When to build vs buy vs outsource — a decision framework

The fastest way to burn through seed funding is suffering from "Not Invented Here" syndrome. Tech founders often pride themselves on building proprietary software from the ground up, but the reality is that writing custom code is often the most expensive and slowest way to solve a business problem.

Here is the 0km framework to determine whether you should Build, Buy, or Outsource a software component.

The "Core vs. Context" Rule

Is this software component the core value differentiator of your business? If yes: Build it. If no: Buy it.

If you are building a new AI-based video editing platform, the video rendering engine is your core. You must own that IP. However, things like user authentication, billing systems, and live chat widgets are context. Do not waste 3 months building a custom billing engine when Stripe and Chargebee exist.

When to Outsource?

Outsourcing acts as a powerful lever when you need to execute quickly but lack the specific domain expertise internally, or when you need temporary burst capacity to launch an MVP.

• Outsource when: You have product-market fit on your core platform, but need to quickly build companion mobile apps (iOS/Android) and don't want to hire a full native team yet.
• Outsource when: You are an industry expert (e.g., a seasoned dentist launching a dental SaaS) but have zero technical co-founders. An execution partner like 0km functions as your technical org.

"Rent your infrastructure, buy your context, and heavily invest in building your core."

The True Cost of Building

Remember that building it in-house isn't just about the initial developer hours required to code the feature. It includes maintenance, debugging, updating libraries, security patching, and server costs. A $99/month SaaS subscription is infinitely cheaper than a mid-level engineer's salary dedicating 10 hours a month to fixing a custom internal tool.