Should you build it or just install an app

Dear founder,

Every so often you hit a gap in your store — a feature the theme doesn't cover, a workflow that's slightly wrong. The next question is always the same. Do I find an app for this, or do I have someone build it?

There's no universal answer, but there is a useful way to think about it.

When an app wins

Reach for an app when the problem is common and someone has already solved it well.

• It's a standard need — reviews, subscriptions, currency conversion
• The vendor maintains it — they handle updates, not you
• You can leave it easily — no deep hooks into your theme

For most stores, most of the time, this is the right call. You're renting a solution and the rent is fair.

When building wins

Custom work earns its keep when the feature is yours — something tied to how your particular business runs.

If a feature is part of why customers choose you, owning the code is usually worth it.

Building makes sense when an app would need heavy customisation anyway, when you're paying three apps to fake one clean workflow, or when the monthly fees have quietly overtaken what a one-off build would have cost.

The middle path

Often the honest answer is "install now, build later". Use an app to prove the idea works, watch the numbers, and only commission custom code once you know it pays. I'd rather you spend a small monthly fee learning something than a large lump sum guessing.

The mistake I see most is building too early — a beautiful bespoke feature nobody uses — closely followed by installing too much, where five apps do badly what one build would do well.

If you're staring at that decision right now and can't tell which side you're on, book advisory time and we'll weigh it up together in an hour. It's a cheaper way to find out than committing to the wrong path for six months.