Off-the-Shelf ERP vs Custom ERP — Which and When
Custom ERP vs off-the-shelf comes down to one question: do your processes fit a vendor's template, or does the vendor make you fit theirs? Off-the-shelf ERP (SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics 365, NetSuite, Odoo) works when 80%+ of your workflows match the platform, you have under 15 users and no exotic integrations. Custom ERP development wins when you have proprietary manufacturing logic, three or more external systems to connect, or headcount above 25 turning per-user pricing into a six-figure annual bill. Below: the break points, a 2-year TCO comparison, and when switching from Dynamics, SAP or Odoo pays back in under 18 months.
When off-the-shelf works and when it stops working
Off-the-shelf systems impose their own objects, statuses and reports. When your business diverges from that model, you pay twice — once for the license, once for the developer keeping customizations alive.
- ✓Off-the-shelf fits under 15 users, one warehouse, no manufacturing — 6-10 weeks to launch, €40-€120 per user per month.
- ✓Custom ERP is justified with proprietary production, batches, serials or specific quote flows — SaaS customization runs €15,000-€40,000 per module and rarely survives an upgrade.
- ✓Per-user pricing is a trap above 25 seats — €85-€140 per user per month equals €40,800-€67,200 yearly in licenses alone for a 40-person company.
- ✓3+ integrations is the line — bank, courier, regulator or SCADA connectors need middleware that is maintained separately.
- ✓Upgrades break customizations — every major release forces re-test and often re-implementation, €5,000-€20,000 per cycle.
- ✓Your data lives on someone else's server — custom software keeps schema, backups and hosting under your control.
Who custom ERP is for
30-120 staff with batches, recipes, serials and MRP. SAP Business One runs €60,000+ to implement and €45,000 yearly. Custom ERP pays back in 14-18 months — scrap reporting and cost-of-goods work day one, no Excel workarounds.
Distributors with 3+ warehouses, B2B portal, customer-tier pricing and courier integration. Off-the-shelf covers 60%, the rest is middleware. Custom unifies it in one codebase, no per-seat fees.
Agencies, construction, engineering — the chain "project → task → timesheet → invoice → cash-in" is missing. Custom ERP assembles it for €25,000-€55,000, the cost of 1.5 years of HubSpot for the same team.
How we deliver a custom ERP
We do not start with code. We start with your real processes and the documents you already use. Goal: MVP in production in 8-12 weeks, not a big-bang launch in two years.
1. Discovery and process audit
3-5 days on site with sales, warehouse, accounting and production. We map input documents, output reports and the places where Excel patches gaps. Output: 40-80 processes ranked by pain and ROI.
2. Architecture and data model
We define the objects with the fields you actually need. PostgreSQL for storage, Next.js for UI, REST/GraphQL API for integrations. Schema is documented and yours.
3. MVP in production in 8-12 weeks
The first version covers 3-5 modules — orders, stock, invoicing, contacts, basic accounting. It runs alongside your current system, not in place of it overnight. We iterate weekly with real users.
4. Integrations and automations
Couriers, accounting software, bank import, online store, email and Telegram notifications. See business software for the catalog we compose from.
5. Training and SLA
Three role-based sessions, video documentation, SOPs. Code is yours — hosted with us, on your server, or in AWS. SLA from €600/month, includes new features, not just bug fixes.
Why Saitami
Fixed EUR pricing — no per-user fees, no hidden upgrade bills. Comparing specific vendors? See Odoo alternative and ERP system vs Excel.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does off-the-shelf ERP stop being enough?
Three signals: (1) more than 25-30 active users — licenses pass €30,000/year; (2) you depend on 3+ external systems with manual sync sheets; (3) every new process needs a consultant at €120-€180/hour. With two of the three present, custom ERP typically pays back in 14-20 months.
What is the real 2-year TCO?
For 40 users: SAP B1 or Dynamics 365 — €65,000 implementation + €52,800 yearly licenses + €18,000 support = €188,600 over two years. Custom ERP — €38,000 build + €14,400 yearly support × 2 = €66,800. See custom software cost for a scenario-specific calculation.
What if we need a new module after a year?
In off-the-shelf, a new module often means a new license bundle (€8,000-€20,000) or an edition upgrade. In custom, a new module ships in 2-6 weeks at €4,000-€12,000 and reuses your existing data. That is why 70% of clients stay for follow-up iterations.
How is this different from Odoo or Dynamics?
Odoo is open-source but every custom module sits on a side framework, and Enterprise brings per-user pricing back. Dynamics is deep enterprise SaaS — expensive per seat, hard to modify without a certified partner. Custom ERP inherits nothing — we write exactly what you need on Next.js + PostgreSQL.
Who owns the code and data?
You do. On payment you receive source code, schema documentation, deployment scripts and backups. Host with us (€120-€280/month), on your server, or in AWS. The contract has an explicit exit clause — if we stop work tomorrow, you have everything to continue with another team.
Ready for a custom ERP that pays back in 18 months?
Send a short note on your current system (Excel, SAP, Dynamics, Odoo) and the three processes that hurt most. Within 5 business days we prepare a 2-year TCO comparison and a fixed-EUR proposal.
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