Your data is in their system. Getting it out is the first step.
Vendor lock-in happens when a SaaS tool stores your data in a proprietary format, charges for data export, or makes migration technically difficult. When the vendor's pricing changes or the product fails to meet your needs, the lock-in is the problem. Custom software doesn't have a vendor.
Locked into a SaaS tool — pricing increased, features don't fit, or the vendor was acquired — and migration out is difficult because the data or workflow is in their proprietary system
Vendor lock-in takes specific forms:
Data lock-in. Your data is stored in the vendor's database. Export is limited (CSV only, no relational structure), expensive (premium feature), or technically complex. Moving to a competitor or a custom solution requires a data migration project.
Workflow lock-in. Your team's processes are built around the tool's interface and automation. Even if the data can be moved, the workflows need to be rebuilt elsewhere.
Integration lock-in. Zapier automations, webhooks, and third-party integrations all connect to the vendor's API. Every integration needs to be rebuilt to point to a new system.
Pricing lock-in. You've invested in the tool, your data is in it, and your team is trained on it. The vendor knows switching costs are high and prices accordingly. Pricing increases of 200-400% after a funding round are common.
When to escape:
The escape is worth the cost when:
- The annual SaaS cost exceeds the amortized custom development cost
- The vendor's roadmap has diverged from your needs
- The vendor was acquired and the product direction is uncertain
- A security incident at the vendor exposed your data
- The vendor is sunsetting features you depend on
The escape process: Data export → Custom build → Data migration → Workflow cutover → Cancellation
Custom application that does what the SaaS tool did, with your data in your own Postgres database, without recurring SaaS vendor risk
Data export and transformation
from the vendor's API or CSV export
Feature-equivalent custom application
covering the workflows your team depends on
Integration re-pointing
updating Zapier flows, webhooks, and third-party connections
Migration timeline
that minimizes disruption
One honest number to start.
Fixed-scope, fixed-price. The number below is the starting point — final scope is built from your brief.
Custom application that does what the SaaS tool did, with your data in your own Postgres database, without recurring SaaS vendor risk
Three steps, every time.
The same repeatable engagement on every project. No surprises, no mystery, no billable ambiguity.
Brief & discovery.
We send you questions, then get on a call. Output: a written scope with every step, feature, and integration listed.
Build & ship.
Fixed schedule, weekly reviews. No scope creep unless you change the scope — and if you do, we reprice it transparently.
Warranty & retainer.
30-day warranty on every launch. Most clients stay on a monthly retainer for ongoing features and maintenance.
Why Fixed-Price Matters Here
The escape scope is auditable: export the vendor's feature set, price the rebuild. No surprises.
Questions, answered.
Check your contract. Most SaaS contracts include data export rights, though the format may be limited. If the vendor is blocking data export, legal counsel is worth consulting.
CRM (Salesforce → custom), project management (Jira → custom), inventory management, field service management. Usually when the company has outgrown the generic tool and needs something specific.
Tell Ryel about your project.
Describe what you’re building and what outcome you need. You’ll have a written, fixed-price scope within the week.