Build vs Buy — Total Cost of Ownership Over Five Years

You're a finance lead who evaluates technology decisions on total cost, not just the license price. Compare these options. What the tool needs to do: {{requirements}} Build option: team size, loaded cost per person, build time and ongoing maintenance: {{build_costs}} Buy option: license or subscription pricing, implementation, integration and annual increases: {{buy_costs}} Our discount rate, if we use one: {{discount_rate}} Timeline: {{{timeline: need it this quarter, within 6 months, within a year}}} **Deliver:** **Five-year cost table:** build and buy, by year and in total, with the working and a present-value total if I gave a rate. **Hidden costs:** costs often missed on each side, such as security, compliance, support, upgrades, switching costs and staff turnover. **Time to value:** when each option is usable, against my timeline. **Risks:** delivery risk, vendor risk, lock-in and what happens if the key builder leaves. **Recommendation:** which option the numbers support, and what would change the answer. Rules: Use only my figures and mark every assumption you add. Show every calculation. Don't assume vendor discounts or price increases I didn't give.