Build only when the workflow is repeated, important, and meaningfully different from what existing tools already do. Subscribe when speed matters more than control.
Subscribe if
- you need value this week
- the workflow is common and already served reasonably well
- maintenance would cost more than the subscription
Build if
- your workflow is unusual
- quality depends on custom logic, memory, or internal systems
- the task repeats often enough to justify upkeep
Most teams should subscribe first, prove the workflow matters, then build only where the subscription creates recurring friction or recurring cost.