"Rip and Replace" looks sexier every day.
I only recommend build when you can’t buy what you need. But many SaaS/AI tools have SCAM pricing, so there's probably ROI in 1:1 cloning now because of all the new good and low cost data/dev tools and LLMs.
Have a client paying $1,500/mo for a tool that’s buggy and doesn’t do what they need.
With the cost savings, plus the benefits of it doing what they need (and actually working), there’s a good case for build because there’s a growth story too.
I wouldn’t Rip and Replace to save $100/mo.
I also wouldn't have a nontechnical person vibe code it because then you end up in maintenance hell.
But getting AI-native engineers to build something that drives revenue growth, not just cost savings compared to the scam, seems a lot more practical lately.
Here's how we'll replace our client's $1,500/mo subscription after we get the green light:
> Have them record Looms while they use the product
> Say what they like and don't like
> Run discovery interviews and process mapping to understand the problem they need to solve and the outcomes they want to achieve
> Dump all that context into a coding agent to make a Product Requirements Document (PRD)
> Show client prototype with example output and get sign off
> Build.
The objection I hear about builds is “but maintenance”. Valid, but if you if done in an AI-native way and by actual engineers, it shouldn’t be too big of a lift.
More importantly, as long as the build is pointed at a valuable use case, it should be worth it
@bensenescu Our agency killed $2000 in semrush and $1000 in ahrefs costs because of OpenSEO & DataForSeo.
We went from $3000 a month... to $30 in api calls to DataForSEO.
Fuck Semrush & Ahrefs.