off-the-shelf solutions cannot meet your specific architectural needs

Building allows complete control over every aspect of the integration, from authentication to data transformation. Your engineering team can craft precise solutions that perfectly match your product’s unique requirements.

The Case for Buying

Integration platforms have dramatically evolved, offering robust, scalable solutions that can dramatically accelerate time-to-market. Buying becomes attractive when:

You need to launch multiple integrations quickly
Your team lacks deep integration expertise
You want to minimize ongoing maintenance overhead
Rapid iteration and customer value are top priorities

Modern integration platforms provide pre-built connectors, standardized authentication, and managed infrastructure that can reduce development time from months to weeks. You could easily test with something like LinkedIn or Slack.

Cost Considerations of Build vs. Buy

Let’s break down the financial implications.

Build Costs

Initial development: $50,000 – $250,000
Ongoing maintenance: 20-30% of initial development annually
Engineering resources dedicated to integration support
Potential opportunity costs of delaying other product features

Buy Costs

Monthly platform fees: $500 – $5,000
Per-integration setup: Minimal to moderate
Reduced internal engineering overhead
Faster time-to-market
Predictable, scalable pricing model

Technical Evaluation Criteria

When comparing approaches, consider:

Scalability: Can the solution handle increasing integration complexity?
Security: What are the authentication and data protection mechanisms?
Customization: How flexible is the integration architecture?
Performance: What are the latency and reliability metrics?
Ecosystem Support: How many pre-built connectors are available?

Hybrid Approaches

Many successful companies adopt a hybrid strategy.

Use integration platforms for standard, high-demand connectors
Build custom integrations for unique, mission-critical workflows
Leverage platform APIs to extend and customize existing integrations

Making Your Decision

There’s no universal right answer. Your choice depends on…

Current engineering capacity
Budget constraints
Speed-to-market requirements
Complexity of desired integrations

Start with a proof of concept. Many integration platforms offer free trials that allow you to test capabilities without significant upfront investment.