{
  "calculator": "build-vs-buy-decision-engine",
  "title": "Build vs Buy Decision Engine",
  "site": "AI Biz Hub",
  "input": {},
  "defaults_used": {
    "hourly_value": 75,
    "auth_enabled": true,
    "auth_build_hours": 40,
    "auth_maintenance_hours": 2,
    "auth_managed_cost": 25,
    "database_enabled": true,
    "database_build_hours": 20,
    "database_maintenance_hours": 4,
    "database_managed_cost": 25,
    "hosting_enabled": true,
    "hosting_build_hours": 16,
    "hosting_maintenance_hours": 3,
    "hosting_managed_cost": 20,
    "payments_enabled": false,
    "payments_build_hours": 30,
    "payments_maintenance_hours": 1,
    "payments_managed_cost": 0,
    "email_enabled": false,
    "email_build_hours": 12,
    "email_maintenance_hours": 1,
    "email_managed_cost": 20,
    "monitoring_enabled": false,
    "monitoring_build_hours": 8,
    "monitoring_maintenance_hours": 2,
    "monitoring_managed_cost": 26,
    "analytics_enabled": false,
    "analytics_build_hours": 24,
    "analytics_maintenance_hours": 2,
    "analytics_managed_cost": 0
  },
  "result": {
    "components": [
      {
        "name": "Auth",
        "buildCostOneTime": 3000,
        "annualMaintenanceCost": 1800,
        "annualBuildTotalCost": 4800,
        "annualBuyCost": 300,
        "breakEvenMonths": null,
        "verdict": "BUY",
        "reasoning": "Buying Auth at $25/mo costs $300 in the first year but saves 40h upfront + 2h/mo of your time ($4,800 of first-year time)."
      },
      {
        "name": "Database",
        "buildCostOneTime": 1500,
        "annualMaintenanceCost": 3600,
        "annualBuildTotalCost": 5100,
        "annualBuyCost": 300,
        "breakEvenMonths": null,
        "verdict": "BUY",
        "reasoning": "Buying Database at $25/mo costs $300 in the first year but saves 20h upfront + 4h/mo of your time ($5,100 of first-year time)."
      },
      {
        "name": "Hosting",
        "buildCostOneTime": 1200,
        "annualMaintenanceCost": 2700,
        "annualBuildTotalCost": 3900,
        "annualBuyCost": 240,
        "breakEvenMonths": null,
        "verdict": "BUY",
        "reasoning": "Buying Hosting at $20/mo costs $240 in the first year but saves 16h upfront + 3h/mo of your time ($3,900 of first-year time)."
      }
    ],
    "totalBuildHours": 76,
    "totalAnnualBuildCost": 13800,
    "totalAnnualBuyCost": 840,
    "annualSavings": 12960,
    "overallVerdict": "BUY",
    "insight": "Building everything yourself costs $13,800 of your time in the first year. Buying saves 76h upfront and 9 hours/month for $70/month. At $75/hour, buying frees up time worth more than the subscription cost."
  },
  "provenance": {
    "run": "https://aibizhub.io/api/run/build-vs-buy-decision-engine",
    "page": "https://aibizhub.io/build-vs-buy-decision-engine/",
    "methodology": "https://aibizhub.io/build-vs-buy-decision-engine/",
    "contract": "https://aibizhub.io/contracts/build-vs-buy-decision-engine.json",
    "engine": "https://aibizhub.io/engines/build-vs-buy-decision-engine.js",
    "engine_sha256": "2f59ba70fec6cff39007225d4bd5098d04880187487f01c53cf9916bd6eca46e",
    "build": "42c727dd573e245d1be09199a062c665d7f6f47e",
    "prices_verified": "2026-10-24",
    "prices_source": "https://aidevhub.io/api/models.json"
  },
  "disclaimer": "Business planning estimates — not legal, tax, or accounting advice.",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "cite": "AI Biz Hub, Build vs Buy Decision Engine (engine 2f59ba70fec6), https://aibizhub.io/api/run/build-vs-buy-decision-engine"
}